Our 5 Days Family Holiday in Paris, France
Visiting Paris was on our bucket list for a long time, and finally, during one of the autumn breaks, we got a chance to visit this lovely city. In this article, I have written about our experience in Paris, the places we visited, our accommodation, travel, and more. My readers may find this information useful for planning their family holiday in this lovely city.
As usual, we started planning about a month before the trip. The tasks included:
- Booking travel tickets.
- Explore accommodation at an appropriate location and book the same.
- Researching places to visit and not-to-miss experiences.
In this article, I’m writing about the itinerary we created after researching various blogs and YouTube videos. It also includes our experience, my reviews, and learnings. So let us start.
Our itinerary looked something like this:
5 Day Holiday Itinerary in Paris
Day 1: Start from Darmstadt (the city where we live) in the morning. Reach Paris by afternoon; Visit Visit Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile and Champs-Élysées followed by dinner at Champs-Élysées.
Day 2: A walking tour of Montmartre and visit the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, lunch, followed by a visit to the Louvre
Day 3: A casual walk around the city along the Seine River, followed by a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral. Lunch and then a visit to the Eiffel Tower and stay back till sunset at the Eiffel Tower to see the Lightworks
Day 4: A day trip to Disneyland
Day 5: Visit the Catacombs and L’Atelier des Lumières. Take an early evening train back to Darmstadt.
But before I write in detail about the places we visited and what we did, let me take my readers through some important information regarding travel and stay.
Reaching Paris:
By Train
Since we were travelling from Germany, and our city, Darmstadt, is just 560 km from Paris, the first travel option we considered was a car. But given the traffic and parking problems in Paris, we decided against it and went by train (more about it written further in the article). We booked a morning train from Darmstadt to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt, we took an ICE train around 9:30 in the morning and reached Paris around 2 pm.
If you plan to book tickets through Deutsche Bahn, go to their official website and make your booking. It is convenient and straightforward.
By Car:
Of course, reaching Paris by car is the most convenient option. It gives you flexibility and more comfort. If you wish to rent a car, I would highly recommend SIXT.
We have rented vehicles from SIXT multiple times and found their cars of top-notch quality. You can pick up the car from various locations in Paris, use it for the required number of days, and return it to the same place.
While you are here, you can reach my articles:
How to get a driving license in Germany- Step-by-Step guide
My Experience with renting a car in Germany
By Flight:
If you arrive by flight, you can take a cab from the airport to your accommodation.
Travelling within the city for Sightseeing:
Option 1: Using Public Transport
You can use public transport (buses, metro and trams) to visit various sights in the city. I have experience with it and can say that It was not always comfortable. Buses, trams, and metros tend to get very crowded at peak hours. Moreover, Paris is famous for its pickpocketers, so one must always be watchful. Metro and bus delays are also not uncommon in Paris.
However, I shall share some information about using public transport in Paris.
Local transport tickets can be purchased at automatic ticket machines/ticketing counters in metro stations or at the tobacconists. Usually, the people at the ticketing counter at Paris station are accommodating and can help you get the best deal if you make them understand the duration of your stay in Paris, places to visit, etc. Public transport tickets can be used on any public transport bus/metro/tram and must be swiped whenever you enter the bus/tram or metro.
Option 2: Use a combination of public transport and taxi
You can book a cab if there are delays or public transport is too crowded. We used the FreeNow App for booking cabs for transfers within the city.
Option 3: Use the Hop On Hop Off Bus.
This option is quite convenient as it is exclusively for tourists. These buses are not crowded, and they cover all the city’s major sights. Unlike regular public transport, which takes longer routes, covering as many places as possible in between, hop-on-hop-off buses go directly from one point to the other, saving you time and avoiding the hassle of huge crowds. You can book it for the duration of your preference. The onboard audio guide helps you better understand the places, and you can get down to your place of interest and explore it at leisure. Once done, you take the bus and head to your next destination.
Here, I suggest two options- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus and Hop-On Hop-Off Bus+ Cruise on the Seine River.
Option 4: Use your car
This option gives you comfort and flexibility. But parking your car will be a challenge in Paris. The city is crowded, and finding a parking space can sometimes become a nightmare. It is also expensive. However, if you are in Paris and use your car for travelling around, use this website to find car parking in Paris.
Accommodation in Paris
Since we are a family with kids already in their teens, having enough space for each of us is essential. Hotel rooms are not spacious enough and restrict everyone to a small room. So, off late, we have started booking homestays. We usually reserve an apartment or house, preferably with an equipped kitchen and a minimum of two bedrooms, so that each of us has our own space and there is always an option of cooking something.
As a family, we like having a good breakfast and starting our day, and homestays allow us to make simple meals at home. Also, we like exploring the local supermarkets, finding what’s new, and trying out foods and drinks that are locally available. Apartments/homestays are an excellent option for all the people who want to add this to their holiday experience.
For this trip, too, we booked a homestay very close to the city centre, and as usual, the experience was great. Accommodation can be booked using this link.
Now, I’ll take you through the places we visited in Paris:
Day 1 Evening: Champs-Élysées and Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile
It was afternoon by the time we reached Paris. After settling all our stuff, we freshened up and headed to our first destination Champs-Élysées.
About Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées is an avenue known for its theatres, cafés, and luxury shops. It is here that the finish of the Tour de France cycling race, as well as its annual Bastille Day military parade, takes place. The Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile is one of the most famous monuments in Paris, standing at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
About Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe was built to honour those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer walls. The pillars are adorned with sculptures, and the facade of the Arch is decorated with relief panels representing crucial moments of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic era.
We spent a couple of hours in this location, walking around and getting our first experience of Paris. Then, we headed to a restaurant at Champs-Élysées and had dinner. After dinner, we headed back home.
Note that when we visited Arc de Triomphe, there was some ongoing renovation work, so we didn’t get an opportunity to climb it. But if you have time and access is allowed, climbing the Arc de Triomphe to get a first view of Paris is worth it. If you, like us, visit the Arc de Triomphe on your first day in Paris, you will like it even more. You can check out tickets for climbing the Arc de Triomphe here.
Day 2: A walking tour of Montmartre and visit the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur, lunch, followed by a visit to the Louvre
About Montmartre
Montmartre is a large hill in the north of Paris. It is primarily known for its artistic history, the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur on its summit, and a nightclub district. Near the end of the 19th century, many artists lived, worked, or had studios in or around Montmartre, including Claude Monet, Pablo Picasso, and Vincent van Gogh. Montmartre is also the setting for several hit films.
Since there wasn’t one particular place we wanted to visit in Montmartre, and we were not even entirely sure what to expect, we decided to book a walking tour of the place. And I am glad we did that. The best way to understand the place’s landmarks is to take a walking tour with a local guide. The tour typically lasts about 2 hours, and all the important landmarks, such as Moulin Rouge, Dalida House, and the artist’s colony, are shown. We had a wonderful experience; the guide was knowledgeable, showed us places, and told us stories related to them which we could not have done all by ourselves. I recommend taking the walking tour if you plan to visit Montmartre. You can book a guided tour of Montmartre from here.
Our walking tour ended at the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. The guide explained about the Basilica and ended the tour. After that, we were free to explore it ourselves.
About Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur
Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur is located on the summit of Montmartre. It is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. A flight of steps takes you to this beautiful church. The church can be visited from the inside and is worth a visit when in Montmarte.
After visiting the Basilica, we headed towards the Louvre museum. We picked up sandwiches near a bakery near the Louvre and headed to the museum.
Here, I would mention that if you have more time, you can book a Moulin Rouge Cabaret Show after seeing Montmartre and the Basilica. Moulin Rouge is right at the entrance of Montmartre, and a show here is an experience unique to Paris. Note that the show is not suitable for younger children.
Our next stop for the day was the Louvre Museum
Despite having our booking done online, there was a long queue at the entrance. Therefore, I would suggest that my readers account for the waiting time in the queue when planning their visit to the Louvre.
About the Louvre Museum
The Louvre is the world’s most-visited museum and a historic landmark in Paris. It is the home of some of the best-known works of art, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace adjacent to the Tuileries Gardens and contains more than 380,000 objects, sculptures, paintings, drawings, and archaeological finds.
After entering the Louvre, the visitors are given a map of the museum with information about the location of the exhibits. Here, I would highly recommend doing your homework and making a list of the things you want to see in the museum and seeing those first. The museum is so big, with so many exhibits, that it is impossible to see everything in a few hours. Moreover, it is tiring to go from one place to another. So, make a list of ‘Exhibits of Interest’ and see them first. If you have more time and energy left, explore more.
The tickets for the Louvre can be booked on their official website: https://www.louvre.fr/en, or here. Note that tickets from both these sources are similarly priced, but the latter allows you a guaranteed entry in 30 minutes.
Also, while researching the Louvre, I found this interesting website for kids, which my readers with kids might find interesting:
When we exited the Lourve, it was late, and we were tired. We decided to call it a day.
Note that we spent about half a day at the Louvre. If you have more time, you can spend more time at the Louvre and explore the Tuileries Gardens.
Day 3: A casual walk around the city along the Seine River, followed by a visit to Notre Dame Cathedral. Lunch, followed by a visit to the Eiffel Tower. Stay back till sunset at the Eiffel Tower to see the Lightworks
We started the third day by waking up late and heading towards Notre Dame Cathedral. On the way, we stopped by the river bank and walked along, absorbing the sights and sounds of Paris.
You can book a 1-Hour River Seine Cruise with an audio guide if interested. You can see the important landmarks along the river. Note that the pickup point for this cruise is near the Eiffel Tower. So, if you plan to take this cruise, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral in the morning and head towards the Eiffel Tower. Finish the cruise and then see the Eiffel tower.
About Notre Dame Cathedral
Notre Dame Cathedral is one of the first Gothic cathedrals built in Europe and one of the most prominent in France. Its construction took place throughout the Gothic period. It started in the 12th century and continued for 300 years. Because of the time it took to build, various styles of architecture can be seen throughout the building. Because of the parts that got destroyed during a recent fire, renovation work is still ongoing, and the cathedral cannot be visited from the inside. However, tourists can get a good view of this prominent landmark from the outside.
We saw it from the outside. We took pictures and headed to our next destination, the Eiffel Tower.
If you are interested, you can take a Notre Dame Outdoor Walking Tour with Crypt Entry, in which a guide takes you through the cathedral’s history. This tour allows you to enter the archaeological crypt beneath Notre Dame (the original city of Paris).
Our next destination for the day was the Eiffel Tower.
About Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built this iron tower as the centrepiece of the 1889 World’s Fair. At 330 meters, it is the tallest structure in Paris. The tower has three visitor levels, with restaurants on the first and second levels. The top level’s upper platform has the highest observation deck in Europe.
Near the Eiffel Tower, there are plenty of restaurants. They are a bit pricey, and the closer they are to the tower, the more expensive they are. It took us some time to figure out where to eat. Then we had a relaxed lunch and headed to the Eiffel Tower.
Again, although we had made an advanced booking, there was a long queue at the entrance. I recommend accounting for the waiting times in the queue when planning your Eiffel Tower visit.
Tickets for the visit can be booked here: https://www.toureiffel.paris/fr or here. Buy wherever you get a better deal.
Here, you can choose between a ‘Summit Ticket’ and a ‘2nd Floor ticket’. Choose according to your preference but make sure you make an advance booking and do not rely on ‘on the spot/at the counter booking,’ because it can get very crowded and you may not get the tickets of your choice at the last moment.
We booked a ticket for the 2nd Floor. From there, we got to see fantastic panoramic views of the prominent landmarks of Paris. There are restaurants on the 1st and 2nd Level; you can even stop by if you like.
After our visit, we climbed down and headed to the adjoining park. I highly recommend visiting the park to experience the vibes of this bustling city.
Then we walked along the river and reached a viewing platform along the river bridge. From there, we got beautiful views of the tower. We waited there till sunset. At sunset, the Eiffel Tower is lit up and looks absolutely amazing. Therefore, I recommend visiting the Eiffel Tower in the evening so you don’t miss this lovely sight.
After absorbing all the beauty and being fully satisfied with our visit, we returned home for a good night’s sleep.
Day 4: A day trip to Disneyland
About Disneyland Paris
Disneyland is an amusement park that provides a fun-filled experience for the entire family. It is located about 45 km from the centre of Paris. One can easily spend a whole day here and still not be bored.
On this day, we got up early and headed to Disneyland. It can be reached by car, but if you plan to go there by train, you must alight at The Marne-la-Vallée/Chessy train station, which is a few meters from Disneyland. It takes about 2 minutes to reach Disneyland from this station on foot.
Please note that Paris’s local public transport ticket cannot be used to reach Disneyland. A separate ticket has to be purchased, which can be bought at the train station.
Another alternative is to book a park ticket with shuttle service. This is a much more convenient and faster option than using public transport. You can get onto the bus at any of the four pickup points in the city.
We spent an entire day in Disneyland. It was a fun experience. I recommend that my readers be aware that Disneyland is usually very crowded. Visiting Disneyland on weekends can mean waiting in long queues for rides, food, toilets, etc. So, if you are on holiday in Paris, you can plan a visit to Disneyland on a weekday. On weekdays, the tickets are cheaper, and the place is less crowded. Also, download the Disneyland app and plan the rides you would like to take in advance. It will help you spend your time effectively in the park. The app is handy for finding your way around the park and understanding estimated wait times.
Tickets for your visit can be purchased on their official website: https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-usd/, or here. Check out both options and buy where you get a better deal.
Day 5: Visit the Catacombs and L’Atelier des Lumières. Take an early evening train back to Darmstadt.
On our last day in Paris, we wanted to visit two destinations. The first was the Catacombs, and the second was L’Atelier des Lumières.
About the Catacombs of Paris
In the late eighteenth century, major public health problems tied to the city’s cemeteries led to a decision to transfer dead bodies to an underground site. Paris authorities chose an easily accessible location that was, at the time, outside the capital. This location is the present-day location of the catacombs. It holds the remains of more than 600 million people and is open to visitors. A flight of 131 steps takes you deep down to the place where you can see the skulls and bones of people buried long ago. Unlike the catacombs in Rome, these were not made based on religious practice or intent. But it is still worth visiting.
Tickets for the visit can be purchased at:
https://www.billetterie-parismusees.paris.fr/content#
After we visited the catacombs, which lasted about 1.5 hours, we headed to L’Atelier des Lumières.
About L’Atelier des Lumières
L’Atelier des Lumières is an artistic experience of a different kind. Although there are no real paintings that are displayed, the use of projections on the walls creates a larger-than-life experience. The hall is huge, and artists’ works are projected along with music to go along with. It is a different experience, well worth it. There was a show of Dali’s works when we were there, and we found it pretty interesting.
Tickets can be booked at:
https://atelier-lumieres.tickeasy.com/fr-FR/accueil
Please note that this place is not very crowded, and last-minute tickets are cheaper than tickets booked in advance. If you want to take a chance, you can book the tickets for the visit on the same day a few hours before your visit, and you can get tickets at a much lower price.
After our visit, we headed to the train station to take our train back to Darmstadt.
Our Paris trip was a memorable one. It gave us many new experiences and opportunities to have fun with our family. We wanted to add a few more places to our Itinerary, but unfortunately, that was not possible. However, we visited as many locations as we could in these five days, enjoyed the local cuisine, and even tried out our broken French on locals 🙂
If you have more time in Paris, I recommend adding Versailles Palace to your itinerary.
Versailles Palace
Located about 22 km southwest of Paris, the Versailles Palace and its gardens are worth a visit if you have a day to spare. By public transport, it takes about 40-50 minutes to reach, so consider about 2 hours of commute time to and fro. The palace is vast, and you can spend an entire day exploring it and its lavish gardens. If you are a history buff, you will surely find it an interesting place because Versailles was the capital of France in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. This place is also famous for the Treaty of Versailles, which was a peace treaty signed at the end of the First World War.
You can book a train ticket on the Palace website. Alternatively, you can book a guided tour from Paris, which helps you understand the place better.
Before I end my article, I have a few tips for my readers:
- Plan your trip in advance and make your bookings ( for the places you want to visit) before you come to Paris. Paris is crowded with tourists, and getting anything at the last moment is hard.
- Be prepared to stand in long queues despite advanced bookings.
- Public transport is crowded and sometimes unreliable, so have a backup plan (Like a taxi app downloaded on your phone when you arrive).
- Don’t miss out on trying local delicacies ( Try the macarons, eat at local bakeries- cakes, pastries, sandwiches, all taste yum)
- Beware of pickpockets, and always watch your belongings.
- Dress appropriately according to the weather and be ready to walk a lot.
Check out my gallery page for many more photos of Paris.
Also, read my article about the Top 10 Places to see in Paris.
Also, read about other holiday destinations here.
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