Europe: France, Family Fun

Baby Sitting Services

Home Service: 2, rue Pierre-Semard, 75009 Paris Tel : 01 42 82 05 04
1, 2, 3 Soleil: 17, rue Louis-Bonnet, 75011 Paris Tel : 01 43 57 44 53
Allo! Service Mama: 58, avenue Wagram, 75017 Paris Tel : 01 42 67 99 37
Kid Service: 159, rue de Rome, 75017 Paris Tel : 01 47 66 00 52
ABABA: 8, avenue du Maine, 75015 Paris Tel : 01 45 49 46 46
Babysitting Service: 18, rue Tronchet, 75008 Paris Tel : 01 46 37 51 24

Kid-Friendly Museums

La Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie
Address: 30 avenue Corentin Cariou - 75019 Paris
Metro: Porte de la Villette -Tel.: 08.36.68.29.30 www.cite-sciences.fr

"Cité des Enfants" (Children's City) for kids 3 - 12 years;
Highlites: science, submarine "l"Argonaute" and technology.

Palais de la Decouverte
Address: Avenue Franklin D. Roosevelt - 75008 Paris-Metro: Franklin D. Roosevelt Tel.: 01.40.74.80.00 - Fax: 01.40.74.81.81

Musee National des Techniques (et des Arts et Métiers)
See: www.cnam.fr
Address: 292 rue Saint-Martin - 75003 Paris - Metro: Réaumur-Sébastopol, Arts et Métiers
Tel.: 01.40.27.23.31 ou 01.40.27.23.71 - Fax: 01.40.27.26.62 –
Open daily between 10h00a.m – 19h30p.m. (Closed Mondays and Holidays)
Free admission

Musee Oceanographique
Where? Centre de la Mer et des Eaux. Metro: Luxembourg
Address: 195, rue Saint-Jacques - 75005 Paris
Highlites: Sea World Studies - J.-J. Cousteau and Seven Aquariums Films -
Tel.: 01.46 33 08 61 - Fax: 01.40 51 73 16
Open daily: Tuesday to Friday from 10hoo a.m – 12h15pm and 13h15pm – 17h30p.m, Saturday and Sunday from 10h00am – 17h30p.m.
(Closed on Mondays)

Musee de la Curiosite et de la Magie
Highlights: Magic – all and everything to do with magic.
Address: 11 rue Saint-Paul, 75004 Paris. Metro : Saint-Paul
Tel: 01.42.72.13.26
Open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 14h00p.m – 19h00p.m.

Musee de la poupee / Dolls Museum
Highlights: A 300 porcelain headed doll collection, dated 1860 - 1960.
Address: Impasse Berthaud, 75003 Paris. Metro: Rambuteau
Tel: 01.42.72.73.11
Open from Tuesdays - Sundays from 10h00a.m - 18h00p.m
(Closed on Mondays)

Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle Jardin des Plantes / Botanic Gardens

Musée National des Thermes et de l'Hôtel de Cluny.
Address: 6 place Paul Painlevé, 75005 Paris. RER: lines B-C Saint-Michel, Notre-Dame. Metro: Cluny, Saint-Michel.
Tel: 01 43 25 62 00.
Open from 09h30a.m – 17h15p.m.
(in winter from 09h30am – 12h30p.m and 14h00p.m – 17h15p.m.
(Closed on Tuesdays).
Highlights: Medieval collections, including the tapestry “the Lady of the Unicorn, in a flamboyant style town house” plus the thermal bath of Lutèce.

Musee de l’Homme
Highlights: Prehistory, Anthropololy, Ethnology.
Address: Palais de Chaillot. 17, place du Trocadéro, 75016 Paris. Metro: Trocadéro Tel: 01.44.05.72.72
Open daily from 09h45am – 17h15p.m
(Closed on Tuesday and Public Holidays).

Musee de la Marine
Palais de Chaillot - Place du Trocadéro - 75116 Paris
Metro: Trocadéro Tel.: 01.45.65.69 69. Fax: 01.47.27.49.67
Open daily from 10h00a.m – 18h00p.m
(Closed on Tuesdays)

Musee National du Moyen-Age / Middle-Ages Museum
Highlights: Middle age times in a beautiful 15th century house.
Address: 6Thermes de Cluny, place Paul Painlevé, 75005 Paris. Metro: Cluny, Saint-Michel, Maubert-Mutualité - RER B-C : Saint-Michel, Notre-Dame
Tel.: 01.453.73.78.00. Fax: 01.43.25.85.27
Open daily from 09h15a.m – 17h45p.m.
(Closed on Tuesdays)

Musee de la Musique
See: www.cite-musique.fr
Highlights: 4,500 collection of music instruments from the 16th century to present times. Cité de la Musique
Address: 221 avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris. Metro: Porte de Pantin
Tel: 01.44.84.44.84.

Museum of the Horse
A modern Museum of the Horse in Chantilly. Built on a desert-type sandy area,, the Mer de Sable ("Sand Sea") in Ermenonville, is an adventure park themed with cowboys and Indians and a ranch show at 14h00p.m. At 16h00p.m there is an Indian attack and at 17h15p.m.
Fairground attractions include water rides, a steam train and pony rides, real buffaloes and camels.
Plenty of food stops and a picnic area.(open from April - September).
Address: 60950 Ermenonville. From Paris take motorway north - A1, exit 7, direction Ermenonville. RER B - Roissy Charles de Gaulle - 1 + autobus.
Tel: 03 44 54 00 96 (general information).
Open from10h30a.m – 19h00p.m from March - September.


Guided Children’s Tours

Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des Sites
Address: Hôtel de Sully, 62, rue Saint-Antoine, 75004 Paris.
Tel: 01 44.61.21.69/70. Fax: 01.44.61.21.62
Highlights: Helping 7 – 12 year olds discover Paris – in French only.
Every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday (with extra visits during school holidays).

Children's Academy on Tour
Address: 2 rue Paul Escudier, 75009 Paris.
Tel: 01 42.82.17.07. Fax: 01.42.82.17.07.
The school afternoons of Wednesdays and Saturdays. Daily (except Sundays) during school holidays.
Highlights: Cultural sightseeing and artistic programs with the aim to get children familiar with art works and thus improving knowledge in English, French, Spanish and German. Learning through entertainment.

Martine Moisan Gallery / Visit Paris and Draw What You See
Address: 8 passage Vivienne, 75002 PARIS (Enter: 5 rue de la Banque)
Tel. 01 42 97 46 65. Fax. 01 42 97 46 65
Drawing lessons while walking around Paris during day/night time.
Techniques and mediums that are taught: watercolours, pastel, gouache, Indian ink, modelling.

Amusement Parks

Disneyland
Walt Disney in a grand American-style parade with fairy tales, Treasure Island, Arabian Nights and Pirates of the Caribbean, a boat ride through an underground world of animated scenes...and all in Paris!
Other Highlights: At the Visionarium set off on an extraordinary journey into space and time and fly off in Star Wars space shuttles! Frontierland and Haunted House, How the West was Won with its mining train and the great paddleboats which go up the river.
Address: Marne-la-Vallée, 32 km / 20 miles from Paris, take motorway A4, exit 14 (Euro-Disney). RER A - Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy
Tel: 01 60 30 60 30 (general information and hotel reservations)
Children over 3 years old: around 30% discount; Children under 3 years old, FREE.

Miniature Park of France
Some 5 hectares / 12 acres in the open air where you can discover the riches of France (open April - mid-November).
Address: FRANCE MINIATURE, 25 route du Mesnil, 78990 Elancourt. From Paris take motorway A13 or A 84 towards Elancourt, Dreux. RER C St-Quentin-en-Yvelines then the 420 bus.
Tel: 01 30 62 40 79. Fax : 01 30 51 31 31
Open daily from 10h00 a.m to 19h00 p.m (until 11h00 p.m on Saturdays) from March – November.

Safari Park of Thoiry
See: www.thoiry.tm.fr
Highlights: Safari park with a train tour through less ferocious and rare beasts or viewings of 80 species of animals including elephants, lions, bears and monkeys, all roaming the château gardens or a reptile house and tea-room.
The Safari Park of Thoiry is an incredible African reserve with free-roaming lions! Address: Chateau et Parc Zoologique de Thoiry, 78770 Thoiry-en-Yvelines. From Paris take motorway A13 at Pont de St Cloud, then motorway A12 direction Dreux, at Bois d'Arcy take the N12 direction Dreux, exit Pontchartrain.
Tel: 01 34 87 40 67
Open daily from 10h00a.m – 18h00p.m (until 17h00p.m in winter).

Miniature Park of France
A Miniature Park of some 5 hectares / 12 acres in the open air where you can discover the riches of France (open from April - mid-November).
Address: FRANCE MINIATURE, 25 route du Mesnil, 78990 Elancourt. From Paris take motorway A13 or A 84 direction Elancourt - Dreux. RER C St-Quentin-en-Yvelines then the 420 bus.
Tel: 01 30 62 40 79 - Fax: 01 30 51 31 31
Open from 10h00a.m – 19h00p.m (until 11h00p.m on Saturdays) from March - November.

Parc Astérix
Highlights: this part of 3 parks is exceptional with a leisure and two theme parks.
Leisure: Parc Astérix gives the impression of travelling through a massive cartoon strip, detailing the Gaul history – with a humorous undertone! Included are themes attractions, merry-go-rounds and a super water flume ride, performances by dolphins and sea lions.
Address: 60128 Plailly. 30 km from Paris, take motorway - A1 Paris-Lille.
RER B - Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle - 1 + autobus (every half an hour)
Tel: 03 44 62 34 34 (general information)
Open from 10h00a.m – 19h00p.m from April – mid-October.

Futuroscope
For a science fiction display the park is steeped in the atmosphere of a futuristic world with new technologies and steel, light and glass in the woodland. The Kinemax revisits the moving image on its 600 sq. meters/yards screen while the Omnimax places you at the heart of the action with a 360 degree cinema screen. From your armchair of your racing car you descend to the bottom of a mine! Additionally there is a room with 110 computers.
Address: BP 2000 - 86130 Jaunay-Clan 350 km from Paris, take motorway A10, exit 18; by train from Gare Montparnasse to Poitiers (TGV 90 mins) For more information, please call : 05 49 49 30 80

Le Croisic or La Rochelle for those fascinated by fish. Aliotis in Sologne with its 60 open air aquariums.



Toy Shops

Au Bon Marche
L'Espace Trois Hiboux au 1er sous-sol (400 m2 / yard sq.)
Address: 5 rue de Babylone -75007 Paris, Metro: Sèvres-Babylone.
Tel : 01.44.39.80.00
Open Mondays to Saturdays from 09h30a.m to 19h00p.m.
Hosted by one of Paris' most prestigious department stores, a large choice of toys are shelved in (exchanges possible) over 400 square meters/yards of shop floor.

Au Nain Bleu
Address: 408 rue Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris. Metro: Madeleine.
Tel : 01.42.60.39.01
Open Mondays to Saturdays from0 9h45a.m – 18h30p.m.
One of Parisian store renowned for its luxurious toys of wooden and stuffed, dolls tea parties, toy boxes etc.

Au Paquebot Normandie
Address: 247 rue de Tolbiac, 75013 Paris. Metro: Glacière, Tolbiac
Tel.: 01.45.89.57.38
Open Tuesdays - Saturdays from 09h15a.m – 12h30p.m and from 14h00p.m – 19h00p.m.
Exhibiting dolls, stuffed toys and an incredible model of the "Normandie"boating vessel.

Baby Reve
Address: 32 avenue Rapp, 75007 Paris. Metro: Ecole Militaire.
Tel.: 01.45.51.24.00.
Open Tuesdays - Saturdays from 09h30a.m – 19h00p.m (from 14h00p.m – 19h00p.m on Mondays).
Baby Reve has plenty of puzzles and educating games.

Butty
Address: 84 rue Manin, 75019 Paris. Metro: Porte de Pantin
Tel.: 01.42.41.01.72
Open Mondays - Saturdays from 10h00a.m – 19h00p.m.
With reasonably priced stuffed puppets and toys, porcelain dolls and costumes.

Dragon Bleu
Address: 140 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris. Metro: Saint-Philippe-du-Roule.
Tel.: 01.43.59.14.84
Open Mondays - Saturdays from 10h00a.m – 18h30p.m (Closed in August).
Large choice of children’s quality games, toys and books.

La Grande Recre
Address: Metro: Forum des Halles, Porte Berger, niveau 2, 75001 Paris.
Tel.: 01.45.08.01.91
Open Mondays - Fridays from 10h00a.m – 20h00p.m (until 19h00p.m on Saturdays).
This massive toy-space hosts Barbie, Lego, baby items and video-educating games.

Jouet International du monde
Address: 28 rue des Trois-Bornes, 75001 Paris. Metro: Parmentier.
Tel.: 01.43.57.48.44
Open Mondays - Saturdays from 12h00p.m to 20h00p.m.
All toys are handmade from around the world which includes boomerangs and skateboards, Frisbees, kites and small-scale models.

Le Nain Blanc
Address: 33 rue du Commerce, 75015 Paris. Metro: Emile Zola.
Tel: 01.45.75.26.13
Open Tuesdays - Saturdays from 10h00a.m – 19h15p.m (from 13h00p.m – 19h00p.m on Mondays)
Le Nain Blanc has an impressively large selection of toys.

L'Oiseau de Paradis
Address: 211 boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007 Paris. Metro: Rue-du-Bac.
Tel.: 01.45.48.97.90
Open Mondays - Saturday s from 10h00a.m – 19h00p.m.
With every toy imaginable, including muppets and teddy bears, dolls and tricycles, baby toys, Breton sailing boats and pedal cars, to name a few.

Pintel
Address: 16 rue Fabre-d'Eglantine, 75012 Paris. Metro: Nation.
Tel.: 01.43.07.95.52
Open Mondays - Saturdays from 09h45a.m – 18h45p.m
Large reasonably priced choice of toys.

La Ronde des Jouets
Address: 86, rue Monge, 75005 Paris. Metro: Monge.
Tel: 01.47.07.24.32
Open Tuesdays - Saturdays from 10h00a.m – 19h00p.m (from 14h00p.m – 19h00p.m on Mondays and from 11h00a.m – 19h00p.m on Sundays)
Selling dolls and games, toys, puzzles and stuffed toys.

Toys'R'us
Address: Centre Commercial 4 temps, La Défense-92800 Puteaux. Metro: Grande Arche de la Défense.
Tel: 01.47.76.29.78
Open Mondays - Saturdays from 10h00a.m – 10h00p.m.
Forum des Halles
Porte Lescaut, niveau-1- Metro: Les Halles.
Tél: 01 53 00 93 33
With more than 18,000 you will find reasonably priced items including fancy dress and party plus outdoor games, bicycles and video tapes, outdoor games, etc.

The Travel-Informed Team

You are welcome to send us comments or suggestions of what you would like us to cover on this page (), we always enjoy hearing from you.

READ MORE ON THE FRANCE
France, Family Fun
France, Gardens