Where to go to France with a child? Holidays in France with children. Some French resorts: features

France is not only a country known for its fashion trends, exquisite delicacies, luxurious vineyards and ancient castles. France is one of the best countries in the world for families with children. Both the youngest travelers and the already grown-up mischievous ones will not want to return to their homeland as soon as they get to know the local residents better, try interesting entertainment for themselves and appreciate the care and awe with which the French treat the younger generation.

So, you have planned a trip to France and want to take your favorite little ones with you. You should start by thinking through a travel plan, booking tickets, a hotel, and drawing up an entertainment and cultural program. Don’t forget about nutrition and other important aspects of vacationing with children.

The most convenient way to get to France with children is by plane. Almost every day Aeroflot and Air France carry passengers from Yekaterinburg, Moscow and St. Petersburg on direct flights. This is the fastest, most comfortable, and there is a special system of discounts on tickets for children.

Having reached one of the French cities, we select a hotel, guided by the following: you should not choose a place to stay near entertainment venues, clubs and cabarets, but you should prefer a more prestigious area, so as not to encounter strikes or troubles in an area populated by disadvantaged people.

Things are going well with food. Most supermarkets and shops are happy to offer visitors a good selection of baby food, powdered milk formulas, juices, purees and all the goods a baby needs, from hygiene products to toys. Pay attention to the ingredients and English translation of the components contained in the food. At the hotel, kids will be happy to be fed croissants and freshly squeezed juice, and in restaurants you can choose dishes that suit the child’s needs (cheeses, fruits and vegetables, boiled meat, pasta and much more). And rest assured: in France they will never refuse a request to exclude certain ingredients or serve a bowl of porridge for breakfast. In addition, discounts apply to children's menus.

It is more convenient to move around France and see the sights with a child in a rented car. The baby will be comfortable in a child seat, which is a mandatory requirement. Rental fee per day – from 30 euros.

Holidays in France with children

If your offspring can already move independently and require entertainment, France is exactly the country where a holiday with children will fly by.

Disneyland Paris

Disneyland Paris is located in Marne-la-Vallée, a town located just 32 km east of the French capital. The entire territory is divided into two large sectors, for each of which tickets must be purchased separately. The first part of Disneyland is its heart. It contains attractions, entertainment and a lot of decorations. This territory is divided into five more parts, grouped around the main castle of the sleeping beauty, each of the zones differs in its own style and adventures. In the second part of Disneyland - Walt Disney World, visitors can feel like real cartoon characters in a fairy tale. In addition, the park has a real lake on which a huge steamboat floats, and you also have the opportunity to ride throughout Disneyland on a small train and look at a wonderful country specially created for children and their parents.

For travelers there are shops with souvenirs, cafes, hotels, a golf course, and a residential and business district. Entrance – from 45 to 51 euros.

Asterix Park

Throughout the year, young travelers have the opportunity to visit the huge amusement park dedicated to Asterix - one of the largest and most attractive places for families with children. In the park you will be greeted by characters from your favorite films, a surprisingly friendly and relaxed atmosphere, a wide variety of attractions, an ice skating rink, circus performances, a cafe with hot chocolate and mulled wine, and souvenir shops where every child can leave with their favorite toy.

Thanks to a well-thought-out system that regulates queues, there is no need to spend a lot of time waiting for the opportunity to ride any attraction in one of the five themed parts of the park. In the Gallic village, travelers can expect endless celebrations, a circus, a large cinema, and a sea of ​​eateries and attractions. In Ancient Greece, the rides are built to be very extreme, designed for the most daring, for example, something like the Journey to Zeus roller coaster. In addition, in “Ancient Greece” there is a dolphinarium “Theater of Poseidon”. The next area of ​​the park is dedicated to the Vikings. Here visitors can expect a journey on a gigantic galley. And in “Medieval France” you can ride on swings and carousels, and then relax near the fountain.

The pleasure of visiting Asterix Park costs 29-39 euros.

Water park "Aquabulvar"

What could be better than a day spent with children among pools and slides (both slow and extremely fast), saunas (traditional baths, hammams, biosaunas) and jacuzzis, waterfalls and geysers, spas and hot tubs. Relaxation rooms and several restaurants and snack bars await tired and hungry visitors. Both adults and children will enjoy playing bowling, tennis or squash. For those who care about their health and attractiveness, there is a solarium, fitness club, gym, and water aerobics class. In addition, Aquaboulevard has not one, but fourteen cinemas for the whole family.

City of Science and Industry

In the eastern part of the French capital, one cannot help but notice a huge mirror ball in which the clouds are reflected. This is a cinema building with a giant screen, located in the city of science and technology of La Villette. The town of science and industry will be of interest to the whole family.

Planetarium

If your child is interested in the starry sky, and you yourself wouldn’t mind being in a rather romantic setting, go to the 3D planetarium in the north of the country (Pas de Calais). Here you will watch the stars, sitting on a special chair and wearing stereo glasses. Visitors will be shown rocket launches and pictures of our Universe, views from space, stars, comets and meteorites. The images are so clear that everyone will feel like an astronaut.

There are also two museums in the Planetarium: one dedicated to space research, the second to the war period in France.

Zoo in the Vienna Woods

Watching animals is interesting even for the youngest tourists. The animals live in natural conditions, in enclosures decorated to resemble their real habitat. There are about 1200 individuals in total. The entrance ticket costs from 5 to 8 euros, depending on the age of the visitor.

Mechanical Zoo

The miracle of engineering that has stepped forward has made it possible to create and demonstrate to the world huge mechanical animals. At the Mechanical Zoo, artists work tirelessly to design and assemble new, huge robotic animals. The elephant alone weighs 48 tons. Moving leisurely, he plunges those around him into shock. Robotic animals are not only giant toys, but also real works of art, which you can admire completely free of charge, and even ride for a small price.

Farm of Georges Viel

The farm is located in Vancennes and was built back in 1860 as an experimental site. Visitors of any age will be interested in seeing how oil and flax threads are produced, how crops grow, and looking at real pigs, cows, goats, rabbits and geese. Those who wish will even be trusted to milk a cow.

The farm is open during school holidays, holidays and weekends. A visit costs only 1-2 euros.

Doll Museum

It is impossible to come to France with children and not find time to visit the Doll Museum. Large and very tiny porcelain dolls have been carefully collected by collectors Sami and his father Guido since 1860. The Museum displays all periods of transformation of toys, their clothing, and facial features. You can look at the collection of dolls for 3-6 euros.

Large gallery of evolution of the Natural History Museum

Walking around and seeing a real mammoth, taking a photo (of course, without flash) with it and other exhibits of ancient history is interesting for everyone. Children will see the stages of evolution at the exhibition, opened back in 1994. Ticket costs from 5 to 7 euros.

France in miniature

And in one day you can explore the whole of France with its unique architecture, river, giant sand dune, see coastal resorts and the Eiffel Tower towering above all this in the “France in Miniature” park. The journey takes place along paths, among signs, bridges and villages, castles and monuments, cathedrals and museums.

What else to do in France with children? In winter, visit ski resorts, go shopping in search of interesting souvenirs, and in summer, be sure to visit the Cote d'Azur and bring back a beautiful tan and photographs of your happy family.

Climate in France

​The climate in France is noticeably different in each region due to the influence of the seas and oceans, as well as mountain ranges, but in general it can be called moderate: there will be no stifling heat in the summer and sharp frosts in the winter, which undoubtedly affects the popularity of France among tourists from all over the world.

Marseilles

Snow-white liners going on cruises in the Mediterranean Sea and to Africa, fishing boats starting every morning in search of the next, and it should be noted, considerable catch, excellent beaches offering not only a standard set of services for vacationers, but also the opportunity to ride a kayak or walk under the sail - this is how the second most important and largest city in France - Marseille - greets guests. This city has a lot of Arabic delicacies and other exotic things - it’s not for nothing that it is considered the gateway to Africa.

Toulouse

A city with a rich history and original architecture, one of the most vibrant and romantic cities in France, Toulouse amazes with its mixture of traditions and styles. Roman ruins, ancient cathedrals and churches with delightful stained glass windows, elegant mansions of pale blue and red brick houses - the city amazes with its unique flavor. And each of its squares and streets is imbued with history: Duke Henri de Montmorency was executed here - the most notorious execution in the country; The ancient monastery, the Augustinian Museum, houses paintings by the most famous French artists.

Nice useful article. We love Disneyland and are ready to go there again. This is a fairy tale for both children and adults.

I've been wanting to go to Disneyland with my kids for a long time. And now we had the chance to go to Paris. We were all delighted! After visiting this beautiful park, the whole family had wonderful memories of the attractions and photos with famous characters. We had visited many different parks before, but this one stood out to us the most. We plan to go again in a year or two.

Walking makes you incredibly tired, but it’s worth it! Disneyland definitely cannot be compared to the attractions in Moscow's Gorky Park! I don’t have kids of my own yet, I went to Disneyland with my friend’s daughter. She liked the huge Donald the most, and then excitedly told her grandparents how cool he was. But for some reason I didn’t even want to go on the rides with my mother. She was probably still little. Sveta and I had to take turns being with her while someone else was riding the roller coaster alone. I really wanted to go for a ride! In my opinion, you can go to Disneyland with children of any age. Just don’t persuade very little ones to go on the rides. A walk in the park is enough for them; it’s very interesting there.

I have always dreamed of visiting Disneyland with children, because there is so much entertainment there - an experience that will last a lifetime. And finally, my children and I are flying to Paris in the spring to Disneyland. We have planned a trip for my vacation and are looking forward to spring. We are going to live on the territory of the park in a hotel, because thanks to this we can get to the attractions earlier and in a few days we can easily visit everywhere.

Disneyland Paris is simply an amazing place that will not leave either children or their parents indifferent. Emotions and unforgettable impressions are guaranteed for everyone. Personally, I went at the beginning of September, beautiful weather, a little less children (it was the start of school after all), but in general there were always a lot of people there. The park is huge, if your children are very small, don't forget your stroller. You will have to walk a lot. At every step you will find characters from your favorite fairy tales and a variety of attractions. There will be no problems with food on site, there are a lot of cafes and fast food there, you won’t go hungry there. You need to take a camera with you, a good mood and money, of course. I recommend visiting it at any time.

I went with my son (6 years old) and daughter (8 years old) to Disneyland in October, the weather was wonderful, although it was cool at times, but not critical. True, we didn’t stay at their hotel, since their prices were much more expensive, and we had to get to the park on a free shuttle. The park is simply huge, you don’t walk around it much, you can get tired quickly. We stayed there for 5 days, but didn’t visit all the attractions; we simply didn’t have enough time (many attractions had very long queues). And yet, after these 5 days, the children were delighted; they were filled with joy and fun! They brag to all their friends that they visited such a fabulous place!

Unfortunately, I was not able to visit Disneyland Paris, but when I was still a child, they took me to an American park in Florida. In fact, this is not even one park, but all 4, united by a Disney theme. The impressions, of course, remained for life. The park is huge, with hundreds of rides and other entertainment. For any child this is a holiday. Gardaland, which is located in Italy and is considered one of the largest parks in Europe, is a small-town carousel compared to Florida Disneyland. If finances allow, I will definitely take my son to Disneyland when he grows up. It's worth it.

Have a great time!!! Adrenaline, positive, even for adults. And what a joy it is for children. I never regretted the money spent, it was worth it! I especially enjoyed meeting my favorite cartoon characters!!! Simply fantastic, friends! I recommend it to everyone!!! You must visit there in your entire life, don’t spare any money! Of the minuses, I would like to highlight the queues. Well, the queues are just incredible, but that’s understandable. And one day is catastrophically not enough!!!

We went with our child this spring. This is something amazing! No other amusement parks we visited were even close. The kid was just happy, although we weren’t able to try some of the rides because we were still small. But the parents had a blast! The only negative is the queues. You can also eat quite tasty food in the local cafes in the park, which we took advantage of for lunch and dinner.

Disneyland is the dream of every child (and adult, for that matter). I was there with my parents and six-year-old sister in June, the weather was warm - in general, it seems to me that it is better to go there closer to summer. Everyone was happy, a lot of impressions, everyone took pictures with their favorite cartoon characters. The only thing that was a little disappointing was a bunch of cafes with fast food. But you can walk and look for a regular cafe with healthy food. Tickets - yes, maybe a little expensive, but I’m ready to give any money over and over again to visit a fairy tale!

My husband, my daughter Dasha, she’s 6 years old, and I visited Disneyland last year. My husband and I were tired of the queues for the attractions where crowds of people gathered near them. But my daughter was crazy about all the attractions that we managed to get on. She looked at all the cartoon characters with admiration, pulling us around the park and telling us what kind of character he was and what cartoon he was from.

About a year ago, my son (9 years old) and I visited this wonderful place. It was his birthday. To say that my son was delighted is to say nothing. I liked absolutely everything from the roller coasters to the rooms of fear. The park itself is simply huge. There are a lot of people dressed as cartoon characters. The atmosphere is truly fabulous. Two tickets cost us about 100 euros. I think this is not such a big price to pay for the emotions that we received. We went in the fall, so it was quite cool. I advise you to dress warmly. We will definitely go again, it’s worth it!

Probably every child dreams of visiting the famous Disneyland. My son (10 years old) is no exception. We took him to this park as a birthday present. There are just a lot of impressions! Even I, an adult woman, seemed to have fallen into childhood and simply squealed with delight when I saw famous cartoon characters in the park, let alone children. My son was absolutely delighted! We were at Disneyland Park, that is, at the attractions, and there is also a park dedicated to the creation of cartoons. Of course, this entertainment is not cheap, but it is worth it. A ticket for a child for 1 day cost 45 euros, for me 53 euros. Not cheap, but it's worth it. We specifically chose a weekday so that there would not be too many visitors.

I look forward to when my child grows up and is interested in visiting Disneyland. At the same time, I can realize my unfulfilled childhood dream:)

A year ago I was in Paris with my children and wife. And, of course, we couldn’t help but visit Disneyland. And, without any concealment, with a pure soul I can say that Disneyland is the best amusement park in the whole world. I love to travel, especially with my family, and we have visited many parks around the world - Europa Park (Germany), Legoland (Denmark), Harry Potter Park in Florida, and the best of them all - Walt Disney Park. The children really liked it, they even cried when we left, but whatever, I shed a tear) We went there at the end of spring, in May, and I think this is the best time to go to Disneyland.

Unfortunately, I can only compare it with an amusement park in Moscow, but this is heaven and earth. Disneyland is exactly as it is described. This is absolute detachment from the outside world. A huge sea of ​​pleasures and impressions for both adults and children. It’s nice that you can spend an unlimited amount of time there just by paying the entrance ticket. I recommend visiting there at least once in your life with your family.

Disneyland Paris is the first place you should take your child, if of course you have the opportunity. We have already visited two Legolands and Port Aventura, but Disney Park still left indelible memories. It was as if I had plunged into my childhood. And given the number of cartoon characters they have known since childhood, such a trip will be no less interesting for adults than for children.

We went to Disneyland with our 5-year-old daughter in mid-November; there weren’t very many people at that time, but the weather was quite cool. It is better to take more warm clothes with you. We booked a room at the Disneyland Hotel, the atmosphere was fabulous, there was a lot of space, cartoon characters walked around the hotel, my daughter took pictures with everyone. The park itself is very large, we spent more time in Fantasyland, my daughter liked it there better. We had breakfast and dinner at the hotel, but there was a problem with lunch - the cafes sold mostly fast food, we barely found a decent place where we could eat soup or a normal main dish. There are a lot of impressions from the trip! Not only did my daughter enjoy it, but so did I!

A year ago we visited Disneyland Paris for the first time. What to say. Of course, we really liked it there, the rides were different, our children, of course, first of all ran to the roller coaster. We were delighted. Then all the other rides went on, some of which I rode myself, which was cool of course. I also liked the show we saw there. The only thing we didn’t like was that it took us a long time to fly and get to the place. And everything else is great.

It is probably known to every person aged 7 years and older. And almost every child dreams of going there.

If you prefer to travel around France on your own, or your child is very young for group excursion programs, we will help you organize an individual tour of France with accommodation in Paris or any other city or resort in France.

During an individual tour, organized specifically for your family, you will be free from the obligations of a group tour and will be able to stay with your child at the Eiffel Tower, in a cafe or on the playground for as long as you and your child need. Perhaps, after playing together with French children, your child will be able to please his parents with a few words in French.

What attracts you to a family holiday on the French Riviera:

• you love not only relaxing on the beach, but also traveling to the most beautiful towns nearby and seeing the beauty of nature;
• your children tolerate dynamic travel well, perhaps they are already schoolchildren;
• or maybe one of the children is still a baby, and you need a residence with a kitchen, the opportunity to relax for a long time on the coast “like real French”);
• you are attracted by the culture, traditions and cuisine of one of the most picturesque provinces of France - Provence;
• you are interested in relaxing in prestigious places and world-famous resorts;
• and finally, you are interested in a direct train ride into the heart of Western Europe.

If all we have noticed is about your family, and you can add your own to our arguments, Welcome to vacation at the best resorts for families with children on the Cote d'Azur of France - to Cannes, Antibes and Juan les Pins!

Tours with children to the Cote d'Azur of France can be conveniently combined with visits to numerous amusement parks and museums for parents with children on the Cote d'Azur:

- Antibes is home to the famous Marineland water park. Marineland Marine Park is located 20 km from the city of Nice. The main attraction of the park is a giant pool with killer whales, sharks, exotic fish and jellyfish, under which there is a transparent glass tunnel measuring 63 m x 4.60 m. In the tunnel you feel as if you are walking along the bottom of the ocean. The park hosts performances and shows with the participation of killer whales, dolphins, and fur seals. There is a special program “Meeting the Dolphins”. You can also see polar bears in the park. Open daily, all year round, except January.
Opening hours: from 10.00 to 20.00, in summer: from 10.00 to 24.00.

- Oceanographic Museum in Monaco , which for many years was created and headed by the great traveler and scientist Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The initiator of the construction of this grandiose structure was Sovereign Prince Albert I, an erudite and researcher who devoted his life to the Principality and scientific research. The museum is home to 6,000 marine inhabitants, while their natural habitat has been recreated to the smallest detail by the museum's management - this is one of the oldest scientific aquariums in the world.

Open daily:
from April to June, from 9:00 to 19:00
from July to August, from 9:30 to 19:30
September, from 9:30 to 19:00
from October to March, from 10:00 to 18:00.

- Water park in Frejus - The Kingdom of Water with all its pleasures:
swimming pools with artificial waves, toboggans for every taste, water attractions, aqua gymnastics, hot tubs, 5 bars, 1 restaurant, 1 fast food.

- Safari Park "Fréjus" is located 100 km from Nice, near Saint-Tropez. The park is located on an area of ​​20 hectares covered with Mediterranean vegetation. In spacious enclosures that recreate the landscapes of 7 continents, about 130 species of exotic animals, birds and fish live here: lions, tigers, elephants, yaks, bison, rhinoceroses, giraffes, monkeys, zebras, ponies, llamas and many others.
You will travel throughout the park by car, stopping at lakes and enclosures.
You will see a large pond with turtles and exotic fish, a forest inhabited by monkeys, you will be able to feed llamas, goats, and deer walking past you, and also visit a real poultry yard and a large terrarium with snakes.

- Monaco Doll Museum. The National Museum of Monaco houses one of the world's largest collections of antique dolls and wind-up toys from the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum building - the magnificent Villa Sauber on the seashore - was built by the outstanding architect Charles Garnier, the author of the National Opera in Paris and the Casino in Monte Carlo.

The most famous exhibits:“Pierrot with Dogs”, “Snake Charmer”, “Artist-Poet”, “Orchestra of Monkeys” and many others. Walking through the halls of the museum, you will see antique mechanical toys, wooden, porcelain, leather and plastic dolls in costumes from different eras, and even Barbie dolls from the very first copies to modern dolls. The atmosphere of that time is complemented by a collection of miniature furniture and household items. After the tour, you can stroll through the wonderful garden surrounding the villa, where more than 1,500 rose bushes of 50 different varieties bloom.

- Waterpark Niagara (in La Mole) . Located 10 km from Saint Tropez. California swimming pool, 7 giant toboggans, 2 hammams, 2 Jacuzzis, a wave pool, diving boards and other attractions.
(open from June 4 to September 3)

- Botanical Park Phoenix (Nice). A magnificent park of exotic plants that reproduces landscapes from different parts of the world. On its territory there are mini-attractions for children and a playground.

Good afternoon

After Disneyland, you need to decide on the coast where you want to relax.
This is either the Côte d'Azur (Mediterranean Sea), stretches from Toulon to the Italian border, through Cannes, Nice, Monaco and Menton. It is located 900 km from Paris (1.5 hours by plane). Main resorts:
Saint-Tropez today is a luxury resort with luxurious private beaches and a port where you can rent a yacht. You can visit the 16th-century fortress and the Impressionist Museum Annonciade. And, of course, everything is provided here for daytime and nighttime entertainment. 870 km from Paris, 112 km from Nice, 100 km from Marseille.
Les Issambres is a small southern town located on the seashore between Saint Tropez and Saint Maxime.
Cannes is a city of luxury hotels that hosts the world famous film festival every year. In its port you can rent luxury yachts and boats, in the surrounding area you can visit Grasse, the Fragonard perfume factory, the historical museum of the region and Saint-Paul-de-Vence - a place of rest and work for impressionist artists. The historical center of the city is very beautiful. In addition, for entertainment: discos and nightclubs, private beaches, gastronomic restaurants, bars.
Nice is a world-famous resort city with an ancient history, 25 km from the Italian border, with an international airport. In the old town around the port you can visit the cathedrals of St. Reparata and St. Jacques, the Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the former palace of the Dukes of Savoy (now the Palace of the Prefecture) and the castle they built in the 20th century, as well as the Chagall and Matisse museums, and Roman ruins. In the new city there is the famous Promenade des Anglais with palace hotels. For entertainment: casino, opera, theaters, cinemas, beach, all water and underwater sports - 993 km from Paris, 30 km from Cannes and Monaco, direct train 7 hours, direct plane 1.5 hours, city 30 minutes from the airport (by car).
Monaco and Monte Carlo - Belongs to the royal Grimaldi dynasty since 1297. Today it is a prestigious holiday destination, famous for its luxury hotels with private beaches, casinos, expensive restaurants and shops... In addition to the royal palace, several medieval houses have been preserved. You can visit the botanical garden, established in 1913 and famous for its exotic plants, and the anthropological museum. 950 km from Paris, 20 km from Nice.
And there is still the Atlantic coast of France:
The Atlantic coast of France is famous for its wide sandy beaches, but there is a problem with the ebb and flow of the tides: in some areas the sea can extend 1 km from the coast.
Biarritz is one of the most famous resorts on the Atlantic coast. The wide sandy beaches of Biarritz stretch from two rocky outcrops - Cape Saint-Martin and the Athalay plateau to the famous northern beach of Chambre d'Amour ("chamber of love").
Brittany - Brittany beaches are especially good in small coves hidden among the rocks. However, the water level in the sea here changes very noticeably. Therefore, vacationers swim mainly during high tide, and during low tide they mainly collect shells and crabs, which the sea, retreating, leaves on the shore. The tides are especially strong in the northern part of Brittany. The sand on the beaches of Brittany tends to be “dragging”.

The task was this: to take the child for a walk... and at the same time to take a walk ourselves. We decided to go along the route called "To France with children". The route is listed on the tour operator's website. We thought he was funny. The only thing is that when they saw that they had gnawed off 1 day for May, they were upset... We won’t really see Paris...

So. "Day of arrival - day of departure, one day"

Day 1 (Luxembourg - Reims - Paris): flight from Moscow to Luxembourg. Sightseeing tour of Luxembourg - the capital of the Grand Duchy. Transfer to Paris (approx. 375 km). On the way, visit the city of Reims - the capital of the Champagne region, visiting the world famous Reims Cathedral, the site of the coronation of French kings. Arrival in Paris, hotel accommodation.

We flew from Vnukovo. Charter. Tu 204 aircraft "Caucasian Mineralnye Vody". We took off without incident. On the way (3.5 hours) I chatted with neighbors, because... the wife and child were across the aisle. When landing, I thought that the plane seemed somehow flimsy. But nothing. They didn't fall apart.

We met the guide. We reached the center of Luxembourg. There we were shown the whole center quickly and clearly in 40 minutes, given a break after another 40 minutes and onto the bus.

First impression of Luxembourg- there in the evening it smells like coffee and vanilla... So cool... Everything is so cute...

On the bus they said that the ride was long and we were going through Belgium, because... the road through Metz is closed. Accordingly, Reims is on the way back. Estimated time of arrival is 23.00 local time. We looked out the window, looked and fell asleep. Family. They didn’t even get off the bus at the food stop. The driver was surprised and locked us in it. We woke up already in Paris... at 12 o'clock in the morning - at the same time and a night bus review :)
Paris is beautiful at night, it's crazy!

Arrived at the hotel at 24.00. Our hotel was called Montmartre Mercury. We went up to the room with copies of Degas’s paintings, took apart the beds and fell asleep.

“See Paris and... nothing”

Day 2 (Paris - Disneyland): bus sightseeing tour of Paris with a visit to the Fragonard Perfumery Museum. Additional package* - a trip to the amusement park - "Euro Disneyland", the land of cartoon characters, the mysterious world of fairy tales, where a festive atmosphere always reigns.

Well, we went around Paris by bus. But somehow my heart didn’t skip a beat... Well, the Eiffel Tower, well, Notre-Dame de Paris... I read the guidebook before - and I already recognized something. I really liked the windows and balconies of French houses. I thought that if I ever build for myself, everything will be exactly like this... A lot of flowers... Spring in full. Tulips, lilacs, apple trees, some trees with large purple flowers…. Crowds of tourists scurry back and forth... Cathedrals and houses are of a warm yellowish color... This is the kind of local stone from which almost all of old Paris was built. We saw a lot from the bus windows :) And most importantly, we stood in a lot of traffic jams, which, as they say, are not uncommon in the French capital.

So we came running and running Fragonard. It’s hard to call it a museum :) This is a marketing ploy when a person, in order to sell his product (perfume in this case), makes a small exhibition, so that later in the store those who come on an excursion buy a bag of the product. And it’s good for a travel agency - you don’t have to pay money for an excursion, and it’s also good to sell goods to a museum store.

Then there was the next “run-run”. We were taken to Disneyland. We just got to the parade of heroes. I kept thinking when I start to admire it. No way. The child also did not show much enthusiasm. While we ran through a couple of attractions (took a ride on the steamboat Mark Twain and in the trolley through the Big Thunder Mine(?) It turned out that restaurants are crazy expensive and the toad is choking, and fast food stalls are already closed. They bit the bit and ran on.

I really liked how the queues for the attractions were organized... Time passes almost unnoticed. We ran until 20 and a penny, until we were told that that was it, “there will be no more cinema,” although we were promised that the park would be open until 21.30. And we trudged to our home hotel... First to the RER, where we grabbed a panini in a cafe that was closing. For the first and last time I saw a man in France who tried to talk to us in Russian. He turned out to be a Russian of some sort :) It was harder with the others. People a priori believe that it is impossible not to know French and fall into a stupor when trying to speak to them in Russian or broken English.

The road was nothing special to remember. I left my people in the room and went to Clichy Boulevard for a walk... And I saw police officers on roller skates :))). And then a crowd of thousands of 7 roller skaters descending from the Sacre Coeur IMHO... Then there were queues at various nightclubs... Couples in convertibles with French rap blaring, slowly rolling along the sidewalk... Moulin Rouge... Sex shops and other all sorts of things. I thought that we were lucky to “live in such areas.”

“I’ve already seen this somewhere”

Day 3 (Paris - Loire castles - Angers): travel through the Loire Valley visiting the most popular castles: Amboise Castle, built in the 15-16th centuries, where Leonardo Da Vinci lived and was buried during the Renaissance (internal inspection), Chenonceau Castle - the most beautiful and unusual of the castles, with a magnificent gallery across the Cher River (internal inspection), and Chambord Castle, surrounded by the longest wall in France - a masterpiece of the Renaissance, which has seen many monarchs in its time (external inspection). Transfer to Angers, the capital of the Western Loire, one of the most beautiful cities in France. Hotel accommodation.

Oh yeah. And again the bus :) And again the castles (remember the Czech Republic and Germany).

At first Chambord. With internal staircase designed by Leonardo. We didn’t go inside to look at the stairs. There is no time, and somehow there is no need. I imagined a king in this castle. The castle is truly royal.

Chenonceau. On private property. I've already seen this somewhere. Wide entrance alley. White shops. On the right is the greenhouse. Damn Yasnaya Polyana. Only there everything is more countly. And here is the royal one. Diane Poitiers, Kate de Medici and other queens and favorites in sadness. I saw a labyrinth of living bushes. Again, there was no time to go in. Also with Poitiers Park. That's where I'd like to take pictures! Such a panorama could be made. Everything inside is well maintained. Basket with live lilies of the valley. Basket with real apples.

Amboise. One feels that the fortress was what it needed. Leonardo Da Vinci is buried here. The castle inside is so-so. But there were some discoveries. I discovered the inscription “Vovan” on one of the windows inside the castle. “In a public Parisian toilet there are inscriptions in Russian” (c) Vysotsky.

Angers(r). Former capital of the Duchy of Anjou. Town of 137,000. Pleasant. It takes 1.5 hours to get around the center. An absolutely majestic castle with a super park located inside the former fortress moat. We walked around Angers in the evening. We bought wine in Spar and went to our room to drink.

Still not enough time

Day 4 (Angers - Puy du Fou): walking tour of Angers. Additional package*: trip with a visit to Puy du Fou (approx. 65 km), a famous theme park of amusement rides and historical performances, in which spectators are transported to the times of the gladiators of ancient Rome, the brave Vikings and Musketeers of Richelieu, can walk around the medieval town and become a participant siege of a medieval castle. In the evening return to Angers.

In the morning we were taken to the place where my family and I walked yesterday :), we were put on a bus and taken to Puy do Fou. At the entrance, everyone was given a map with the show schedule... And away we go:) Game by station - that's what they called it in the pioneer camp. :))) A crowd that runs from one stage to another and manages to sit down, watch, empathize and enjoy it is something. :) Moreover, in the Colosseum for gladiator fights the capacity of the arena was 7 thousand, and in the Resilier Theater 5 thousand. In addition to all sorts of shows, this is just an opportunity to be in nature, see stylized villages, the work of craftsmen in them, run under the fountains, etc. I liked it more than Disney... But as always there wasn’t enough time. We should have arrived a couple of hours earlier, or left a couple of hours later. It's better to arrive early and leave later :)

The day ended with a bottle of 2004 red Burgundy. :) Experts will now say: “Bullshit”! And for me it’s “Will do”!

"A mixture of French and Nizhny Novgorod"

Day 5 (Angers - Paris - Aquaboulevard): Free time. Return to Paris (approx. 240 km). Add. package* - evening visit to Aquaboulevard.

Oh yeah. Free time began at 6 am on May 1st. I went to take pictures. I was surprised to find a plump 12-year-old teenager at the first intersection, taking a nap at a table with lilies of the valley. Seeing me, he perked up: “Bon Jour, monsieur...” and began to babble something. The answer he received was: “I don’t speak French!” in the language of Pushkin and Lermontov. The boy fell into a stupor, and all that came out was “Ah!” Then I filmed for a long time... I walked back along the other side of the street. A young lady of about 30... To her tirade I answer: “Sorry, madam. Non parle vu Francais.” In response - a smile from ear to ear and again in pure French 5 sentences. I switch to English. I'm telling you the same thing. And in addition, I am sending something about the difficulty of living in France without knowing the language. The smile again and the phrase about the French “tradition”. Already in Russian I say that I “don’t need this” and “orevoir”... After 200 meters at SPAR, a group of 4 people aged 10-20 years begins to move towards me. Preemptively, I tell them: “Sorry, guys! I don’t speek French” and, without slowing down, I pass this patch... They tried to tell me something in French, but I don’t understand a damn thing about it :).

Then there was the road to Paris. Stop at Chartres. A very beautiful cathedral. May Day demonstration of workers with slogans of the need to “go left.” They are the ones who sympathize with the socialists.

We checked into the same hotel as before. On the floor with Toulouse-Lautrec. We moved in and quickly took the metro to Aquaboulevard. What is this? This is something like the Transvaal. I had never been to such a water park before - so there was nothing to compare it with. The water is highly chlorinated. That's the only thing that irritated me. A place for a good family holiday. A swimming pool with all sorts of waves, jets, etc., a paddling pool, a bunch of slides, all sorts of jacuzzi, etc.

"We cross it out!"

Day 6 (Paris): free time. In the evening, a boat trip on the Seine (10 euros for adults, 5 euros for children under 12 years old).

This day has become a shame for us in May. Why it was stolen - because the price of the trip did not decrease, and the trip was one day shorter. We knew about this. For a long time they tried to understand which day would not be in the program, and three days before departure it finally became clear. It turned out how much the wife paid for the trip later. :) Well, God bless them. But in principle, this day was not enough for complete happiness.

"Smiling Angel"

Day 7 (Paris - Metz): transfer to the city of Metz (approx. 330 km) - the capital of the Lorraine department, a small town that has absorbed two completely different cultures: French and German. Hotel accommodation. Walking tour of the city of Metz.

The morning started traditionally with a photo shoot... I went to cut a circle according to Montmartre. The main desire was to look at Sacre Coeur. Wish
came true. I can only say one thing: if anyone is in Paris in that area early in the morning, go up to the observation deck at Sacre Coeur and you won’t regret it.

Paris in the morning resembles a big trash can. At least the places where I walked. There are a lot of garbage collection machines and street cleaners. Janitors in green uniforms. Their brooms are also green. I wanted to sit down in some cafe and drink coffee and a croissant for an hour, but... But. Traditionally there was no time.

At 9 we were already on the bus. For there was a big move to Metz. On the way, we waved at the turn to Disneyland, listened to the production of champagne and about the First World War with the Maginot Line, and rolled into Reims. Another cathedral. But what! In it, all but two French kings sat on the throne. And it also has a Chagall stained glass window. And the most important thing. I saw a smiling angel. Don't believe me? Go to Reims. Afterwards there was a purchase of champagne, cognac and other souvenirs. (Info: A bottle of Veuve Clicquot costs 25 euros. On the Moscow-Tula highway, an identical bottle costs 2850 rubles as of the day before yesterday.) (May 15, 2006)

Then we reached C&A. This is of course not an Armani boutique, but we are happy with everything there :) (by the way, a boutique is a shop (fr)). The child immediately grabbed a T-shirt with a picture from Ice Age 2. (In the sanatorium where he was sent the day before yesterday for pedagogical experiments, the T-shirt was appreciated by the local
population). In the end, tired but happy (the first time we managed to go to something other than a grocery store!) we made our way to the bus and spent half an hour waiting for three careless assholes who were always late everywhere.

IN Metz arrived quickly. We settled down and looked around the area. Cathedral. A few more stained glass windows by Chagall. Chapel of the Templars. Roman temple. Mosel. Monument to Verlaine. Fast food, where we stopped, and the French could not really explain anything. Streets, alleys. A lot of people at tables on the streets. Just a super cute town. We went to the hotel, and we bought wine in Reims.

!Goodbye, our affectionate Bear...!

Day 8 (Metz - Luxembourg): transfer to Luxembourg (approx. 60 km). Flight to Moscow.

In the morning I went to shoot. There are so many other interesting things there. Just "Wow!" The Moselle in Metz is very beautiful.

I could hardly see the road to Luxembourg. There we were all allowed to go shopping. I left the people at C&A. He left with the camera. Because everything I shot on the first day, I miraculously lost.

The first time we managed to sit in a cafe. How immediately it was felt that it was not France. Because the waiter very quickly found a common language. I accepted the order in a minute, first deciding on the language. :) He didn’t know Russian, we agreed on English. The coffee was very good. I haven't had something like this in a while.

At the airport in Luxembourg, local people staged a circus with horses. Ausweiss control passed through 1 booth. And God knows how they let us on the plane. Right down to “women and children go first.” Knowing the love of our Russian people to spit on the whole line and get through first, I was still upset... Our people are strange after all...

conclusions:

We decided for ourselves that for now we don’t want to go to France anymore. Just check the box to indicate your visit.
Update for today: But now for some reason I want to go to Paris... For more. Just walk around, stare, eat croissants, click the camera.