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Bonjour from the FRENCH TOURIST OFFICE & Welcome to FRANCE !

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Activities in France - families in France
Exciting activities for families traveling to France

	These are your family holidays and you wish to enjoy them in complete harmony. You will therefore take care to choose something that will please everyone, both children and adults. For those traveling in Paris and through France, we have suggested some ideas for possible visits, but there are many more. France is a vast area for play and discovery... for enjoyment!

	Paris / Ile de France


	BABY SITTING Babysitting Service: 18, rue Tronchet, 75008 Paris Tel : 01 46 37 51 24 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 ABABA: 8, avenue du Maine, 75015 Paris Tel : 01 45 49 46 46 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 MUSEUMS *La Cite des Sciences et de l'Industrie* 30, avenue Corentin Cariou - 75019 Paris Metro: Porte de la Villette -Tel.: 08.36.68.29.30 www.cite-sciences.fr See also the "Cité des Enfants" (Children's City) for kids from 3 to 12 years; science, technology and submarine "l"Argonaute" Palais de la Decouverte 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) www.cnam.fr 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 every day from 10:am to 7.30:pm -Closed Mondays and Holidays - Free admission Musee Oceanographique Centre de la Mer et des Eaux. Study the sea world - Films from J.-J. Cousteau and seven aquariums - 195, rue Saint-Jacques - 75005 Paris Metro: Luxembourg - Tel.: 01.46 33 08 61 - Fax: 01.40 51 73 16 Open every day: Tuesday to Friday: 10am to 12.15pm and 1.15pm to 5.30 pm, Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 5.30pm. Closed : Mondays Musee de la Curiosite et de la Magie Everything about magic.11, rue Saint-Paul - 75004 Paris Metro : Saint-Paul - Tel. : 01.42.72.13.26 Open: Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 7pm Musee de la poupee / Dolls Museum Collection of 300 dolls with porcelain heads, made in France from 1860 until 1960. Impasse Berthaud - 75003 Paris - Metro: Rambuteau - Tel. : 01.42.72.73.11 Open: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm - Closed on Monday Musee National d'Histoire Naturelle Jardin des Plantes / Botanic Gardens Musée National des Thermes et de l'Hôtel de Cluny. 6, place Paul Painlevé, 75005 Paris. Tel: 01 43 25 62 00. RER: lines B-C Saint-Michel, Notre-Dame. Metro: Cluny, Saint-Michel. 9:30am-5:15pm. Winter: 9:30am-12:30pm--2pm-5:15pm. Closed on Tuesdays. Medieval collections. A tapestry masterpiece: the Lady of the Unicorn, in a flamboyant style town house. Thermal bath of Lutèce. Musee de l'Homme Anthropololy, Ethnology and Prehistory. Palais de Chaillot 17, place du Trocadéro - 75016 Paris - Metro: Trocadéro Tel. : 01.44.05.72.72 Open every day: from 9.45am to 5.15pm - Closed: Tuesday and Holiday 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 every day from 10am to 6pm and on holiday except on May 1st - Closed: Tuesdays Musee National du Moyen-Age / Middle-Ages Museum All about the Middleage time in a beautiful house from the 15th century. (Information: 01.46.34.51.17). Thermes de Cluny 6, 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 every day from 9.15am to 5.45pm. - Closed on Tuesdays Musee de la Musique www.cite-musique.fr Collection of 4,500 music instruments from the 16th century to now. Cité de la Musique 221, avenue Jean Jaurès - 75019 Paris - Metro: Porte de Pantin Tel. : 01.44.84.44.84 GUIDED TOURS FOR CHILDREN Caisse Nationale des Monuments Historiques et des Sites Hôtel de Sully, 62, rue Saint-Antoine - 75004 PARIS Tel : 01 44.61.21.69/70 Fax : 01.44.61.21.62 How to help children from 7 to 12 discover Paris. Special visits every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday (more visits available during school holidays). In French only. Programs and information also available at the Paris Tourist Office. Children's Academy on Tour 2, rue Paul Escudier - 75009 PARIS Tel : 01 42.82.17.07. Fax : 01.42.82.17.07. On Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in school time. Everyday except Sundays during holidays. Artistic programs and cultural sightseeing for children. This association aims at : getting children to be familiarized with works of art to improve their knowledge in English, French, Spanish and German to learn while getting entertained. Children participate in the elaboration of various artistic works. They are managed by selected artists and qualified organizers. programs on request. Martine Moisan Gallery / Visit Paris and Draw What You See Graduated from The Arts Décoratifs Paris - licensed in en Arts Plastiques - GALERIE MARTINE MOISAN, 8, passage Vivienne - 75002 PARIS (entrance at 5 rue de la Banque) Tel. 01 42 97 46 65 Fax. 01 42 97 46 65 Drawing lessons given out while walking around Paris during day time or at night in order that you may discover outlines, plays of light, the Parisian bridges, the sky, the shadows. The following techniques are taught: watercolors, pastel, gouache, Indian ink, modeling. AMUSEMENT PARKS Disneyland In Paris, the whole world of Walt Disney in a grand American-style parade! Fairy tales, the Arabian Nights, Treasure Island, not forgetting the star attraction: «Pirates of the Caribbean», a boat ride through an underground world of animated scenes... incredible! Other attractions: Frontierland and How the West was Won with its mining train, the Haunted House and the great paddleboats which go up the river... Discoverland's theme is one of the greatest inventions of mankind. Address: Marne-la-Vallée Tel : 01 60 30 60 30 (general information and hotel reservations) 32 km / 20 miles from Paris, take motorway A4, exit 14 (Euro-Disney). RER A - Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy Children over 3 years old: around 30% off; Free for children under 3 years old. At the Visionarium set off on an extraordinary journey into space and time and fly off in Star Wars space shuttles...great fun! Miniature Park of France Take them to the Miniature Park of France; over an area of some 5 hectares / 12 acres in the open air you can discover the riches of France (open from April to mid-November). Address: FRANCE MINIATURE, 25, route du Mesnil, 78990 Elancourt Tel : 01 30 62 40 79 - Fax : 01 30 51 31 31 From Paris take motorway A13 or A 84 direction Elancourt - Dreux. RER C St-Quentin-en-Yvelines then bus 420 - Open from 10 am to 7 pm (until 11 pm on Saturdays) from March to November. Safari Park of Thoiry Visit the Safari Park of Thoiry, an amazing African reserve with its lions roaming free. Address: *Chateau et Parc Zoologique de Thoiry* www.thoiry.tm.fr, 78770 Thoiry-en-Yvelines Tel : 01 34 87 40 67 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. Open all year round from 10 am to 6 pm (until 5 pm in winter). Safari park with 80 species of animal (lions, elephants, bears, monkeys ...) who roam the grounds of the château. There is a little train that tours the gardens providing a view of less ferocious beasts and rare specimens. Also, a reptile house and tea-room. Miniature Park of France Take them to the Miniature Park of France; over an area of some 5 hectares / 12 acres in the open air you can discover the riches of France (open from April to mid-November). Address: FRANCE MINIATURE, 25, route du Mesnil, 78990 Elancourt Tel : 01 30 62 40 79 - Fax : 01 30 51 31 31 From Paris take motorway A13 or A 84 direction Elancourt - Dreux. RER C St-Quentin-en-Yvelines then bus 420 - Open from 10 am to 7 pm (until 11 pm on Saturdays) from March to November. TOY STORES Au Bon Marche L'Espace Trois Hiboux au 1er sous-sol (400 m2 / yard sq.) 5, rue de Babylone -75007 Paris Metro: Sèvres-Babylone - Tel. : 01.44.39.80.00 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 9.30 am to 7 pm. Situated in one of Paris' most prestigious department stores, a large choice of toys (exchanges possible) over 400 square meters/yards of shop floor dedicated to toys alone ! Au Nain Bleu 408, rue Saint-Honoré - 75008 Paris Metro: Madeleine - Tel. : 01.42.60.39.01 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 9.45 am to 6.30 pm. One of Paris' most famous and luxurious toy stores ; wooden and stuffed toys, dolls tea parties, toy boxes, etc Au Paquebot Normandie 247, rue de Tolbiac - 75013 Paris Metro: Glacière, Tolbiac - Tel. : 01.45.89.57.38 Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9.15 am to 12.30 pm and from 2 pm to 7 pm. A splendid model of the "Normandie"boating vessel, card games, dolls and stuffed toys. Baby Reve 32, avenue Rapp - 75007 Paris Metro: Ecole Militaire - Tel. : 01.45.51.24.00 Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9.30 am to 7 pm (from 2 pm to 7 pm on Mondays). Large choice of puzzles and educating games. Butty 84, rue Manin - 75019 Paris Metro: Porte de Pantin - Tel. : 01.42.41.01.72 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 am 7 pm. A large choice of stuffed toys, puppets, porcelain dolls and costumes at reasonable prices. Dragon Bleu 140, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré - 75008 Paris Metro: Saint-Philippe-du-Roule - Tel. : 01.43.59.14.84 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 am to 6.30 pm. (Closed in August). Large choice of quality games, toys and books for children. La Grande Recre Metro: Forum des Halles, Porte Berger, niveau 2 75001 Paris - Tel. : 01.45.08.01.91 Open Mondays to Fridays from 10 am to 8 pm (until 7 pm on Saturdays). A huge 'supermarket' of toys where you can find Lego, Barbie, video-educating games and special items for babies. Jouet International du monde 28, rue des Trois-Bornes - 75001 Paris Metro: Parmentier - Tel. : 01.43.57.48.44 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 12 pm to 8 pm. Handmade toys from around the world, boomerangs, Frisbees, kites, skateboards, small-scale models. Le Nain Blanc 33, rue du Commerce - 75015 Paris Metro: Emile Zola - Tel. : 01.45.75.26.13 Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 7.15 pm (from 1 pm to 7 pm on Mondays) All types of toys can be found here, ranging from card games to exact replicas of plastic guns. L'Oiseau de Paradis 211, boulevard Saint-Germain - 75007 Paris Metro: Rue-du-Bac - Tel. : 01.45.48.97.90 Open Mondays to Saturday s from 10 am to 7 pm. Muppets, dolls, teddy bears, tricycles, baby toys, Breton sailing boats, pedal cars, etc. ... Pintel 16, rue Fabre-d'Eglantine - 75012 Paris Metro: Nation - Tel. : 01.43.07.95.52 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 9 .45 am to 6.45 pm. Large choice of toys at reasonable prices. La Ronde des Jouets 86, rue Monge - 75005 Paris Metro: Monge - Tel. : 01.47.07.24.32 Open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 am to 7 pm (from 2 pm to 7 pm on Mondays and from 11 am to 7 pm on Sundays) Games, toys, puzzles, stuffed toys and dolls. Toys'R'us Centre Commercial 4 temps - La Défense-92800 Puteaux Metro: Grande Arche de la Défense - Tel. : 01.47.76.29.78 Open Mondays to Saturdays from 10 am to 10 pm. Forum des Halles Porte Lescaut, niveau-1- Tél : 01 53 00 93 33 Metro: Les Halles More than 18,000 items, party games, fancy dress, video tapes, outdoor games, bicycles, etc ...(reasonably priced).


	Alsace - Strasbourg Area, Eastern France, At the German Border


	Kintzheim A feeling for ancient history! In Alsace you have Kintzheim, with its "Monkey Mountain" and falconry


	Burgundy/Bourgogne - Between Paris and Lyon, Eastern France


	Archéodrome Turn off the A6 motorway and visit the Archéodrome, an exciting reconstruction of the life of the first inhabitants of this region


	Franche-Comte - South of Alsace, North of Lyon, by the Swiss Border, Eastern France


	Toy museum in Moirans


	Brittany/Bretagne - Western France, By the Atlantic Ocean (on the other side!)


	Oceanopolis Brest to visit Oceanopolis, on the beautiful beach of Moulin Blanc


	Lorraine - Eastern France


	Parc Walibi / Smurf Park Lorraine offers you the Parc Walibi with its Smurfs, another favorite with the children


	Picardy - Northern France, by the Border of Belgium


	Parc Astérix It has three parks of an exceptionally high standard; one of these is a leisure park and the other two are theme parks. For leisure, the Parc Astérix will give you the sensation of traveling through a huge cartoon strip, one in which the history of the Gaul is drawn, revised and modified with humor!...Merry-go-rounds, a super water flume ride, themes attractions, performances by dolphins and sea lions; the children love it, and the parents too, it has to be said! (open from April to mid-October). Address: 60128 Plailly Tel : 03 44 62 34 34 (general information) 30 km from Paris, take motorway - A1 Paris-Lille. RER B - Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle - 1 + autobus (every half an hour) Open from 10 am to 7 pm from April to October. Museum of the Horse Visit also the modern Museum of the Horse in Chantilly. The Mer de Sable ("Sand Sea") in Ermenonville, is an adventure park built on a natural desert-like deposit of sand. The theme is Cowboys and Indians with a ranch show at 2 pm, an Indian attack at 4 pm and a horse show at 5.15 pm. There are fairground attractions, water rides, a steam train and pony rides, real buffaloes and camels. Plenty of food stops and a picnic area.(open from April to September). Address: 60950 Ermenonville - Tel : 03 44 54 00 96 (general information) From Paris take motorway north - A1, exit 7, direction Ermenonville. RER B - Roissy Charles de Gaulle - 1 + autobus - Open from10.30 am to 7 pm from March to September. *Prehistoric Park of Samara* Do not miss the *Prehistoric Park of Samara*, an archeological park for the exploration of the natural environment, and in Boulogne, Nausicaa for an exploration of the sea world.


	Poitou-Charentes - Western France


	*Futuroscope* *Futuroscope, a science fiction spectacular! The park is steeped in the atmosphere of a futuristic world : new technologies, steel, light and glass in the woodland. The Kinemax revisits the moving image on its 600 sq. meters/yards screen, the Omnimax places you at the heart of the action with a 360 degree cinema screen. From your armchair you race in a racing car or descend to the bottom of a mine ... watch out, these are scary moments! Fans of video games, this is your kingdom...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 If the children are fascinated by fish, make your way to Le Croisic or La Rochelle*. Do not let them miss Aliotis in Sologne with its 60 open air aquariums which blend harmoniously into the surrounding greenery


	Southern France


	Do not miss the Parc de la Préhistoire, in Ariège, and Tautavel near Perpignan, both organized around the theme of prehistory. Surprise them with the wildfowl Réserve of Teich or the monkey forest and the butterfly gardens in Rocamadour in Aquitaine. In this region, delight them with the Parc Walibi theme park. In the south east take them to the Park of Mini-France in Brignoles, to the Marineland of Antibes with its performing dolphins, and to the very pretty museum of perfumes in Grasse to smell and recognize all the fragrances...