HOW TO PLAN YOUR DAY TRIPS FROM PARIS WITH KIDS

If you plan to travel to Paris with kids, you could easily use it as a home base and take some day trips from there.

Let’s face it though.  Traveling with kids is not always easy nor fun.  It all depends on your kids age, if they have eaten and slept, and on how organized you are.

Although Paris is a beautiful city and there are plenty of things to do there with kids, taking some day trips from Paris will make them feel like they are going on an adventure.

HOW TO PLAN YOUR DAY TRIPS FROM PARIS WITH KIDS

First of all, make sure that wherever you are staying in Paris that there is a metro stop nearby.  This will make your traveling in and out of Paris a lot easier.

Getting Around

Although you don’t need a car in Paris, renting one for some of the day trips from Paris might be necessary.  Some destinations are just more accessible by car than others. In fact, it will probably cost you less reaching them that way than by any other means.

However, the best way, easiest and more eco-friendly way to going on day trips with kids from Paris is by train.

Paris Train Stations

There are several train stations in Paris, each serving a certain region of France.  Most of them date back to the 19^th Century!

Depending on where you are planning to do your daytrips to, maybe try to stay in an area in Paris that is close by to one; this will be easier with kids.  Most train stations have baggage lockers that can be practical if you want to go away overnight without having to lug around all your luggage with you.

So here is the list of the Paris train stations (Gare) that will give you an idea where they can take you to.

Gare du Nord (North)

Opened in 1846, Gare du Nord is the largest train station in Paris and is located North of Paris.  The Gare du Nord trains will take you to places up North such as Lille, Bruges and Brussels in Belgium and even London!  These cities are all accessible within 2 to 2h30 by train from Paris.

Gare de l’Est (East)

Gare de l’Est is actually located near the Gare du Nord in the 10^th arrondissement and opened three years after Gare du Nord in 1849.  From there, you can take trains to the East of France to places like Strasbourg and Reims.

Gare Saint-Lazare

Gare Saint-Lazare is located West of Paris center.  It’s the gateway to most major sites of Normandy such as Bayeux, Deauville, and Caen.  The Gare Saint-Lazare has been freshly renovated and is a beautiful train station to travel from.  In case your train is running late, there are plenty of boutiques and food stores to keep you busy.

Gare Montparnasse

The Gare Montparnasse is one of the most recent train stations of Paris and was built in the 1960s.  It’s located in the South of Paris on the Left bank.  Trains from Montparnasse serve cities located in the West and South-West of France such as Rambouillet, Chartres and some in the South of Normandy.

Gare d’Austerlitz

Listed as a historical monument in 1997, the trains from Gare d’Austerlitz can take you all the way down to the South-West of France. From there, you can discover cities like Nice or Orléans and Tours in the castle region.

Gare de Lyon

What is remarkable about the Gare de Lyon is its 67-metre-high clock tower inaugurated in 1901.  From Gare de Lyon, you can go to the South-East of France from the Burgundy region (wine!) to places such as Lyon, Dijon and Marseilles.

Paris Public Transit

Paris public transit doesn’t solely focus on traveling within Paris inner-city walls.  In fact, it can take you to its suburbs.  There are quite a few daytrips you can take from Paris with the kids by using public transit, the RER.

If you are planning on taking multiple day trips from Paris, consider buying passes that go all the way to Zone 5, Paris being in Zone 1.

Apps to Plan

There are a couple websites that you’ll need to use in order to plan your daytrips from Paris.

The first one is RATP which is the website for Paris public transit.  That will help you figure out how to get from Point A to Point B within Paris and to its suburbs.

The second one is SNCF which is the website for France’s railway system.  This will help you plan your journey outside Paris for long distances.

Finally, you can use ROME2RIO.  This website is great to use to figure out which is the best way to get from Point A to Point B using different means of transportation.  Also, it compares the cost of each option (Bus-Car-Train-Flight).  When you are traveling on a budget, this is a great site to use.

What to pack on your day trips with kids from Paris

Traveling with kids no matter when, where, and for how long means that you need to leave prepared. The best way is to travel light but smart.  After all, you’re only going out for the day. Here are some ideas of what you should plan for before heading out your day trips from Paris with your kids.

Food

If your kids are anything like mine, you’ll need to bring food on your journey!  Luckily, France is a great place to feed your munchkins on the go without having to cost you and arm and a leg for it.

Bakeries (boulangeries) are easy to come by in France. They are the best and cheapest option for eating on the go.  You can get a healthy sandwich with a drink and a delicious dessert of your choice for around 8 euros.  Since the sandwiches can be quite big, you can split them in two with your kids.  However, the desert part, who would want to share?

St-Paul boulangerie can commonly be found in most train stations in Paris but can get pricy.  If you want to make your own sandwiches, stop at your local boulangerie the day before for the bread.  For the rest, look for a Carrefour Market or Monoprix in Paris.

Don’t forget to bring your own traveling and reusable utensils, reusable pouches and water bottles.  Reusable pouches or beeswax wraps are perfect for storing your sandwiches, pre-cut veggies, cereals, cookies or nuts.

Picnic fun

What’s better than having a picnic with your kids during one of your day trips from Paris? Nothing.

Having not to worry nor think about where you are going to eat during the day will be one less hassle.  I found that cut carrots, oranges, or apples travel well and can make the car or train ride go smoother. Use a reusable food pouch to store your pre-cut food. Also, make sure to bring your kid’s traveling utensils and your own, they can always come in handy.

To store all this, you’ll need a backpack.  If there are two of you (two adults) it will make things easier for sure.  You can use a Fjallraven or a Cotopaxi for your travel.  I find them both to be really handy.  However, if your kids are still in the bottle-fed years, a more convenient backpack might be necessary.

What’s in the backpack?

Aside from food and water, and depending on your children’s age, you’ll need the following:

• Diapers, preferably biodegradable ones. If you are a badass mom, use reusable diapers in which case you’ll need to pack a special bag to store them;
• Reusable wipes or washcloths can do;
• Blanket or towel to sit on or for extra warmth;
• Comfortable footwear such as mocassins or sandals, pending on the time of year. Comfortable clothing is also important, check out these harem pants.
• Extra change of clothes: socks, top, and bottom.  You might even want to bring along their pyjama. If you think you will be coming back to Paris after their bedtime, this could come in handy.  This is more for babies and young toddlers.
• Toy or book to play with on the train.  Paper and pen to draw with or a washable coloring mat.

The items listed above come from our SHOP to give you an idea what you could use.

Important logistics

An easy and light traveling stroller and or a baby wrap carrier will come in handy to walk around. Also, they are practical when it comes to nap time.  The advantage of using a baby carrier is that it can be used as a blanket on the train or in the car.

A portable phone charger so that you can keep capturing memories with a hands-free telephone case.  This type of phone case allows you to WEAR your phone. It frees up your hands and gives you one less reason to ask yourself: where did I put it?

Make sure to download a map of the area you are traveling to with Google Maps. That way you won’t need to use Wifi or have to get a traveling plan to use it.  This tip is valid for everywhere you travel outside of your country of residence.

So there you have it. Now that you know how to plan your day trips from Paris, let’s see where you can go to with the kids.