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Rating:  Summary: An Absolute Must!!! Review: I bought this book before trekking on a 4 month adventure to Paris with my 2 year old. The book is very user friendly, and the Parisian site information is very fun and informative. I used this book everyday, and tried to do as many things in the book as possible. What I love about this book is that it not only highlights the main touristy attractions in Paris, but the lesser known parks, such as Arenes de Lutece, and Jardin d'Acclimation, that are a lot less crowded and just as much fun. It also gives many suggestions on how to enjoy the main museums and monuments while toting the kids. Although some of my information (according to the 2nd edition) was a little off, such as which museums are free every Sunday, not just the 1st Sundays, (but that list can be found when you buy a 1,3,or 5 day museum pass), the majority (95%, I'd say) was right. I also really liked the fact that the times AND prices are listed, which is very rare in any guide book. You won't regret buying this one!!!
Rating:  Summary: An Absolute Must!!! Review: I disagree with Richard's review of this book.We went to Paris with children aged 10 and 12 in June 2003. We found the book very useful as an inspiration as to where we might go. As when we use any guide book, we verified the information locally before setting out on a trek. For example we did go to Aquaboulevarde and we knew in advance about the speedo rule. If you rely on one source only you are very likely to get caught out. Information changes. There is only so much detail that can be included. I strongly recommend it as portable and useful for a children's focus on the Paris sights.
Rating:  Summary: Paris with Kids Review: I disagree with Richard's review of this book. We went to Paris with children aged 10 and 12 in June 2003. We found the book very useful as an inspiration as to where we might go. As when we use any guide book, we verified the information locally before setting out on a trek. For example we did go to Aquaboulevarde and we knew in advance about the speedo rule. If you rely on one source only you are very likely to get caught out. Information changes. There is only so much detail that can be included. I strongly recommend it as portable and useful for a children's focus on the Paris sights.
Rating:  Summary: Inaccurate and misleading Review: We took the 2001 edition to Paris with our 5 and 10 year old boys this fall. Critical information was inaccurate and many of the descriptions were overblown puffery. Inaccuracies: the text indicated the Cite des Sciences at Porte de la Villette is open on Mondays. It took us nearly an hour to get there, only to find it closed. It took another hour to get back to the city center, a waste of an entire morning, with hugely disappointed kids. Another: metro stops listed in the text were incorrect - in one case, the indicated stop was in a different arrondissement entirely from the destination. Overblown prose: au Nain Bleu, a toy store, highlighted as the oldest, biggest and greatest toy store in Paris, is smaller by half than any of the major department store toy sections, and carries a smaller selection of the same toys one can find elsewhere at much higher prices. The Centre des Mers et Oceans (an aquarium) is tiny, amateurish and entirely underwhelming. Aquaboulevard (a water park) is OK but hardly fantastic by North American standards - certainly not equal to the impression given the gushing text ("a water wonderland"). And, Aquaboulevard requires that all swimmers wear speedo-type suits: a critical fact not mentioned in the text. Didn't find this out until trekking all the way across town with the two kids, changing metros twice, hiking from the closest metro stop to the water park across busy big streets in pouring rain, and had paid 40 euros of non-refundable admission fee, changed, and started to enter the pool wearing our surfer-style swim suits. Then we were kicked out. It's big fun telling a 5 year old he can't swim at a water park after he's been looking forward to it for days. Paris is a wonderful place to bring kids. There are lots of things to do and to see. This book did not help us - worse, we wasted lots of time and more than a few euros following its suggestions.
Rating:  Summary: Inaccurate and misleading Review: We took the 2001 edition to Paris with our 5 and 10 year old boys this fall. Critical information was inaccurate and many of the descriptions were overblown puffery. Inaccuracies: the text indicated the Cite des Sciences at Porte de la Villette is open on Mondays. It took us nearly an hour to get there, only to find it closed. It took another hour to get back to the city center, a waste of an entire morning, with hugely disappointed kids. Another: metro stops listed in the text were incorrect - in one case, the indicated stop was in a different arrondissement entirely from the destination. Overblown prose: au Nain Bleu, a toy store, highlighted as the oldest, biggest and greatest toy store in Paris, is smaller by half than any of the major department store toy sections, and carries a smaller selection of the same toys one can find elsewhere at much higher prices. The Centre des Mers et Oceans (an aquarium) is tiny, amateurish and entirely underwhelming. Aquaboulevard (a water park) is OK but hardly fantastic by North American standards - certainly not equal to the impression given the gushing text ("a water wonderland"). And, Aquaboulevard requires that all swimmers wear speedo-type suits: a critical fact not mentioned in the text. Didn't find this out until trekking all the way across town with the two kids, changing metros twice, hiking from the closest metro stop to the water park across busy big streets in pouring rain, and had paid 40 euros of non-refundable admission fee, changed, and started to enter the pool wearing our surfer-style swim suits. Then we were kicked out. It's big fun telling a 5 year old he can't swim at a water park after he's been looking forward to it for days. Paris is a wonderful place to bring kids. There are lots of things to do and to see. This book did not help us - worse, we wasted lots of time and more than a few euros following its suggestions.
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