When we arrived in Paris as an extended family of twelve people of all ages, we had a challenge. The Seattle Wilcoxes wanted a classic whirlwind introduction to the city of Paris, yet both they and the Newton Wilcoxes would be leaving in just a few days. At the same time we wanted to preserve a few lazy periods where the whole family could play together before splitting up again. The itinerary was: - 21st: a long walk from the Tuileries to the Champs Elysees and then over to the Eiffel Tower at sunset. Very romantic introduction to the city. The Place de la Concorde and the view of the Champs and Tuileries with their arches and the Eiffel Tower is splendid. - 22nd: an introductory tour with professional guide Antoinette, starting at the St. Chappelle and covering also the Concergerie, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Jardin du Luxembourg plus general layout of Paris and early history. Picnic in the gardens and playtime for kids with a huge playground, ice cream and carousel. This all worked great and the picnic was a highlight of the week. (The postcard photo for this post is of the nearby Palais du Luxembourg building where the Senate meets). That night we visited the Tour St. Jacques to learn about the real Nicholas Flamel and took a quick look at the Pompidou Centre. Dinner at a local brasserie sitting in a sidewalk table. - 23rd: Louvre on Monday, since it is closed on Tuesdays. It was raining that day so another good reason to go to the museum, right? Well, in hindsight, a mistake since Mondays are super crowded. The line for tickets just for entry was over an hour if you did not have prearranged tickets and the museum was packed and the humid air hard to breathe. We could tolerate only about two hours of this. Recovery of spirits through (1) souvenir Swatches for everyone - not French but fun to show your style after seeing an art musuem; and (2) a visit to Angelina's Cafe - the best cup of hot chocolate in the world and possibly the best confection with their Mont Blanc. This evening we went over to the 4th and ate dinner at our favorite cheap eats spot so far, Les Philosophes, in the Marais district. - 24th: Tuesday all day at Versailles (see Katherine's post) and a relaxing evening at home. The kids gave us all a concert (!) where they sang songs they had taught each other over the past two weeks. - 25th: Wednesday - visit to Catacombs (see Carter's post) and the local neighborhood market in the Honore district... followed by shopping then shopping then shopping - the best prizes being leather gloves for the ladies in fun shapes and colors. Dinner in a local restaurant for escargot sampling. Home to pack and play charades. One thing we learned is that you can get tickets in advance for Eiffel Tower and Louvre (but not the Catacombs) via Internet and that saves hours of waiting. Absolutely worthwhile. Another reminder is that many authentic restaurants and stores in Paris are outright closed for the month of August while the owners take vacation. Plan accordingly. Variations to consider for other families with similar timeframes: swap the shopping day for a day at EuroDisney or Parc Asterix; swap Catacombs for some other site such as a modern art museum, the Sewers, or a neighborhood like Monmartre or Marais; visit St. Chappelle in evening and listen to a concert; or maybe go for a two- or three-star restaurant splurge if kids are older. End conclusion - this was a super introduction and refresh on Paris in just a few days and we were glad to share Paris with our family. We will miss the Seattle and Newton Wilcoxes a lot!