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Anywhere but Paris

flypanam

flypanam

Sausage to fortune
I’ve booked a return trip on Eurostar to Paris for feb next year. It’s a surprise trip for my wife and the wee lad.

I despise the city of light intensely, as I’ve in my three visits there, have never had a good time (I have been mugged and got food poisoning) yet my wife loves Paris. However, she as mentioned that she wouldn’t want to take an 18 month old child there.

So I’m looking for suggestions of places outside of Paris. I like the look of Troyes and Orleans. Has anyone been? Or could anyone suggest somewhere else that’s handy enough to get to from Gare du Nord (happy enough to use the metro to get to stations.)
 
Auxerre's a similar distance from Paris as Orleans, and it's lovely there. Chablis, canals, not too busy, really rather French...
 
We went to Rouen once, but that was 25 years ago. Nice enough for a weekend I'd have thought.

There used to be direct trains to Avignon, which is great, but a lot further.
 
mx wcfc said:
We went to Rouen once, but that was 25 years ago. Nice enough for a weekend I'd have thought.

There used to be direct trains to Avignon, which is great, but a lot further.
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I like Rouen. It's a nice town. It's also close to Dieppe which is where I went on my honeymoon and, up to 5 years ago, we used to go back to the restaurant in which we ate that first time. Dieppe also has some interesting history, as, of course, does Rouen.
 
I'd go to Belgium or Netherlands if you can change the ticket. Brussels, Bruges and Amsterdam are all full of good things to do with kids, and good for grown ups too, and it's easy to avoid all the Amsterdam type stuff if you stay outside the city centre.
 
I hadn’t noticed that you’re going in Feb next year. This being the case, I’d not go to either Dieppe or Rouen with such a young child.
 
Lille is surprisingly not that shit. It feels more Belgium than French and has enough to do for a weekend. The Central Square is ace, it's got the largest art gallery in France outside Paris, a good antique market and some nice scenery. A much shorter journey too. I'd recommend it for a three day weekend.

(It's also got the old Paris Gare de Nord which the French moved there.)
 
Orleans is pretty dull IIRC. If you want to head that way, Tours is nicer/more interesting. Or Nantes is pretty lively.
 
A380 said:
Lille is surprisingly not that shit. It feels more Belgium than French and has enough to do for a weekend. The Central Square is ace, it's got the largest art gallery in France outside Paris, a good antique market and some nice scenery. A much shorter journey too. I'd recommend it for a three day weekend.

(It's also got the old Paris Gare de Nord which the French moved there.)
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This except it'll probably be really cold in February...
 
ska invita said:
The French not understanding vegetarianism and stuck in some traditional idea of what counts as food is the main reason ive never really been on
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It's definitely getting better. You should go and check it out. (Always loads of Italian restaurants and Lebanese/Middle Eastern places as well as an increasing number of veggie restaurants.)
 
Sue said:
Orleans is pretty dull IIRC. If you want to head that way, Tours is nicer/more interesting. Or Nantes is pretty lively.
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Is it? Okay that’s good enough to scrub it from the list.

So Auxerre is just a little too far, which is a shame. Troyes the train is too slow, have to think to think about how an 18 month year old will cope with all that travel.

Tours looks very do able with the fast train.
 
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flypanam said:
Is it? Okay that’s good enough to scrub it from the list.

So Auxerre is just a little too far, which is a shame. Troyes the train is too slow, have to think to think about how an 18 month year old will cope with all that travel.

Tours looks very do able with the fast train.
Click to expand...
It was a while ago that I went (like 20 years ago) but I was quite underwhelmed. Thought Tours was much nicer.
 
flypanam said:
I’ve booked a return trip on Eurostar to Paris for feb next year. It’s a surprise trip for my wife and the wee lad.

I despise the city of light intensely, as I’ve in my three visits there, have never had a good time (I have been mugged and got food poisoning) yet my wife loves Paris. However, she as mentioned that she wouldn’t want to take an 18 month old child there.

So I’m looking for suggestions of places outside of Paris. I like the look of Troyes and Orleans. Has anyone been? Or could anyone suggest somewhere else that’s handy enough to get to from Gare du Nord (happy enough to use the metro to get to stations.)
Click to expand...

I went with my 20 month old in feb half term years ago and it was fine. She did have two 5 year olds for company too but I don't recall struggling. We based it around playgrounds, there's a brilliant one in Belleville Paris : Belleville Playground - BASE . There's a wonderful view of Paris from the playground or from very close by (can't recall exactly) and plenty of cafes and North African places nearby. I think we went to one near the Louvre, didn't go in but saw the pyramid, went to another cafe etc. Mine was a very active 18 month old, so it might depend on that, but it was fun. I carried her in a good sling.
 
8497346621_6641e50e9f.jpg
 
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