<p>My D went to France with a choir this past summer. Because it wasn’t a history class, I assumed correctly that there wouldn’t be any group prep for the trip. I made her watch Saving Private Ryan a couple of days before the trip, in preparation for the Normandy day. She cried, which (of course) was my goal. I couldn’t bear the thought of her walking along the beach and headstones not having an appreciation of what happened there.</p>
<p>Do we know the college student’s major? Because you could really tailor a trip to so many majors…history, literature, music, architecture, marketing/advertising/fashion, political science, etc etc.</p>
<p>Oh, another tidbit…the hotel in which Oscar Wilde passed away is still open for business (you can actually stay in the room [different wallpaper, I assume] if you have the $$$). It would be a nice pilgrimage for Wilde fans.</p>
<p>Second the idea of an apartment rental. I’ve been to Paris 3 times in the last 5 years and apartments are the way to go. There is a small agency called “Paris Vacation Apartments” which I use each time if they have availability. They will meet you when you arrive at the apartment and show you how everything works. The apartments are clean and perfect. We worked with a guy named Alex.</p>
<p>Here are a few of my favorite activities:</p>
<p>-Tour of the Paris Opera house (the Palais Garnier). Do that for one half of the day, have lunch in the area, and spend some time shopping in either Printemps or Galleries Lafayette which are both close by. </p>
<p>-Day trip to Reims. This is where many of the Champagne houses are located – Pommery, Veuve Cliquot, Mumms, etc. There is a high speed train from Gare de l’est you can take in the morning, tour a champagne house and have a taste, eat a nice lunch, visit the incredible cathedral, visit the Museum of Surrender (where Eisenhower accepted Germany’s surrender in 1945, visit the war room), and take the train back in the afternoon. Great Day Trip!</p>
<p>thanks again…will try the search feature…so many great ideas, i am really looking forward to this trip!! my child loves history, art and film and food…I am sure we will be able to find and fulfill all these passions but also open to trying just about anything which makes traveling together so much fun</p>
<p>LOL, that’s what I thought. I have hilarious pictures of each member of my family fast asleep in very uncomfortable looking positions on the boat.</p>
<p>It may sound like utter sacrilege, but there is always Disneyland Paris. Our kids were young when we went, and it was like a vacation from vacation. If you are a Disney fan, it’s a fun day trip.</p>
<p>Do search for other threads on this subject on CC. We went to Paris this summer with our 2012 college graduate. So much depends on your interests. My advice is to engage your S/D in the planning and ask him/her to choose some “musts.” IMHO older kids have a much better time on family vacations this way.</p>
<p>When you get ready for very specific questions, go to the Fodors message board. I am hesitant to recommend it for the initial planning because a few folks over there get snippy when you ask very broad questions like what to see and do in Paris. (A search of folks’ trip reports might be beneficial.) But they can’t be beat for specifics…before a trip to Germany, I asked “where do I park the car in Heidelberg?” and someone told me which two public lots were closest to what I wanted to see, and exactly how to get there.</p>
<p>Unless you are very into art, I highly recommend Rick Steves’ books for the walking tours of the museums. He hits the high points and throws in some humor.</p>
<p>How long to stay? How long have you got? If it were me, I’d spend several weeks which would include time for day trips, but you probably don’t have that kind of time. I agree that you should find out what the others want to see too.</p>
<p>My must sees in Paris: Museums/Churches
Louvre
Musee D’Orsay
Carnavalet Museum (history of Paris)
Pompidou Center (I don’t love it and it hasn’t aged well, so maybe just gawk at the outside and take a ride on the escalators)
Notre Dame
Sainte Chapelle (my then six year old’s favorite)
Eiffel Tower Other stuff
Walk through the Tuileries, along the Seine, in the Latin quarter
Watch the kids sail boats at the Jardin de Luxembourg
Look at the cool windows at the Arab Institute [L’Institut</a> du Monde Arabe - Jean Nouvel - Great Buildings Architecture](<a href=“http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/L_Institut_du_Monde_Arabe.html]L’Institut”>L'Institut du Monde Arabe - Jean Nouvel - Great Buildings Architecture)
Tour the Roman ruins under Notre Dame Food
Eat at [url=<a href=“http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr/]Les”>http://www.lesdeuxmagots.fr/]Les</a> Deux Magots<a href=“for%20Sartre%20and%20Beauvoir%20not%20for%20how%20good%20it%20is!”>/url</a>
Have ice cream at [url=<a href=“http://www.berthillon.fr/]Maison”>http://www.berthillon.fr/]Maison</a> Berthillon : la qualit</p>