Paris Days Three – Four: Roller Coasters, Nicolas Flamel, and a Labyrinth of Skulls

Let the travel recaps continue!

Day Three (Tuesday)

Tuesday morning at our apartment wasn’t the high point of our trip. We had a big surprise in store for the kids, but we didn’t want to spoil it. The night before we told them we’d need to get up early, though we kept the reason a secret (just in case they complained). We got them up by 7:30 am, and neither of them was thrilled, with one child being especially unimpressed. (I will leave said child’s identity up to the reader’s own deductive reasoning). John and I had packed extra sandwiches the night before, so we ate those on the train instead of breakfast.

When we were nearing the literal end of the train route, the kids became more and more curious about where we could be going. We told them that we had wanted them to see more of the French countryside (technically true) and we were taking them for a picnic (also true). It was Belle who first spotted the tiny mouse silhouette next to the station name. And that’s how, about five minutes before any member of our family crossed the threshold of a Disney park for the first time, our children learned they were going to Disneyland Paris.

The day was everything we hoped for and more. Despite the cold front that rolled in the night before, we bundled up and had a blast. I wore finger gloves and a headband, but the weather didn’t dampen the kids’ excitement. Disneyland Paris is smaller than some other Disney parks, but it was perfect for our one-day adventure. Here’s a quick rundown:

• Hyperspace Mountain. Everyone’s favourite! A good chunk of the ride is in the pitch dark which I found surprisingly comforting (if I’m going to die while hurtling through the air at what feels like unsafe speeds, at least I won’t see it coming). Belle did this ride four times and was officially hooked. She’s sitting next to me on the airplane as I type this and when I asked her what I should say, she responded “Say I liked the ride.” Friends, this is underselling her response by a magnitude of 1,000. We have a new rollercoaster daredevil in the family (Indy and I are fairly timid, but Belle is following in John’s adventurous footsteps).
• Pirates of the Caribbean. A lot of fun, though we got soaked the second time.
• Phantom Manor: Enjoyed by all.
• Star Tours: A hit—we did it twice.

• Buzz Lightyear’s Laser Blast: I crushed it. Indy liked it, I’d rate it Meh.

• Autopia: Indy has a heavy foot.

• Peter Pan’s Flight. NOT worth the hour-long wait.

• It’s a Small World After All. I am here to confirm it is possible to listen to the same song fifteen times in a row and not lose your mind!

We packed our own food. Some families even made sandwiches in line (bringing out complete loaves of bread and cheese and meat), which was hilarious. We caved for a few overpriced hot dogs but avoided the costly Disney merchandise; my eyes were watering when I saw the prices.

We left before the fireworks, which meant we had an almost-empty train on the way back. The kids still couldn’t believe they had just spent a day at Disney.

I had originally been planning for our main day trip to involve Versailles, but John and I agreed that this might be the only time in our lives we’ll all end up at Disney. The park is a little over 30 minutes from the heart of Paris, and I knew the kids would have more fun at Disney than a massive palace and sprawling gardens.

Me too. 

Day Four (Wednesday)

*We went to the Catacombs on Day 4 of our trip. I do have pictures of that experience posted below and understand they could be upsetting for some people to view and wanted to provide advance notice.

After so rudely waking the kids on Tuesday (TO GO TO DISNEY, we hastened to remind them), we all slept in – late – on Wednesday. It was almost noon when we left the apartment. We kept our priorities in check and made a pit stop for morning pastries. Le Parisienne near Châtelet–Les Halles was amazing; they have sandwiches on a soft brioche bread that was delicious, and their apricot tarte…well my mouth is watering as I write this sentence.

We kicked off our sightseeing with a visit to Nicolas Flamel’s house at 51 Rue de Montmorency. Yes, the real Nicolas Flamel had a house here, and it happens to be the oldest in Paris, built in 1407. Belle was thrilled – she’s a huge fan of the Harry Potter books.

We wandered to Le Défenseur du Temps, an avant-garde automaton clock on a side street. It’s worth visiting on the hour to see the soldier fight creatures. Sadly, we missed the show (I didn’t actually realize it was a functional clock!) but watched a YouTube video instead.

We couldn’t miss a stop at Flying Tiger (Tee-ah) on Rue Rambuteau. We’ve managed to visit one of these novelty stores in every European country we’ve gone to as a family and it never fails to entertain.

After some random wandering past Centre Pompidou (didn’t go in) and Stravinsky Fountain (meh), we looked at some street art, wandered into a church we happened upon, and sat at the base of Tour Saint-Jacques while Indy enjoyed a sweet crepe.

Eventually we ended up at 59 Rue de Rivoli, a seven-floor art coop/work studio/squatter’s residence that reminds me of a miniaturized Christiania in Denmark. It was fascinating (and free!); the kids gaped at some of the murals and then Indy occupied himself by counting the number of stairs (172, I think?).

Mostly we were looking for interesting ways to fill the time until…the Catacombs.

The Catacombs were one of the most memorable experiences of our trip. In the late 1700s, Paris had two big problems: they were running out of space to bury the dead, and the quarries beneath the city were collapsing. The solution? Move millions of bodies into the tunnels and reinforce the infrastructure. Today, visitors can explore about 1.5 km of the tunnels, which house the remains of around 6 million people.

It was both eerie and thought-provoking. It’s a sobering reminder that death comes for all of us and is the great equalizer. One of King Louis XVI sisters – Elisabeth, spelled with an “s” ironically enough – and Robespierre are two of millions. Their status no longer has any meaning. From dust they came and to dust they shall return…

There was an excellent English audio guide included in adult ticket prices, with clearly marked listening stations. A few other notes:

• You can only book tickets 7 days in advance.
• Tickets are €31 for adults (audioguide included); €12 for under-17s (with optional audioguides for an additional €5). We shared audioguides with the kids and happily saved the €10.
• It is cold, dark, and damp. Dress accordingly!!
• This is not an accessible place to visit; no strollers are allowed and you have to walk down a winding staircase 20 meters below ground level…and then back up again. Any backpacks have to be worn front-facing, and flash photography is prohibited.

Since we had a relatively open evening, we decided to coordinate with John’s colleague living in Paris. While waiting for her to arrive, we stopped at a café for a break from the cold, savouring delicious hot chocolates and a surprise bowl of freshly prepared (free!) popcorn. Delightful. 

We spent an hour trying to find a restaurant (the one we planned to visit to ended up being booked for a private event – something we only discovered upon arrival). We settled on a forgettable restaurant, but it was fun to meet up and very handy to have someone who could communicate so fluently in French!

Then it was back to the apartment – on a nearly empty subway! – and to bed.

Distance Walked (Days 3-4): 26.14 km | 36,892 steps | 47 flights

Your turn. Have you ever visited a landmark made famous by a book or movie? What would you want written on your tombstone? Have you ever visited a Disney park?