ActivitiesforKids, France

Discover a completely renovated Grévin Museum in Paris. Experience the Spirit of Paris of yesterday and of today with astounding scenes : the major events of the 20th Century, French history and the latest news. The brasserie, the theatre, artists' studios. all the legendary Parisian haunts where you will rub shoulders with the "Tout Paris" celebrities. Three hundred wax figures are waiting to meet you at the Grévin Museum, to be photographed with you, to be remembered forever... http://www.paris-paris-paris.com/paris_landmarks/museums/grevin_museum_paris

Influenced by the style of an English garden Le Parc de la Tete d’Or is the largest urban park in France and contains numerous attractions for all the family including a zoo, boating lake, botanical gardens, miniature railway, pony rides for children and more.It’s an excellent place to relax and enjoy the natural beauty and includes dozens of trails for walking, jogging or bicycling and large open spaces for activities and picnics.Created in 1857 by the brothers Denis and Eugène Buhler in the same year as New York’s famous Central Park, Le Parc de la Tete d’Or has seen numerous additions since it’s initial creation, including in 1865 the impressive glass houses containing species of plants and flowers from all over the world and in the 1960’s the inclusion of the rose gardens featuring 30,000 rose bushes comprising 350 different varieties.The name of the park originates from a legend that says treasure with the “head of Christ” could be buried somewhere in the park.France’s second public zoo after the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes in Paris contains almost 400 different animals divided into 64 different species.The last 10 years have seen improvements to the zoo’s infrastructure including in 2006 the new African Savannah featuring zebra, giraffes and pink flamingos. The zoo is a member of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is dedicated to the preservation of species threatened by extinction. https://thisislyon.fr/things-to-do/sports-and-recreation/parks-and-recreation/parc-de-la-tete-dor/

Walking on the moon, stepping aboard the Mir Space Station, gazing at the Ariane 5 rocket, dreaming with your head in the stars… You can do all of this at the Cité de l’Espace, a short hop from the centre of Toulouse. The Cité offers 2,500m² of interactive exhibitions to help you become an expert on the Earth and the Universe as you learn everything about space flight and even find out how to predict the weather. You can train like a genuine astronaut thanks to the moonwalk simulator and explore the life of astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Try on a space suit, jump into a lunar rover… Its 5 hectares of gardens, which are home to life-sized replicas of spacecraft and a giant telescope, its IMAX® cinema with giant screen, its interactive planetarium and countless activities for young and old alike make this journey into outer space even more fun. https://www.toulouse-visit.com/cite-de-l-espace/toulouse/loimid031fs00969

It offers many activities and exhibitions on Nature all year long, with - some twenty theme gardens display 2,500 plant species. A lake, where a hundred birds - ducks, pelicans, black swans - live together in peace and in which are reflected the white marble façades of the Asian Arts Museum designed by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. Also one of the largest greenhouses in Europe: the ‘Green Diamond’, that takes visitors through 6 different tropical climates to discover several thousand rare plant species, including tree ferns, an orchid collection... and many more plants. And you can see crocodiles, iguanas and exotic birds. A family of Varis lemurs are currently delighting visitors. http://en.nicetourisme.com/nice/1256-parc-phoenix%20-

The Vizille Estate is first and foremost a chateau that played a key role in history and a landscaped park that has been classified as a “Remarkable Garden.” But it’s also the only museum dedicated to the French Revolution that brings together so many valuable works. Set foot in this historic and natural landscape. Inside the park, you will be able to admire the tremendous ornamental lake which often served as a playground for swans, ducks, and even herons. Along the banks, you will discover the French-style gardens and magnificent rose gardens. An animal park is a home to stags, deer, and roes roaming together more or less freely. With 100 hectares of protected natural landscapes, the gardens of the Vizille Estate bring together human history and wild nature. It is, for sure, the ideal place to play, stroll, and dream. https://www.grenoble-tourisme.com/en/discover/essentials/domaine-de-vizille/

After major renovation works, the "House with the Tower" in Amiens, where Jules Verne lived from 1882 to 1900, once again offers visitors space where the imaginary world and the daily life of the famous writer mix. This luxury 19th-century mansion house witnessed the success of the writer, who wrote most of his "Extraordinary Voyages" there. Both imposing and modest, on four levels and through over 700 objects in the Amiens Metropole collection, the house reveals the personality, sources of inspiration and memories of Jules Verne. From the conservatory to the attic, relive the adventures of his heroes: Michel Strogoff, Phileas Fogg, Captain Nemo, etc. http://www.visit-amiens.com/tourinsoft/details/en_patrimoineculturel/PCUPIC0800010614/PCU

Take a fresh look at history in the ruined castle of Picquigny. All year round escape game rooms in total historical immersion help you understand fragments of the history of this castle. In summer Picquigny castle is open to the public in the afternoon. Use our well written, illustrated guide to exploring the many facets of this site at your own pace. Treasure hunt for youngsters. In summer there are unusual torchlight tours on Friday evenings or at other times for groups (book ahead). School groups and school holiday leisure centre groups are welcome from April to August for a full or half-day - group workshops (heraldry, illumination, calligraphy, treasure hunt). escape game or torchlight tour. Team building and other private events can be organised with medieval meal and activities and/or escape game. Standing high above the Somme valley for many centuries, the ruins of Picquigny castle are both imposing and picturesque. Climb up to the barbican gate, once a drawbridge, to get a real idea of the castle's past greatness. The tall imposing façade of the main building is truly striking. Then walk along the fortifications to the Gard gateway, the Renaissance style Sévigné wing and the collegiate church open in summer. The Sévigné wing was so named in honour of Madame de Sévigné, a famous woman of letters, who stayed for four days in Picquigny castle in April 1689. When writing to her daughter, Mme de Sévigné compared the castle to that of Grignan and mentioned the river Somme. "After dinner, we arrived here at a mansion that displayed all the pride of the heiress of Pecquigni. It is an old house built on an eminence above the town, like Grignan; a fine chapter, as at Grignan, a dean and twelve canons: I know not whether the foundations be as handsome but there are terraces on the borders of the river Somme which winds in a thousand meanders through the fields, which indeed are not to be found at Grignan. http://www.visit-amiens.com/tourinsoft/details/en_patrimoineculturel/PCUPIC0800010651/PCU

The limestone of the Picardy plateau was dug out in many places to form refuges. These refugees were called "muches" (hideouts in Picard language). Those in Naours, rediscovered at the end of the last century, are the largest known: all the underground areas combined can house around 2,600 people with their livestock. The layout is remarkable: around 300 chambers, public squares, stables, wells, chimneys, and a chapel with three naves. These underground areas were used by the British forces during the First World War and were used as the headquarters of the German forces during the second world war. Exhibitions of traditional trades. In the park: games, 2 windmills from the 18th century. http://www.visit-amiens.com/tourinsoft/details/en_patrimoineculturel/PCUPIC0800010624/PCU

Laid out between the Loire and the Cher, the botanical garden is the perfect place for a good walk. To the south, the arboretum contains hundreds of tree varieties in a scientifically fascinating garden. At the botanical garden of Tours, more than 150 genera and species of trees and shrubs are presented between the main entrance and the play areas to the south. Some trees are remarkable for their size, foliage or age. Let us first mention, at the entrance to the garden opposite the Hospital, on the left, an exceptional copy of Ginkgo biloba, "the tree with 40 ecus". Present from Doctor Bretonneau, a great lover of botany, it was planted in 1845. It is a male foot on which a female branch was grafted at the beginning of the XXth century. The animals were introduced into the botanical garden in 1856 to attract the public to this new public space. At the time, it was an acclimatization garden with animals such as monkeys or lions from circuses or the zoo. The best known of them remains Bobby the seal, which delighted the public until 1996. At present, the animal collection of the Botanical Garden to which the locals are still attached, is traditionally oriented towards exotic species: wallabies share their enclosure with emus. In the center of the garden, an aviary shelters parrots and parakeets. http://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/lodging-dining-goint-out/gardens-and-parks/botanic-garden-tours

A huge exciting exhibition of all things connected with the sea. You'll need a full day here, with aquariums, film & live shows and over 1000 kinds of living creatures. Discover the oceans in 3 pavilions: Polar (penguins, seals & a real ice floe); Tropical (underwater views of sharks & coral reefs) and Temperate (aspects of the sea around Brittany including seals & jellyfish). A new exhibition, 'Abysses' explains the wonders and diversity of marine life. http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/guides/france/brittany/brest/attractions/oceanopolis

The Dinan Rail Museum has been open to the public since 1989 and welcomes nearly 5,000 visitors each year. The museum is spread over 4 large rooms, video projections, static and dynamic collections of scale models will immerse you in the heart of the history of rail. Since its creation in 1983, the association of friends of the Dinanne rail has brought together enthusiasts of the railroad and railway model making (some often merging with the others). This museum is the fruit of their unconventional love for the railway heritage of their region. The visit lasts approximately 45 minutes and can continue with the discovery of Dinan, a medieval city. The city has a park: the Val Cocherel garden - equipped for picnics with the family (tables, games, toilets ...). The museum staff will provide you with any information on this subject. http://www.museedurail-dinan.com/

Mulhouse zoo bring together 1200 animals and more than 3000 plants in a marvellous garden labelled since 1995. Among the 170 animal species, 90 are endangered in the wild. Mulhouse zoo takes part in around 100 international conservation programs. Since 30 years, it acts in the wild to protect the last wild lemurs, gibbons, old world monkeys, capuchins, tortoises and turtles, and so on. In Mulhouse zoo you can see polar bears swimming underwater. Asiatic lions, rarest and more endangered in the wild than African lions. Also a radiated tortoise from Madagascar - its shell looks like sun rays. You can see birds and turtles growing up in the hatchery. Beautiful and playful, the Mulhouse zoo is as instructive as fun. More than 400 000 visitors came in 2017 and the zoo is the most visited touristic site in the department and the third in Alsace… and certainly one of the more prestigious in France! http://www.zoo-mulhouse.com/en/

In Mulhouse, you can discover the largest and most beautiful museum in Europe dedicated to trains. You can relive the epic period from the very first locomotives in 1844 to the record-breaking high-speed TGV train. Other masterpieces are on display such as the 1844 Buddicom, the oldest locomotive you can see in Europe, the luxurious carriage of the Empress Eugenie, decorated by Viollet-Le-duc, the Pacific Chapelon 3.1192, the PRI carriage, with glass panels designed by Lalique, in which the French heads of state travelled from 1925 to 1971 and also the Bugatti presidential railcar which held the world speed record in 1937 at 196 km/h. The visit is highly educational with activities explaining the invention of the railways and how they revolutionised society, and for children, afternoon teas and activities are also organised in some days of the week. https://www.tourisme-mulhouse.com/EN/plan/to-see-to-do-to-live/detail/269000030_cite-du-train-train-museum.html

Just a 15-minute journey from Caen, there's a great way to find out what everyday life was like in Gallo-Roman times! A museum, two restored houses and an archaeological dig are all open to visitors. The modern museum with its interactive resources (tactile exhibits, activity booklets...) and archaeological sites, a good excuse for a walk outside, will delight young and old alike. Activities and exhibitions throughout the year. English is spoken. Texts and brochures in English, German and Italian. https://www.caenlamer-tourisme.fr/noesit/!/fiche/vieux-la-romaine-musee-et-sites-archeologiques-663/

The Floral and Tropical Park of the Court of Aron invites you to a real tour of the world of botanical heritage. On an area of ​​10 hectares, a wide variety of plants, perennial and annual from five continents, will challenge you and make your admiration. Beginning in July, beyond the vaults of bamboo, banana trees, palms and groves of eucalyptus, you will discover the flowering lotus of Asia. Throughout the season, visit the tropical greenhouse and admire tillandsias, orchids, hoyas, begonias, tree ferns and other curiosities. The Floral Park of the Court of Aron, a pleasant, fun and interesting for everyone! And it's not only a garden. You also can find there a mini-farm, play mini-golf, go through the Natural maze, explore the Dinoland (the corner of the dinosaurs), games and workshops for children and many more activities waiting for you in this place. http://www.lacourtdaron.com/