Paris_ City Guide (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Lonely Planet [296]
Cité de la Musique (Map; 221 av Jean Jaurès, 19e; Porte de Pantin) Saturday-morning educational concerts, music discovery workshops, concerts and shows for children.
Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie (Map; Parc de la Villette, 19e; Porte de la Villette) Including the Géode, Cinaxe and planetarium.
Eiffel Tower (Map; Parc du Champ de Mars, 7e; Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel)
Exploradôme & Jardin d’Acclimatation (Map; Bois de Boulogne; Les Sablons) Interactive science, art and multimedia; plus a funfair to fill a day.
Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes (Map; Jardin des Plantes, 5e; Jussieu or Gare d’Austerlitz) Near the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle.
Musée de la Curiosité et de la Magie (Map; 11 rue St-Paul, 4e; St-Paul) Magic shows.
Palais de la Découverte (Map; Champs-Élysées, 8e; Champs-Élysées Clemenceau)
Parc Zoologique de Paris (Map; Bois de Vincennes; Porte Dorée)
Babysitting
L’Officiel des Spectacles Click here lists gardes d’enfants (baby-sitters) available in Paris.
Au Paradis des Petits ( 01 43 65 58 58) From €7 per hour (€10 subscription fee).
Baby Sitting Services ( 01 46 21 33 16) From €6.80 per hour (€11.90 subscription), €60 for 10 hours or one day.
Étudiants de l’Institut Catholique (Map; 01 44 39 60 24; 21 rue d’Assas, 6e; Rennes) From €7.50 per hour (plus €2 for each session).
Fondation Claude Pompidou ( 01 40 13 75 00) Specialises in looking after children with disabilities.
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CLIMATE
The Paris basin lies midway between coastal Brittany and mountainous Alsace and is affected by both climates. The Île de France region, of which Paris is the centre, records among the lowest annual precipitation (about 640mm) in the nation, but rainfall is erratic; you’re just as likely to be caught in a heavy spring shower or an autumn downpour as in a sudden summer cloudburst. Paris’ average yearly temperature is just under 12°C (2°C in January, 19°C in July), but the mercury sometimes drops below zero in winter and can climb into the 30s in the middle of summer.
You can find out the weather forecast in French for the Paris area by calling 0 892 680 275. The national forecast can be heard on 0 899 701 234 in French or 0 899 701 111 in one of 11 different languages. Call charges for either number are €1.35 then €0.35 per minute. Another number (French only) is 3250 charged at €0.34 per minute. The summary can also be read for free on the website of Météo France (www.meteofrance.com, in French).
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COURSES
Cooking
What better place to discover the secrets of la cuisine française than in Paris, the capital of gastronomy? Courses are available at different levels and lengths of time and the cost of tuition varies widely. One of the most popular – and affordable – for beginners is the Les Coulisses du Chef Cours de Cuisine Olivier Berté (Map; 01 40 26 14 00; www.coursdecuisineparis.com; 2nd fl, 7 rue Paul Lelong, 2e; Bourse), which offers three-hour courses (adult/12 to 14 years €100/30) at 10.30am from Wednesday to Saturday with an additional class from 6pm to 9pm on Friday. ‘Carnets’ of five/20 courses cost €440/1500.
Much more expensive are the Paris Cooking Classes with Patricia Wells (www.patriciawells.com; US$5000) led by the incomparable American food critic and author at her cooking studio in rue Jacob, 6e. The class runs from Monday to Friday, is limited to seven participants and includes market visits, tastings, local transport and daily lunch. boxed text. For information about getting the kids in front of the stove, Click here.
Other cooking schools in Paris include the following:
Coin-Cuisine (Map; 01 45 79 01 40; www.coin-cuisine.fr, in French; 110 rue du Théatre, 15e; Av Émile Zola) Courses of various themes and levels lasting from one to four hours (€16 to €80).
Cook’n with Class (Map; 06 31 73 62 77; www.cooknwithclass.com; 21 rue Custine, 18e; Château Rouge) Morning/evening/full-day classes available for €135/135/200.
École Le Cordon Bleu (Map; 01 53 68 22 50; www.cordonbleu.edu;