From the owner: Un château reconverti en musée archéologique Le château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye a été résidence…read moreroyale de Louis VI le Gros (XIIe siècle) à Louis XIV (XVIIe siècle), qui y séjourna jusqu'à son départ pour Versailles. C'est pour sauver le château de la ruine que Napoléon III décida sa restauration en 1862 afin d'y abriter le "futur" Musée des Antiquités Nationales. Aujourd'hui, le musée présente les collections archéologiques parmi les plus riches au monde. Elles retracent l'histoire des hommes de la préhistoire au début du Moyen-Age. Tout au long de l'année, le musée propose des évènements et des activités pour tous public.

Visiting the Château de Versailles was truly a dream come true. The architecture is absolutely…read morestunning--every detail, from the grand halls to the intricate ceilings, is a testament to the opulence of the French monarchy. The grounds are just as impressive: beautifully kept gardens, sparkling fountains, and perfectly restored landscapes that make you feel like you've stepped back in time. As someone who loves history, I was in heaven. The palace is filled with artifacts from the Sun King himself, Louis XIV, and the stories about his many mistresses add an extra layer of intrigue. I could have spent hours just wandering the Hall of Mirrors and imagining the lavish parties that once took place there. Marie Antoinette's area, with its charming hamlet and gorgeous gardens, was a highlight for me--so peaceful and picturesque. We spent an entire day exploring and still barely scratched the surface. There's just so much to see and experience! I also have to mention the restaurants on the grounds. The food was surprisingly good--fresh, flavorful, and honestly better than most of what I get back home in America. If you love history, art, or just want to be wowed by breathtaking beauty, Versailles is an absolute must-see. I loved every minute and can't wait to go back!

Of everything we did in Paris, this was top five for sure. I booked tickets in advance and we took…read morethe RER C train right to the Versailles station. From there it is a 7 or 10 minute walk to the entrance. You do need to plan for several hours if not the majority of a day to explore the chateau and the gardens. Also, it is very, very crowded, so expect to be shuffled along in a current of people, especially in popular areas like the Hall of Mirrors. We had kids with us that were not impressed by the gilded treasures, so we spent probably more time in the gardens than the palace. Let me tell you - the expanse of these gardens is impressive. At one point it looked like they go on for eternity. Just take your time strolling through and exploring all of the different little alcoves. We did do a boat ride in the Grand Canal lake and enjoyed some snacks and drinks in one of the cafes tucked into one of the gardens. One thing we did not know, is that if you want to book a ride on the train, you will have to do that when you are still at the chateau and they do sell out. You can also rent a golf cart in the same way. Overall I greatly enjoyed all the splendor and grandeur of this magical place. Worth the time and the travel.

From the owner: Théâtre et cinéma Ouverte en 2004, le théâtre du Grand Forum accueille des spectacles mais aussi…read moredes séances de cinéma. Tout en gradins, l'acoustique de ce lieu est une véritable prouesse technique, ayant usé de nouveaux systèmes d'insonorisation, afin d'allier dans un même espace 7ème art et spectacle vivant. Avec le Théâtre d'Evreux, il forme une "scène nationale".

From the owner: Tous pour l'art ! Depuis janvier 2008, le Centre Jacques Henri Lartigue et le Musée d'art et…read mored'histoire Louis Senlecq cohabitent à la même adresse dans un hôtel particulier du 18e siècle, remanié au 20e siècle. Le Centre est né de l'amitié entre l'artiste et l'ancien maire de l'Isle-Adam, Michel Poniatowski. Il conserve un ensemble exceptionnel de peintures de Lartigue, provenant des donations faites par l'artiste et son épouse, et du dépôt de la Fondation de France. Ces tableaux sont exposés de manière thématique chaque année. Le Centre d'art propose aussi des expositions d'artistes contemporains travaillant dans la région. Quant au musée, ses fonds proviennent des dons de nombreux collectionneurs de la région, rassemblées par le docteur Louis Senlecq à partir de 1939. Elles ont été présentées au public en 1950 grâce au travail de Pierre Terver, son gendre et successeur. Les atouts majeurs de ce musée sont les oeuvres de l'Ecole du Val d'Oise du XIXe siècle (Jules Dupré, Daubigny,

IRON MAN! But…read morespeaking French lol Can we get Robert Downey Jr. to speak French for the Iron Man suit? That would make this even better lol There is a pre-show conversation between Iron Man and Captain Marvel before you go on the ride. It is pretty cool. The Iron MAn suit moves, lights up and everything. Very interactive!! It was super cool. I will post the couple of videos that I took of French Iron Man lol

Yes. Come do the touristy things like shopping, eating, and sightseeing. But also consider this…read moreplace with a spin to the sightseeing portion with a historical twist. The admissions price you pay is worth it. You just don't see this type of local flair anywhere else. Soak in the history about Paris and also its darker side. Your perspective about things will change, for most people anyway. The takeaway the hubs took from this experience is that nothing really matters at the end. It's a real eye opening experience TBH. As you wander the dark corridors, you will see piles of real human bones piled in neat stacks. It was saddening to realize that these were once human beings. Now they are part of a collection of unknown souls. It was just a down to earth experience. The audio tour will allow you to wander at your pleasure so there's no real rush or live tour. Book early because spots are limited!

The major thing we wanted to do in Paris was visit the catacombs, an underground ossuary containing…read morethe bones of more than six million people. The catacombs are part of Paris' abandoned mine and quarry network, and bones were moved to the catacombs because the cemeteries were running out of space. The first bones were transferred from the Cimetière des Saints-Innocents after the cemetery was closed in 1780 due to overuse. The catacombs are an extremely popular attraction, and purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended as a limited number of people are admitted each hour, and with good reason -- the experience would be extremely unpleasant if overly crowded. However, you can only purchase tickets one week in advance, and the catacombs are not open on Mondays. The two full days we were in Paris were Sunday and Monday, so I had to ensure that we were able to get tickets for Sunday April 7. Fortunately I was successful! Tickets were €29 each, although per the website, they are now €31. Unfortunately, the catacombs are not accessible for people in wheelchairs or who have mobility issues -- the 1.5km long route has 243 stairs -- 131 to descend and 112 to ascend. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit, and if you want to see bones and skulls (no full skeletons, though), the Paris catacombs won't disappoint! [Yelp collections: Europe 2024; Paris, France; Beware of stairs!]

This place is fantastic. I never considered myself a fan of absinthe because I've usually consumed…read moreit out of a bottle, more or less on a dare. Our visit included a tasting that was prepared properly (diluted with water and sugar) and what do you know, it was delicious! The proprietor has made it her life's work to collect advertisements and materials associated with both the sale and banning of absinthe and it's fascinating to traverse the house. If you're in Auvers-Sur-Oise visiting Van Gogh's home, it's a fitting stop.

From the owner: Le musée de la boisson interdite Dans cette petite maison discrète d'Auvers est installé un musée…read morepas comme les autres. Des affiches et des objets datant pour la plupart du temps des impressionnistes décrivent non seulement les méthodes de fabrication de l'absinthe mais aussi les effets que cette boisson historique avait sur les contemporains et notamment les artistes. Surnommée "la fée verte", l'absinthe se voit attribué un mythe étonnant encore très présent pour certains passionnés.