Surrounded by unlovely housing, the Parc de la Villette is best reached by metro if you’re not up for a three hour catamaran ride. Either way, its family-friendly attractions are well worth the trek. The funky, thematic gardens might baffle grown-ups, but they’re a hit with kids – all the more for features such as the 80 metre long dragon slide. At its northern edge, you’ll find La Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie , a vast, intelligently run museum with lots of hands-on appeal. Outside, two cinemas and a 1957 submarine vie for your attention. Across the park, the Musée de la Musique is also one of a kind. Along with a concert hall and library, the polished concrete building houses a major collection of instruments, most of which you can hear courtesy of the free audioguides. Also within the park is the 6,000 seater rock concert venue, Le Zénith, and la Grande Halle, a classy steel structure dating from 1867, when La Villette supplied meat to the whole of Paris.