This year, one of my goals was to see a new place together as a family. We traveled to one new spot in the U.S (Denver), then also took our first international family trip to Spain and France. The entire trip was amazing, but we ended it with the creme de la creme: Paris.
My husband, Drew, told me after that Paris had never been high on his list of place around the world that he wanted to visit. It just didn’t feel like it would be something he would love as compared to other spots. However, he agreed to go because he knew it was my number one place to visit above anything else. After only three days in Paris, not only had he completely changed his view but he even went so far as to say ‘I could honestly see us living here and would love that’. Our three year-old, Beckham, even asked on our last night in Paris if we really had to go home or if we could ‘just live here’.
I on the other hand, fell in love from the second I looked out the window and saw the countryside around Beauvais as our flight from Spain to France was landing. I immediately felt like all was right. The next few days being in France were some of the best of my life, and I am already planning our return trip.
Our itinerary for our time in Paris was both packed and loose at the same time. I wanted to give us the space to walk around and see the city, while also keeping a toddler entertained and rested. You’ll notice that we had more time in the itinerary where we could have gone into some of the sites but instead choose to walk around them or do an outdoor activity instead, so make this your own!
Here’s our full three-day itinerary as well as some tips for your next trip:
Day 1
Tip – I made both a mistake and fortunate choice in flying us into Beauvais as opposed to Charles de Gaulle or Orly. Beauvais is about an hour or so train ride outside of Paris (though the airport is called ‘Beauvais Paris’, hence the misleading reason why I selected it before checking). If you want to save time, fly into CDG. If you don’t mind a brief train ride, the scenery of the French countryside from Beauvais to Paris was an excellent first glimpse at this beautiful country.
Train from Beauvais to Paris Gare du Nord – taxi from Gare du Nord to hotel
Check-in at Novotel Paris Vaugirard Montparnasse 257 Rue De Vaugirard, Paris, 75015 France – We very much liked this hotel! It was comfortable, quiet, and in a cute neighborhood. Restaurants, parks, and shops were all around, and it was convenient enough for us to grab a taxi to some of the more tourist-y areas of the city.
Eiffel Tower – take the Metro to the Trocadero Station. This is a must while in Paris (even if that statement makes a Parisienne cringe. We went on our first day and marveled at this incredible site. Pro tip: If you’re traveling with a toddler, you can skip the hassle of your stroller at the airport and rent one in just about any major city in Europe! We went only to rent one and picked it up from a tiny little souvenir shop near the Eiffel Tower. It was actually nicer than the one we have at home!
Dinner at Francette (1 Port of Suffren, Barge, Paris 7)
Tip – Any chance you get, just walk around the city! Literally in any direction, without direction or intent. Just wander and you will find and see some of the most beautiful sights imaginable.
Les Bouquinistes on the Seine – Ever seen the little covered magazine/painting/book racks on Pinterest or in photos of Paris? These are the ‘bouquinistes’! They are primarily on the Right Bank between Pont Marie and Quai du Louvre or on the Left Bank between Quai de la Tournelle to Quai Voltaire (best on Wednesdays). Pro tip: They only take cash!
Day 2
Café de Flore for coffee and pastries – This is a must! It was the best coffee we had in Europe and the restaurant itself is one of the most famous in Paris.
Luxembourg Gardens – Sail boats in the Grand Basin pond, walk through the beautiful gardens, and marvel at the palace.
Shakespeare and co – walk or take a quick taxi from Luxembourg to this famed bookshop! They have books in both French and in English. It is a fun experience for the family.
Lunch at La Boucherie next to Shakespeare and Co (41 rue de la Bucherie Opposite Notre Dame Cathedral, 75005 Paris France) – We had a delicious meal here and the decor was very fun.
Walk around the area! We didn’t realize until after sitting down to lunch that the Notre Dame was essentially across the street! There were even a few bouquinistes opened near the Seine as we crossed the bridge to view the cathedral.
Shopping time? Galerie Vivienne (4 Rue des Petits-Champs, 75002) or the Galerie Layfayette will offer you plenty of options.
Dinner at Hippopotamus (68 Montparnasse Bd, Montparnasse 14th)
Day 3
La petite Bleue Brunch & Coffee – Opéra -17 min taxi from hotel and on the side of the Tuileries. Then a short walk to the Tuileries.
Jardin des Tuileries – The ferris wheel, trampoline park, and playground are perfect for littles to run and play. Beckham played with children in this and a few other parks around the city. Regardless of whether or not they spoke the same language, the children always had fun running around together. The Tuileries is next to the Louvre, too! So take a walk over to the famed museum. We only walked through the courtyards of the Louvre, but even that was impressive. Next time, we’ll be going inside to actually see the art.
La Terrasse de Pomone at the Tuileries or Café Louvre
Next time, I plan to detour to Valois Vintage Paris in the 8th for a little vintage shopping.
Dior Exhibit at La Galerie Dior 11 rue Francois 1er Paris 8e – This was by far my favorite part of the trip. I have a full post about this experience for more details and tips for visiting.
Shopping just outside the Galerie includes Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, and more.
Montparnasse Tower Observation Deck – Pro tip: Instead of going up in the Eiffel Tower, consider the Montparnasse Tower. When you are at the top of the Eiffel Tower, you are overlooking Paris, yes. However, if you are at the top of Montparnasse, you are seeing the Paris skyline including the Eiffel Tower. There were seating areas and photos ops set up at the top, as well.
Dinner at Odessa – Within a 5 min walk from the Montparnasse Tower. The escargot here was my favorite that we had while in Paris, and they could not have been more kind to us dining with a toddler. They took the time to chat with Beckham, encouraging him to speak with them in French but quickly repeating in English for him to understand.
Pro tip: Heard the French are rude to Americans? Not true. The French are deeply proud of their country and their language, so when you show respect to that, they will be respectful and kind in turn. We watched Americans in differently restaurants and tourist areas speaking rudely in English to the French; never were those Americans speaking French. It was quick for us to understand the reason we were being treated so well by anyone we encountered: we were respectful by paying attention to those around us and by speaking in French. I speak French well enough to carry a conversation, but not fluently. I did have to switch to English with a number of people due to my limitations. Every conversation or person I approached while in France, I did so in French. That small gesture of respect gained me immediate kindness. Even poor French will do the same for you.
