Love a little Paris
Love A Little Paris
Every corner you turn there is something to love about Paris. Just turn down any street In Paris and you can find something to love. If it’s not a cool bar or restaurant, It could be the prettiest shop you have ever seen. Or the most amazing building you have seen in real life.
In all its glory, Paris is such a beautiful city and all the monuments are so grand. There is so much detail, work and beauty in the buildings it’s hard not to be fascinated by them all.
I love nothing more than getting lost in Le Marias or sitting in one of the many gardens watching the world go by in Paris.
Place des Vosges (In the Marais district), The Tuileries Garden (located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde) and the Jardin du Luxembourg are a few of my favourite gardens in Paris.
And when you get a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower from afar it always makes your heart stop for a split second, which forces you breath in all its beauty.
The romance, the love, and the beauty make Paris one of my favourite cities to visit. Be it alone, with friends, with your lover or with children- (yes, I never thought I would say that) it is magical.
We spent the last few days of our French trip to Paris with the children, my mother, and sister. To my surprise, we had the best time with the children and it was even better than I expected. Sure I had to adjust my plans, I couldn’t walk all day in and out of shops or sit in cafes for hours and go out for late dinner and drinks. However, I still got to see some beautiful places and I still love Paris.
We found an apartment last minute (as we decided to go on a whim). However, it was not easy and we did find it hard to get accommodation in July for a good price in a central area for 4 adults and 2 children. The apartment was a good option for us and we found being just outside the Le Marias a perfect area. We walked a lot and got the hop on hop off bus pass so we could see the big attractions. I would always choose carefully where you stay with children, as it could be easier if you are near to the places you’re interested. Think about what you want to see and do in Paris and plan a bit before you go. Cities are not always the easiest option with children but with a little thought and planning you can make it work. Our pram was essential, as we had to walk a lot with two children and a pregnant mama.
Things to do with children
There was a lot more to do in Paris with children than I expected.
They loved the double-decker bus (hop on hop off bus) so many to choose from but we found all of them similar. We spent a bit of time on that and showed the children some of the famous monuments and attractions.
We got off the bus at the Eiffel Tower and had a picnic at the Jardin de Trocadero with views of the tower. There was even a playground in the garden so it was perfect for young children. A playground with a view of the Eiffel tower, a dream for both parents and the children.
Then we all took a cruise of the river Seine from the Eiffel tower to the city. It was great to see the Eiffel Tower from a different angle and the children enjoyed being on the water as a break from walking around.
We spent the next afternoon at the Tuileries Garden (near the Louvre) and found a playground; little rides suitable for young children at a fair and trampolines. You had to pay for all the attractions but they were all pretty well priced for Paris. After we grabbed a sandwich for lunch the children loved playing on the many attractions. After that, they ran around chasing pigeons and watching the birds in the ponds. There are plenty of places for ice cream in the park for a little treat. All healthy eating went out of the window in Paris, it was sweets galore with pain au chocolat, macarons, crepês, and ice cream to name a few with the healthiest options I could find in between at the restaurants. I wanted them to experience French food in France and Paris so I was open to them trying new things and having more than one treat.
We then got the bus up to Montmartre and Sacré Coeur for a walk and to see the beautiful view of Paris from above the city.
Restaurants (child-friendly)
We tried as many restaurants as we could manage with the children at night and for coffees and drinks in the days. We may have lingered at these places a little longer if we didn’t have the children but we made it work.
Restaurant Marlon
This is a cool place with Californian food and perfect for the kids. Love the name Marlon too!
http://www.restaurantmarlon.fr
Ma Lucia
A tiny little place with home cooked Italian food. It has a great atmosphere and something a bit different if you want a casual meal.
Le Voltigeur
Good coffee place in Le Marias with good food. Very cool area of the city with some amazing people watching.
Bombolo
Good Italian food and easy with children. One loved the pizza and the other the pasta. We found this place had something for everyone.
Jardin d'Acclimatation
We never made it to the Jardin d’Acclimatation but everyone we asked said it was a hit with the children. It apparently has a small zoo, lots of rides and plenty of green areas for the children to run around and play. There is a restaurant is in the gardens also.
Ladurée
You can’t walk past this beautiful shop called the Ladurée (you may have heard of it) without stopping for one of the famous macarons.
There philosophy is simply delightful as quoted below from the website and you will see why we had to go inside.
“The Ladurée life: dreams, little pleasures enjoyed here and there, fantasy, rainbows and marshmallows. It’s what we wish to share: the Ladurée Dream”
We took our little pleasures to have in the park later as we had just eaten. So many wonderful flavours to choose from makes it a hard to choice just a few. We couldn’t resist the classic chocolate and vanilla and then got a lavender to try for something a little different. The packaging is as beautiful as the shops and macarons.
I have been to a few of these stores and they never disappoint. The Ladurée Bonaparte in Paris is my favourite and oh-so pretty, it has a restaurant and a salon for high tea.
Restaurants and Bars(Childfree- that are worth a try if you can sneak away and you have a babysitter)
Hotel Costes
This place never disappoints for a few drinks or something to eat. You can have a full dinner, snacks, a drink or late night drinks here. This place is very cool so be in your best Parisian dress.
Restaurant Lou Lou Paris
Worth the splurge if you can manage a booking for lunch or dinner. Choose the garden if it is warm weather with views of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre you will feel like you’re in a dream.
Amici Miei
This buzzing little neighbourhood restaurant is busy but has a great atmosphere and food.
44 Rue St Sabin, 75011 Paris, France
Monsieur Bleu
Make sure you book this restaurant, it has a trendy crowd, good food, and some pretty amazing views.
Café de Flore
The famous French café with a classic French menu and people watching at its best is a must stop for a Parisian experience.
Overall the children were taken with the city of love and although everyone was exhausted after a few long days it was worth every effort.
At times I longed for a night out with my husband and a few hours to go shopping with the girls. But I still enjoyed it all.
We could have had a few extra days to explore some of the other highly recommended places for children like the museums and Disneyland Paris. But I will take what I can get and love every minute of it.
Paris, Je t’aime xxxooo
