Mother – Daughter Trip to Paris
Who: Moms and Daughters ranging from 18 – 28
Where: Paris City Center, 7th Arrondissement
When: Early Spring
How Long: 3 nights, 4 days
I’m always looking for fun ways to connect with my daughter and my family and, of course, travel is always at the top of the list! One of the best trips I’ve had in recent years was with my sisters and our daughters. I am one of four girls in our family and we each have a son and daughter. Because we are 4 girls in 5 years, our daughters are relatively close in age and now is a perfect time to travel together. We took a late winter / early spring trip to Paris and stayed in an amazing authentic Paris apartment with an unbelievable view of the Eiffel Tower. Even though it was essentially only a long weekend, we had marvelous food, saw all the Paris sights and returned with a greater connection and wonderful memories!!
With only a few days to fit in everything Paris has to offer (many in our group were first timers), we planned our trip by spending each day in a different arrondissement (neighborhood). Our unbelievable four-bedroom penthouse apartment was in the 7th arrondissement with a stunning up-close view of the Eiffel Tower. We started there on Day 1. We saw the Eiffel tower and took a tour to the top with those of us who can stand heights! Later, a boat ride on the Seine at dusk showed us the most beautiful sights of Paris when it’s quiet and the buildings are lit in the night sky.
Day 2 we toured the Louvre and were rewarded with a view of the Mona Lisa without too much of a crowd. We went to mass at Notre Dame, luckily weeks before the devastating fire. And we wandered through one of the famous outdoor markets which, even in cold weather, carry many of the essentials of French living such as fresh produce and buckets of flowers.
On our third day, we enjoyed breakfast at an outdoor café on Rue Cler that sweetly provided blankets on each of the chairs and heaters in case we got cold. We were witness to French school kids walking the pedestrian path to school, the older ones taking their time and the little ones running as fast as they could. (Some things are just universally the same!)
On our last day, we explored the Le Marais district in the 4th arrondissement, a very hip, happening part of the city that has been recently revitalized with trendy restaurants, must-try bars, pastry shops and boutiques. I strongly recommend a food tour of the local area on any vacation! Not only do you get to sample the best food a city has to offer but you also have the opportunity to learn the local history of the food and wine through a local expert. The tour of Le Marais did not disappoint.
During our stay, we chose small authentic French bistros as our favorite places to eat to fully immerse ourselves in the food culture. We found the “best” croissant in Paris at Pâtissier Eiffel near the Eiffel tower. We had a memorable dinner at a classic French bistro with a renowned Paris chef at Café Constant. And of course, we did not miss Angelina’s for hot chocolate. There was plenty of excellent shopping as well - contact me for the scoop on where to find gorgeous reasonable leather goods in Paris!
Experiencing Paris with my sisters and our daughters provided us with such a connection that we plan to take annual trips!