Over the summer, my husband and I went to Paris with our kids for the first time..I had been there previously, but I really wanted to make this trip special for their first time visiting the City Of Lights!!! When I got back, a good friend asked me to share some of the places that we went. I thought about it and decided to share the email that I sent to her with all of you. Below please find all of my must do’s in Paris…..Bon Weekend!!!
*Dinner at Le Relais de l’Entrecote. (Arrive by 6:45 to get in line for the doors to open at 7pm or you’ll have to wait for an hour or so!!). There are no menus but they serve only 1 thing..the best steak frites in Paris…there are lines all night long it is that good.
*Marche aux Puces flea market: You have to get into the antique section. Just follow all the well-dressed women.:)
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/paris/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-the-marche-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen/
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/paris/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-the-marche-aux-puces-de-saint-ouen/
*Montmartre/Sacre Coeur: Wander via Rue des Martyrs.Use your google maps to get you here. So many good food shops and sweet places to stop along the way! I had the best brie and baguette sandwich here!!!!
*The Marais for shopping, & dinner (there is great street art here)
*Breizh for amazing sweet and savory crepes. We loved the artichoke one!!! You need a reservation! There are cute shops around here too.
*Cafe St. Regis on Ile St. Louis (French toast “le pain perdu” is a fav!!!!)
*We went to Angelina on Rue De Rivoli 3 times during our trip..this is the amazing cafe that was Coco Chanel’s favorite…she sat at table 10. Try the hot chocolate and the Mount Blanc…but everything is delicious…my kids loved the chocolate croissants
*Notre Dame Cathedral and Sainte Chapelle (this is made of all stained glass windows….sooo cool).
Musee d’Orsay & Musee Rodin (this was the first Sacred Heart school..the grounds are amazing and there is a cafe there…you can stop for an ice cream or coffee). The Thinker statue is in the center of the courtyard..its incredible.
Eiffel Tower..you can take the lift up the tower…there is an amazing restaurant there https://www.lejulesverne-paris.com/en
Bateaux Mouches (can buy ticket for boat when you arrive. Last sailing around 10pm). I loved this so much.
The Louvre is a MUST… here are the highlights… the maps they give out help a lot:)and Angelina is right across the street on Rue de Rivoli. Its pretty crowded.
– Winged Victory (on the way to the Mona Lisa)
– Mona Lisa
– Feast of Cana (in the same room)
– Delacroix painting from the French Revolution (in the next room over from ML)
– Hammurabi’s Code
– Venus di Milo
– Egyptian Mummies
The Carousel Du Louvre is a walkway of fun shops!!! Exit the museum from there.
Champs Elysees for macarons at Laduree (this is the flagship).
Cooking class at La Cuisine Paris (check actual listings of what classes they have closer to the date on here). They have macaroon classes and French baking classes. It gets filled up so book in advance.
I also love Kong..it was the restaurant where Carrie met Aleksandr’s wife for lunch on Sex and the City. There is a great view of the city and the decor is awesome.
Galeries Lafayette for shopping..there is a cool rooftop where there are great views of the city as well. There are also some fun shops around GL.
Rue Royale and Champs Elysees have great shopping.
Versailles is a must do. There is a Laduree and Angelina there too. My friend and her daughter love Versailles so much they just want to plan their next trip to stay there the entire time!!!!!!
If you like Nobu..the Paris one is so cool…
https://www.leroyalmonceau.com/restaurants/matsuhisa-paris/?lang=fr
https://www.leroyalmonceau.com/restaurants/matsuhisa-paris/?lang=fr
This time we stayed at https://hotelducollectionneur.com/?&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-o_bBRCOARIsAM5NbIPUdR9yWDWvzFvh2qV-A5bETjIIyE8Dz4je_sFUSrJ9k7CcLNZp9C8aAlJ4EALw_wcB. It was totally americanized…we saw the Eiffel Tower from our room…so the night show was amazing to watch every night. The rooms were awesome and big. Check Hotels.com for great deals. I did not make it to the spa. I wanted to because it sounded amazing!!! My kids and I would sit in the gorgeous courtyard and have snacks…
I’ve stayed in boutique hotels before…my favorite is http://www.hoteldaubusson.com/en/.
*****Of course the best upon best in Paris****** is https://www.grandluxuryhotels.com/hotel/hotel-plaza-athenee?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-o_bBRCOARIsAM5NbIPe9c6r6YsSAqOQfaJibGDPl47wr4BM8W4Z-atrFzpRPKaMHZZwSXYaArbxEALw_wcB but it can be pretty expensive.
Here is one last thing that I have always wanted to do but never have..it is the In Coco Chanel’s footsteps tour..https://www.viator.com/tours/Paris/Coco-Chanels-Paris/d479-6327P4
And here are my photos…….
Always take the time to look up… Le Tour Eiffel
Here is Le Relais de l’Entrecote at 11pm..look at the line!!
Musee D’Orsay
The Musee D’Orsay restaurant was very cool!!!
Ile Flottante
Notre Dame
I always wanted to be like Carrie Bradshaw and wake up and see the Eiffel Tower from my hotel room window!!!!
The first Sacred Heart Chapel. See the Sacred Heart image in the top window?
A closer look!!
My girls lighting a candle at the final resting place of St. Madeline Sophie Barat’s (our school’s foundress).
Spotted…A fellow Paris shopper..a true fashionista!!
The first Sacred Heart school founded in the 1800’s.
Here is the date from the window in the original chapel!
Another View
Even the bikes in Paris are chic!!!!
The Mt. Blanc at Angelina!!
The Tuileries
Angelina..here is where Coco Chanel had her coffee everyday…she sat at table #10 which is right in the middle of the mural!!!
Sacred Heart Schools were founded for the “sake of a single child” and here is the statue of the same title and the foundress.
L’Arc De Triumph…it gets me every-time!!! Its so Les Miz with the hanging French flag!!!
The glass pyramid at the Louvre is one of my most favorite sites in Paris..do you know why?!???..I worked in the same Madison Ave building as the incredible IM Pei (the architect) for years…and rode the elevator in the presence of his greatness a lot…(Howard Stern was also in that building but that’s for another post)!!!!!!!
Sainte Chapelle
Galleries Lafayette
Oh how I wish we were still there!!!
