Paris, France
"La Rentree"- when the tourists go home and when the thousands of Parisians return from their long summer break and transition back to city life.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Sterling Boyd
- Trip type: Solo, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: Two Days
to & from
Spring and Fall are my favorite times to visit Paris. They are beautiful bookends to the long summer months. Below is a walk I do when I am on my own through Les Marais.
Where to Stay
Stay in Les Bains ~ a 1980’s night club turned into boutique hotel. Picture Mick Jagger and Jack Nicholson mixed with Booka Shade, Le Labo and Philippe Starck. I like it. If you were lucky enough to go to Les Bains before it shut down as a nightclub in 2010 – then some of the graffiti still on the walls will remind you of the hidden places in the building.
What to Do
Day 1
Walk the streets of Les Marais. If you use these shops as anchors, you will walk through my favorite parts of Les Marais. Stop in for some shopping at Fleux home goods and Cire Trudon. Make sure to visit Merci concept store on Boulevard Beaumarchais. If you want to bring a goodie back for your kiddos, find something special at Mandorla Palace. Have lunch at L’Ebouillante ~ sit on the steps in the sun overlooking the the Seine. The salads are my favorite. Enjoy a desert at Aux Merveilleux on Rue du Poet Louis-Philippe (the white chocolate cream mini cake is perfection) and walk across to the Seine to enjoy a view of Notre Dame from the tip of Ile Saint Louis. Sit and have a cocktail by “Place Des Vosges” and walk home by Le Labo on Rue Fruissart to get something special to remind you of your trip.
Have dinner at Le Chanard on Rue Saint Paul for classic french or wander to Frenchie on Rue du Nil. If you can’t get a reservation at Frenchie, go early and eat next door at the bar. Have an after dinner drink at Le Derriere or Ristorante National.
Day 2:
Start with art and then walk the streets of Saint Germain des Pres. Walk through Jardin des Tuileries and visit Le Orangerie and Musee d’Orsay. If you have never been – you should. Walk from the Seine to Le Bon Marche (I make a stop at Le Bon Marche every visit. The home goods in the second building with all the food are my favorite). On your way to Garden Luxembourg, find your favorite wine and cheese shop and get everything you need for a picnic on the grounds. Bring an extra blanket to wrap up if it is a sunny, but a cool fall day. For a fancier option, a fellow Oliver Guider sent me to Divellec. It was brilliant for a Parisian seafood lunch. For dinner, explore an area with no plans and find what looks best. It is the best way to find hidden gems in Paris. Enjoy!
Inside Scoop
Find her eyes – Danse a la campagne
What to Pack
Wear your sneakers. Put a nice pair of shoes in your purse to be ready for whatever you find.
Paris, France (Kara Schwabauer)
We ended up buying my son a scooter on the first day in London and he used it everywhere... Many kids his age and older are on scooters, so we felt a little bit like a local.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Kara Schwabauer
- Trip type: Family, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: 4-5 Days
to & from
Chunnel from London, travel first class. We traveled with our 3 1/2 year old son and 18 month old daughter.
Where to Stay
We stayed in the Vendome area, perfect location!
Where to Eat and Drink
- Le Relais de l’Entrecôte-various locations, best steak and frites, ever! Although it has become more popular and now they have locations in the US, it's still a real treat! Go for a late lunch, order a bottle or red wine and request a table by the window, oh so Paris!
- Bistrot Vivienne-cozy little Fresh bistro. The owner is great, don't miss the duck foie gras.
- Chez Flottes-we brought the kids, great food and service, we all enjoyed the cheese plate.
- Ladurée-a can't miss, we stopped by one at least once a day to keep the little ones happy!
- Yannick Martin Gustative Corner-beautiful, but small, bakery with amazing bread and sweets. Seemed to be a local favorite, many school aged children stopped by in the morning.
- The Bar at Hotel Costes-beautiful people, beautiful waitresses, and they are SO young!
What to Do
- With small kids we didn't over plan, one thing a day.
- Bateaux Parisiens for a boat tour, sit up top, open deck. Great views of the city, loved seeing the different angles of Notre Dame. Didn't hurt that it was a perfect spring day without a cloud in the sky.
- Walk around the Louvre, didn't want to venture in with little kids, but they had a great time running around the pyramid.
- We rode the carousel at the bottom of the Eiffel Tower, kids loved it, my husband and I were dizzy and happy to skip going up the Eiffel Tower with little kids.
- Rodin Museum, small museum with beautiful gardens, don't miss the Gates of Hell.
- Marmottan, small museum in a cute neighborhood. It is all of Monet's personal artwork.
- Notre Dame-easy to do a quick walk through with kids if you don't stop and read everything. My son loved lighting a candle. So much history in the process of building it.
- Jardin du Luxembourg-beautiful for a nice walk, but even better with little ones, the playground is amazing! My kids didn't want to leave.
Inside Scoop
- Check out thefork.com.
- UBER everywhere!
- Speak French as much as possible, if you it's only hello and thank you, the French do appreciate it.
- When traveling with kids, get a babysitter!
More...
See Rachel Wynn’s Paris Guide here.
See Nina Smallhorn’s Paris Guide here.
Paris, France (Amy Blake)
A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Amy Blake
- Trip type: Adult, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: AT LEAST 4 DAYS OR FOREVER
to & from
- Any US city direct to Paris
Where to Stay
- The Montalembert in the 7th
Paris, France (Rachel Wynne)
Paris is always a good idea.
- More about your Oliver Guide: Rachel Wynne
- Trip type: Family, City
- Activity level: easy
- Ideal length of trip: 9 DAYS
to & from
- Boston to Paris on Air France.
Where to Stay
We are fortunate to stay with friend while in Paris. My suggestion is to find an apartment/flat so you have space and a kitchen. There are tons of great short term rentals in Paris.
Paris, France (Nina Smallhorn)
Paris is always a good idea. — Audrey Hepburn
- More about your Oliver Guide: Nina Smallhorn
- Trip type: Family, City
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: NEVER ENOUGH TIME IN PARIS... 1 WEEK IS A MUST
to & from
The way to get to Paris is by train. Eurostar from London to Paris….DIVINE. Definitely spend a little more on the Premier seats with a meal. Views of the countryside are picturesque with little steeples and villages along specs of green.
Where to Stay
Le Saint Hotel: Family Rooms are beautifully appointed.
Paris, France
Walk
- More about your Oliver Guide: Megan Escher
- Trip type: Family, City
- Activity level: moderate
- Ideal length of trip: 5 DAYS TO ONE WEEK
to & from
Any way you can! We took a morning train in from Ruffec about two hours south of Paris. Getting around we did the metro, bus, uber, taxis and a lot of walking!
Where to Stay
So many options – On this trip we took a flat in the Marais in a very typical building full of Parisians. We like having the option of preparing meals at home so usually choose flats over hotels. VRBO, Air B&B, One Fine Stay & Paris Perfect are all great to research depending on the no. of guests, budget and desired area.
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