When we headed home from our European adventures last summer, TJ was smart enough to book one night in Paris, as a buffer between Italy and home. For us on the West Coast, getting from Capri back to Los Angeles ends up being, door to door, about a 24 hour travel day (there are no direct flights from Italy to Los Angeles, so you have to have a connecting flight somewhere). At first, I worried it would be too much, that we’d all be tired and ready to get home. It was the complete opposite. We ended up wishing we had more time in Paris, and the girls felt the same.
Given that we were left “wanting more,” the first 4 days of our trip this year were in Paris, and they were just as amazing as we’d hoped they’d be. We spent days wandering the streets, stopping at cafes, sipping libations (bubbly for the adults, hot coco for the girls), and then we repeated a night at the very end of our trip back in Paris, like we did last year.
TJ found the best boutique hotel, and we had the most amazing experience. We stayed at Hotel Montaigne and I can’t recommend it more. The concierge team was absolutely top notch… recommending the best places, with amazing connections. Accommodations were luxurios and comfortable, and it was very centrally located so that we walked everywhere (I think we clocked 16K+ steps a day… even the girls).
I’ve given our itinerary for each day below, then have a roundup of all my outfits, followed by snaps from each of the days as well. I hope it helps if you’re considering a trip to this beautiful, and magical, city.
DAY 1
We started by heading to Le Cafe Flore and it didn’t disappoint. The hot chocolate received an 11/10 from the girls (as did the croque monsieur) and their “house” champagne was a Friday night favorite (so an 11/10 for this 🥂 gal). It lived up to the expectation for us.
Explored and walked around and ended up at the Eiffel Tower.
Then dinner at Chez Andre Paris with traditionally French food and highly recommended by the hotel. Cuisine was great, and they had a “children’s” menu as well…
To close out the first night we headed to the roof top at Hotel Raphalel Paris (@hotelraphalelparis) to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle. This was another recommendation from the hotel that we highly recommend (really the rooftop would be spectacular anytime of the day… don’t miss it!).
DAY 2
The day trip of my champagne loving heart’s out to the Champagne region of France to visit some of our favorite champagne houses 🥂 TJ and I first visited this region back in 2013 and 2015, before we had kiddos, and loved it so much… and it didn’t disappoint this time around.
To get there, we booked an early morning train from Paris to Épernay out of the gare l’Est station.
From there, we walked to Perrier Jouet, which is one of my all time favs. When we visited on previous trips, they didn’t have a tasting room open to the public. They recently opened to the public 3 years ago and I can’t recommend it more.
MOET + Chandon is right next door, so that is another beautiful option, but we chose to über to Veuve which is about a 25 minute drive away to Reims.
-Both spots offered lunch, so it’s a beautiful and easy spot to enjoy a bite to eat.
-we returned on the 4.30pm train back to Paris in time for dinner and an early night!
DAYS 3 + 4
Dinner at Pink Mamma was 11/10… great ambiance, beautiful decor, and delicious food. Sharing a few more favorite snaps from our last couple of days in Paris, along with some more places we recommend! Now off to a place that’s been on my bucket list for years!
We enjoyed a Seine river cruise with (@private_cruises_in_paris) and they were amazing…. they were so family friendly (bubbles and mini coloring books for the girls) and provided a beautiful spread. Ask for Patricia to be your guide, she was wonderful.
Dinner Zeffirino Paris was another amazing experience. The restaurant itself was so beautifully appointment, and they made the pesto pasta table side.
Girls loved walking all the way up the stairs at the Eiffel Tower
Exploring the Montmartre district was fun as well. All the painters and characature drawings were amazing to see. The view from the top is spectacular as well.
Picnic in carousel park (we’ve done it on point neuf as well)- we had some bubbly, snacks, and the girls loved running around and playing
A midday stop for crepes at Musset (the beautiful flower spot)
Dinner at The Relais de l’Entrecôte was good… not amazing… but good for the simplicity of the menu. The line basically wraps around the street on a nightly basis, so get there early… and there isn’t a menu: side salad, steak, and French fries.
Obviously shopping and exploring all the little markets, etc.
WHAT I WORE
(Dress, Cropped Trench, Sneakers)
(Red Sneakers, Pink Sneakers, Tan Sneakers)
DAY 1
DAY 2-CHAMPAGNE, FRANCE
DAYS 3 & 4
LAST NIGHT OF THE TRIP
