FRANCE

By:  Jennifer Milano, traveled in June 2013

Can you smell the lavender?  France, like Italy, is one of those dreamy European places where I know I'm not alone in having fantasized about buying an old, stone farmhouse in the hills and spending my days lounging on the terrace soaking up the view.  But on my most recent trip to France, we had the kids.  I did very little lounging, and none of it was on a hillside terrace.

Our itinerary:

Paris

How we arrived:  My husband, two children, mother and I flew Air France to Charles de Gaulle Airport, where our car service (booked by the apartment concierge) should have been waiting for us.  The driver was stuck in traffic, so we ended up taking a taxi, which was fine.

Where we stayed:  Our family started with five nights in Paris.  Aiming to save some Euros, we rented an apartment in the Marais, which was highly convenient (especially when my children took turns with a stomach bug during our stay).  The apartment rental included access to a local concierge, who was on hand to make restaurant reservations (which were more necessary than we had anticipated) and arrange transport.  We were really pleased with our experience, as were friends of ours who rented a different apartment from the same owner this past April.  More information can be found at www.ourhomeinparis.com. 

We stayed in "Sartre", a nicely furnished and updated one-bedroom apartment, with a second bedroom and bathroom on the same floor (with a separate entrance), where my mother stayed.  The kids slept on the pull-out sofa in the living room of the main apartment.  After spending our days wandering the city, we returned to our second floor apartment each afternoon feeling a little bit like Parisians.

The Marais has the benefits of being both centrally-located and yet maintains its own neighborhood feel.  We found our local bakery, where we bought our morning croissants and coffee, shopped at the local fruit and vegetable store, and watched our children play among the residents in the charming Place des Vogues. It was an ideal neighborhood for our family.

My friend, Julie, recently took her family to Paris and booked an apartment rental through www.onefinestay.com.  She loved her spacious and quiet apartment near the Luxembourg Gardens, although it was a good 25-30 minute walk to the sites.  Julie also loved that the rental service gave her a complimentary iPhone to use during her stay.  My friend, Harriet, stayed with her family in an apartment in the 5th Arrondissement and reported:  "I'd say our best discovery there was the lower end of the Rue Mouffetard, (lower meaning furthest away from the river), which has lots of really interesting cheese, fruit, wine, fish and butcher shops, which opened onto the street to give a 'market' feel.  Also pretty close to us, and a nice 'real Paris' experience was the Quai de la Tournelle, which is part of the Seine embankment in the 5th. On Friday and Saturday nights there are lots of bands and impromptu dancing down there, and tons of people with picnics - great atmosphere."

What we did:

• Before we left home, we prepared.  While I always aim to spend lots of time discussing our upcoming trip with our children, often our departure date sneaks up on me before I realize I never even pulled out a map to show them where in the world we are going.  Before France, though, I was really prepared.  We borrowed children's books on impressionist art from the library, and even tried our hands at creating our own impressionist works.  We watched a French language video.  My daughter's teacher gave her a small notebook and taught her French phrases each day to record and practice.  All of this preparation really worked to enhance our travel experience, especially learning about French artists in advance, which made the works we saw in Paris more meaningful.

• Before we left home, I booked skip the line tickets, classes and tours.  I researched which days the museums we wanted to visit were closed (and tried to avoid the day before and after closing days, which tend to be crowded).  And I read this helpful article by Wendy Perrin about traveling to Paris with kids:  click here. 

• We climbed the Eiffel Tower.  Well, okay, we took the elevator.  If you wish to do the same, then as soon as you know the dates you will be in Paris visit the Eiffel Tower website and book your entrance tickets (click here).  If they are sold out, you can buy skip-the-line tickets from a tour company.  You will pay a lot more money, but it is worth saving the wait in line, especially with kids.  I used Fat Tire Bike Tours for our tickets.  To get to the Eiffel Tower from the Marais, we took public bus #69, which was an inexpensive and fun way to see some of the city.  When our family returned to the Eiffel Tower at night to see it sparkle and shine, we took the metro to the Trocadero stop, and walked a few minutes to join the festive atmosphere at the Place du Trocadero.

• We took a family tour of the Louvre with Paris Muse Tours (click here for more information).  It was extraordinarily expensive (310 Euros for a private family tour), but I had decided if we were going to visit the Louvre at all, I wanted a child-friendly tour.  Jessica kept my kids fully engaged for two hours, while taking them on a treasure hunt through the museum.  My mom, husband and I learned a lot, too, and could mentally relax, while Jessica focused on the kids and navigated the museum's hallways.  The tour was the best thing we did in Paris, and since I have returned home, I have recommended it to everyone I know who has traveled to Paris.  Four families I know have taken the tour since our trip, all with different guides, and everyone thought it was outstanding and worth the expense.  Even if it means you have to shorten your trip to Paris by one night in order to afford the tour, I highly recommend it.

• We visited the impressionist floor of the Musee d'Orsay.  I did not buy Paris Museum passes, because our Louvre tour included skip-the-line tickets, and the cost of the passes was not justified in our case because we visited only two other museums.  I did, though, purchase advance tickets on the Musee d'Orsay's website from home, which allowed us to skip the line.  When we entered the impressionist wing, my 6-year-old son exclaimed "Monet's Bridge over Water Lilies!" and "Renoir's Girls at the Piano!"  I brought a sketch pad and colored pencils, and my son sketched Monet's Bridge Over a Pond of Water Lilies.  I was internally bragging about what a fantastic mom I was, having educated and prepared my children for viewing French artwork, when about 15 minutes into our visit, my son declared he was bored and wanted to leave immediately.  Oh well.

• My daughter took a French desserts baking class.  At the time of our trip, my 9-year-old daughter loved to bake cupcakes.  I decided to expand her repertoire and sign her up for a French desserts baking class for kids, through Cook n' with Class Paris (click here for more information).  Unlike virtually everything else we did in Paris, the 3-hour class, which was taught in English, was not too expensive (about 75 Euros), and my daughter proudly created delicious shortbread cookies and chocolate mousse.  I had thought the class would be a mother-daughter bonding experience, but when we arrived it became clear that this was a drop-off class for children only.  My daughter loved it, and although she reverted to baking only cupcakes upon her return to the U.S., the chef does send students home with the recipes in case they are inspired to recreate French dessert magic at home.

• My son and husband visited the French Army Museum & Napoleon's Tomb (Les Invalides).  I had read that this museum has a great kids' audio tour, so since my son was too young to participate in my daughter's baking class, he and his dad headed to this museum.  My husband dislikes virtually all museums, so his opinion is irrelevant.  My son loved the museum.  Children 17 and under are free, but you cannot skip the line with a free child ticket, so you either need to wait in line, or buy advance tickets for everyone (paying for your child's ticket).  There are also kiosks at the museum where you can buy tickets.  When my husband and son visited, we did not buy advance tickets because we wanted the free child admission, and luckily, the line was fairly short.

• My kids fed the birds everywhere.  It turned out that my kids' favorite activity was to buy a baguette in the morning, eat a bit of it, and shove the rest in my husband's day pack.  Then whenever we happened upon a pigeon, they excitedly tugged on their dad's backpack and pulled out the baguette, tearing it up to feed the birds.  They also loved feeding the little birds at Notre Dame, where they would tentatively reach their hands high up in the air, holding a bit of bread, and the birds would fly by and take a nibble.

• My kids played in the Luxembourg Gardens.  The playground at the Luxembourg Gardens is really fun, and my kids especially loved the Flying Fox.  At the pond in the Gardens on certain days, children can push toy sail boats with long sticks around the pond.  There are also puppet shows in French near the playground, which we intended to watch but will have to save for next time. 

• We wandered.  Walking from the Marais, my family and I explored adorable Ile St.-Louis and bought warm crepes filled with cinnamon and sugar from the take-away window of a shop along the main street.  My kids liked the Pont des Arts, a bridge where lovers place a padlock marked with their initials on the bridge, and toss the key into the Seine below.

• My son sat in the mini cars in the fancy showrooms along the Champ-Élysées.  I was nursing my sick daughter back in our apartment, but my husband reported that my son loved the car showrooms on Paris's most famous drag.

Where we ate:  Finding exceptional food in Paris was tougher than expected.  I had researched restaurants in advance, but found either that they were booked, or not picky-child friendly.  I had foolishly promised our youngest he could eat pommes frites (his all-time favorite food) at every meal in France, and were amazed that it took until our second or third day before they were on the menu!  I suggest you arm yourself with a list of recommended restaurants and book dinner tables in advance for this reservation-heavy city.

• Miss Manon was our favorite Marais bakery, on rue St. Antoine near St. Paul.  Its warm, flaky croissants made for a delicious breakfast each morning.

• Le Square Trousseau was a really nice dinner spot in the Marais, with a playground just outside.  The steak frites and escargot were delicious, and when the chocolate mousse arrived at our table in a huge, chilled glass bowl, we were in heaven.

• Les Bonnes Soeurs in the Marais was also good for dinner.

• Breizh Café, at 109 Rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais had excellent gallettes and crepes, although it is well-known to tourists so be prepared to wait in line.  Eat lunch here, then stroll a few blocks to Jacques Genin, which is like Tiffany & Co. for melt-in-your-mouth caramels....yum!

• Le Bistro de Paris serves very traditional French food (but no pommes frites for my son).  My husband loved this restaurant, but it was too exotic for my mother and son. (I was with my sick daughter in the apartment and missed this meal.)

• Café des Abattoirs serves fabulous roast chicken in the 8th Arrondissement, according to friends who are French chefs.

• Patisseries:  Our French pastry chef friends at home recommended Pierre Hermé (in the Latin Quarter) and Patisserie des Reves (in the 6th Arrondissement), but sadly due to illness we did not try either!  They also recommend you visit Gout de Brioche in the Latin Quarter for amazing brioche.

• Cheese shop:  Our French pastry friends highly recommend you go to Barthelemy cheese shop in the Latin Quarter.  If its autumn, ask for the Vachevin cheese "mont d'or", which they describe as heavenly.

What we missed:  We didn't have time to do it all.  I wish we had visited Montmartre, and the Orangerie Museum to see the massive scale of Monet's Water Lilies.  The kids were disappointed that we never saw the street performers who supposedly frequent the plaza outside the Pompidou Center - it was too chilly and drizzly during our visit.  We didn't spend enough time sitting in patisseries, sampling treats and lazily sipping coffee.  Our biggest regret is not having found more amazing restaurants - next time, we will be better prepared with solid recommendations and reservations. 

The Loire Valley

The Loire Valley is pretty, and an easy place to travel.  I am glad we visited the area, but we did not find it particularly compelling.  Two nights was enough time.  If you like visiting pleasure castles (as opposed to castles built primarily as forts or for defense), this is the region of France for you!

How we arrived:  Our apartment concierge organized a car to take us from the apartment to Montparnasse train station, where we boarded the TGV (my children's second favorite French experience) for St. Pierre-des-Corps in the Loire Valley.  We rented a car from the station, and drove thirty minutes to our castle-turned-hotel just outside Amboise.

Where we stayed:  Chateau des Arpentis is a medieval castle transformed into a hotel.  The grounds are stately, and there is even a moat!  Our kids were thrilled with the castle and setting, and we adults loved the large rooms that made us feel like we were king and queen of the castle.  We had a family suite for four that was spacious enough to live in full-time.  The kids could wander through the castle's basement passages on their way to the outdoor swimming pool, which is lovely, although unheated.  The breakfast was adequate.  The service was lacking - the staff was not warm and friendly, but rather cool.  When I asked for a recommendation on a good place to stop for lunch between our castle visits, the concierge was stumped.  He also forgot to make our dinner reservations. 

What we did:  We toured both Chateau Chambord and Chateau de Chenonceau, which our children found a bit boring.  My son just wanted to know where the king's bedroom was and why it wasn't bigger than the queen's bedroom.  They did enjoy the Medieval Pageantry on Horseback show (in French only) at Chateau Chambord.  We all enjoyed wandering around adorable Amboise, and sitting outside at Chez Bigot for pastries in the afternoon.  Our favorite activity turned out to be a last-minute addition to the itinerary.  Needing to do some work and fill up the rental car with gas, my husband dropped my mother, my kids and me off at Chateau du Clos-Lucé (Leonardo da Vinci's house) and Leonardo da Vinci Park.  In 1516, Leonardo left Rome to work for King Francois, living in this Renaissance home while working on his many inventions.  The park surrounding the home is filled with replicas of Leonardo's inventions, and our children loved running through the park and exploring the models, many of which function. 

Where we ate:  Chez Bigot in Amboise is a great place to people-watch while munching on a macaron or eclair, and they also serve a delicious lunch.  My husband, mother and I were thrilled to find Auberge de Launay, six kilometers from Amboise, where we had our first sumptuous French dinner of the trip. 

Provence

Ahhhh, Provence.  To me, this is one the most beautiful parts of France.  I had loved visiting the Cote-d'Azur and Aix-en-Provence in my younger adult years, and couldn't wait to explore a new area of the region.  For this trip, I chose the Luberon area of Provence, with its hilltop villages dotting the countryside reminding me of my beloved Tuscany.

How we got here:  We took the TGV from St. Pierre-des-Corps to Avignon, where we rented a car and drove to Bonnieux, our home base for five nights.  A car is essential if you are going to have the freedom to explore the many beautiful villages of the Luberon.

Where we stayed:    I chose the Le Clos du Buis, a good value b&b in the center of the village with a pool, air-conditioned lovely rooms, and friendly hosts.  We met lots of nice people, and our children played in the garden around the chilly, unheated pool in the afternoons with the other younger guests.  Our favorite part of this b&b was its location.  After spending our days driving around the Luberon, our family returned to Bonnieux tired in the afternoons, and loved that we could relax at the b&b and then just walk out the door to dinner at one of the town's many restaurants, all about three minutes' walk from the b&b.  Our only complaints were that the pool was too cold, and the garden was pretty but not a place we wanted to spend hours relaxing.  Families should note that the rooms accommodate only up to three guests each.

What we did: 

• We walked through the market in Bonnieux, just outside our door, which we loved.  Our family enjoys visiting local markets wherever we travel, buying in-season fruit and bargaining for souvenirs.

• Our family (even Grandma) climbed the castle ruins at Buoux, and loved it.  Allow a few hours and hold the kids' hands.  Eat lunch at nearby L'Auberge de la Loube, which was AMAZING!

• We explored tiny Lacoste and Saignon, both extremely pretty villages.  The castle at Lacoste has been renovated and was not all that interesting to visit, nor was it worth the steep admission price.  However, I still suggest walking up to the castle and enjoying the views of the countryside from the exterior.

• My family and I visited Gordes on market day.  The market was great and the town has beautiful views, but the town itself is too touristy.  If you have young children, note that you will have to park a good 20-minute walk from the town center on market day.

• My husband drove our rental car by the gorgeous lavender fields (in bloom late June-July) at the 12th century Abbey Notre-Dame de Sénanque, stopping to take photos. 

• We toured the pretty "Santa Fe" village of Roussillon, enjoying our hike through the ochre canyon and relaxing at an outdoor cafe with a cool drink afterward.  Our family loved this unique town, where we sampled lavender ice cream!

• My husband, son and I took a kayaking trip from L'Isle sur la Sorgue to Vaison la Romaine with Kayak Vert, which was different and really fun.  The trip is unguided, and you can take your time or finish it in an hour and a half.  There is one good rapid to thrill the kids.  Kayak Vert's van will drive you back to your car in L'Isle sur la Sorgue when you finish.

Where we ate:  My family and I tried most of Bonnieux's restaurants, and Le Fournil was our favorite.  Sit outside by the fountain.  Le Terrail is also good.  We also loved our lunch at L'Auberge de la Loube near Buoux.

What we missed:  We wish we had spent some time on the Mediterranean coast.  Our friends had recommended visiting the Calanques in Cassis, where you can hike along and down limestone cliffs that descend into the Mediterranean Sea, or see the cliffs from the water by boat trip.  Next time, I want to explore the Languedoc region, along the Mediterranean but removed from the crowds of the Cote d'Azur.  I might follow my friend Julia's advice to stay at Chateau Canet.  And maybe, just maybe, I'll spend hours lounging on a hilltop terrace!

Brittany and nearby:

Ever since reading the laugh-out-loud "I'll Never be French," by Mark Greenside, I've wanted to visit Brittany.  Since then, I've met a friend in the U.S. who grew up in Brittany, Samuel Parent, and hearing about his childhood and his trips back to Brittany with his wife and two young children, I'm even more enthralled by the region.

Samuel highly recommends visiting Il de Ré, located in Aquitaine-Limousin-Poitou-Charentes about an hour from the border of Brittany.  Il de Ré is easily accessible by bridge from La Rochelle on the mainland.  Samuel reports that the island is beautiful with nice beaches, bike rides, hikes, several towns, restaurants and bars.  Because the island is so easily reached, day-trippers can make the island feel crowded.  For a quieter spot, try Ile aux Moines, which has only one tiny village.  Samuel has rented a house on the island and found it to be a great family vacation destination as there are no cars permitted on the island, and it is relaxing and peaceful.  However, at the island's sandy beaches the water can be chilly.  Wendy Perrin has an April 2016 article about the region's islands here.  

The Dordogne Valley:

On my travel list is the Dordogne Valley, where I would stay at Chateau de la Bourlie, a fourteenth century fortress that travelers can rent from the owners who make guests feel like family, according to this Condé Nast Traveler article.