I'm Susan — devout Francophile, mother of twins, writer, creative director, and aspiring author. I've been sharing my life here since 2010...thanks for reading!
I’m finally getting around to sharing the colorful second set of photos from our beautiful afternoon in Paris. Taken by my friend Ashley Ludaescher, these images perfectly capture the joy we all felt. We made memories there that will never be forgotten – in fact, the kids bring it up all the time and ask when we’re going back. Someday I tell them….hopefully, someday soon. Check out part un (all black + white photography) for more about our day, and click through to see more!
Believe it or not, I still have content to share from our Paris trip…too much goodness! We dedicated a morning to Canal St. Martin in the 10th arrondissement, one of my favorite neighborhoods. We stopped at Ten Belles for our caffeine fix – don’t miss it if you’re in the neighborhood. From there we strolled down to the Canal and set the kids free. As I’ve said before, their favorite places (as toddlers) are where they can run and play freely, such as Jardin des Plantes + Palais Royal. As luck would have it, a picture perfect barge was docking right as we arrived. Paris can be such a show-off, am I right?!
They (attempted to) skip stones à la Amélie, frolicked, giggled, and talked to pigeons. As snack time approached and they became a bit more rowdy, they took a serious interest in the rails along the canal. As dirty as we knew they were, we just couldn’t resist their cuteness and laughter so we let them slide and crawl along. Sometimes you just have to let them be little. We strapped them back into our stroller (so glad we brought it with us) and made our way to (nearby) Du Pain et Des Idées for a morning treat + my favorite children’s boutique, Centre Commercial Kids. A perfectly Parisian morning!
Canal Saint – Martin | 75010 Paris
Our entire time in Paris was incredible, but this day…this afternoon in particular, was filled with some of the most perfect and memorable moments of our journey. After reading and learning about Paris since birth, Henry + Marie’s knowledge of the city is impressive – in fact, they can name more monuments than my husband! To finally see Notre Dame (where the gargoyles live) up close was a big moment for them. Upon reaching the cathedral, the kids were speechless, staring up at the massive structure in awe. I feel as if you could look up “awestruck” in the dictionary and a few of these photos would be there. If you think Paris is magical, try experiencing it with children. My Francophile heart almost couldn’t take it.
If you find yourself in France with children, you simply can’t miss Disneyland Paris! Located only 20 miles from the center of Paris, it makes for a fabulous day trip with the kids. With my brother and family joining us at our apartment a day earlier, we all hopped on the metro early Sunday morning, transferred to the RER, and found ourselves at the gates by opening time. It was an epic and exhausting day, but well worth the effort…the time with our family was worth the ticket price alone. Henry and Marie really earned those ears – they were troopers. Click through to see our adventures!
“There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.”
Walt Streightiff
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Were we really in Paris with our children, only a month ago?! It feels like it was a all a dream. I’m so thankful to have moments like these documented, thanks to my friend Ashley Ludaescher (still so many more incredible photos to share). Navigating a foreign country with children, especially toddlers, is challenging for sure. Speaking the language (even at a basic level) really makes things easier, and more enjoyable. Carrie Anne James was kind enough to include me in the development of her French for Paris course, and I’m honored to have inspired the “traveling with kids” bonus lesson. I think it goes without saying that I personally relied heavily on that portion of the program during our trip!
Since this was my first time traveling with my children to France, I wanted to be prepared with the proper terminology. Full disclosure – I didn’t know the word for stroller. There were many times when I found myself using phrases that were new to me, such as “excusez moi, est-ce que les pousettes sont permises?” (excuse me, are strollers allowed?). I located diapers, requested mild cheese, even spoke with other parents, in French – and it felt great. Do you have to speak French in order to travel there with your children? No – but I highly recommend it. You will get more respect, better treatment, and yes, even the elusive smile, from the Parisians. Henry et Marie even garnered a tickle or two (or three).
* french is beautiful is a regular series – browse the archives here *