Paris 2026

What can I write that hasn’t been written about Paris, one of the most magnificent cities in the world! I first visited Paris while studying abroad in Madrid in 2003. I then returned on a backpacking trip post college in 2005, then on a trip with George in 2011 where we got engaged and most recently in 2023 for a girls trip to celebrate our 40th. So to say that this was my 5th time in Paris feels a bit gluttonous and so I do not take that for granted! We were supposed to go to Paris during Thanksgiving break of ’25 to piggy back off George’s work trip but literally 24 hours before taking off, I got (mis)diagnosed with a blood clot and so the kids and I stayed back. To say it was a HUGE disappointment is an understatement but again, in the scheme of a lot of things, we managed through it. So when we were booking Europe 20026 and our friends told us they would be in Paris, the only logical option was for me to leave George in London to work for 2 days and take the boys to Paris. First time taking the boys to another country without George, you can imagine I had all the paperwork with me. Notarized letter signed by George that he approved me taking the kids across a border. As expected, nobody even asked for it at the Eurostar but you know how it is, if I didn’t have it, they would have asked. We booked the Eurostar to leave on an 8am train to get us in around 10:30 so we can maximize our day. Well 3 days before the departure, I luckily went into the app to double check our arrival time back to London (thank you Liz and Carrie for the dinner chat discussion) and I saw a nice red notice that said “your train has been canceled”. No email, no proactive notification, nothing. I already had my tickets even downloaded in my wallet app so I cannot imagine the panic had I not checked the app when I did. In a haste, I rebooked us on overpriced seats in premium because that was all that was left and the train would depart just an hour and a half later than planned. At this point, it was kind of feeling like Paris was telling me I had reached my maximum allotted visitor passes but I was determined to get our asse*s to Paris, and so we were rebooked. Arriving to the train station at an improperly early time (with an hour to spare), the boys and I embarked on our own little voyage. About 1.5 hours into the ride, somewhere in France, we stop and the announcer reported that we had “an incident involving an individual”. Well, you can all guess what that meant, so 3.5 hours later, an uncomfortable conversation with my children about what had occurred, we finally made it to Paris, hot, 98 degrees, thick air, humid, congested but long awaited Paris.

We stayed at Hotel Bienvenue because it was conveniently located 3 minute walk from the apartment where our friends were staying. Air conditioning and all, it was a really perfect and quaint hotel for our needs. They had a chess board in the lobby, let us borrow an adapter, offered free banana bread to the kids upon arrival and were just all around lovely staff.

Paris Sites

Opera – During my ’23 trip, we went to see a ballet there and it was a very sophisticated and incredible experience. This time, we just walked around the building which is very impressive.
Louvre – After taking the boys to Vatican 3 years ago, I learned that their appreciation for art is not at the level that would make going to the Louvre worthwhile, especially when we only had 2 days. Of course I hear of all kinds amazing tours with kids and I am not discouraging you to take yours, I just didn’t.
Croissant Making Class – This was a gem of a class. So many laughs, mainly because we were with friends, and the knowledge we gained on how much butter is in these things is mind blowing. We booked through Airbnb, “Learn to bake classic French croissants hosted by Matthieu”. Kids were so into it and the taste of warm croissants and pan au’ chocolates out of the oven is pure heaven.
Marias district – This is great for shopping and I took the boys to the Jewish History Museum. It wasn’t high on their lists of things they wanted to do, but it was an easy and quick, air conditioned stop, that inspired some good conversation about our heritage.
Sacre Coeur – I have gone every time while in Paris and am never sick of it. Best view of the city at dusk.
Eiffel Tower – We then grabbed a taxi to catch the Eiffel Tower before it lit up at night (does so after dusk every 30 minutes). Of course we were there with 1,000 of our closest friends so it certainly wasn’t private, but the kids said it was even grander than they expected and it was worth it. If I go again, I think I’d rather enjoy the light show from a little distance as getting out of there took a while with all the traffic.
Not on this trip, but some amazing stops for me in the past have been Luxembourg gardens, Rodan Museum, Musee D’Orsee, Dali House

Paris Eats

Perruche – https://perruche-restaurant.com/paris/ This is a rooftop of a department store and absolutely gorgeous view. We showed up with a group of 11 hoping for the best but of course they were booked so make a reservation!
Beau Coco – This is where Perruche sent us, their sister restaurant. Nestled next to the Opera, this was a great fancier restaurant experience that still accommodated kids. Adults had to order of the 100Euro fixed menu but they did a great job accommodating kids a la carte.
Laduree – This is the most famous spot for Macaroons. There are many locations and we enjoyed the one in Marias.
L’As Du Falafel – in Marias, a block from Laduree is this Falafel stand. Typically have long lines but at 4pm, we were able to get the famous falafel and it was incredible!
Creperie Coeur de Breizh – This was near our hotel and on the walk up to Sacre Coeur. I was pleasantly surprised at the organic buckhweat crepe options that were so delicious and crispy. I had a mushroom cheese and egg situation. Yum!
Le Pain Retrieve (18 R. des Martyrs) Bakery – Near our hotel, this bakery was something special. Hands down, best almond croissant I (and others) have ever had. You don’t need to go far out of your way as I suspect other bakeries also have great croissants but if you are in the neighborhood, it’s worth a few minute detour to check out.
Cedric Grolet – In the age of Instagram, Cedric has a serious following as he makes videos of making premium pastries. I have been following him for years and tried going to his bakery 3 years ago but the line was nuts. This time, because it was so hot, there was essentially no line so the boys and I went. Incredible. You can’t eat there because there is no space but a trick is to grab to go and enjoy at the Starbucks across the street. Look I get it, there are fancy desserts all over Paris and perhaps the allure of his videos plays a role here, but there was something about the raspberry tart that I will not forget. Niko even said he could “taste” the premium ingredients. Pricey, yes. Beautiful, yes. Worth it, in my opinion, yes. We went to the Opera location but there are others including in southern France.