FRANCE: Paris

SEE

Louvre: Regardless of what the Carter's want us to think, this place is packed with people daily so visit as early in the day as you can! Families with small children will be brought to the front of the line, skipping hours of waiting outside. Find a staff member to be directed to the front, but in our experience, they usually find families first. The crowd in front of the Mona Lisa can/will be nuts and a gross display of humanity, but go anyway! 

Update 4/23: There's now a queue to see the Mona Lisa! I love that the Louvre has improved its system...it's so much better now than it used to be with the mob of visitors. Also, skip the line outside of the pyramid and enter through the Carrousel du Louvre shopping mall. This will lead you to a quieter and quicker line into the museum. Also, it's indoors! 

Musee de L'Orangerie: Beautiful panoramic display of Claude Monet's The Water Lillies.  

Versailles: Located about 45 minutes away from the center of Paris, a visit to Versailles should also be done in the morning if possible. Families with small children or expectant mothers can skip the long line in the front and go straight to the front. Breathtaking palace, a must see. 

Eiffel Tower: You can take a ride up the tower, but you can enjoy it just as much from the ground (but that may just be my wobbly knees talking!). The Eiffel Tower is especially magical at night when it is lit up with twinkle lights. This happens at dusk at the beginning of each hour, and lasts only a few minutes. Find a spot on the grass in front, or head up to Trocadéro for the best view. 

Update 4/23: We weren't able to purchase lift tickets to the top of the Eiffel Tower, but we did purchase tickets to walk the stairs to the second level. It was incredible and I highly recommend it, even over the lift tickets to the very top. It's such a lovely way to enjoy the views and the experience was a 10/10. On the first level of the tower (not ground level), there are little gift shops, cafes, and restrooms. A great waiting spot if you're traveling with people who don't want to climb to the second level. We were surprised to learn that even if you purchase the ticket to climb the stairs of the Eiffel Tower, you are still allowed to take the lift down the tower after your visit. Loved it. 

Trocadéro: The best view of the Eiffel Tower, and a surprisingly great place for photos. The plaza is so large that photographers are often able to snap photos with nobody else in the background. We had our family photos taken here twice, and I can definitely recommend using I Heart Paris to capture your time in Paris. The best and most unique souvenir!

Arc de Triomphe: Also a famous Parisian icon located in the Champs-Élysées shopping district.

SHOP

Champs-Élysées: Find all your favorite stores here, from designer to H&M. 

Louis Vuitton Flagship Store (101, avenue des Champs-Élysées): If you are a Louis Vuitton fan, a visit to their flagship store is a MUST! Boasting several levels of goods, you will find everything you need here and will be treated to drinks while you shop. For non-EU residents, make sure you bring your passport so that they can provide paperwork for your VAT refund. Luxury goods in Europe are cheaper, and combined with the VAT tax refund, you can potentially save 30-40% off US prices (click here to read more about how to shop tax free in Europe). I purchased a wallet here that had Champs-Élysées actually printed on it, which makes this one of my most favorite LV items I own!

*There is typically a long queue to enter this store if you aren't already conneced to a sales associate. The store is beautiful and iconic, but if you are short on time, head a few minutes away to the Louis Vuitton on 22 Avenue Montaigne. The associates are so kind and the store is less likely to be packed with tourists. 

City Pharma (26 Rue du Four): My favorite store in all of Paris! Stock up on all your favorite French pharmacy finds. Not sure where to start? No worries, I made a shopping list for you! 

Update 8/10: I've found a better Pharmacy in Paris! It's quite big and part of a mall, so, unlike my fav City Pharma, there is a comfortable and air-conditioned place for husbands and kids to hang out while you shop. The pharmacy is located at Westfield Forum des Halles. It's still a bit busy (perhaps due to its new-found fame on TikTok), but it's more spacious than the tight aisles of City Pharma and overall offers more options and stock. 

STAY

Hilton Paris La Défense: Located in the business district and a little outside of the center of Paris (but right at a metro stop), this hotel is beautiful and has fantastic covered parking if you're traveling by car. Every time we've stayed here the front desk staff has greeted our kids with goodie bags and treats. Very family friendly and across from a mall that has great quick dining options.

Disneyland Hotel: We stayed at Disney when we traveled to Paris for the 2024 Olympics. While it's a bit away from the city center, we knew that it would be clean and safe with adequate space to fit our family of five. The Disneyland Hotel is conveniently located steps away from the park. We loved walking to Main Street in pajamas at night to watch the drone and fireworks show...just magical! The hotel is also a short walk to the metro station, connecting guests to the city center in less than an hour. Tip: Instead of spending exorbitant amounts for breakfast at the hotel, visit the grocery store Auchan at Val d'Europe (one metro stop away from Disney), or grab a quick bite at the station. We love the food options at Pret A Manger and ate there multiple times on our recent trip to Paris. 

SAVOR

Le Comptoir de la Gastronomie: My husband and I spent hours trying to find the best place to have a kid-free meal in Paris (thanks mom and dad)! This is a fantastic place, reservations are definitely required as the seating area consists of a few tables inside of a market. I still dream about the foie gras and escargot...incredible! 

Update 4/23: Visited again with a party of seven, including three kids. This place is still amazing and the people are so kind. Escargot...yum!!

Angelina: Home of the BEST hot chocolate in the world, Angelina is located near the Louvre and is a great, quick breakfast option to stop at before you head to the museum. When you walk up to Angelina's, you will see a very long line but don't worry! That line is for people dining in the restaurant.  If you're short on time, go through the door on the right for treats to-go. They have delicious pastries and macaroons and even have to-go cups for their famous hot chocolate. 

Cedric Grolet: If you follow Cedric on Instagram (and you totally should!), you already know about his signature pastries that look like fruits. While you can make a reservation at the Opera location, please note that this location's signature pastry style is flowers and not fruits. Fruits are only available by walk up or click and collect at the Le Meurice location (near the Louvre). 

Au Bon Accueil: Wonderful restaurant a few blocks away from the Eiffel Tower. It's small, so make sure you have a reservation. Set three-course meal for around $40. 

Do you love France but want to venture out of Paris? Consider visiting Normandy, Mont-Sant-Michel, or the beach towns along the French Riviera. 

Normandy:

The beaches of Normandy are sacred grounds, where thousands of young men bravely sacrificed their lives for their country. There are several museums in this area that help visitors understand the history and honor those who were killed in battle. The driving in between these towns is not difficult and there is adequate, free parking at each location. Some points of interest:

D-Day Museum

Pointe du Hoc

Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial 

It was a challenge finding a good restaurant to dine at, as the area is quite small and there are not many recommendations on Yelp and TripAdvisor. However, we lucked out at the Le Conquerant in Bayeux. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but there is a large bar in the front and table seating near the back where we enjoyed delicious charcuterie boards. 

Mont-Saint-Michel:

The floating castle as seen in the photo above! Magical place, located about 2.5 hours away from Normandy. Walk through the castle walls and seemingly back into time as you explore the quaint streets, shops, and restaurants. 

French Riveria:

SEE

Rent a car and drive up the coast stopping in cities like Nice, St. Tropez, Cannes, and Monaco. 

Take in the scenery and atmosphere while sitting in one of the many blue chairs on the beach boardwalks. These blue chairs are so iconic and can be found on magnets, postcards, and other souvenirs. 

SHOP

Pick up a tiny Riveria chair souvenir at Gallery ArtNice.

Sample unique olive oils at A L'Olivier in Nice. 

La Couqueto: Located in Old Nice at 8 Rue St. Francois de Paule: This store sells several different French-made nativity scenes, sold by individual pieces so you can create your own scene. 

Shop the streets of St. Tropez for luxury brands, souvenir shops, and beach-themed home decor. 

STAY 

We stayed at Marriott's La Meridien property in Nice. The location was very nice, across the street from the beach and short walk to downtown Old Nice. Rooms were small and dated, but that might just be a Nice thing.

SAVOR

La Cave du Fromager: We dined here twice during our trip because it was just that good! Come here for a unique dining experience (in a cave!) and share a pot of cheese fondue served with freshly baked bread. Reservation required. 

Maison Auer: Adorable and delicious chocolate shop located in Old Nice. 

Olive & Artichaut: Delicious Micheline star restaurant, not pretentious and very reasonably priced. Try the 3 course set menu for only 33 Euros. 

Joel Robuchon Monte-Carlo: Honestly the most incredible dining experience of our lives. Also a Michelin star and also very kind service. They roll a trolley to your table and offer you different assortments of breads which is basically enough for me to come + dine here again! Prices are high, but reasonable for Monaco. 

Bruges

Dumon Chocolate: Choose from artisan chocolate bars or purchase chocolate by the piece. Lots of highlights here like the "chocolate of brugge" which is chocolate covered speculoos and my personal favorite, the incredible new ruby chocolate.

Chez Albert: The best Belgian waffles! There's always a line of people outside the waffle stand, but that's because it's good and totally worth the wait.

Poules Moules: If you don't use the hashtag #MusselsinBrussels, did you really even go? 😆 This restaurant specializes in fresh, incredible mussels. Reservations are required for their indoor/outdoor seating. Last time we were in Bruges, I made a late night run to enjoy my own bucket of mussels while my husband stayed with our sleeping kids at the hotel. I really wanted to order a salad to bring back to the hotel for my husband, but the restaurant wasn't equipped to do take away orders. Instead, they wrapped the salad up in a ceramic bowl, metal utensils included, and told me to just bring the dish back the next day. I was so impressed with their excellent customer service and it made my experience with this restaurant that much more memorable.

Madonna of Bruges by Michelangelo: Located at the Church of Our Lady. Tickets can be purchased across the street from the church. 

Brussels

Maison Dandoy: Beautiful and delicious cookie shop where you can pick your own variety of cookies and pay by weight. Several locations in Brussels, including near the main square.

We love the Hilton Brussels Grand Place! Perfect central location, beautiful rooms, and only a few feet away from the metro station.