Beating the winter blues and thinking of summer in Paris: some holiday snaps

It’s cold and I’m beating the winter blues by thinking of summer in Paris.

Back in 2013 on an anniversary trip to Bruges with my husband, our Eurostar journey was delayed by over two hours which made us eligible for free Eurostar tickets. With three kids and an elderly Mum, Paris was not on our ideal summer holiday destination list. The kids will be bored and there will be too much walking too in such a big city. But we decided to go for it, found a lovely Parisian apartment via Airbnb and started planning on how to make this trip kid and elderly friendly without jumping on a Marne La Vallée–Chessy bound train to Disneyland for another encounter with Tarzan and see the fireworks. Below are snapshots from what I would say a successful 4 full day itinerary for a group ranging from ages 5 to 76!

Day 1
Our first stop was Montmartre, guided not just by instinct but by the handy tips from our eXp contingent guide, which recommended the Wall of Love, Le Mur des Je t’aime by Place des Abbesses. We meandered uphill, passing quaint shops, aromatic cafes, and chic boutiques, eventually taking the Funiculaire to the Sacré-Cœur. We allowed ourselves to get lost for a couple of hours among the vibrant market stands, the flourish of artist stalls, and the charming tourist shops. Later, hopping on a Batobus, we disembarked to stroll across Pont des Arts, remembering the lovelocks that once adorned this bridge of love before they were removed. Basking in the sun, the city presented us with its breathtaking views—the Seine glimmering below, the expanse of the sky above. With each visit, Paris unfurls new layers of beauty, just as promised by the guide.

Day 2
It was an early start. We headed to Giverny to see Claude Monet’s House and the famed water lilies. Apart from the hoards of tourists, the place did not disappoint. The house was charming and kept as close to how it looked like in Monet’s time. You can see Monet’s rooms in miniature in the photos below. The flowers were in bloom to my Mum’s delight and the bridges and winding paths kept the kids entertained. There were also other museums to visit nearby and the clear favourite was the museum gardens with the labyrinth and the haystack which Monet had painted repeatedly through various seasons. My plan was to get them inspired so as to try their hand at painting water lilies on canvases I had bought for them a year prior and have since gathered dust in the cellar.

Day 3
We decided to have a day cruising the river, stopping at the zoo for lunch, cruising on to Notre Dame Cathedral, having ice cream on Île de la Cité and Ile Saint-Louis, a quick visit to the Musee D’Orsay {a treat for me while the rest of the family sat on the benches inside watching people walk by and getting bored}, seeing the Eiffel Tower from Trocadero and walking downhill for some Pizza nearby to end the day.

Day 4
Back on land and in the Metro. The plan was to spend as much time as possible in Jardin du Luxembourg and the surrounding area. Picnic, sailing the little boats, checking out nearby playgrounds, and then on the Batobus again headed for the Louvre – more space for the kids to run around and tire themselves out before retiring for the evening.