Printemps à Paris

There is a reason it’s a cliche to talk about Paris in the springtime — it is possibly the loveliest time of year to visit the French capital. While we had a few cloudy moments and even some rain, it was a  perfect visit which brought back many memories and where we were able to create some new ones.

Our highlights of Paris were:

Our “live like Parisians” Airbnb apartment — located in the 11eme arrondisment, a 10 minute walk from the Bastille, really lived up to its billing. The apartment was small, with original wooden floors, tiny kitchen and even smaller bathroom and on the fifth floor without any elevator. Oh – and the neighbours were VERY excited during the Paris Saint-Germain/Barcelona soccer match (at 11 pm!). But it was great to shop at the neighbourhood market (Marché Aligre) and we even visited the local library with an amazing kids’ section.

It was great to be in a new part of Paris which we had never really explored before. There was a park down the street for the kids to play (and meet some new friends) and we discovered the Promenade Plantée (an old train line converted into a green, elevated walkspace). It was along the Promenade we discovered the public water fountain that dispenses free sparkling water — very Parisian! You just need to bring your own water bottles to fill.

We were very lucky to find out about a walking tour company that was expanding from Italy into France, and they were offering free tours in their first week to refine their offering.

We had a free tour of the Louvre, which was the perfect way to visit with kids. Someone else guided us the whole way, provided running commentary about the key pieces of art and let us focus on the experience, rather than navigating and negotiating about our visit. We also took part in a free walking tour of the Marais, Notre-Dame and the Latin Quarter (with a free macaron tasting at the Place des Voges!).

Thanks to generous grandparents, we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower. Despite travelling in the off-season, there were still line-ups for the elevator, so we walked up to the second level and then took the small elevator up to the top. What a view!

We spent a day at Versailles, exploring the Chateau and surrounding gardens. What an incredible spectacle of opulence and wealth. It’s hard not to be blinded by all the gilding, or to share a sense of solidarity with the peasants who revolted against the King. It was also unexpected to see the replica English village that Marie Anoinette created for herself.

We were also surprised at the security presence in stores. Given recent events, we expected an increased police presence in public places and tourist spots, but we didn’t expect to have to open our bags for inspection every time we walked into a Monoprix (grocery store) or other shop.

Overall, we had a wonderful visit to Paris and we are looking forward to spending more time in the rest of France in a few weeks.

Next stop: Amsterdam!