Elmo in Paris: The Parisian Adventures of Two Parents, One Toddler and One Red Monster

THE GEAR

The Gear

We brought:
1. Carseat - useless (see above).  So sick of dragging it around airport, contemplated leaving it in the airport but realized we may be mistaken for terrorists and took it.
2. Maclaren stroller - great, reliable, would have been even better if baby sat in it
3. Inflatable Booster Seat - used in apartment which was handy.  Didn't carry around with us. From One Step Ahead
4. Kids Aerobed - didn't use because apartment ended up having two big beds so wasn't worried LP would fall off
5. A few sippy cups, plastic forks and spoons - used all and all could be thrown out or lost
6. Disposable bibs and Sesame Street Table Toppers - great for amusing LP in restaurants
7. A few coloring books, sticker books, washable crayons (I stress washable since the world is her canvas) and small toys
8. Enough diapers and wipes for the plane
9. Snacks for the plane plus little boxes of raisins (my husband laughed at me for bringing them but provided a source of amusement as well as food), some oatmeal packets
10. Our cell phones for both me and my husband that work in France (our regular T Mobile phones do) so that if one of us needed to leave a museum early or stay back for a nap we could reach the other to catch up. On our last trip we only had one phone that worked and it was so much more convenient to be able to reach one another to change plans at the last minute if needed.
11. Elmo, blankie and puppy - absolutely the most important items

Easy to buy diapers and baby supplies in grocery store or pharmacy.  Food was not an issue.  Paris is perfect for kids - french fries, pastries, ice cream, flavorful vegetables, mild cheeses, baguettes....
Any gear questions, don't hesitate to ask.  I promise to move onto more interesting material.....

Day 1
When we arrived at the apartment it had not yet been cleaned and some else's luggage was there. Since my husband is helping me write this, I have to fess up that I freaked out a bit because the place looked like a total mess, the approach to the apartment was sketchy (you have to climb up a narrow flight of stairs after you get off the elevator and because some roof work was going on, there were ladders all over the place, I even saw a mousetrap). Seeing someone else's luggage there, I was absolutely convinced that we have been double booked and no we had no where to stay. My husband calmed me down and as I was trying to figure out how to call the rental agency on my cell phone, the cleaning person arrived and assured me that the luggage belonged to the guests who were leaving. We decided to go out while she cleaned.

Headed first across the street to the Jardins Luxembourg. It was the kind of warm sunny day when you really feel like being outside. The trees had changed color to a soft orange and the light this time of year (October) is really beautiful. Our daughter had now slept about 3 hours out of the past 30 hours so we figured she was exhausted but the moment she saw ducks in the central fountain of the garden, she was off chasing the ducks. After an hour or so, we probably should have headed back to the now cleaned apartment to nap like sensible people, but we were so excited to be off that damn plane that we decided to stay out. We walked up into the 6th near the Odeon and decided that we were hungry. We decided to test out our new Pudlo Guide decided on Les Racines which was right down the street. This was our first try eating out with LP. The waiter was very friendly and didn't seem to mind having a child in the restaurant. I ordered something for my daughter which was basically macaroni and cheese. I tasted it when it came to make sure it wasn't hot. Oh my gosh. It was delicious. I swear that was the best thing I ate in Paris the whole week. Now after spending the last year eating more macaroni and cheese than anyone over the age of 6 should, I consider myself a connoisseur. We only use the boxed stuff (never Kraft) on occasion and have tried the offerings all over Boston. But this was something else entirely – the cheese was amazing and it was delicious. Fortunately my LP was hungry and dug in and ate fast or there would have been nothing left for her. Good start to the trip! After lunch, LP fell asleep in a macaroni-induced slumber and we walked along the river. Ended up at Bertillon (LP conveniently woke up in time for that). I have to say, I was not impressed. I have had better ice cream at lots of other places. My husband had some unusual flavor that he really enjoyed but the baci flavor was not that great and there was a big line and the portions are tiny. We walked around a bit more until we were about to fall asleep standing, headed back to the apartment (which had been vacated by the previous renters, cleaned and looked great) and fell asleep.

Day 2
Decided to do something new today (for us) and walked up to La Bastille and Canal St. Martin. It was an interesting walk. Past La Bastille we walked on a street (I forget the name) with a continuous park/ playground in the middle of it which was quite nice for breaks with LP. We had lunch in another lovely cafe – Cafe de Paris. The Canal St. Martin area was fun to go to. Good stores including my favorite Antoine and Lili (even a kids store too). There were a zillion people out with strollers so we felt like we fit right in. LP fell fast asleep so we spent some time walking around and then walked to Butte Chaumont which is a large park built on a former asbestos(?) quarry. It was built in the 1900s and is designed with a serious of steep hills. LP was still sleeping as we enjoyed another beautiful day being outside. We realized that since it was Friday the Louvre was open late and since LP had just taken a 3 hour nap, she wasn't going to bed anytime soon so we headed off to the Louvre. We took the Metro which wasn't as bad with a stroller as people had warned but there was a lot of up and down (my husband who had to carry the stroller may have a different opinion!). The Louvre is so beautiful at night. All of the interesting architectural details really stand out under the spot lights. Since we were getting tired, we decided to hit the big impact art – the large French and Italian paintings. Took a great picture of husband and LP in front of the Wedding Feast of Cana. Since those rooms are huge and it wasn't too crowded, I let LP run loose which worked out fine as she just liked walking back and forth in the huge rooms. It was almost 10pm so we took a cab back to the apartment. Ate a dinner of nutella and bread and went to sleep.

enjoying this !!

We took our dd's 5yrs. and 7yrs. two years ago and are debating going this spring adding their little brother. It would mean ages 5,7,9.

We loved traveling with our kids - we found people were *really* nice. Our theory was that they liked seeing kids ?

Great report so far. I have never understood why certain people worry about Paris not being child-friendly.

I was taken here several times as a child and always loved every minute of it.

ttt

This is fabulous--please keep it coming!

What time was your flight to Paris--overnight? I have a 2 1/2 year old who has only flown with us stateside. I'm scared of the long overnight flight across the Atlantic! We've used a car seat and had great luck. I am sorry your "LP" wouldn't sleep in hers on this flight--you never know what will happen with toddlers, do you?

Sally30. Thanks for writing this up. Very enjoyable, and looking forward to more.

Anselm

Great report. I've just become the grandmother of twins and can hardly wait until they're old enough to travel in Europe. I guess that will come sooner than I thought given your experience.

Thanks for the encouragement. I've never written a full blown trip report before so I'm glad someone is reading it! Installments may be a bit slower coming after this one as I head back to work tomorrow

Lee4 - yes it was an overnight flight. The flight to Philadelphia was around 2 and then the flight to Paris was about 6pm.

Day 3
When I was 16 years old, I did a summer exchange with a family in Normandy. Before the trip I reconnected with the daughter of the family who is my age. We informally planned to meet up today but I hadn't heard from her before I left. Today I checked my email first thing and she had emailed a couple days before to say that she and her husband were free for lunch. We woke up quite late so I ran back to the apartment, got everyone ready and we headed out to meet them near the Eiffel Tower. Traffic was so slow we were quite late but we had a nice view of the Rue des Grenelles on the way. It was great to see her after so many years and we had a lovely meal together. It was great to let someone else do the ordering and not feel like a tourist for once.

LP got restless at the end so DH took her outside. She returned with a half-eaten (unwashed, yuck) quart of strawberries. The waiter brought over a bowl of water for her to wash them in (I am pretty sure the restaurant was not "bring your own fruit") and he was quite nice about it. I guess even she could tell the fruit is better looking in Europe!

My mother was planning to come visit us for the weekend (she was working in Germany for the month) so we went back to the apartment to wait for her. When she didn't show up for about an hour, we headed out to the Jardins Luxembourg to wait. Another beautiful sunny day. There park was absolutely bursting with families enjoying this nice day. But leaving the apartment turned out to be a mistake because my mother didn't know (nor did I) that her cell phone did not work outside Germany so she kept trying to call me in the apartment while we were outside and ended up waiting outside our building for over an hour. Fortunately we were directly next to a cell phone store where she befriended the clerk and was able to use his phone.

Finally, we met up and was able to calm my normally very good-natured mother (who has been living in a rural area with a dearth of decent restaurants) with the promise of a good meal. We went back to the park to get my husband and walked around a bit until it was 7pm and we headed to Les Fernadaise for dinner. LP was asleep in her stroller, there was no one in the restaurant and we figured no one would show up until 8pm so we decided to go in. The food was very good and reasonably priced (thanks again Mr. Pudlo). LP woke up mid-meal and was fine in the restaurant. In fact, she was intrigued by my mushroom soup starter and ate most of it. It was really good. Wish I could have had some of it! The restaurant began to fill up just as we were finishing and LP was ready to leave. After a good meal and some wine, things were smoothed with my mother and we headed home.

Glad your meal at Ferendaise was good. That place has been on my list for a while. Guess we'll have to give it a try next trip.

Sally30 -- I am loving your trip report! It's so informative. I tell everyone "Go, take your kid, it will be wonderful!" But this post really gives people the ideas and tools to do it. Wonderful.

By the way - I am flying overseas with my toddler by ourselves next week! I don't know why I agreed to my husband flying later. I am terrified! Flying with kids has to be the worst part of any trip!

A unique report, S. Loving it!

Enjoying your report; thanks.

This info is priceless!

I'm flying with my toddler in January (hubby staying home), so I'm now considering getting a CARES harness and leaving the car seat behind!

Thanks.

Sally, I'm enjoying this. And I commend you on not letting your parenthood prevent you from traveling. What a rich experience for your child - she's a lucky girl. I'm sure you will continue to take her as she grows older and she will be head and shoulders above other kids her age.

I never thought to go to the Louvre at night. I'm going to try that when we return to Paris next May.

All I can say, I wish I had parents that took me on travels.

Lovely to read your experiences with a toddler Sally. We took our son to Europe and the middle east when only 2 years old and until now thought we must have been bonkers!
Not so - you,ve prooved it!
PLEASE give me the address of Restaurant Les Ferendaise?

Our experience in Europe with kids years ago was so positive that our motto was, "If you don't have kids with you in Europe, rent some".

They serve as an instant introduction to the European way of life as friendly people gravitate to the children, and you can use them as an instant passport to get to know some wonderful people.

Thanks again for the encouragement! Siena1 - if you don't need the carseat while you are on the trip, I would definitely try the CARES harness. Even if your child doesn't like it, you can just throw it in your bag and use the two seats to spread out.

The address is:
La Ferrandaise
www.laferrandaise.com
8, Rue Vaugirard
75006 Paris, France
+33 1 43 26 36 36

Will try to post more later.

I'm enjoying this post. We have taken our sons to Europe several times, but they were past the toddler stage. Tell us more...

Day 4
Today was our fifth wedding anniversary and again we hoped to do something a bit different. A few trips to London ago, we bought the book “One Hour From Paris” by Annabelle Sims. She was living in Paris without a car when she wrote the book and, as the title says, it is filled with day trips all within 1 hour of Paris and accessible by public transportation, mostly the local train (RER). I don't see the book on amazon so maybe it is out of print. If we had more time we would have done a few more of the trips because they look really interesting and not touristy.

We decided to go to a Bal Musette, My mother and I had just finished reading Susan Vreeland's entertaining “Luncheon of the Boating Party” and this piqued our interest in a guignette. We took the RER train from near Les Halles to Champigny – about 25 minutes. LP loved the choo choo so at least the commute was a hit! When we arrived at the restaurant, it was about one quarter filled, mostly with big groups of extended family or friends. Within about an hour the entire place filled up and the music started. We had a blast. So many people were dancing (to what I guessed was traditional french music) that the dance floor was filled and people just danced around the tables or outside. I actually thought it was pretty funny that the people took the dancing so seriously (some of it was like line dancing) that they pushed some kids off the dance floor to make room for the serious dancers. LP loved dancing with her Dada and they looked pretty cute too! The restaurant had a lovely outside area with tables and a small swing set. The food was fine, nothing special but we had lots of good wine. At one point I noticed people pointing at LP and I looked over and she had picked up an entire chicken breast and was waving it to the beat of the music. We stayed for a few hours and then walked back to the train and headed back to Paris.

As an aside, among the families and others at the bal musette there was a table of older, quite large, ladies who on closer inspection appeared to be cross-dressers. I pointed this out to my mother. When I came home from Paris and was talking to my father he said, “So I heard you took mom to a gay bar.” Guess something got lost in the translation there.

When we arrived back in Paris, we were all a bit sleepy from the wine but since we were right nearby, and it was Sunday, we decided to walk around the Marais a bit. It was absolutely mobbed and a real pain to push the stroller on the narrow sidewalks. LP had fallen asleep so we sat in the beautiful Place des Vosges for a while before making our way back to the apartment. We walked most of the way but then were all pretty tired so just took a cab for the last bit.

Since we had a babysitter and it was our anniversary, my husband and I were determined to go out for dinner even though neither of us was the least bit hungry. We had walked by Brasserie Balzac the day before and thought it looked interesting and Pudlo gave it his blessing (sort of) so we tried it. We were seated in the tiniest table in the corner but it was the only open table so we were glad to take it. I ordered mussels and being born and bred in New England, I consider myself proficient with seafood. However, as I was was eating my mussels, the waiter came rushing over to tell me that I should be using an empty mussel shell to pull out the meat from the mussels I am eating (not the little fork he gave me). My husband and I were skeptical, no one else in the restaurant was eating mussels so I couldn't see what they were doing (and why did he give me the little fork anyway?). We half wondered whether our waiter had made a bet with the other waiters that he could get me to do this but I did it anyway. As a side note, when I was in NY last week I saw some French people eating mussels that way. Another side note, I reread Adam Gopnik's “Paris to the Moon” when we got home and there is a whole section on the Brasserie Balzac. I guess we missed it in its glory days before it was bought out by a chain of brasseries but we were seated next to two different specimens of Parisian intellectuals – one an older man with flowing long hair in a perfectly tailored suit and the other with a shaved head and wire rimmed glasses carrying a copy of Philip Roth's newest book.

I am loving your report! You have shamed me into finally writing up one on our trip to Maine in October with our 4 month old...I kept telling myself "no one wants to read the boring exploits with a baby." But you have proven it is all in the telling!

I also love the tips on what you took with you. I have been meaning to make a post in the Lounge about "Tips on traveling with a baby/toddler" as I couldn't find anything like that when we were planning. I am hoping you will look out for it and chime in.

Thank you!

Great information here, thank you. Your daughter wasn't La Gigante from an Italy trip report, was she?

Leely2 - yup! that was here. She is still a big kid (despite the new codename). She isn't even two yet and I had to buy 4yr old clothes for her!

Als0107 - I would love to hear about your Maine trip. If you look on the Europe board and search under "baby" or "toddler" there are lots of helpful posts about traveling with a kid.

DAY 5

The day started innocently enough. We said goodbye to my mother in the morning (I was sad to see her leave) and then went for a walk in St. Germain des Pres. LP was a bit crabby. I think the last few days were catching up with her. Decided to grab a quick lunch and eat outside. We happen to be near Gerard Mulot so we peeked in and saw some sandwiches that looked good. I decided to get olive pizza, and mindful of the price, ordered a medium size piece to share with LP. When the clerk gave it to me with my receipt I saw it was 15E! Good thing the euro was falling every day that we were there. Sorry to digress, it was a very strange week to be gallivanting around Europe. All the headlines of the newspapers were along the lines of “France Economy Ruined, Americans Fault” or “Stupid Americans and their Debt Have Destroyed Europe.” We weren't going to solve the financial crisis so I saw no reason to let it ruin our trip (and who knows when we'd be back on another big trip).

We headed back to the apartment after lunch to give LP a nap. After about an hour she would not fall asleep (and was enjoying her queen size bed as a trampoline) so I decided to take her for a walk in the stroller in the hope that she would nod off. I made the mistake of heading into the Luxembourg Gardens which she immediately recognized as duck paradise and was wide awake. I let her walk for a while then put her back in the stroller. Bad move. She did not want to be in that stroller and started screaming. She does that sometimes and stops crying after a couple of minutes so I pressed on. No relief, so I sat down momentarily to take a break. I was so distracted by her screaming that I wasn't paying attention and realized I had sat down next to a homeless guy. LP continued to scream. Hed got up and left. The screaming continued. I checked for emergencies, sickness, etc.; no problems, she just did not want to nap or sit in her stroller. At this point I was too tired to carry her around like I had been doing for the past few days during other “difficult” times. It was still lunch time and people seemed to be in the park on their lunch break trying to enjoy some peace and quiet so I headed out of the park to walk along the street where I hoped the car noises would drown her out. Apparently not. Everyone I passed was staring at me – not the sympathetic “I remember those days. My kids are now in college” looks that I get at home nor the “Thank goodness I never had kids and bought a Porsche instead” looks. But rather people were staring at me in alarm as if they had never heard a child cry and wondered what was in the strange basket on wheels that I was pushing.

I gave up the battle and picked her up. Crying ceased immediately. I remembered that the nearby Rue Vauvin had lots of kids stores. I wanted to look for some clothes for her and figured they would be used to children there. We made an initial stop at a gelato store and LP was all smiles and even sat back in her stroller. After poking in a few shops we headed back into the Luxembourg Garden. At this point I was exhausted and had given up on both the nap and keeping her in the stroller. I let her run wild, covered in chocolate and dried tears. She seemed happy and barring a few close calls with tricycles, she was fine. We met up with my husband and, of course, as he arrived she fell fast asleep in her stroller. We poked around the 6e for a little while longer and decided to get a quick dinner and call it a night. We ate at a pizza cafe in the Place Sorbonne. The pizza was nothing special but it was very pleasant to sit outside and there was a lively pre-dinner cocktail crowd. LP ate her pizza and was completely enamored by the accordion player, who must have spotted us suckers a mile away, and sidled up to our table to give a performance.

We returned to the apartment and after lying next to LP for at least a couple of hours trying to coax her to sleep, I fell asleep myself and ended what was not a great day. Nothing particularly Paris related here but I guess it shows that not every day of vacation is perfect and you can still have a great trip.

Don't worry Sally30! I would have looked at you sympathetically!

(Side note: While I was waiting the other day to get my oil changed, my daughter began lifting up her shirt and showing her belly button to total strangers. They were not amused.)

Still loving your trip report.

Why on earth wouldn't they be amused? Does she have a hideous belly button?

She has an adorable belly button!

Most of the other customers were working on their laptops or making phone calls. Guess they weren't in the mood for mid-day entertainment.

This is awesome! My husband and I are finalizing details for a home exchange for the whole month of February, we have a son who will be 23 months when we go and I was started to get a wee bit nervous, but your posts are giving me new found confidence that our adventure will be great!

You are having me second guessing taking our car seat. Is it possible to find a taxi company once we get there that has a car seat for the ride to the airport? Also, if we were to go take trains to other cities do you know how this works? Would I just use that harness?

Don't worry Sally30! I would have looked at you sympathetically!

so would I (even though my kids ARE beyond college age), but I would have my hands over my ears while looking at you sympathetically

Still enjoying La Gigante Goes to France--it's as entertaining as your Rome report.

Thanks!

No worries on the ear comment. I was wishing I had my ipod.

JenG - a whole month sounds great. If you aren't going to be using a car, I'd just book a shuttle service from the airport that has a carseat and bring the harness for the train. I got some names of shuttle services for Paris from this board and when I looked on the websites some mentioned having carseats so I'm sure if you call the services they can tell you. I don't think you could use a carseat on a train unless the train has seatbelts. What would you connect the seat to otherwise? Not sure you could use a harness on a train. I've never used one so maybe someone else who has one could tell you.

The trip continues....
DAY 6

We woke up around 8:30 and were out by 10. Before we left for the trip my husband and I had talked about how we were going to get up early each day and be out of the apartment by 8am, return at noon so LP could nap and go out again in the afternoon. Never happened. I cannot explain why I thought a group of non-morning people including a jet lagged toddler, would ever be able to get up, dressed and fed that early. This frustrated me for the first 9 days and on the last day I made peace with the fact that we would not leave our apartment before 10am. Lesson learned: don't be an idiot!

Anyway, some time during the night the difficult toddler that had joined us yesterday was removed and our easy going, happy daughter returned to us. We had a leisurely walk to the Musee D'Orsay and my nerves had recovered from the previous day. When we reached the entrance of the museum though we were dismayed to see an absolutely huge line. I then remembered that Tuesday (today) was the day not to go the Musee D'Orsay as it is the day the Louvre was closed. We decided to get in line and discuss whether we should stay or not. We were probably in line for about two minutes when a guard came up to us and whisked us through a special “family” entrance and a minute later we had our tickets and were in the museum.

Throughout our stay we were extremely impressed at how child-friendly Paris is. Most of the museums have special lines for families and elevators for strollers or the disabled. The Louvre was incredible. One of the wings has several steps between each small room and there was an self-operated elevator in every single room. Throughout Paris there were tons of well maintained playgrounds as well as puppet theaters, carousels and other fun things for kids. I found changing tables/rooms in most public places. We loved going to Rome last year and the Italians absolutely go nuts for babies (probably because there are so few there) but there are very few practical facilities for children. Paris, on the other hand, was extremely well equipped.

There were tons of people inside the Musee D'Orsay but it is large enough of a museum that you could still enjoy it with a crowd. Using a stroller was fine too. Lots of people were taking photos of the paintings (just the paintings, not themselves with the paintings) which I don't understand since you can buy a professionally photographed postcard in the gift shop. We started on the top floor with the Impressionists and worked our way down. I can't figure out why all the most popular works are in a remote top corner of the museum and the least popular work is on spacious and convenient ground floor. LP was enjoying herself, pointing out different things in the paintings and having a good time. We ate in the cafe in the museum and looked briefly at the Art Nouveau rooms. I could see LP needed a nap. She had done well – we were there for at least a couple of hours - so I told my husband that I'd take her outside and walk her around in the stroller while she slept. We planned to meet up in half an hour.

LP fell asleep as soon as we got outside and I was walking along the river when I overheard an American couple saying “We should really go inside and bring it to the lost and found.” I could see they were holding one of those phony gold rings. I felt bad for them and didn't want them to waste their vacation time so as I was walking by I told them that it was a fake ring and a scam and to just leave the ring on the sidewalk. They seemed surprised but thanked me and took my advice. I continued to walk a few feet when I saw the woman who was pulling the con giving me the dirtiest look. When she caught my eye she started screaming at me, “Merde!” “Puttana!” (Impressive, she speaks Italian too) and some other words I hadn't learned in my French claseses. It didn't really bother me. I was more concerned about this crazy lady waking LP up. I walked onto the bridge toward the Louvre and realized that the scam woman must have signaled ahead to her friends (or they saw the whole thing) as suddenly two women started to approach me from the other direction. It was the middle of the day and the bridge was filled with tourists, so, I suppose, intellectually I realized that nothing bad would happen but I did start to panic. Her colleagues also started yelling and gesturing at me. I became uncomfortably aware that I was alone, weighed down by a stroller laden with bags, wearing jewelry and my hands were full. So, yes, I freaked out a bit and started walking really, really fast. I walked all the way to the Louvre and the Tuilleries in a few minutes. While I was imaging that the rest of the ring scam team had been called ahead, was setting up a trap for me and planning to sell my organs on the black market, I heard a woman right next to me saying “Excuse me, Museo De Orsee?”. I pointed out the huge building covered in banners across the river and she practically hugged me she was so grateful that I spoke English. She seemed surprised that I was a tourist and said she figured I was a local because I was with a baby. So there you go – the answer to the famous fodors travel wardrobe question – to look like a local, accessorize with a baby. I still needed to get back to meet my husband so I was sure not to walk the way I came and planted myself in front of a security guard while I waited for my husband. He thought my run in was hysterical and we headed off.

With my bodyguard in tow, we walked back across the bridge (my husband kept pointing to women saying - “Is that them?”) and through the Place de la Concorde. For reasons I can't explain, neither of us looked to the left where we would have seen the Arch de Triomphe. We realized this a couple of days later when we were looking at the Arch from a different angle. We were on our way to Parc Monceau. We walked up along the Blvd Malsherbes – not too exciting – and got some pastries before we entered the park. We must have hit the park right at the end of the school day because it was teaming with kids. We enjoyed the carousel (Butte Chaumont was definitely the best carousel), sandbox and playground and, after resting on a bench for a while, headed back to our neighborhood.

Each morning I'd been getting pastries at a boulangerie on the Rue St. Jacques behind our apartment (staying in an apartment that you've stocked with really good food is not good for your diet) and had noticed a lot of good looking cafes and stores on that part of the street. We went back to that area and had a drink outside at a cafe before picking up some prepared food for dinner. We were dreading the task of getting LP to sleep after the previous night. But I lay down next to her and within 10 minutes were both fast asleep. When I woke up again I slipped out of her room and she was asleep until the morning.

What is the gold ring scam??? Your trip report is so interesting!

15€ for a slice of pizza?! Yikes!

That's what happens when you buy pizza at one of the most expensive shops and in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Paris.

Interesting report with good details for kids. The Musee d'Orsay layout isn't arbitrary. For example, I think most museums put sculpture on the ground floor for logistical reasons. And the upper floor has skylights so the lighting is different.

Day 7

I woke up to the sound of people talking and opened my eyes to see a man directly over my head fixing the skylight. At the same moment I noticed, for the first time, the shade that we should have been closing on the skylight. That got us up quickly! LP was still sleeping and it looked like it would rain so we decided to put our plans to go to Versailles on hold. We were all a bit tired by this point in the trip so we decided to have a leisurely morning and then head back to the Louvre.

More good pastries for breakfast - LP and I were now hooked on the pain au chocolat while my husband found a delicious chocolate almond combination from the coffee shop downstairs. We made our way out of the building after getting yelled at for leaving our stroller in the lobby by the woman who seems to be the super of the building. Of course there had been three others there (lots of kids in this building) when we left ours and all had disappeared since. I wondered if the other tenants disliked the parade of strangers renting the rooftop apartment.

We walked through the lovely 6e and 7e poking in shops along the way. I regret not buying more clothing for myself. I always think I can buy the same things at home but never do. The children's clothing in Paris is beautiful but, for the most part in the stores in the nice neighborhoods of central Paris, are not the kind of stuff you'd let your daughter wear to the playground. We got a couple of “special” outfits that I am hoping actually fit when we have somewhere to wear them. I was really enjoying just looking around and relaxing. LP was happily eating a second pain au chocolat in her stroller, face covered in chocolate as she discovered how to dig right into the chocolate filling in the middle. We decided to pick up some sandwiches before we went into the Louvre and stumbled on a great patisserie on the Rue de Saint Peres (on the block with a big school on the right as you head toward the Seine - maybe the Sciences Po) when we saw a huge line of students out front. The sandwiches were good but the pistachio and chocolate eclairs were delicious.

We were again pulled out of line at the Louvre and allowed to go right in (although we really just skipped security and still had to wait in the ticket line). After standing in the ticket line we realized that there was a machine to buy tickets which we should have used. No one else seemed to see it either. There were lots and lots of families with kids and strollers in the Louvre and, as I mentioned in one of the earlier postings, it is a very child friendly and wheelchair friendly place. An added bonus for kids is that it is big and noisy and most rooms are large enough that people can spread out so I felt fine letting LP walk around without fear of her getting trampled. She was good again, happy in her stroller or walking around, and we spent most of our time looking at the Watteaus and other French art in the Sully wing.

It rained while were in museum but had cleared up so we walked back to the Luxembourg Gardens for the puppet show. All the kids sit up front (so they can see) and we were a little late (the time in my guidebook was off by 1/2hr) so the only place for LP was in the middle of a row. She squeezed in between kids she didn't know, in a dark (the lights are dimmed) strange place, watching a show in a foreign language. I was wondering if this would be a disaster but after a few glances back to make sure we hadn't left, she seemed to forget about us and watch the Three Little Pigs. I don't know if she had any idea what was going on but seemed engaged. I love the old fashioned puppets and love that the pigs wear scarves. I read that the puppet theater has been in the same family for two generations and you can see that the owners really take pride in the show. After all, they aren't playing to the most discerning audience.

After the puppet show we spent some more time in the park and played in the leaves. I could really get used to this lifestyle – take your kid to the playground in a beautiful park where you can get a coffee (I loved that for some reason), then do some window shopping and stop at the fromagerie and chacouterie for dinner supplies on the way home – sure beats standing on the subway, rushing home from work to make dinner each night. It was fun to see how the French kids dress - a lot of the same gear as American kids but with that certain French sense of style - all the kids wear scarves with their coats and most kids seemed to be wearing nice leather shoes rather than sneakers. But, like the pizza comment above, maybe that was because we were in a fancy part of town.

We contemplated getting an early dinner out but since LP hadn't napped today we decided to eat in the apartment and put her to bed early. We walked back to the Rue St. Jacques, via a different route. Overwhelmed by the chacouterie, cheese shops and other tasty things, we bought enough food for about 8 hungry adults. Particularly good was a patisserie called “Bon” and their opera and some sort of chocolate covered merengue (another Pudlo recommendation although I could have figured that one out myself). I am embarrassed to admit that we ate most of what we bought. Good thing we were walking so much and I was carrying a 30 pound load (LP) for large parts of the day. While my husband was eating his pate, LP grabbed a big chunk off his plate, ate it and asked for more. Stuffed to the gills, LP fell right to sleep and we read for a while before going to sleep.

In case anyone is looking for a good book (partially) set in Paris, I really enjoyed reading The Bad Girl by Mario Vargas Llosa before we left. Also enjoyed “Ladies Paradise” about Le Bon Marche by Zola.

Day 8

That morning my husband and I had that sad revelation that the trip was winding down so, for once, we got an early start and went to the Decorative Arts Museum at the Louvre. It was fantastic. I couldn't believe I'd never gone there before. I really could have stayed there all day there was so much to see. Although, it was probably the world's worst place to bring a toddler as everything is on floor level, mostly not behind glass, glimmering and enticing for little hands. I carried her pretty much through the whole museum – I wasn't taking any changes- but LP was well behaved and seemed quite interested in all the objects. After a couple of hours she was done and we decided to leave. We didn't make it to the bookshop or the special exhibit which looked like all red items. The fashion section was closed as the Valentino exhibit had just closed. Hopefully it will come to NY and we can see it there.

I was determined to have a leisurely lunch today. So many things to eat and so little time left! We crossed the river back to the Rue du Bac where we had spotted some good casual places on the way to the museum. It was getting a little late for lunch so we popped into the place we thought looked best (no english menu, filled with French people). When we walked in the waiter took one look at us and told us they were completely full. I'm not sure I believed that was true. We left and continued up the street. The Bar Bac, a block towards the river, seemed to have some tables but I was dismayed by the multi-lingual menus in the window. It turned out to be great. The waiters were all very friendly, the food was good and it was not filled with tourists (of course there were some). I started with onion soup – the weather had turned chilly, but still sunny, by this stage – and LP was fascinated, grabbed my enormous spoon and dug right in. The women next to us laughed and LP waved and smiled at everyone for the remainder of the meal. I had a very tasty omelet, I forgot what my husband had, and we had a pear tart for dessert. And a lot of wine. Since LP was having fun, we relaxed, drank a lot and ended up talking to the couple next to us. We discovered that they live in Boston too, when they are not in their flat in Paris or their French country home. I tried not to be too jealous at their lifestyle! I was very content to have my relaxing lunch and once we headed outside, LP fell right asleep in her stroller.

Since we were in no shape for anything too serious at that stage, we decided to do some shopping and headed to Le Bon Marche. I was a bit disappointed. The men's stuff was very uninteresting. All the same clothes as a good department store in the US. I liked some of the women's clothes (it took me a while to figure out that there are two connected buildings and that the departments I was interested in were in the far building) but everything I liked was super expensive. I didn't see the store brand, fashionable but reasonably priced pieces that I always find in Galleries Lafayette. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place. We spent about an hour there and then headed back to the Luxembourg Gardens. LP was in the sandbox when a little boy of about 5 (dressed in jeans with a big “Dior” label) walked up to LP shoved her out of the blue. I thought she was going to fall over or cry and need rescuing but she just looked at him, turned around, and walked away unfazed. Good girl! We heard a whistle blowing and the guards were rounding everyone up to leave the park. It struck me funny that they are so strict about getting everyone to leave.

We were now on the look out for a restaurant for dinner. We weren't sure a second long restaurant meal with LP would be the best idea but we were getting to the end of the trip and wanted to try some more places. My husband was tired and would have been happy going back to the apartment but was being a good sport because he could see I wanted to go out. We went to a place recommended in Pudlo right near our apartment (I forget the name). The restaurant was pretty empty, it was about 7, but we sat down and ordered some wine. LP started to fuss, and my restaurant bag of tricks (table topper, box of raisins, stickers) had been wiped out from our lunch. When she started to smash her banana into the tablecloth, we decided to cut our losses and leave. We had had a nice day, we didn't want to spoil it. I was quite proud to explain to the waiter in French (even using the subjective) why “it was necessary” that we had to leave. As if he couldn't tell! We got some more treats at Bon and a crepe at the place outside our apartment and all went to sleep early.

Still enjoying the trip report!

My daughter is about the same age as yours. How do you get her to behave in the museums? (My little one is not a big fan of being carried. She wants to walk on her own, which isn't really an option in most museums.)

Thanks. Not sure anyone is reading it but this it the first time I've ever gotten around to writing a report so I feel compelled to finish!

It is hit or miss on the museums. She likes being carried and likes attention so if I leave her in the stroller and enjoy the museum myself, she gets bored, feels ignored and acts up. If I pick her up, or hold her hand while she walks, and talk to her about what we are looking at, she is good. I am sure she doesn't really understand but she knows that mommy is paying attention to her. She did point out a few "feet" and "doggies" so I guess she was looking. I also brought a few not messy snacks because she usually would get hungry (or we'd just run to the cafe for a bite).

Other times, she just liked going into each room and sitting on the bench and looking at the other people.

I know what you mean! If my daughter is in her stroller, I have a window of about 15 minutes. After that, she starts to feel left out.

Sally30, I'm still reading Our kids are older, but I still love to read about little ones and traveling.

Ditto what mms said! And mine are MUCH older.

Sally, I read your most recent installment last night after putting my 3-year-old niece to bed (finally); I was too tired to comment. But this is great! Thanks for continuing.

Sally-Love your report and finding it extremly helpful. We leave for Paris on Feb 2 with our 21 month old son so this is invaluable information!

I'm reading too
My kids are 7 & 10 but toddler tales stories and insight are still entertaining and useful!

I'm reading and my kid is nearly 31. This is a great trip report, and inspiring.

We are going to Paris in February, and I just broke one foot and sprained the other. I was reading your report and rethinking my usual Paris behavior of rushing from one sight to another.

I think I'll treat my feet as though they were a toddler, and just eat well, see what we can see, and relax a bit.

I had Pudlo out of the library a month or two ago, and just ordered a used copy from half.com. I'm glad to see that you used yours extensively.

I love to eat, and my butt is spreading anyway, thanks to being stuck here with my feet up in the air. So I might as well let it spread a bit more in Paris.

Thanks!

Tuscan--Great attitude, seriously Just go with it and I am sure you will have more fun than you imagined. Nearly 40 years ago, my grandparents and aunt traveled around the world for two years straight. My aunt was a paraplegic. That always kept things in perspective for me. I didn't realize you had this trip planned when I first read about your foot, but I have no doubts that you will have a fantastic trip!

I looked in my Pudlo. The restaurant we went to, but then left, and looked really good is called Perraudin, 157 Rue St. Jacques.

I realize Elmo is really not getting fair time in this report. He basically came everywhere we did. He seemed to enjoy Paris but really endured some tough treatment as he was dropped in numerous puddles, thrown out onto the street at times. Once after noticing how fond LP had grown of her pain au chocolat, I asked her if Elmo liked croissants too and looked down a moment later to see an entire croissant stuffed into his big furry mouth. He also experienced the pitfalls of French appliances. Every few days Elmo got a “bath” in what looked like a washing machine from Pottery Barn Kids. The washing machine was on the floor level and was front loading with a porthole. LP was very distraught to see the bright red monster spinning around and around in a sea of bubbles. Hopefully no permanent damage was done to LP; Elmo came out fine (and the washing machine was no worse for the wear).

Day 9
Our last day! Today we headed into the 5e toward the Museum of Natural History and the Jardin des Plantes. We enjoyed meandering around the streets by the Sorbonne and talked about how fun it would be to go to school in Paris. Maybe one of us could get a job with the university? We stopped in a very old and beautiful church (name I forget) on the way. We randomly came upon the comic book/Tin Tin store that we have been to on our past visits and had been looking for the whole time. We also found the Rue de Mouffetard, although we must have been on the wrong end, because I didn't see a market and the restaurants looked a little seedy. We continued past the main mosque to the Jardin des Plantes. The Mosque looked interesting for a visit but we decided to skip it as it was getting a bit later than we planned and it was such a nice day we wanted to be outside. We have been to Paris in almost every season and this trip was by far the best weather – very sunny days but cool and comfortable temperature.

When we got to the Jardin des Plantes we were a little hungry so I stayed with LP while she ran up and down the rows of plantings and my husband went back to a good-looking sandwich shop we had passed to get us some lunch. LP roamed the grass (I gave up on enforcing the French no walking on the grass rule) and focused on not letting her splash in every puddle she could find (note: it had not rained for days so I am not sure how she found puddles or what exactly they were puddles of). The park wasn't overflowing with flowers – not that it was the season for flowers anyway - but it was interesting to see all the different species of plants and was a very pleasant place to walk around. There was a giant topographical map of France near the museum so we spent some time jumping on that until dad and sandwiches arrived. After eating we headed into the museum.

My husband really wanted to go to the museum. I never think of going to a science-type museum in a foreign country but thought LP might like all the animals. Actually, I loved it. It was a great museum. The building was very striking architecturally, well preserved with a great open space in the center spanning its several stories. It was very easy to get around as well, with big elevators and good displays. The center of the museum is the Gallery of Evolution with a life-size parade of animals. There were some interesting exhibits on extinct and near extinct species as well. Nothing, however, could compare to Siam, the elephant. LP started pointing as we got close and started muttering something which built into a delirious screech of “Elephant! Elephant!” and laughing. We looked at Siam for some time, watched the video of his life and moved onto the parade of animals next to Siam. LP would be intrigued by a lion or some other animal but every few minutes we'd have to go back to see Siam again. After a while of this, we coaxed her to look around the museum a bit more. The excitement of the elephant must have been too much as she went back into the stroller and passed out. I wonder what would happen if we took her to the circus? We looked around for a while more and headed outside. A postcard of Siam is currently hanging in LP's room and she still gets excited by it.

We thought about cramming in another museum or going on a bateaux mouche (still have never done that!) but in the end decided to poke around, our favorite activity. We walked down along the river toward Notre Dame as my husband wanted to take another look inside before we left. I decided to stay outside with LP – too crowded inside. She was still sleeping and I enjoyed sitting in the park behind Notre Dame and admiring the architecture. I also looked at the Deportation Memorial which was quite moving. LP woke up and we listened to a street band.

My Place to See Again Before We Leave was Place Dauphine. It is such a pretty, peaceful square (despite the chaos of the police headquarters next to it). We were hungry again so we went to one of the cafes, sat outside and ordered wine and a cheese plate. We were startled to hear a loud noise as glasses crashed off a table at a nearby cafe and two of the customers got into a fistfight. Then we noticed that this was actually a movie being filmed. It was entertaining the first time but we saw the same scene again and again. I realized how boring it must be to make a movie. The real entertainment was watching the film crew try to keep people from walking through the scene. Most people were very nice and just stopped and waited to walk in front of the cafe until the scene concluded. A few people just walked right in the middle of things. When the filming wrapped up for the day, the actors and crew came and sat with us at our cafe. They were making a German wartime documentary. I can see why they chose that location – it really does look like time stopped there.

LP was now awake, fed and ready to run around the square. She spotted a set of twins playing with a ball and we joined them. Their mother was very nice and we spoke for a while. LP then bid her new friends (and everyone else we passed) “Ovwa” and we took a long meandering walk towards the apartment.

Since it was our last night we wanted to eat out. A few nights ago while having a drink at a cafe, we noticed a nice looking restaurant across the street right by our apartment (on our trusty Rue Saint Jacques again, on the side of the street closer to the boulevard San Michel). It looked a bit fancy for LP but we saw that there were tables set up outside so we decided to take our chances. The restaurant is on a corner by an intersection with a stoplight so LP kept busy waving and talking to all the passengers in the cars stopped at the light. The motorcycles were a big hit. I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant because the food was great, the wine was excellent (I think the name may have been a type of wine) and the people were very nice. I had a delicious pork loin and my husband had rabbit. LP had pate again and we shared a couple of desserts. It was a lovely end to our trip. We headed back to the apartment, put LP to bed and packed up. Too bad we weren't staying longer, LP was now sleeping so well at night.

In the morning I called the English speaking cab company that Vacation In Paris listed in the information packet in the apartment. We quickly ran out and grabbed some snacks and supplies for the flight home. The cab right away, no problem. I was a bit worried since I didn't want to have to try to find a cab on the street with all of our gear. No problems getting to the airport or on the flight. LP was up for most of the flight – I think she slept for a few hoursn– but I let her sit in my lap and we had no screaming or crying this time. There were a bunch of kids on the plane so we walked up and down visiting them and she did the same. Thankfully this was MUCH better than the flight there.

Post Script
Despite the long flight, irregular schedule and time change, LP was fine within a day of returning home. She was back to her usual schedule, no jet lag, no residual fatigue. My husband and I, on the other hand, were totally worn out and exhausted for about a week!

Like I said in my first post, it was a fun but tiring trip. There were times that were frustrating, meals we didn't eat and sights we didn't see, but we did have the opportunity to enjoy Paris as a family. Having been there several times before, and hopefully many times after, my husband and I will remember running through the park with LP and dancing with her at a guignette, more than the extra museum visit or meal we would have fit in without her. Happy to answer any questions. Have fun in all your travels!
--Ovwa, Sally

I loved your report, Sally!

I wasn't lucky enough to be able to take my kids to Paris when they were little, but I'm really hoping to be able to take the grandkids, and you've given a good view of some of the pleasures and pitfalls. Thanks!

I have to admit: I usually skim through trip reports, but I really enjoyed this one.

Thanks for taking the time to write it!

I've been following your report with great interest - thanks again for taking the time to share such a detailed, thoughtful, and fun report.

"Elmo...basically came everywhere we did. He seemed to enjoy Paris but really endured some tough treatment....Once after noticing how fond LP had grown of her pain au chocolat, I asked her if Elmo liked croissants too and looked down a moment later to see an entire croissant stuffed into his big furry mouth."

I'd love to endure such torture!

"We randomly came upon the comic book/Tin Tin store that we have been to on our past visits and had been looking for the whole time."

I'm certain that the TinTin book my son brought back with him (which he picked because it has pirates) was purchased at that very same shop.

Thanks for finishing. This is a lovely report that makes me want to take my niece to Paris. Or maybe just take a trip with my sister and her family and be the babysitter so they can go out sometimes too. I'm now convinced that it wouldn't even be that difficult to dine all together occasionally.

See, you're inspiring others!

"If there was ever a time I was hoping to be teleported to another dimension, this was it. "

LOL Sally!
Oh, I have been there. Many times. And that is the main reason (other than money) that my twin boys have NOT made it on a plane yet.

I just started reading this and darn it, bath time is almost over and I have to take the kids back from DH.

Loving this report so far. I'm looking forward to another quiet moment to read the rest.

~Mebe

Thanks for all the kind responses. It is nice to know that I might inspire someone else to travel with a toddler, even with the full disclosure!

Funny enough, the eating out was not such a big problem. She did fine for one restaurant meal a day. And in Paris these were LONG meals. Heck, my 31 yr old brother probably couldn't have handled two of those meals a day either. I think the key was to seat her so that she had a lot to look at - either outside or facing into the restaurant - and to feed her something fast (even if it was an old croissant I found in my pocket) so she wasn't hungry.

Mebe - good to hear from you. I have loved your travel reports and am glad to see you are back online. Hope all is well. Not sure I could handle traveling with 3 kids unless I recruited a few more adults to join.

Sally -- loved your trip report. Thanks for finishing.

So, your little girl has seen Italy and Paris . . . where to next for your little world traveler?

Sally -- that was a joy to read!

It brought back many memories of traveling with Ada...it is exhausting but worth the extra effort.

A bit of a coincidence -- I was also planning a trip with all the kids (and Grandma) to Paris in October '08. But then my twins (who I think are only a few months older than your daughter...) morphed from cute babies to boys -- and well, need I say more?

Mebe - that is a good plan to bring grandma.

BKP - not sure what is next. We'd like to take a trip next year but may go without the little one. Not sure how long grandma and grandpa will be able to babysit though. So a quick trip alone or a longer one with LP? Thinking of maybe somewhere in Spain or I've wanted to go to Bologna and the surrounding area. Any suggestions?

Sally-One other quick question. What sort of bag did you travel with on a day to day basis while out for your excursions? I am not a fan of baby bags, since I think most are incredibly bulky and just more of a pain than they are worth, but I realize that I'll need to be having something with me each day since we may be gone from the apartment for hours at a time. Ideally I'd like to find a bag that works for the plane and everyday. I'd love your opinion on what worked for you since gear wise we'd be in the same boat (I have a 22 month old son)

Sally,

Great report, I really enjoyed reading it. We went to Paris at the first of December with our 3 year old and 15 month old. It went better than I had anticipated, since I have heard so much about how Paris is a no-go zone for toddlers.

We went to Bologna last spring, when the kids were not-quite 3 and 7 months, and we absolutely loved it. Italy is the most child-friendly place I've ever been, and it is my opinion that people in Bologna are not as accustomed to being overrun with tourists and are thus more accommodating. My husband still talks about the food in Bologna, which is the best in the Italy, IMO!

Good luck planning your next trip!

Sally,
Thanks for the wonderful report. We enjoyed every word.
My wife & I are torn between Paris & Rome in May with our then 10 month old little girl. We've been to both cities & love both. In your opinion which would be better to start with? The only difference traveling for us would be direct flight to Paris & connecting to Rome. Thanks.

sally ,
what a delightful trip report.
i am trying to read as many posts of paris as possible in preparation of a trip with dd in april and yours had me laughing out loud several times.
thank you.

Thanks for the responses.

Jen G - I brought a lot of stuff on the plane and used a back pack. It was handy to have my hands free in the airport. The backpack was pretty big though so we only used it in the airport and then used a very lightweight tote bag (that we packed in our suitcase) on a daily basis. I used one I had, the "Erika" model from Le Sport Sac - www.lesportsac.com. I like this bag because it folds down to nothing when packed.

We did end up with a fair amount of stuff each day but it all fit into the tote bag. Our daily bag had - small diaper kit (a few diapers, pad, wipes), bibs (disposable bibsters), some crackers or raisins, plastic forks and spoons, sippy cup, extra set of clothes, crayons, Elmo, burp cloth, camera, guidebook. I restocked it each night so I wasn't worrying about 100 things in the morning. It was hard enough to get out the door without trying to remember whether I put more bibs in the bag. I also carried a very small purse - a small cross the chest leather bag for my wallet, phone, more wipes, purell, lipstick, map so I didn't have to pull out the bigger bag from the stroller basket every time we needed something.

You probably already have this but this JJ Cole diaper set is very small and I use it at home all the time - http://tinyurl.com/98hvm9.

Happy to answer any other questions. You must be getting excited! It can get really cold in Paris. I'd bring one of those bundle me stroller fleece cover things with you too.

Dexters - that is great to hear about Bologna. Did you do any day trips by train? how did that work out with the kids?

Landry9 - Paris and Rome, my two favorite cities! You can't go wrong either way. I would pick the one you want to go to more. Such a little baby will be fine in both and the connecting flight is not a huge deal. You've also been to both so don't need to jam in tons of sightseeing if you don't want to.
For more on Rome, I wrote a little trip report (my warm up about our trip to Rome with a 10 month old called "Rome and a Baby".

I loved all the attention we got in Rome with a baby and having so many attractions outside or in churches where you can pop in and out is a real advantage. it was a bit more low key in restaurants too. Also, I know this a gross generalization but in my opinion the Italian kids were not super well behaved so they sort of lower the bar which is nice when you are traveling with your own kids.

On the other hand, Paris is very family friendly with elevators and changing rooms and playground everywhere. At 10 months the playgrounds are probably not an issue yet. Honestly, traveling with a 10 month old is a lot easier in many ways then a walking and talking toddler so either place will be fine.

One other thought for JenG (and Landry9) - when you are packing, definitely plan to do laundry (or pay to drop it off) during the trip, at least for the baby if not for all of you. otherwise, you will end up packing endless amounts of clothing. I tried to pack everything for LP to match (not hard since I bought most of her clothes at the same place at the same time) so we mixed and matched a few tops and pants and didn't have to bring too many things.

Sally-Thanks for the tote recommendation. There's a sportsac store right across from my office, so I am heading there this afternoon. Trying to figure out his clothing needs right now. As Chicagoans we've got all the gear essential for cold weather, but I am trying to pack as lightly as possible. Thankfully the apartment has a washer/dryer, so I'll be doing a ton of laundry.

Hi Sally,

Bologna was great. We tied it in with our trip to Rome, which of course you won't be doing since you just did that.
I'd do it again in a heartbeat though, and either train to Florence or to Parma and Modena (thinking with my stomach on that one!).
There is a great garden in Bologna, the Garden Margherita, I believe, where we spent an entire morning letting my daughter play on the playground and burn some energy.


We live in London, and so my kids are quite accustomed to train travel. I was a bit nervous when we got on the train and found we were seated next to two monks though! My husband and I had a kid in each lap and I had a hungry infant that I needed to feed. They were so friendly and we really enjoyed chatting with them for the duration of our ride.

Spain is of course a great place for kids too. But my kids love the gelato in Italy, so we keep going back.

topping for mommytravel

I don't usually like baby-talk, but "ovwa" has to be the cutest ever!

topping for dandj2

***Author: JulieVikmanis
Date: 11/30/2008, 02:01 pm
Great report. I've just become the grandmother of twins and can hardly wait until they're old enough to travel in Europe. I guess that will come sooner than I thought given your experience.***

Julie, I have twin grandbabies also...they will be one in two weeks. I also can't wait to take them traveling with me but I'm not sure my son will be too accomodating! He comes to check on us if we are at the park too long! LOL Guess I'll have to take him and my DIL with me!

Great report, Sally! We took our 14 month old to Prague & London in October and had such a nice time. We were amazed at how a little one could elicit a smile on the tube from everyone!

Now that she's a more mobile toddler (18 months) I'm always interested in reading success stories from others who've done it. We're trying to decide between Paris/Bruges or Croatia/Slovenia for our trip this fall.

I agree that while it may be more difficult to travel with a little one, the joy far outweighs any inconvenience!

thanks for topping for me.
I will have fun reading your report.

Wonderful trip report, loved it

Sally30-- I posted this elsewhere, but thought I'd ask you here too. We're looking for some kind of toddler travel bed...or figuring out a way to just have our 2 yr. old sleep in a normal bed.

Any advice? If I'm worried, I won't sleep a wink!

Hi Siena1 - just saw this in looking for some other info. Good timing! We used the kids aerobed. I got it from amazon for $50 or $60 but I think they sell it at QVC, target, etc. It is basically a smaller version of the regular aerobed and comes with a very cute fleece sheet with stars and moons. There are a lot of reviews of it on amazon.

We didn't end up using it on our Paris trip since there was an extra bed for her but we've used it on subsequent trips to visit relatives. Our daughter really liked it (and I fell asleep on it too!) although I did have to transition her to sleep from using it as a trampoline. I'd try it out a few times at home first to get him/her used to it.

Thanks Sally! When it's packed up, is it fairly compact? Were you able to fit it into your checked luggage, or is it small enough to carry-on?

Thanks again.

Siena - sorry just saw this now. You could fit it into an unstructured checked bag (we threw it into a duffle bag with our other odd shaped items) or you could carry it on as your carry on bag. It actually comes in a little sack. It is pretty compact but not tiny since there is the pump, sheet, etc. hope that helps.

For Plastic Traveler

Sally - I very much enjoyed your trip report. I realize it's been a period of time since you initially posted -- but I thought I'd comment anyhow.
Thank you for taking the time to report. I am taking my 21 month old "LP" to Paris for a month. We leave in 10 days or so and I'm scouring the Fodor webpages for some helpful hints in how to make this experience as pleasurable as possible for my family. You've calmed two of my biggest concerns -- mealtimes and museum times. I also had some concerns about finding baby items quickly upon my arrival, but it sounds like that these items can be easily found.

Two quick questions - I typically dress my daughter in cute, but practical outfits. What is the norm dress for toddlers in France? For dining, should I be concerned about my daughter's dress (obviously, I'll try to keep her reasonably neat)? Also, is there anything that you didn't bring on your trip that you feel would have been helpful for you to have in your Paris adventure with LP?

Thanks again for your report!
keri

Sally - I have enjoyed reading your trip report and have read it several times as we prepare for our first "big" trip with a 20 month old. We leave in 2 weeks for 10 days in Lake Como, Italy and Lugano, Switzerland. We too will be traveling with Elmo and many of the other items you have mentioned. I am trying to determine if I should take diapers and even single serving milks with us?? I have had trouble finding comparable milk on previous trips to Europe? Any experience with this?

Keri and Mommytravel - I'm glad to hear that the report was useful and I'm jealous of you both for your trips. You'll have such a good time.

Keri - don't worry about the clothes. I'm sure your daughter looks very cute in whatever she wears. Being in Paris is like being in Manhattan so most of the children were beautifully dressed. The kids clothes are quite expensive. But no one would expect a toddler to wear anything formal. Pants/leggings/shorts whatever are fine. I would try to bring a lot of stuff that matches so you can mix and match or you'll need to do a lot of laundry. We found some really cute and inexpensive clothes in Monoprix. A lot of the brands we found in kids stores are the same stuff you can get in higher end kids shops here or even on zappos for shoes. There was a small store I loved called "Si Petit" at 9, rue de Birague near the Place des Vosges that had some unique things.

I can't think of anything that we should have brought but didn't. We stayed in an apartment which had a lot of the things that I might worry about bringing. But 20 months is an age when you really don't need to bring a lot. We had to take a lot more gear when our daughter was younger. Like I said in the report, Paris was very child friendly and with a month there (did I mention I was jealous?) you can really go at a nice slow pace. Please report back and tell us how it goes!

Mommytravel - glad to hear Elmo is coming. I'd bring enough diapers for the trip over and for 1-2 days just to be safe. They sell Pampers in Europe. I didn't know the word for diaper so just asked for Pampers. The sizing is one off as I think in the US we call the smallest ones N (newborn) and start from there whereas in Europe they start with 1 so if your child is a 4 ask for a 5. I am not sure what you mean about the milk. My daughter isn't picky so whatever milk I gave her she seemed to drink. Bringing milk with you seems like it could be a hassle.

Thanks, Sally. Good news re: clothing. I'll check out "Si Petit". I'll be sure to create a trip report to share our adventures. And, as you know, with a small child there WILL be adventures!

We are staying in the 7th, near the Champs de Mar, so there should be some nice green space for my daughter to play. I know very, very little about the apartment as it was rented for us by the University where I teach, but I hope it has a few of the comforts of home (e.g., linens, laundry). Perhaps I should press for more details...

Thanks again for your response!
Keri

ttt