Single Parent with Tweens London/Paris

Old Jun 12th, 2017, 04:54 PM
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Single Parent with Tweens London/Paris

Going on a 10 day trip this summer with my two girls solo...We are big city people but don't know these two cities at all. I can sense that we'll do great in the mornings and then lay low in the afternoons. We love meandering around cute parts of town, exploring farmer's markets, but also don't want to miss the "not to miss" stuff.
Anyone have any advice? Or anything especially appealing to two tween girls? TIA!
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 05:08 PM
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Please clarify - is the trip 10 days, or do you have 10 days on the ground (a 12 day trip). Makes a pretty big difference. Also -- are you flying in to LHR and home for CDG? Or do you have to return to London to fly home?

Have you booked your Eurostar tix?

>> I can sense that we'll do great in the mornings and then lay low in the afternoons.
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 05:44 PM
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Hi,

A few ideas from our trip to Paris with our girls:
- tea + macarons at Laduree
- fashion show at Galeries Lafayette (don't miss checking out the cool dome and patio overlooking the opera)
- walking up Eiffel Tower
- Centre Georges Pompidou (or the "inside out" art museum as they called it - don't miss the sculptures out front)
- seeing the Eiffel tower lit up at night

Bon voyage!
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 05:44 PM
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Sorry, I should have been more clear! Thanks so much.
4 days in each city (plus 2 travel days). I'm more concerned about Paris itinerary since at least in London I can ask questions! Also I have some stuff planned for London already and yes, we have Eurostar tix and hotels booked.

Specific questions:
1. Is Hop/On Hop/Off tour a waste of time in either city? Or is this a good thing to do to get your bearings?
2. Staying in Left Bank in Paris...hoping to walk a lot. Maybe take a River Cruise. Is this a good idea?
3. Anyone do any of those Chocolate/Pastry our Shopping tours or again, is this a total waste?
4. Any "don't miss" cafes in Paris that you just wish you could eat at every day?
5. Farmer's Markets or other markets?

Trying to be somewhat organized but not overly planned and we are good winging it most of the time but being solo (and a little nervous this time) I guess I want to do as much planning in my head as possible. Thanks!!
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 05:47 PM
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Oh, and one more thing as we are going in July and I know this is a crazy busy time. Should I pre-book anything or make dinner reservations?
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 06:30 PM
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You could do a pastry tour. But you could also just compile a list of best pastry shops and chocolate shops in Paris, and do a self tour. That way, the tour money can be eating money. When I was tired in the afternoons in Paris, I just wandered around and snacked my way through pastry shops. There are tons. One of my favorite snacks was Maison Choux's cream puffs. Get there early in the day if you want to try that. They run out.

I loved climbing Notre Dame tower to see the gargoyles. You need to line up before it opens for that.

If you're interested in specific museums, I would buy passes online. Ticket lines can be very long. I would go to the D'Orsay at very least.

Also, art et metiers is worth a stop with kids that age. It's a really neat museum, and the Metro station is something special.

Musee forains would be fun as well if your tweens are more into eye candy than history. (Carnival/carousels collection) that does have to be pre booked.

In London especially- but also Paris- Department stores are an attraction all by themselves. I would at least go to Harrods and G. Lafayette. I would just plan on eating lunch and spending a few hours in Harrods. It's huge, and has everything from designer clothing to luggage to teddy bears to steaks and caviar and chocolate.

I enjoyed the beefeater tour at tower of London. And V&A is a do not miss.

No need for hop on hop off. London Underground is excellent, and Paris metro is practically an attraction on its own. Both easy to navigate.

You won't have any trouble filling up 4 days in Paris, but even so, you also won't have any trouble asking for directions or communicating. Paris is very multicultural and it's not hard to find an English speaker. Learn basic greetings, and how to approach shopkeepers, and people are very nice.


Took a street art walking tour in London, and that would probably really appeal to tweens. If you want an alternative to HOHO, I would say that a bike tour is a great option. I've taken several in various cities and they're a good way to get your bearings. Another cool thing I saw was Denis Severs house:
http://www.dennissevershouse.co.uk

Definitely need to book ahead for that.

Afternoon tea is a huge thing. Probably my favorite part after wandering around. All kinds of themes- sushi to science. Locations from princess-y tea rooms to cozy hotel bars.

Favorite dinner in London- Tayyabs, if you like Indian. BYOB though. Very busy but delicious. Local tour guide recommended it and I'm really glad I went out of my way for that.

I had a great brunch at providores. Weekends only. Very busy.
I happened upon the Marleybones farmer market that day, very good.

But what ever you do, DON'T miss Borough Market. The food!!

Have fun
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 06:48 PM
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>>1. Is Hop/On Hop/Off tour a waste of time in either city? >2. Staying in Left Bank in Paris...hoping to walk a lot. Maybe take a River Cruise. Is this a good idea?>Should I pre-book anything or make dinner reservations?
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Old Jun 12th, 2017, 11:54 PM
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How's your French?

If it's next-to-non-existent you might want to take a guided tour of shops or tastings with a French speaker just so you & the tweens aren't struggling to communicate and get some guidance about what's on display.

However, I would just take the Batobus rather than a Seine river cruise. I would also take a river cruise on the Thames. But not the canals of Paris or London. Double decker buses & black cabs in London are great.

I also think the parks of both Paris & London are extraordinary, so as you plot your adventure, don't neglect walking through as many as possible and leaving time to take notice & enjoy them as the cities' residents do.

Other than that I would let the tweens each pick at least one big thing to do every day or alternating days. And you get to pick one too.

It's hard for me to know with any accuracy what I would have liked have liked in either city when I was tween girl, but as an adult, I can tell you I hated afternoon tea, largely hate the V&A, and hot chocolate at Angelina's, and I've avoided the tower of London's torture chambers, the London Eye and the sewers of Paris. So that's why I'm recommending you give your daughters the lead in picking sights. I'm pretty sure my kid self would have made the mistake of picking Angelina's hot chocolate as a "must do", but I'm also pretty sure I would have avoided, even as a tween, some destinations I got lured into visiting as tourist "must-dos" that were a waste of time or downright annoying for having been hyped.
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Old Jun 13th, 2017, 12:00 AM
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Meant to add: If you already sense your girls and you will like low-key or no activities in the afternoon, and that proves to be the case, both cities are great for kicking back. They're not all about noise and consumerism. There's actually a lot of respect for reading and quieter activities in both cultures, with gardens and cafes and river vistas to facilitate that. Don't shortchange it or get talked out of it.
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Old Jun 13th, 2017, 12:44 AM
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Agree with the afternoon tea comment; most kids like cakes, but a formal tea is boring. Stick with more casual places; the Orangerie, and tea at the Wallace Collection is nice too. I also dislike Angelina-type hot chocolate, especially in July. Sickly sweet and heavy.

You'll be OK in Paris without speaking French; nearly everyone speaks some English. But do say bonjour when entering a store and merci when leaving.

Farmer's markets in London? Marylebone was mentioned. There's a daily market in Portobello Road. On Saturdays there is an antiques/junk market; gets busy, start early. Or go all the way north to the less touristy bit at Golborne Road. Great pizza at Pizza East there.
Notting Hill Farmer's market is pretty small, but it's behind the Waterstone's on Notting Hill Gate on Saturday mornings.
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Old Jun 13th, 2017, 01:53 AM
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Bea's of Bloomsbury does a lovely cake-filled afternoon tea
https://www.beas.london/pages/afternoon-tea
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Old Jun 13th, 2017, 03:09 AM
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Wow, thanks so much everyone! Such great advice thus far. My French is high school (9, 10, 11) but let's just say there's been zero practice since then and well, I'm not 25! Lol. I can probably get by with a few Ou Ests...
Really appreciate the advice on the river cruise. Was either going to do a chocolate/pastry or a teen shopping guided tour for something different but they seem tres expensive!
Keep the great ideas coming!
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Old Jun 13th, 2017, 07:05 AM
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are they 'girly girls' - if so dressing up and doing one of the posh teas at one of the grand London hotels would probably be a hit. If not, then there are TONS of options for less fancy afternoon teas like at the Orangerie.
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Old Jun 13th, 2017, 07:33 AM
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>

Bloody awful because the traffic in both is ... bloody awful.

Plus, if you're just trying to get your bearings, go on either of the heritage routes in London (#9, 15) or the 136 bus line (which hits a ton of key areas but is not designated a "heritage route." The 15 still runs the old routemaster buses that are synonymous with "London bus."
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 01:32 PM
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Thanks for all of your great responses everyone. So now I've got to make a decision about public transportation in London. I'm used to the Subway but there are a lot of people telling me to stay off of the Tube for safety reasons. I don't want to be scared by alarmists so can anyone who's been there lately let me know what the true climate is safety-wise from a public transportation perspective?
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 01:39 PM
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>>but there are a lot of people telling me to stay off of the Tube for safety reasons. > so can anyone who's been there lately let me know what the true climate is safety-wise from a public transportation perspective?
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 01:46 PM
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Some are concerned relatives. Some are business colleagues who've travelled there recently and said "just stay off public transportation for a while." Not meant to be an antagonistic question but you can't avoid the obvious that there have been some recent hits and I'm just wondering if anyone who's been there lately (and by lately I mean in the past month) and could weigh in for this well-travelled, not usually scared but kind of scared mom. (janisj...breathe out!) TIA!
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 01:53 PM
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Galeries Lafayette for sure, boat cruise at night to see the tower light up.
https://www.fattiretours.com/paris

Do tweens still like Cath Kidson in the UK?
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 01:56 PM
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I'm not hyperventilating.

But honestly what do you expect people to say. Could there be an 'incident'? Sure -- but same thing in Manhattan or Chicago or Tokyo. The tube in London carries nearly 5 million people every day more safely than most any other
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Old Jun 25th, 2017, 02:35 PM
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I'd take into account if those "business colleagues" or relatives take transit at all at home. People who have told me that are the same people who warn me about taking the bus or walking because of the "homeless problem". In other words- I do both activities a lot, and they are basing their belief on the one time they took the bus 6 years ago and a panhandler asked them for change.

I honestly think the London tube is one of the safest systems I've experienced. It's well lit, well patrolled, and busy enough that it would be relatively tricky for someone to commit a crime or leave bomb lying around. Really, you'll see people from all walks of life and all ages on the tube.
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