Hi everyone,

My husband and I are planning our first international trip with our daughter. We are hoping to go in April, and she will turn 11 months old on the trip. We’ve travelled around Western Europe lots before, and while I have been to Paris, my husband has not been to any of these cities. We’re trying to find an itinerary that won’t feel rushed with a baby, but still feels exciting and like we used our time well.

A bit about our travel preferences: we are foodies and are hoping to have some great local food experiences. We are open to taking our daughter to nicer restaurants and just booking lunch or early dinner reservations. But we also want a mix of casual and tasty on-the-go meals. We like to wander around neighbourhoods and will be walking or taking public transit and not bringing a car seat. We will likely do max one “big thing” per day (museum, gallery, park, event, etc.). We like medieval history and WWII history but not enough that we’re shaping our trip around it. Mostly we like to do as the locals do - wander, shop thrift and eat. That said, we would also love suggestions of things to do with an almost one year old while we’re there.

Please give us advice on our itinerary and let us know if we have alotted too much or too little time to any stops on this trip. Happy to swap out for other cities if it makes sense. Ex: Provence, Madrid??

Paris (6 nights)

Lyon (4 nights)

Annecy (4 nights)

Barcelona (6 nights)

It really depends on what you want to see and experience, but FWIW, I thought 4 nights (3 days) too little for Lyon and 2 nights (1 day) MORE than enough for Annecy. I also wanted more time in Barcelona and, of course, Paris. YMMV.

Twenty days in April means either Easter or ending up against the May 1st holiday. Do you want that?

The weather won't be bad but April isn't exactly a sure thing. I remember a May in Barcelona that was pretty cool.

If you want to do as the locals do, you need to go to markets and shops and cook with the food you buy. Should be supplemented by going to a traitteur. Make sure you hit fromageries. I like to ask for something I can't really get in the US, which is cheese 'un peu liquide.'

In Paris, you should stay near one of the market streets, like r. des martyrs in the 9th. But there are quite a few others. There is a lively street market at pl. maubert.

In Paris I would hit places like Marché des Enfants Rouges. And if Jacques Genin is still doing pastries to order, I would get a tarte citron basilic or romarin. It will be for 4 servings, but you'll have time to eat it.

I would replace Annecy with Nimes.

People who have children tell me that they have to carry a lot of "clobber" to manage a young child. They also tell me that doing that by train is hard work which brings us to the whole car or train discussion.

If I had to do this I'd use the train but travel first class to have the space for all the stuff.

Then I wouldn't go looking for WW2 stuff in modern cities, I'd go where WW2 happened actively which in France is more along the northern zone so Normandy and Alsace which opens up Caen, Rouen, Metz, Strasbourg, Reims, Amiens.

Medievel cities well then I would focus more on the south and west and the cities and towns the English and French fought over plus the whole Cathar slaughter.

So I think I'm confused by your objectives and your plan, but I hope you have a great holiday

We just spent 5 nights in Lyon with one day there visiting Annecy. I think you have a reasonable amount of time in Lyon, but Annecy is likely worthy of just 2 days and nights. Your foodie urge will be well served in Lyon, so adding a day there would easily give you the full experience there. I'd really recommend you drill down on your itinerary, i.e. where you arrive, order of places, and try to avoid backtracking as much as possible to avoid wasted time.

Annecy is a short 90 minute bus ride from Lyon, so you could consider it just one stop.

With a toddler who may be walking by then I would reconsider a lot of moving around and pick a couple places and get vrbo or Airbnb accommodations. Having a kitchen and a separate bedroom for daytime napping seems like a good idea. I rarely saw people with babies at night in restaurants especially since lots of them don’t even open until 7 or 7:30 and even later in Spain. There is more casual dining in Paris and Barcelona now but still very different then the US. Maybe Paris/countryside town/Barcelona. It’s going to be a very different trip then traveling by yourselves or even when she is like right now (non mobile). Good luck!

We took our son to France when he was 13 months. Restaurant meals at that age are easily disrupted, so that is wishful thinking. We did not stay in hotels. We rented a car and stayed in gites in the countryside, where the low cost of lodging makes up, at least in part, for the additional cost of car rental.

The good news is that, from a food perspective, you can really learn and experience where French food comes from. You can visit farms that sell direct to the consumer and some also prepare traditional meals. Everything is based on terroir, a concept you may already be familiar with.

https://www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com

https://www.gites-de-france.com

How exciting! We did our first big trip to New York City when our daughter was 11 months old. She wasn’t walking yet and we went everywhere with her strapped to us in one of those carriers. Surprisingly, we were able to spend a lot of time in museums, walking around the city and going to nice restaurants! We took our first international trip with her in 2025 and we did a mix of cities and countryside. I would highly recommend as others have suggested getting an Airbnb or a Gite rather than hotel, so you have a kitchen, space to spread out and a separate room for your kid to sleep in for naps while you’re recovering. In 20 days, you might consider eliminating one of those big cities and focusing on maybe two of the big cities with a smaller more relaxed countryside/small town in between. We started in Paris and had an Airbnb for a week, then rented an Airbnb and car in a beautiful village in Provence for a week and got a car, we did a ton of wine tasting, sightseeing, and ate in nice restaurants for lunch. I totally understand the need to feel like you got the most out of your trip by visiting more places. I do the same thing! But ultimately, I feel like you get more out of it when you try not to go to too many places because then you spend so much time moving around. That can be extra stressful with a baby along!
if you’re foodies look into the Basque region of Spain- San Sebastián is a Mecca of fantastic food and we loved pintxo hopping around!




QUOTE=taylormartin3353;17697768]Hi everyone,

My husband and I are planning our first international trip with our daughter. We are hoping to go in April, and she will turn 11 months old on the trip. We’ve travelled around Western Europe lots before, and while I have been to Paris, my husband has not been to any of these cities. We’re trying to find an itinerary that won’t feel rushed with a baby, but still feels exciting and like we used our time well.

A bit about our travel preferences: we are foodies and are hoping to have some great local food experiences. We are open to taking our daughter to nicer restaurants and just booking lunch or early dinner reservations. But we also want a mix of casual and tasty on-the-go meals. We like to wander around neighbourhoods and will be walking or taking public transit and not bringing a car seat. We will likely do max one “big thing” per day (museum, gallery, park, event, etc.). We like medieval history and WWII history but not enough that we’re shaping our trip around it. Mostly we like to do as the locals do - wander, shop thrift and eat. That said, we would also love suggestions of things to do with an almost one year old while we’re there.

Please give us advice on our itinerary and let us know if we have alotted too much or too little time to any stops on this trip. Happy to swap out for other cities if it makes sense. Ex: Provence, Madrid??

Paris (6 nights)

Lyon (4 nights)

Annecy (4 nights)

Barcelona (6 nights)[/QUOTE]

Paris is a great place to go with your child! Consider getting a hotel or airbnb near one of the many, many parks that feature playgrounds. And there are so many of them sprinkled throughout the city, you should make a game of stopping at as many as you can to let your little one get some playtime in.

If you go during Easter time, enjoy all of the easter displays in the chocolate shops! The stores usually go all out.

For Medieval history, visit Musee Cluny - wonderful tapestries and other objets d'art from the middle ages. You could also consider a day trip to Provins, a very well-preserved medieval village right outside Paris.

Hi, traveling with an 11-month-old is a great adventure. The places on your list are those where I live, or have lived, or that I frequent regularly.

For the Paris-Lyon leg, the TGV is your best bet, in my opinion, even with a child. I take this train every week for work, and it’s very smooth (only 2 hours).

Regarding the next step: I live in Lyon and know the region quite well. Annecy is beautiful, but even in April, it starts to get busy, especially on weekends. It can feel a bit "touristy" compared to other spots. Logistically, the train from Lyon is okay but you’ll have to change at Aix-les-Bains. There is a bus too, but with a baby and the traffic, it can be a long 2.5-hour ride.

If you are looking for more "authentic" and impressive Alps, I’d suggest heading from Lyon towards Briançon in the Southern Alps. It is my home region, and in my opinion, it's much more wild and breathtaking than Annecy. You have a unique UNESCO old town, Vauban fortifications, and even with some WW2 story. But the real draw is the surrounding nature - think high peaks, clear streams, and very fresh air. A big advantage is that you’ll easily avoid the crowds there.
Food-wise, it’s a great mix of hearty alpine dishes and Provence influences. The main thing to know is that you’ll need a car to enjoy it properly. You can easily rent one with a child seat in Lyon; the drive is about 3 hours with great scenery.

That being said, if you decide to stick with Annecy, I know the area well and have a few spots and addresses I can share with you. And of course, if you need any specific tips for Lyon since I’m a local here, feel free to ask!