Thanks very much for your trip report. Some day I'm hoping to go to Paris/London with my currently 7-year-old child so this report is very useful. My main concern in Paris is eating dinner at restaurants. I don't see any problems in cafes and brasseries but will we be comfortable in full fancy restaurants? We live in Manhattan and therefore she's grown up eating out, mostly neighborhood and informal places in NYC and more fancy but still child-friendly places like Chez Panisse Cafe and Mr. B's Bistro when we travel. Did you eat earlier in the evening? Can we order an appetizer and salad for her?

Paris restaurants usually do not open until 7:30-8:30, so I made dinner reservations as early as possible. I mixed it up with a couple of nice lunches - those evenings we'd go to a creperie or a cafe for dinner. At Some restaurants she would order only a large salad - she really liked french salads.<BR><BR>Even if we ate a big lunch from 12-2, she was very hungry by 7:00. I solved this by keeping fruit and yogurt in the refridgerator in my room. She fell in love with Clementines. Try getting yogurt from a cheese shop - it's drinkable - made fresh daily - it is absolutely out of this world - try vanilla. She also fell in love with Feuillete D'abricots - an apricot tart at most of the boulangeries-bakers.<BR><BR>Funny story-My daughter first went to Paris with me when she was 7. I did not realize just how much she had loved it until in September of this year- I told her I would go to Paris in November. She started crying because she wanted to go. I said, "Well, I had not planned on you or your brother going, but I guess if you bought your plane ticket, you could go. My ticket cost 428.00." About fifteen minutes later - now she is 9-she returned to my desk with 428.00 in cash. NOw this child never spends a dime of her money. She won't even spend money her relatives give her for gifts. She really likes Paris, and fully intends to go again. In fact, this time, she was navigating our way around with the map sometimes- just to practice for when she comes back!<BR><BR>I think it all depends on the child. My son could not care less about going. But my very mature and level headed daughter took to PAris like a duck to water. And, the Parisians treated her like a little princess - that probably had something to do with it too!

Erlsegaard: I don't completely agree w/you, but there is definitely a snootiness feel to this thread. I like the most recent post: A 9 year old with $428 cash in hand! I don't keep that kind of cash around the house. I'm guessing the butler holds it for her.

mariacallas,<BR><BR>You make me smile. My first trip to Paris was with my mother. I think I was 9 years old. And you're right, the Parisians were extremely kind to us. Because of that first experience I have always thought of Paris as a friendly place, and two subsequent trips as an adult proved me right. I don't understand why people say the Parisians are rude. I guess it's people who are unaccustomed to cities in general, particularly cities like Paris and New York where people are always busy and in a rush to get somewhere, but are actually quite kind to visitors (particularly nice, charming ladies and their little daughters).<BR><BR>Your post has me champing at the bit to get back to Paris. We're planning another trip to France next year, and we will definitely be spending a few days in Paris. Thanks so much for the informative and fun report. :-)

P.S. I guess it goes without saying, but please ignore the sour pusses! I think your post is terrific!

The 428.00 was her entire life's savings from every allowance dollar she ever earned and every five dollars granny ever sent. My point was - she really really wanted to go to Paris.

Gotta love that daughter. My first trip to Europe was when I was 20, but I also wiped out all my savings - the account went back to my first communion and all birthdays, etc. It was worth every penny. Money is only money; memories are magical.

Mariacallas - love your posts, they're informative however they show just how egotistical you really are. I don't think it is up to you to tell us what phrases to say when ordering dinner or riding the metro. About your daughter's savings account. That is more than we need to know.

Am I the only one who wonders who keeps topping this? Could it be that Maria Callas wants more than her 15 minutes of fame?

Here we go again. The gremlins can't abide an engaging thread.

I am surprised that a person who speaks fluent French would say "excusey moi" or "marveilleux", both are wrong. There is something about this that doesn't seem real but I can't pinpoint it, ranging from the expensive continuous vacations, living in oil country, spending a lot on restaurants and stores (who deliver to the hotel, wonder what they are delivering that can't be carried), grandmas sending $5 to wealthy children, sniffing at the Crillon as not being up to par, etc.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels this way about this French woman wantabe. What really sent me over the edge was her almost dictating how to act, what to say, etc. And yes, even though I don't speak the language very well I noticed all the "errors" in her French. <BR><BR>Telling us how to ask where the toilet is? Please. Give us all a break. You are so narcissistic I can't believe it.

Marie:<BR><BR>Hmmm... You think so? I suppose if you're making some large purchases the shops will be glad to deliver them. Depends, I guess. Having restaurants call taxis struck a note with me. But maybe they do that. I didn't take taxi's in Paris. I could never find one, and never asked anyone to callme one. <BR><BR>I've just scanned through mariacallas's posts again, however, and I don't see where she claims to speak fluent French, turns her nose up at the Crillon, claims to live in oil country (I thought she said NYC?) or to be wealthy. Are these remarks from her posts in other threads?<BR>

Well, she must be all that and a bag of chips.... after all, French men are giving her free taxi rides and sending crepes on fire to her table and it is so very charming how she squealed with delight on the ferris wheel.

Correction: of course, she mentions a town near Houston.

Oui, oui: That was a CAROUSEL she mentioned, not the ferris wheel. I just thought it was a slip of the tongue.

P.S. I do like this thread anyway. It makes me miss Paris.

Hate to tell all of you this but she's giving you a snow job like you wouldn't believe. She's quoting right out of the guide books. Sorry to disilusion you. She's a fraud.<BR><BR>Ess don't be so naive where her banter is concerned.

Ess,<BR><BR>In the first post she says she speaks fluent French. She says “Of course I am a single woman travelling with a charming little 9 year old girl - and I speak fluent french” <BR><BR>- Many people who say they are fluent are often just proficient at conversation. <BR>

Huge sigh! Duped again! :-) This is why I don't visit as often as I used to. And the fact that someone is living their schizo fantasies, or whatever they're up to, on a travel board where people are looking to exchange ideas and converse about travel, well it's just kind of weird, isn't it? That's why I don't post my real name or my email address.