Thanks for this wonderful forum-I have gotten some great advice!

We are traveling Feb 2007. I already know it will be cold.

Can any experienced travelers advise me on what to bring to keep warm that I might not normally think of?

I have cap, scarf, gloves, thermals, huge waterproof jacket, umbrella. I hear umbrella may be bad idea if too windy???

Also, traveling with an 11 year old. Need to keep him warm too!

Thanks!

Don't forget a good supply of warm socks and layers to put under the 'huge (not too heavy i hope) waterproof jacket'.
Thermal underwear may not be a bad idea

Where are you travelling to? Rome in February is a lot different than Berlin. The key is wearing layers. You can layer/take off as needed or as the weather changes.

<cold> is also relative to where you live perhaps

cold to a California means something different than cold to someone from Chicago

In Chicago terms even northern Europe is relatively warm in winter - it rarely snows in places like London, Paris, etc. or really gets much below freezing for extended periods.

Rome - hi in low 50s and low in low 40s could be very cold to some but warm, for winter, for others.

OOPs, forgot to say. I am traveling to Paris in February.

I think a fleece vest is an excellent piece to pack & "layer". Put it in a a large ziplock & sit on the bag to get the air out (to save room in your suitcase). Works for kids and adults alike. I'm not sure about "huge waterproof jacket"... I believe layering works better.

You can certainly take a bunch of layers or you can invest in a down-filled jacket which will dispense with the need for layers somewhat and given your timeframe I somehow doubt the down will be too hot.

Another advantage: very compressible.

Tee Shirts and Long Sleeve T shirts like Underarmour the sport players use are very warm and very lightweight. Target and Walmart sell these types of under clothes. These are the best to layer up with.

Earmuffs

No need to dress for extreme winter sports, if you're only going to Paris. You are more likely to have rain (or slate) than blizzard there. Make sure you have solid footgear so you won't be walking in soggy shoes. Your son may be more comfortable using a rain parka if it's rainy and windy.

Most important of all, if you get too chilly from walking outside, pop inside a cafe and sip hot chocolate! Crepes and waffles are good for warming up from inside.

thin layers are the answer. For cold weather, I use thin "long-johns" under my clothes. That way I don't have to use large, extra bulky sweaters on top. I like to layer with thin, long-sleeved t-shirts then a nice wool/cashmere sweater.

Water-proof your shoes.
We went to Paris in Feb and it snowed a little and melted a little.
I brought 2 pairs of gloves in case one got lost. Lots of wool socks, layers and a nice long wool coat.

We visited Paris in the second week of March 2006.
What we did not expect was a very cold wind most of the time.

The biggest problem I encountered at this time of year in Paris was that while it was cold and wet outside, it was overheated everywhere indoors. So I got so tired of lugging my jacket around (or waiting in line to check it) at museums or in restaurants. Layers would not have solved the problem. You can't be unpeeling everytime you are in a building.

I agree that the best advice is keeping your feet dry. My boots seem to have sprung a leak and my feet were cold and wet.

We are from central Massachusetts and have been to Paris and London a number of times in November and February. Temps have been milder than NE but the probability of rain is higher. Footwear and rainware is most important. Have you looked at a website such as http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/country_guides/ and compared Paris to your home.