Trip Report: Family of 4 in Europe for 24 nights
Aug 3rd, 2023, 10:53 AM
#1
Original Poster
Trip Report: Family of 4 in Europe for 24 nights
We recently returned from our European adventure. Thank you to all those who patiently answered my questions and helped us along the way. A little about us: My wife and I are teachers (5th grade for me and high school English for my wife) and our daughters are 19 (going to be a college sophomore) and our youngest turned 16 on this trip. We originally were going to travel in 2021, but that obviously didn't happen. Things were still too up in the air to plan a 2022 trip, so here we were. We flew non-stop from LAX to London (6 nights), Eurostar to Amsterdam (4 nights), train to Bruges (3 nights), train to Amboise (3 nights), train to Paris (8 nights), flew home non-stop from CDG. I'll try not to bore you with too many details, but will instead tell what we saw and then will be happy to answer any questions or go into further detail if needed. Thanks for reading.
We flew Virgin Atlantic and they were great. It seemed like the flight attendants were busy the entire flight. We don't fly often, so it was nice to have movies, music, tv show, and games readily available. Food was decent and service was excellent. After arriving in London and passing quickly through immigration (no customs to speak of) we met our driver from Just Airports (thanks for the rec from you all). He was pleasant and efficient. We arrived at out Ivy rental in Chelsea. It was just right for us, but a bit of a walk from the nearest underground station (I knew this going in). We were a little earlier than I anticipated so I contacted Ivy on the drive in and they said we could drop off our luggage and pick up the key while our place was being prepared. Good service from them. Picked up the key and headed out.
Arrived 7/7 -The National Army Museum was right around the corner and it was a nice cool place to spend an hour or so while we waited for our rental. Went to the store and got supplies for dinner (pesto pasta) and some essentials for breakfast.
7/8- Today was our 23rd anniversary. After breakfast, my daughters and I walked over to Battersea Park. It was a nice place to spend our first morning. Decided to just take it easy and do some sightseeing on our first day. The underground was super easy and used our phones to pay for all our rides (got an Oyster card for our youngest so she traveled for half price). Saw Big Ben, walked around Westminster Abbey, and ended up at the British Museum. Headed to a local pub - The Cooper's Arms - for dinner. Food was very good, Sausage and mashed potatoes for me fish and chips for everyone else.
7/9 - We headed to the Tower of London. Spent the whole day here and we all really enjoyed it. Were were going to pick up supplies for dinner at the store, but it closed at 5 on Sunday. We ended up at a local Vietnamese place and everyone enjoyed their dinner.
7/10 - Went to the Tate and did the Rosetti Exhibit add on. Enjoyed our time there. Headed home and read and relaxed a bit. My wife and I headed to a local pub, The Surprise for a couple drinks. Very friendly bar tenders here. Enjoyed just sitting and spending some time together.
7/11 - Went to Westminster Abbey today and enjoyed all that there was to offer. From there we walked to Buckingham Palace (no tour). We were hungry at this point and walked back to an Italian restaurant (Bon Gusto) we passed on the way for lunch. We all really enjoyed our meal. Went to Harrods after lunch and wandered around there for a while. The girls splurged on a box of chocolates that they enjoyed for the next few days. Took my oldest to The Surprise for a pint - she's legal in Europe and enjoyed ordering a cider there.
7/12 - My oldest headed out on her own to a coffee shop and some shopping. I headed to the National Portrait Gallery to see the McCartney exhibit, and my wife and youngest had a lazy morning at home. Really enjoyed the McCartney photos and would recommend it to any Beatles fan. Headed over to the National Gallery afterward (tried to reserve a time but they were sold out, so I thought I'd try my luck. Walked right in! My wife and the girls headed out for some shopping while I was there. Can't believe that museums like this are free in London. I didn't spend too much time there, but really enjoyed it. This was our last day in London and we decided to do a Jack the Ripper walk with London Walks. It was fun and we had a good host. We all enjoyed it.
7/13 - Traveled to Amsterdam on the Eurostar. It was a long travel day, but we were happy to settle into our hotel (Hotel Aalders) in Amsterdam. Headed out for dinner (Van't Spit - best chicken I've ever had) and a walk around the city.
7/14 - Coffee and pastries from 'The Coffee District' (excellent pastries) before heading to the Rijksmuseum. Headed to the store for some snacks and back to the room for a rest before visiting the Anne Frank house that evening. An amazing experience and I'm lucky to have visited more than once.
7/15 - My wife's birthday! Headed out to Oeuf for breakfast. Everything was very good. My daughter declared the French toast as the best she's ever had. Then to the Van Gogh Museum. This is one of my all time favorite - if not my absolute favorite - museums I've ever been to. They have a wonderful exhibit "Van Gogh in Auvers", with paintings from museums around the world from the last couple months of his life. It was amazing! We planned to pick up picnic supplies from the store and have a picnic dinner on the huge lawn area in front of the Rijksmuseum, but it started to rain. Picked up picnic supplies and had an indoor picnic instead. Rain stopped and we headed out for a walk and some souvenir shopping in the evening.
7/16 - Went out for Dutch pancakes for breakfast - everyone enjoyed theirs - and then some walking around and shopping in the afternoon. Went to a local Italian place for dinner. The food was good, but something about it, the conversation, the friendly waiters, the room, made it our favorite dining experience. It was a great last day.
7/17 - One more stop at 'The Coffee District' for coffee and pastries before heading out to catch our train to Bruges. After arriving at our place about 4, we headed out to the store for supplies (soup and grilled cheese for dinner). My wife and I headed out to explore after dinner (the girls were tired). We loved walking around the town. We kept saying it didn't seem real. It's lie a set from a movie. We found a little Irish Pub in a square and had a drink and relaxed.
7/18 - My oldest daughter and I set out for a walk and some window shopping in the morning. Picked up some chocolates from Dumon - very good. Then the four of us headed out and took the canal cruise. It was a very enjoyable experience. Visited the 'Church of Our Lady' and saw the Michelangelo statue there. Amazing! Stopped for a waffle and ice cream before heading back for a rest. Back to the Irish Pub for dinner. Food was good, and we enjoyed a walk around town afterward.
7/19 - Our youngest's 16th birthday! Don't know if she knows how lucky she was to spend her 16th in Bruges. My oldest and I headed out in the morning to climb the Belfort. What a view. Picked up pastries for breakfast afterward. Headed out for some shopping and a a visit to 'The Old Chocolate House' for some gifts and chocolates for us. Enjoyed them over the next few days, but I preferred Dumon overall. Found a little chees shop/deli and picked up stuff for dinner there. Headed to 'Lizzy's Waffles' for a late lunch (??). My daughter really enjoyed it - so did the rest of us. and it made for a memorable bday.
7/20 moving day. We're headed to Amboise. Our train from Brussels to Paris was 20 mins. late which caused us to miss our train to Tours. We were ab le to get on the next train, but without seats. Everyone was very helpful, and we were actually able to sit in the food service car for the entire trip. Next was the part I was dreading the most - renting a car in France. Let me stop here and thank everyone here for trying to put my mind at ease (and it worked to some extent) when I posted about my fears. I don't like renting a car here in the U.S. and that stress was tenfold when renting in Europe. I was worried about insurance, turns out the credit card insurance is void (at least that's how I understood it) because the rental agency includes insurance with the rental - BUT with something like a 2600 Euro deductible. I had nightmares of them telling me I was responsible for a scratch or dent and owe them $1000. For piece of mind I bought the full coverage 99 Euros for 3 days. I felt much better and we set off for our Airbnb. Great little place across the Loire River from the city itself. Headed to the store and got breakfast and dinner supplies. Walked over to town and just wandered. What a great place.
7/21 - Visited the Amboise Chateau and Clos Luce. Enjoyed both of them. Had a leisurely lunch in town. We planned to go to Chenonceau that evening. I screwed up and thought it was open much later than it actually was. We were able to get tickets for the last time slot, and unfortunately only had about 30-40 mins. inside before it closed. However, there were only about 2-3 other families there at that time and we felt like we had the place to ourselves. It was an amazing place, and my favorite chateau that we saw.
7/22 - Drove to Chambord on this day and enjoyed wandering around and getting lost inside. Had a nice lunch at one of the little restaurants on the grounds. Then drove to Cheverny. The chateau was my least favorite, but we enjoyed walking around the grounds seeing the dogs. Tried to make a meal of everything we had left in the fridge as we were leaving the next day for Paris.
7/23 - Checked out and walked over to town one last time. Drove to Tours and dropped off the car (Avis was closed so I parked and dropped the keys in the drop box). Hopped on the train to Paris and made our way to our Airbnb apartment there. It was very close (2 mins max) to the metro which was a nice change from our place in London. Got settled and headed to the store down the street for supplies. After a dinner of pasta we, minus our youngest who was tired, headed out to explore and stop in at a cafe for a drink.
7/24 - Headed out to a local bakery for pastries. This became almost a daily ritual - had to find the best one. Arrived at the perfect time for the Navigo week pass. Bought our week passes the second day we arrived for 35 Euros each. Decided to do some sight seeing. Headed to Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triumph. Headed home to make dinner (salmon and chicken). Went out for our other ritual, a drink at a local cafe.
7/25 - Visited the d'Orsay today. This is also one of my top museums, BUT it was soooo crowded that it distracted from the experience. We all seem to wander off (my youngest and my wife stay together) and bump into each other as we wander. People were packed in the room with the Impressionist paintings. You almost had to, and if you ask my youngest it wasn't almost, elbow your way in to get a close look. Seems like many people just wanted to get up close and take a picture then move on to the next for a picture and so on. To each his own.... Still one of the best museums you can go to in my opinion. Had lunch at a cafe a few blocks away. Everyone enjoyed their lunch. Walked along the river before heading home
.
7/26 - Hit a new bakery for pastries and decided to have a slow day. We'd been pretty busy and it felt good to not have plans. Went to the Pantheon (didn't go in) and them over to the Jardin des Plantes. Found a place and got gyros for a light lunch. Headed home and read watched tv before making dinner (breaded chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans).
7/27 - My wife, oldest daughter and I headed out for breakfast at Cafe de Flore. Everything was very good, especially the hot chocolate! Wandered around that neighborhood a bit after we ate before heading back. Went to the Bastille Market and bought some souvenirs and dinner (chicken and veg). Relaxed a bit before heading to Pere Lachaise. It was going fine until the rain came. It poured. We had one umbrella between us, so our visit was cut short, but, come on, a rainy day in an old Paris cemetery?? Pretty unforgettable.
7/28 - New bakery today. Everything good but nothing amazing. Louvre visit today. Headed straight for the Mona Lisa. Very organized - two lines to move through to get close. Continued our visit and enjoyed wandering around there for a few hours. After not eating all day we were hungry. Stopped at a place near our apartment for dinner. French onion soup and escargot for apps then dinner. It was good, but maybe because we were so hungry.
7/29 - Another new bakery - our favorite - The French Bastards. Everything was so good. Headed out to visit the catacombs. Interesting, but overpriced in my opinion. Glad we saw it once, but don't need to go back. Walked around that area for a bit then headed home. My wife and oldest headed out for some shopping and I headed to Picpus Cemetery - final resting place of the Marquis de Lafayette. Turns out it was so much more. Long story, but it is the final resting place of over 1300 people guillotined during the Reign of Terror in 1794. You have to be a descendent to be buried there. Lafayette's grandmother, mother, and sister were victims which is how he came to be laid to rest there. Also at the cemetery I was the recipient of the kindness of a stranger. I did not use any cash the entire trip. I'm not used to that so it was kind of strange to pay for everything with my phone (just old fashioned I guess). Anyway, there was a 2 Euro entrance fee, and I didn't have it. The guy at the office was very nice and we were trying to figure out how I could pay when a guy pops his head in and begins speaking French with the 'gatekeeper'. Then the guy turns to me and says "it's history" and pays my entrance. It made my day. One my way back I joined my wife and daughter for a drink at a cafe down the street. It started pouring, so what do you do....have another drink. Stopped at the store for pizza and pasta for dinner. One last drink after dinner tonight.
7/30 - Our last day. Back to The French Bastards for pastries. Headed to the Musee de l'Orangerie without reservations, but we were able to walk right in. Love this museum. Wandered around the gardens there and some local shops. Headed to a cafe down the street for what turned out to be my favorite meal in Paris. A ribeye steak with bleu chees sauce, fries, and a salad. Duck confit (wife and oldest) and a cheeseburger for our youngest. My youngest and I had a delicious creme brulee for dessert while my oldest had the floating meringue. Just espresso for my wife. The we headed to the Eiffel Tower. This whole making reservations for everything was new to me. I didn't do my research and tickets to the Eiffel Tower were sold out when I looked about a month before our trip. BUT, when we first arrived in Paris I checked again and tickets were available to the top on out last night in Paris! We headed over after dinner and enjoy a very memorable night. Came down just as it was lighting up. Stayed a while and took a bunch of pics. A perfect ending to our trip.
7/31 - Headed out to get our tickets for the train to CDG and came back, cleaned up a bit, and got packed to go. The train was easy and uneventful. CDG security was unorganized and a bit of a mess. We got there in plenty of time and got to our gate with enough time to pick up some snacks before boarding. The flight home was booked through Virgin Atlantic, but was a Delta flight. It was fine, but I thought the Virgin flight was much better. Non-stop flight, about 11 1/2 hours home. Breezed through customs/immigration, collected our bags and met my brother in law for the ride home.
It was a trip that none of us will ever forget. We saw just about everything we wanted to see, and had so many wonderful experiences. Thanks to everyone here who provided help along the way, either to my questions or all the posts I read to get ideas. I know this may have been a long tr and I'm a 'just the facts' kind of writer, so if you made it this far, thank you. If you have any questions or want more specifics, I'll be happy to share.
Thanks again,
Robert
We flew Virgin Atlantic and they were great. It seemed like the flight attendants were busy the entire flight. We don't fly often, so it was nice to have movies, music, tv show, and games readily available. Food was decent and service was excellent. After arriving in London and passing quickly through immigration (no customs to speak of) we met our driver from Just Airports (thanks for the rec from you all). He was pleasant and efficient. We arrived at out Ivy rental in Chelsea. It was just right for us, but a bit of a walk from the nearest underground station (I knew this going in). We were a little earlier than I anticipated so I contacted Ivy on the drive in and they said we could drop off our luggage and pick up the key while our place was being prepared. Good service from them. Picked up the key and headed out.
Arrived 7/7 -The National Army Museum was right around the corner and it was a nice cool place to spend an hour or so while we waited for our rental. Went to the store and got supplies for dinner (pesto pasta) and some essentials for breakfast.
7/8- Today was our 23rd anniversary. After breakfast, my daughters and I walked over to Battersea Park. It was a nice place to spend our first morning. Decided to just take it easy and do some sightseeing on our first day. The underground was super easy and used our phones to pay for all our rides (got an Oyster card for our youngest so she traveled for half price). Saw Big Ben, walked around Westminster Abbey, and ended up at the British Museum. Headed to a local pub - The Cooper's Arms - for dinner. Food was very good, Sausage and mashed potatoes for me fish and chips for everyone else.
7/9 - We headed to the Tower of London. Spent the whole day here and we all really enjoyed it. Were were going to pick up supplies for dinner at the store, but it closed at 5 on Sunday. We ended up at a local Vietnamese place and everyone enjoyed their dinner.
7/10 - Went to the Tate and did the Rosetti Exhibit add on. Enjoyed our time there. Headed home and read and relaxed a bit. My wife and I headed to a local pub, The Surprise for a couple drinks. Very friendly bar tenders here. Enjoyed just sitting and spending some time together.
7/11 - Went to Westminster Abbey today and enjoyed all that there was to offer. From there we walked to Buckingham Palace (no tour). We were hungry at this point and walked back to an Italian restaurant (Bon Gusto) we passed on the way for lunch. We all really enjoyed our meal. Went to Harrods after lunch and wandered around there for a while. The girls splurged on a box of chocolates that they enjoyed for the next few days. Took my oldest to The Surprise for a pint - she's legal in Europe and enjoyed ordering a cider there.
7/12 - My oldest headed out on her own to a coffee shop and some shopping. I headed to the National Portrait Gallery to see the McCartney exhibit, and my wife and youngest had a lazy morning at home. Really enjoyed the McCartney photos and would recommend it to any Beatles fan. Headed over to the National Gallery afterward (tried to reserve a time but they were sold out, so I thought I'd try my luck. Walked right in! My wife and the girls headed out for some shopping while I was there. Can't believe that museums like this are free in London. I didn't spend too much time there, but really enjoyed it. This was our last day in London and we decided to do a Jack the Ripper walk with London Walks. It was fun and we had a good host. We all enjoyed it.
7/13 - Traveled to Amsterdam on the Eurostar. It was a long travel day, but we were happy to settle into our hotel (Hotel Aalders) in Amsterdam. Headed out for dinner (Van't Spit - best chicken I've ever had) and a walk around the city.
7/14 - Coffee and pastries from 'The Coffee District' (excellent pastries) before heading to the Rijksmuseum. Headed to the store for some snacks and back to the room for a rest before visiting the Anne Frank house that evening. An amazing experience and I'm lucky to have visited more than once.
7/15 - My wife's birthday! Headed out to Oeuf for breakfast. Everything was very good. My daughter declared the French toast as the best she's ever had. Then to the Van Gogh Museum. This is one of my all time favorite - if not my absolute favorite - museums I've ever been to. They have a wonderful exhibit "Van Gogh in Auvers", with paintings from museums around the world from the last couple months of his life. It was amazing! We planned to pick up picnic supplies from the store and have a picnic dinner on the huge lawn area in front of the Rijksmuseum, but it started to rain. Picked up picnic supplies and had an indoor picnic instead. Rain stopped and we headed out for a walk and some souvenir shopping in the evening.
7/16 - Went out for Dutch pancakes for breakfast - everyone enjoyed theirs - and then some walking around and shopping in the afternoon. Went to a local Italian place for dinner. The food was good, but something about it, the conversation, the friendly waiters, the room, made it our favorite dining experience. It was a great last day.
7/17 - One more stop at 'The Coffee District' for coffee and pastries before heading out to catch our train to Bruges. After arriving at our place about 4, we headed out to the store for supplies (soup and grilled cheese for dinner). My wife and I headed out to explore after dinner (the girls were tired). We loved walking around the town. We kept saying it didn't seem real. It's lie a set from a movie. We found a little Irish Pub in a square and had a drink and relaxed.
7/18 - My oldest daughter and I set out for a walk and some window shopping in the morning. Picked up some chocolates from Dumon - very good. Then the four of us headed out and took the canal cruise. It was a very enjoyable experience. Visited the 'Church of Our Lady' and saw the Michelangelo statue there. Amazing! Stopped for a waffle and ice cream before heading back for a rest. Back to the Irish Pub for dinner. Food was good, and we enjoyed a walk around town afterward.
7/19 - Our youngest's 16th birthday! Don't know if she knows how lucky she was to spend her 16th in Bruges. My oldest and I headed out in the morning to climb the Belfort. What a view. Picked up pastries for breakfast afterward. Headed out for some shopping and a a visit to 'The Old Chocolate House' for some gifts and chocolates for us. Enjoyed them over the next few days, but I preferred Dumon overall. Found a little chees shop/deli and picked up stuff for dinner there. Headed to 'Lizzy's Waffles' for a late lunch (??). My daughter really enjoyed it - so did the rest of us. and it made for a memorable bday.
7/20 moving day. We're headed to Amboise. Our train from Brussels to Paris was 20 mins. late which caused us to miss our train to Tours. We were ab le to get on the next train, but without seats. Everyone was very helpful, and we were actually able to sit in the food service car for the entire trip. Next was the part I was dreading the most - renting a car in France. Let me stop here and thank everyone here for trying to put my mind at ease (and it worked to some extent) when I posted about my fears. I don't like renting a car here in the U.S. and that stress was tenfold when renting in Europe. I was worried about insurance, turns out the credit card insurance is void (at least that's how I understood it) because the rental agency includes insurance with the rental - BUT with something like a 2600 Euro deductible. I had nightmares of them telling me I was responsible for a scratch or dent and owe them $1000. For piece of mind I bought the full coverage 99 Euros for 3 days. I felt much better and we set off for our Airbnb. Great little place across the Loire River from the city itself. Headed to the store and got breakfast and dinner supplies. Walked over to town and just wandered. What a great place.
7/21 - Visited the Amboise Chateau and Clos Luce. Enjoyed both of them. Had a leisurely lunch in town. We planned to go to Chenonceau that evening. I screwed up and thought it was open much later than it actually was. We were able to get tickets for the last time slot, and unfortunately only had about 30-40 mins. inside before it closed. However, there were only about 2-3 other families there at that time and we felt like we had the place to ourselves. It was an amazing place, and my favorite chateau that we saw.
7/22 - Drove to Chambord on this day and enjoyed wandering around and getting lost inside. Had a nice lunch at one of the little restaurants on the grounds. Then drove to Cheverny. The chateau was my least favorite, but we enjoyed walking around the grounds seeing the dogs. Tried to make a meal of everything we had left in the fridge as we were leaving the next day for Paris.
7/23 - Checked out and walked over to town one last time. Drove to Tours and dropped off the car (Avis was closed so I parked and dropped the keys in the drop box). Hopped on the train to Paris and made our way to our Airbnb apartment there. It was very close (2 mins max) to the metro which was a nice change from our place in London. Got settled and headed to the store down the street for supplies. After a dinner of pasta we, minus our youngest who was tired, headed out to explore and stop in at a cafe for a drink.
7/24 - Headed out to a local bakery for pastries. This became almost a daily ritual - had to find the best one. Arrived at the perfect time for the Navigo week pass. Bought our week passes the second day we arrived for 35 Euros each. Decided to do some sight seeing. Headed to Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triumph. Headed home to make dinner (salmon and chicken). Went out for our other ritual, a drink at a local cafe.
7/25 - Visited the d'Orsay today. This is also one of my top museums, BUT it was soooo crowded that it distracted from the experience. We all seem to wander off (my youngest and my wife stay together) and bump into each other as we wander. People were packed in the room with the Impressionist paintings. You almost had to, and if you ask my youngest it wasn't almost, elbow your way in to get a close look. Seems like many people just wanted to get up close and take a picture then move on to the next for a picture and so on. To each his own.... Still one of the best museums you can go to in my opinion. Had lunch at a cafe a few blocks away. Everyone enjoyed their lunch. Walked along the river before heading home
.
7/26 - Hit a new bakery for pastries and decided to have a slow day. We'd been pretty busy and it felt good to not have plans. Went to the Pantheon (didn't go in) and them over to the Jardin des Plantes. Found a place and got gyros for a light lunch. Headed home and read watched tv before making dinner (breaded chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans).
7/27 - My wife, oldest daughter and I headed out for breakfast at Cafe de Flore. Everything was very good, especially the hot chocolate! Wandered around that neighborhood a bit after we ate before heading back. Went to the Bastille Market and bought some souvenirs and dinner (chicken and veg). Relaxed a bit before heading to Pere Lachaise. It was going fine until the rain came. It poured. We had one umbrella between us, so our visit was cut short, but, come on, a rainy day in an old Paris cemetery?? Pretty unforgettable.
7/28 - New bakery today. Everything good but nothing amazing. Louvre visit today. Headed straight for the Mona Lisa. Very organized - two lines to move through to get close. Continued our visit and enjoyed wandering around there for a few hours. After not eating all day we were hungry. Stopped at a place near our apartment for dinner. French onion soup and escargot for apps then dinner. It was good, but maybe because we were so hungry.
7/29 - Another new bakery - our favorite - The French Bastards. Everything was so good. Headed out to visit the catacombs. Interesting, but overpriced in my opinion. Glad we saw it once, but don't need to go back. Walked around that area for a bit then headed home. My wife and oldest headed out for some shopping and I headed to Picpus Cemetery - final resting place of the Marquis de Lafayette. Turns out it was so much more. Long story, but it is the final resting place of over 1300 people guillotined during the Reign of Terror in 1794. You have to be a descendent to be buried there. Lafayette's grandmother, mother, and sister were victims which is how he came to be laid to rest there. Also at the cemetery I was the recipient of the kindness of a stranger. I did not use any cash the entire trip. I'm not used to that so it was kind of strange to pay for everything with my phone (just old fashioned I guess). Anyway, there was a 2 Euro entrance fee, and I didn't have it. The guy at the office was very nice and we were trying to figure out how I could pay when a guy pops his head in and begins speaking French with the 'gatekeeper'. Then the guy turns to me and says "it's history" and pays my entrance. It made my day. One my way back I joined my wife and daughter for a drink at a cafe down the street. It started pouring, so what do you do....have another drink. Stopped at the store for pizza and pasta for dinner. One last drink after dinner tonight.
7/30 - Our last day. Back to The French Bastards for pastries. Headed to the Musee de l'Orangerie without reservations, but we were able to walk right in. Love this museum. Wandered around the gardens there and some local shops. Headed to a cafe down the street for what turned out to be my favorite meal in Paris. A ribeye steak with bleu chees sauce, fries, and a salad. Duck confit (wife and oldest) and a cheeseburger for our youngest. My youngest and I had a delicious creme brulee for dessert while my oldest had the floating meringue. Just espresso for my wife. The we headed to the Eiffel Tower. This whole making reservations for everything was new to me. I didn't do my research and tickets to the Eiffel Tower were sold out when I looked about a month before our trip. BUT, when we first arrived in Paris I checked again and tickets were available to the top on out last night in Paris! We headed over after dinner and enjoy a very memorable night. Came down just as it was lighting up. Stayed a while and took a bunch of pics. A perfect ending to our trip.
7/31 - Headed out to get our tickets for the train to CDG and came back, cleaned up a bit, and got packed to go. The train was easy and uneventful. CDG security was unorganized and a bit of a mess. We got there in plenty of time and got to our gate with enough time to pick up some snacks before boarding. The flight home was booked through Virgin Atlantic, but was a Delta flight. It was fine, but I thought the Virgin flight was much better. Non-stop flight, about 11 1/2 hours home. Breezed through customs/immigration, collected our bags and met my brother in law for the ride home.
It was a trip that none of us will ever forget. We saw just about everything we wanted to see, and had so many wonderful experiences. Thanks to everyone here who provided help along the way, either to my questions or all the posts I read to get ideas. I know this may have been a long tr and I'm a 'just the facts' kind of writer, so if you made it this far, thank you. If you have any questions or want more specifics, I'll be happy to share.
Thanks again,
Robert
Aug 3rd, 2023, 12:58 PM
#4
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Wonderful report and sounds like your kids were a great age for really appreciating the sights and sounds. We took our kids at 12 and 17 to London, Loire Valley and Paris and it was a memorable and unforgettable trip. One wrinkle though was the 17 year old got sick at the end of trip and ended up at the American Hospital in Paris and got his appendix removed. So younger son and I headed back to Calif and my husband and son for an extra week got an up close and personal look at the French healthcare system which proved to be excellent!
We’ve all been back many times since then, but we will never forget that first trip to Europe as a family.
We’ve all been back many times since then, but we will never forget that first trip to Europe as a family.
Aug 3rd, 2023, 01:56 PM
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A wonderful family trip to Europe, with two birthdays and an anniversary to celebrate, couldn’t get any better! Thanks for taking the time to tell us about it, I got to revisit several favorites along the way. Reminded me our trip to London is still pending from 2020, need to work on it…
Aug 3rd, 2023, 09:37 PM
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Thank you for taking the time to write this trip report, I really enjoyed reading it. It's really great that you had an amazing trip. I am planning my trip to France soon and I can't wait to try all the pastries. I hope I'll have a similar experience to yours.
Aug 4th, 2023, 01:53 AM
#8
I enjoyed reading about your trip. I liked that you weren't trying to fit ten things into every day. You still saw things but it was a bit more relaxed. That's how I prefer to travel, I do stuff but have time for coffee, meandering and people watching. We loved Brugge too and on a guided walk were told there are 57 chocolate shops in Brugge. My kind of place.
Aug 4th, 2023, 05:55 AM
#9
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Robert,
Thanks you so much for checking back in with this fantastic trip report! I especially liked that you all split up sometimes and that you and your wife found time for drinks alone! Also your pace was great, that is so important on a long trip.
You did so much great research, I am so happy you all enjoyed it so much!
How was your weather?
Were your happy with your time allotment for each location?
Were you happy with the neighborhoods you chose?
What were your daughters favorites?
Well done!
Thanks you so much for checking back in with this fantastic trip report! I especially liked that you all split up sometimes and that you and your wife found time for drinks alone! Also your pace was great, that is so important on a long trip.
You did so much great research, I am so happy you all enjoyed it so much!
How was your weather?
Were your happy with your time allotment for each location?
Were you happy with the neighborhoods you chose?
What were your daughters favorites?
Well done!
Aug 4th, 2023, 06:30 AM
#10
Original Poster
Thank you all for the kind words. We didn't usually get going til about 11. The girls like their sleeping in and relaxed mornings. I was chomping at the bit at times, but tried not to let it bother me. I was in Europe and I didn't want to sit around inside, so maybe I went for a walk in the morning or scouted out a new bakery, made plans for something later in the trip. Like many of you mentioned it was a slower paced trip, only one or two sites a day and I think that helped make it not feel like a whirlwind.
coral22 - Weather was perfect! Mostly low 70's everywhere. It got up to 78-80 a couple times, but we're from So Cal so even that was a break from the 95-100 that was happening back home. We got rain a few times, and we were usually unprepared, but nothing that really affected our trip overall.
I honestly think our time in each place was great. Maybe one more day in Amboise and one less in Paris if I had to change anything.
Neighborhoods were great and safe. I would change in London. Maybe not the neighborhood, as we liked to quiet more residential feel, but would find a place closer to an underground station. Walking 15 mins in the morning wasn't too bad, but after a long day of walking/sight seeing it was a bit of a drag in the afternoons.
My oldest liked the hustle and bustle of Paris. So much to see and do. She has always wanted to visit France so I think that remained her favorite. My youngest is altogether different. Without directly asking her (I will and report back) I think she may pick....hmmm....Amsterdam. We stayed in the museum district, quiet, slow, but close enough to see the city itself. I do think they both loved Paris for sure.
coral22 - Weather was perfect! Mostly low 70's everywhere. It got up to 78-80 a couple times, but we're from So Cal so even that was a break from the 95-100 that was happening back home. We got rain a few times, and we were usually unprepared, but nothing that really affected our trip overall.
I honestly think our time in each place was great. Maybe one more day in Amboise and one less in Paris if I had to change anything.
Neighborhoods were great and safe. I would change in London. Maybe not the neighborhood, as we liked to quiet more residential feel, but would find a place closer to an underground station. Walking 15 mins in the morning wasn't too bad, but after a long day of walking/sight seeing it was a bit of a drag in the afternoons.
My oldest liked the hustle and bustle of Paris. So much to see and do. She has always wanted to visit France so I think that remained her favorite. My youngest is altogether different. Without directly asking her (I will and report back) I think she may pick....hmmm....Amsterdam. We stayed in the museum district, quiet, slow, but close enough to see the city itself. I do think they both loved Paris for sure.
Aug 4th, 2023, 06:41 AM
#11
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I enjoyed your trip report very much! You visited some wonderful places, and how nice to have 24 nights for this trip. Would you recommend your Chelsea location in London? I know you mention it was a longer walk to the Tube. Did you have to take the Tube for all the sightseeing you did, such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc.? We were in London in the 1970's (I am really dating myself), and we hope to return in a few years along with a visit to the English countryside.
The Musee D'Orsay is my favorite museum in Paris! I enjoyed it more than the Louvre. We also love the L'Orangerie. And the cemetery in the rain sounds like my cup of tea, spooky and atmospheric! We loved Chenonceau and Chambord chateaus, too! Your report on France brought back so many wonderful memories. Our oldest daughter and her family lived in France for 10 years but recently relocated to Dallas for their jobs. We visited France on a regular basis, and I love it! I will definitely miss France. Of course, we could still go but there are so many places we haven't been yet. Such as Amsterdam and Bruges, which sound wonderful to me!
The Musee D'Orsay is my favorite museum in Paris! I enjoyed it more than the Louvre. We also love the L'Orangerie. And the cemetery in the rain sounds like my cup of tea, spooky and atmospheric! We loved Chenonceau and Chambord chateaus, too! Your report on France brought back so many wonderful memories. Our oldest daughter and her family lived in France for 10 years but recently relocated to Dallas for their jobs. We visited France on a regular basis, and I love it! I will definitely miss France. Of course, we could still go but there are so many places we haven't been yet. Such as Amsterdam and Bruges, which sound wonderful to me!
Aug 4th, 2023, 01:51 PM
#12
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Very nice report about a well planned and executed trip. Sounds like you all had a wonderful time in each place you visited. Family trips are the BEST! Glad you had a good rental car experience in the Loire. We really enjoyed the countryside there.
Aug 4th, 2023, 03:19 PM
#13
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Great trip report - it sounds like you had a great tour of the bakeries (a trip after my own heart - yum)! Speaking of which, there are some good videos on YouTube about the best boulangeries in Paris (multiple). One of them is Jay Swanson, another is Les Frenchies (and I think they are probably all great - the best one is the one you are in, right?). Maybe you will see one of yours!
Lavandula
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Aug 4th, 2023, 03:40 PM
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I've been to London multiple times and though we've made it to the outside of the Tower, never have we made it in. You spent a whole day there! Would love to hear more.
I still haven't seen the Tate or Battersea and I envy you the McCartney exhibit.
re Chenonceau. Well, I think sometimes a short visit at a quiet time might be more memorable than a longer one earlier. For someone traveling with 3 other people, I think you did well to have made so few errors.
Nice report.
I still haven't seen the Tate or Battersea and I envy you the McCartney exhibit.
re Chenonceau. Well, I think sometimes a short visit at a quiet time might be more memorable than a longer one earlier. For someone traveling with 3 other people, I think you did well to have made so few errors.
Nice report.
Aug 4th, 2023, 06:45 PM
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I really enjoyed reading your report! Your trip sounds lovely, and I’m taking notes for the trip we’re planning next year with our 3 kids, which will include our anniversary but no birthdays. 😊 your pace sounds great. Our kiddos are a bit younger but it is helpful to hear what worked well for your family. Thanks for sharing.
Aug 5th, 2023, 05:55 AM
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Just read this delightful report again and realized that in Amsterdam, we stayed across the street from you at JL No76! We loved that area!
By any chance, was your Italian restaurant Pompa? Our hotel recommended it and it was very good and so much fun, it seemed like a local's spot. That was one of our favorite places.
By any chance, was your Italian restaurant Pompa? Our hotel recommended it and it was very good and so much fun, it seemed like a local's spot. That was one of our favorite places.
Aug 5th, 2023, 12:56 PM
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What a nice trip report! Sounds like y'all had such a lovely time!
We took our two kids to London, Paris and Bruges when they were 14 and 13. We are returning to Bruges next year for just 2 nights/1 day as part of our oldest's college graduation trip next summer as he just HAS to go back again. May I ask where you stayed? We'll also be 4 people with a 22 and 21 year old.
We took our two kids to London, Paris and Bruges when they were 14 and 13. We are returning to Bruges next year for just 2 nights/1 day as part of our oldest's college graduation trip next summer as he just HAS to go back again. May I ask where you stayed? We'll also be 4 people with a 22 and 21 year old.
Aug 7th, 2023, 07:40 AM
#20
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Thanks again for the kind words and support.
KarenWoo - Yes, we liked the Chelsea area. It was a lot more relaxed and quiet. We did take the tube everywhere. It was fast, easy, and convenient.
Sue_xx_yy - looking back I would have loved to get there 30-40 mins earlier, but we did enjoy the quiet time we had. We felt like it was our own castle.
anniegauthier2125 - Not sure of your plans, but I'd definitely recommend airbnb/vrbo etc. It was nice to have our own space, a kitchen, and a washing machine was essential.
coral22 It was Pompa! We really enjoyed our meal there - not the best food we had, but a memorable night. We all said it was one of our favorite meals.
lolfn - I will DM you a link to the place we stayed.
KarenWoo - Yes, we liked the Chelsea area. It was a lot more relaxed and quiet. We did take the tube everywhere. It was fast, easy, and convenient.
Sue_xx_yy - looking back I would have loved to get there 30-40 mins earlier, but we did enjoy the quiet time we had. We felt like it was our own castle.
anniegauthier2125 - Not sure of your plans, but I'd definitely recommend airbnb/vrbo etc. It was nice to have our own space, a kitchen, and a washing machine was essential.
coral22 It was Pompa! We really enjoyed our meal there - not the best food we had, but a memorable night. We all said it was one of our favorite meals.
lolfn - I will DM you a link to the place we stayed.
