Visiting Paris with Children | Pittsburgh Family Photographer

May 05, 2017  •  Leave a Comment

Visiting Paris with Children | Pittsburgh Family Photographer

The Best of Paris

My husband is the planner in our family. He's intense and detail orientated. Just before a trip I enjoy searching google, Pinterest and going to the library. Before our trip I found some great resources, "This is Paris" by Miroslav Sasek, "The Best of Europe" by Rick Steves, "City Walks: Paris" and "Mission Paris: A Scavenger Hunt Adventure" a great book for children of all ages. My husband once said that I'm great at ruining his well thought out plans! With that in mind, I try to keep my last minute ideas minimal! He wisely purchased tickets to the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and parking ahead of time which saved us money and/or time. We stayed at Moulin Vert, which is an affordable hotel, with a typical French breakfast in a quiet neighborhood. We had four days to visit. If we had more time we would have visited Palais Garnier, Orsay Museum, Versailles and taken a boat tour.

Louvre | The Queen of all Museums

We landed in Paris and drove straight to the Louvre. We purchased our tickets to online in Pittsburgh so we were able to head straight in. Adult tickets are15 Euros. Kids under18 are free. 

The Mona Lisa is perfect. It was so much fun to wait in line while discussing the Mona Lisa with my children. We had read about her and now they could discuss the painting. We took our share of selfies here too!

Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss is one of my favorite statues. How could marble be transformed into such a romantic, graceful and delicate statue? I can't get my play doh into a believable being, and it's pliable! 

The kids and I spent several hours exploring the Louvre, while my husband and youngest child enjoyed walking along the Seine. While we didn't see all 38,000 pieces of art we tried to see several of the highlights noted on our museum map. Visiting the Louvre was my son's highlight of the entire six week trip to Europe. Some other notable pieces we particularly enjoyed were Venus de Milo and Nike of Samothrace.

Trocadero and Eiffel Tower

My husband's favorite site in Paris is the view from Trocadero. We met friends after dinner at the Trocadero Cafe and enjoyed some French treats together. I had met my friend, Katie, at the Burren College of Art back in the year 2000 and hadn't seen each other since. It was great to catch up and meet her husband. At twilight we crossed the street to see the Eiffel Tower illuminate the sky with it's spectacular twinkling lights. 

Arc de Triomphe and Champ-Elysees

This is Napoleon's tribute to the victories of the French army. Under the arch rests the ashes of the unknown French Soldier commemorated with an eternal flame. Look for the underground passages to take you under the craziest round about in Europe. This may be obvious to most, but on my first trip to the Arc de Triomphe, my friend and I looked at each other, held hands and took a run for it! Wish I had known then what I know now... to get there safely, use the underground passage!

Historic Paris | Ile de la Cite, the heart and earliest cradle of Paris, contains Pont Neuf, Palais de Justice, the revolutionary prison, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Marche aux Fleurs and Place Dauphine

Pont Neuf (new bridge) is the oldest bridge in Paris.

The oldest clock is on Palais de Justice. Palais de Justice is a stunning building that looks like a grand palace with remarkable blue accents.

The Cathedral of Notre Dame is one of the greatest masterpieces of Gothic art. Construction began in 1163 and finished 200 years later. If you climb to the top of one of the towers you will see a beautiful view of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower.

Marche aux Fleurs (flower market) is a refreshing open air market. We walked through the market on our way to Notre Dame from Pont Neuf. We stopped to enjoy the market by shopping for souvenirs and taking pictures.


Sainte-Chapelle can be hard to find. I made it a priority to find it on this trip! It is worth the effort. It's nestled inside the medieval Palais de la Cite, a royal french residence in the 1300s. Jesus's crown of thorns is kept here.

Place Dauphine is a quiet square full of cafes and restaurants. Our 3 year old daughter enjoyed playing with the small stones in the center of the square.

Marais Neighborhood and Pompidou Center | Place de Vosges

Victor Hugo lived in this neighborhood, which was the first suburb of Paris. We enjoyed the architecture and fountains while our young children enjoyed the playground and open space.

Jardin du Luxembourg | The Luxembourg Gardens

I loved it here. I can't even say why, maybe because I felt at peace. It was one of my last minute additions to my husband's plans. I read that the kids would "hire" or rent a boat and sail it in the fountain. That sounds like something my french "host sister" would have enjoyed and I could just see her in my imagination telling me how thrilling it was!

Montmartre and Sacre-Cueur Basilica

Secret Heart is a Romanesque-style baslicia on the top of the hill of Montmartre, the highest point of Paris, has an airy, white Byzantine dome with an unmatched view of the city. This is where you will likely meet a French artist or two.

French Food |American children enjoy 

My children loved the food they tried in Paris. We planned the sites we wanted to visit and simply ate at cafe's and restaurants that we passed on the way. One of our favorite experiences with food was when we had a cheese and meat board for dinner. Since the cheese was rather too sharp and dry for kids, they preferred the baguette, jam, meat and salad.

Quiche

Fondue 

Baguettes or Croissants My children are happy with all types of French bread, from soft and flakey to tough and chewy. My kids love the variety and will put a pad of butter on some bread for a snack.

Croque Monsieur The French take on grilled ham and cheese sandwich, variations are available like tomatoes, an egg on top and even smoked salmon.

Steak Frites Steak and fries is a national dish of France and is served with mayonnaise.

Omelet Typically omelets are filled with herbs and tasty cheeses.

Crespéou A more flavorful version of the omelet, comprised of layers of tomatoes, onions, herbs and so on. 

Cassoulet A simple soup made of meat and beans.

Soupe à l’Oignon or “Onion soup” 

Pain au Chocolat Chocolate wrapped in a pastry like a croissant.

French treats

Crepes My children like to eat crepes filled with sweetened Ricotta cheese, fresh fruit, and a dash of confectioner’s sugar on top. Nutella and bananas is also a hit.

Tarte aux Fruits or “fruit tarts.” My kids love fruits like kiwi and strawberries on top of the creamy centers.

Gougères are small, round cheese puffs. These tasty treats can be served hot or cold, sometimes come with meat or vegetables. 

Éclair

Chocolate Mousse

Crème Brulee or “burnt cream” can come in a variety of flavors: raspberry, chocolate, and coffee in addition to the traditional flavor which is vanilla. 

Clafoutis Similar to a flan or custard, usually made with cherries, is popular with my children.


Laura Mares is an experienced photographer specializing in capturing timeless family keepsakes. Laura works on location and in her fully equipped home studio, located in Mt. Lebanon, eight miles south of Pittsburgh, PA. Laura’s style is creative, natural, and timeless. Would you like beautiful portraits of your newborn baby, to update your child and family portraits or to document a milestone in your life such as a wedding, graduation, birthday or reunion? If you are interested in high quality, timeless photographs, book your session today, call (412) 654-3367 or email [email protected]. To view a wide range of gorgeous portraits and to get great tips, advice and beautiful inspiration follow Laura on Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest.


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