Trip to Paris

My mother visited Paris for the second time since she lived there four decades ago, and she said it was even more beautiful than she recalled. My mom and I are still buzzing from our vacation last week. Here is a summary of our trip where we ate, stayed, and went for walks in case you're considering travelling with save money (or just have wanderlust, as one does). Of course, feel free to share your opinions with us.

My friend Claire and her eight-year-old daughter Elle were my travelling companions for the first few days because my mum arrived a little later in the week. In the Marais, we leased a two-bedroom apartment with wooden beams and large windows. You can rent a private room in someone's apartment — like these and these — which I've done numerous times before, including in San Francisco this past December, and it has always worked out well. Our place was splurgey, but you can also find pretty spots in the area for less than $175/night, including a lovely walk-up, a sunny flat, and a cosy studio; or you can rent a private room in someone's apartment (like these and these). (Be sure to look for favourable reviews!)

Trip to Paris

We took a very lengthy and lovely stroll along the River on the first day. It's such a delight to just go around and take it all in; Paris is such a beautiful city. Elle enjoyed the fun in-ground trampolines in the Tuileries, where we also went (and I began spotting Rivedroite bags, haha).

Trip to Paris

We had supper that evening with Cassi, a longtime resident of Paris and a close friend of Claire's. She brought us to Le Square Trousseau, a neighbourhood cafe situated across from a tiny park. We split escargots and cheeseburgers with comté after sitting down to radishes and butter on the table. When the children became restless, we played tic tac toe on the brown paper tablecloth, but everyone was happy when the chocolate mousse arrived — it was decadently rich yet light in some way? charles de gaulle

Trip to Paris

We explored the Marais the following day, which is home to fantastic shops like Papier Tigre, St. James, Ailleurs, Bonton, Rendez-Vous, and — a neighbourhood over — Landline. Merci, a three-story store selling apparel, home goods, cosmetics, and gifts, consistently draws large crowds. The fruit and veggie candles are really interesting. They also sold grapes soap and hot dog candles (if you, like me, get weirdly delighted by food-shaped things). vacation packages

Where we Eat

We then wandered over to L'As Du Fallafel. Their cult-favorite sandwich, which combines velvety eggplant and crunchy falafel with cucumber, cabbage, and tomato inside a warm pita and drizzled with tahini, has a 20-minute wait but is well worth it. Though we didn't have time to check, several CoJ readers and David Lebovitz argue that Maoz and Miznon are even better; perhaps we could all go back and do a taste test. #falafelwars

Trip to Paris

My mother eventually arrived after a few days! We relocated to a three-bedroom apartment in the sixth district, across the river. (Some beautiful accommodations nearby include a cute studio, a cute rooftop apartment, and a well-regarded private room.) The apartment was stocked with board games, toys, books, and periodicals because the residents were a family with young children, which is always a treat. Also, the building had a horrifyingly little elevator, which I obviously did not use.

Despite not being able to sleep on the overnight trip, my mother was surprisingly not exhausted, so we went to the Luxembourg Gardens, one of Paris' most enchanted locations. Around the fountain, there are green chairs where you may unwind while taking in the sounds of conversations and birds chirping.

Time to visit

I enjoyed this picture of teenaged boys next to a very much eight-year-old! Elle rented a boat to push around with a stick (if it drifts farther into the fountain, just wait for the breeze to push it back).

Trip to Paris

Next we made our way over to the adjoining Marin Montagut shop, where we were fascinated with the baguette pens and artful tea towels. (How cute is the owner, by the way?)

The following evening, we treated ourselves to a traditional French gourmet meal at Allard, which included frog legs, duck with green olives, a mustardy cucumber salad, crusty bread, and butter. DELICIOUSLY good.

Trip to Paris

One perk of travelling with a little girl is having someone who's as excited about lipsticks and reminds you to reapply!

The following day, my mother and I took a short stroll to…

the Musee Rodin, where we viewed the Thinker and the well-known Kiss. I adored what Rodin said about him: "What makes my Thinker think is that he thinks with every muscle of his arms, back, and legs, with his clenched fist and clutching toes, not simply with his brain, with his knitted brow, his distended nostrils, and his compressed lips." Those feet! Watch out; they might cause you to lose heart.

We enjoyed a picnic meal at home one evening while watching The Fugitive since one of the best things about vacations is having time to unwind and do nothing at all. (Lindy West wrote, "Objectively, there's only one decent movie, and it's The Fugitive," without irony, in her brilliant book Crap Actually.)

Yet one eatery, Mokonuts, a hidden treasure in the 11th, is managed by a couple with two daughters, and we made a reservation there months in advance. ............. ............................ We all agreed that the labneh pictured above with olive oil, za'atar, lettuce, and soft bread was the greatest bite we had in Paris. The meal was seasonal, creative, and utterly lovely.

My mother and I took a morning stroll to Barthélemy, a renowned cheese shop. The shop is run by Nicole Barthélemy, a cheesemonger from a long line of cheesemongers, and offers cheeses in different varieties, sizes, and forms. You may just as well point while spinning in a circle.

We went on a boat tour with Green River Cruises on our last night, after the advice of CoJ readers (thank you!). They provided chilled white wine, we brought cheese, bread, and grapes, and we cruised down the Seine past Notre Dame, the Jardin des Plantes, and the Eiffel Tower. What a way to cap off the journey. Although my mother was in paradise, the entire week felt like a gift.

Here is my loot because I always enjoy seeing what folks bring home from their travels. (Pasta blocks, a baby frock, striped sweater for kids from Petit Bateau, soap from Merci, mug and baguette pens from Marin Montagut, chocolates from Alain Ducasse, and little toys from Landline.)

Some places in Paris we adore but aren't depicted include: You should make a phone reservation for dinner at Chez Janou or just walk up before they open at 7 p.m. The Bourse de Commerce-Pinault Collection for artwork; Benchy for extremely cool sandwiches; Dreamin Man for amazing coffee and a chill atmosphere; Free Persephone for wonderful massages and manicures/pedicures; and famous locations including the Louvre, Musée D'Orsay, and Eiffel Tower.