Paris (France) travel tips/suggestions... with kids

[Jeff Lebowski]

Sounds like a great trip.

I am a firm believer in the value of quality family vacations. The stuff you give them will eventually be discarded but memories will last forever.

[BigPiney]

Those little berets are so damn cute.

[Surfah]

Wow that sounds like the trip of a lifetime.

I need to get out more.

[happyone]

Good suggestions. Some of them even apply to other vacations. One of things I am grateful in growing up an Army brat is the oppurtunity I had to see places I would have never seen other wise, esp as a teenager.

[Moliere]

Glad you had a good time. You are brave to take your young kids to Paris. I'm sure they enjoyed it and will remember it forever.

[Mrs. Funk]

Ahhhh! Wee berets!!!

P.S. Your family is ridiculously gorgeous.

[PaloAltoCougar]

Those are excellent photos, SG. Honestly, I didn't think a family that young could do Paris well, but you certainly disproved that theory. What a great looking family. Congrats.

[fusnik]

Paris = my fav city in the world. Nothing like walking the streets, buying baguettes, eating crepes, and enjoying grecs on the Seine. Que magnifique!

[Surfah]

WoSG reminded me about a couple of things that I missed... I updated the blog, so probably should update here too:

1. Check the foreign transaction fees of the credit cards you carry. For example, after calling American Express I found out our Costco AMEX card incurs a 2.5% fee for each transaction made outside the US. Yikes! Our AMEX card issued by UBS charged 0.5% by comparison, so we used that wherever AMEX was accepted. When we had to use Visa, it was helpful to know that our Schwab-issued Visa card charged a 1% foreign transaction fee compared to the 2% we would incur by using our UBS-issued Visa.
   
2. Buy foreign currency at a local bank (in the US) rather than after you arrive. Several local banks (including US Bank, Wells Fargo, etc) will have a local branch where you can go buy foreign currency... that is, if you have a bank account opened there. We do not have a personal bank account with a local bank, but WoSG's business account is with Wells Fargo. So she was able to go up to the Redmond, WA branch and buy about €500 at the most favorable exchange rate for that day at no commission. It was nice to have the spare cash on hand when the occasion demanded.

Those aren't necessarily Paris-specific tips, but perhaps that will help someone.

Since I'm here... 5 more pictures!

1. Walking the tunnels in the catacombes.
2. Riding the escalators at the Pompidou Centre.
3. Breakfast time in our hotel room (watching the Olympics).
4. Taking a break inside the Paris Opéra house.
5. Just outside the Versailles gate.

cheers.

Your family is ridiculously good looking.

[FN Phat]

If my eyes haven't fooled me, it seems that you have shaved the soul patch? WTF

[Viking]

The Vikings are headed to Paris, Amsterdam and then Norway this summer.

Out of curiosity, how often did you really use cash? I was in Paris, Geneva and Zurich for a week and didn't have a single euro in paper currency...paid for all on amex and used public transport in lieu of cabs (which are a rip off)...but that was on biz not with family and i am worried that i will have to carry a ton of cash

[Viking]

Merci.

[Moliere]

A trip to Paris has been put on the official EJ calendar. Last night MJ and I were talking about next summer's trip plans and we both have this incredible desire to get back to Paris (our honeymoon was the last time I'd been there and the only time MJ has been there). We were originally planning on doing Paris in 2012, but thanks if part to Space Ghost and some local friends who just went to Paris the desire to get back over there was too much so we are planning the getaway which includes flying down the MIL and SIL (MJ's mom and sister) to watch the kids while we are gone. Hopefully the logistics work out.

[filsdepac]

A trip to Paris has been put on the official EJ calendar. Last night MJ and I were talking about next summer's trip plans and we both have this incredible desire to get back to Paris (our honeymoon was the last time I'd been there and the only time MJ has been there). We were originally planning on doing Paris in 2012, but thanks if part to Space Ghost and some local friends who just went to Paris the desire to get back over there was too much so we are planning the getaway which includes flying down the MIL and SIL (MJ's mom and sister) to watch the kids while we are gone. Hopefully the logistics work out.

Nice, I'm currently planning my honeymoon for Paris during the first part of June next year. Let me know if you see any flight deals, as all I've seen are flights in the 1100-1300 range. See you at the monoprix!

[Moliere]

Nice, I'm currently planning my honeymoon for Paris during the first part of June next year. Let me know if you see any flight deals, as all I've seen are flights in the 1100-1300 range. See you at the monoprix!

I checked prices last night and got the same range. We are too far out for any deals so as I start to see them I'll let you know. Interestingly enough we'll be there the first part of June. I'll be the guy wearing the BYU shirt standing next to the skinny, hot babe. Just the utterance of monoprix brings back memories. I may have to hit up Tati as well for some really cheap clothing.

Last night MJ and I hashed out the draft itinerary. Sadly it seems like I'll be in Etretat (favorite little town in France) on a Sunday. I say it's sad because I've always wanted to play the golf course on the cliffs and I knew I'd have to convince MJ to let me do that. To my surprise she said that she wouldn't feel bad if I played the course on Sunday and in fact she'd even walk with me (she's not a golfer) or she'd just hang out on the beach or cafe waiting for my round to be complete. I'm now more excited than ever to go.