Enchanting Paris: How to Plan a Delightful 4-Day Family Adventure

Bonjour, lovely parents! Hopefully by now you’ve read about our travel experience to London which preceded our route to Paris via the Eurostar. In just two hours you can travel from the UK into France! for background, our total stay in the UK and France was 10 days including travel days to and from the US.

Planning a family trip to Paris might seem like a daunting task, but with a sprinkle of magic and a touch of organization, it can be an unforgettable experience for everyone. Imagine strolling down charming cobblestone streets, sharing croissants in quaint cafes, and watching your little ones’ eyes light up at the sight of the Eiffel Tower. Let’s dive into how to make the most of your four days in the City of Light, ensuring a balance of wonder, relaxation, and quality family time.

Eurostar

Let’s talk about the Eurostar. This was a fantastic option for our family of three. Our daughter (four and a half years old) loved it and was so excited to board a train. The location from the Hyatt London Blackfriars was a quick tube ride into St. Pancreas; however, since we had a little one and luggage, we opted for a black cab ride to the station to make for easy drop off. Arranging for a cab at the Hyatt front desk was super easy and I would highly recommend it.

As for the Eurostar, I definitely recommend taking your own lunch/snacks onboard. We paid for standard seating and were quite pleased with our seats. While our daughter was eager for the train ride, she quickly dozed off for about an hour of the ride. The underwater channel is something to experience, while I was nervous about it, I was equally excited. Getting to Gare du Nord Train Station was a breeze but let’s talk about how to prep for the cab ride experience.

We’ve visited Paris many a times and sad to say, this was the first negative cab ride experience we’ve ever had. And by negative, I mean horrible. We followed normal procedures by lining up where security patrols ensure you line up for a cab. Families with young children get priority and we were luckily directed to the front of the line. Security there is lined up to ensure that you board a safe and official cab to prevent any scams. While we did that, we got a driver that was terribly rude and awkward and I’m sure would have swindled us if we would have allowed it. He stated he did not accept card which is not allowed by official cab drivers in Paris. My husband ensured that he paid the actual rate he knew would be due and not a euro over. It was just bad because even my young daughter picked up on the awkward silence and drive in.

Our negative experience was quickly forgotten as we entered the revolving doors at the Hilton Paris Opera Hotel. A delight upon walking into!

Hilton Paris Opera

This hotel deserves a blog post of its own. I can’t wait to go back!

We booked an Executive Room with a King bed and rollaway bed. We were delighted to receive an upgrade to a larger room equivalent to a junior size suite. We had so much space, which if you’ve travled to Paris before you just know is just not common. We had a small corridor that connected the spacious room to the restroom adjacent to the hallway.

My daughter couldn’t stop talking about how fancy the room was and she was so happy to have her own little rollaway bed that was quite lux all on its own. Perfect for a little four and a half year old gal. The large windows opened slightly and just gave it that touch of Parisian elegance.

Because we are Diamond members with Hilton we had daily breakfast for the three of us. Breakfast was really great and had several options. Mila continued her normal fruit and cereal selection and again here, it was just nice to be able to wake up from our room and head down the elevator for breakfast. No wasted time (or money) as with littles you know that their appetites with jet lag can take a while to fully adjust. So it can be a hit or miss. I’d highly recommend paying out of pocket just to have access to executive member benefits as some rooms come with the option. Another great think about having status with Hilton is that you have access to the Executive lounge. This was great as you were able to walk into the lounge at anytime during the day and grab bottled drinks, coffee, tea, fresh fruit or snacks. This is a huge win for families travelling with little kids. Their lounge overlooks the city streets and has televisions which is great for parents who are looking to get a little midday break. Around 5-7pm daily they have an evening cocktail hour with wine and beer and small bites. Refreshments and desserts are also available. This too was a nice option for those nights where we had an activity scheduled in the evening and would be having a late(r) dinner.

Again, this hotel was a 10/10 for me. We would normally book an apartment in Paris before becoming parents, and we had contemplated doing the same but nothing tops 24 hour concierge/medical services onsite and all the amenities we mentioned.

Day 1: Charming Beginnings Jardin des Tuileries and Dinner at Gruppomimo

Early Eurostar departure allowed for 1pm (ish) arrival into our hotel. Minus our cab experience, this was a terrific option for our family. Our hotel accommodated a slightly earlier check in for us and we were ready to hit the town. We grabbed a quick snack and drink at the Hilton lounge and were on our way.

We decided to walk around our hotel and then ventured out toward the Tuileries Gardens. We had such a lovely time people watching and getting to know the area. Because we were there in the Spring, we were able to see much of the prep work for the 2024 Olympics. It was truly amazing to see the work in progress. Monuments and landmarks were being prepared for what would be the summer Olympic events.

Before we knew it, we were ready for dinner and had unknowingly ventured so far out walking that we only had a short distance to walk to Gruppomimo, a restaurant that we had been eyeing since making plans to travel back to Paris.

We weren’t going to brave the walk back to our hotel, so it was time to take the Metro. Such an easy process and system to navigate. Our daughter was so excited for her first ride.

This was a fantastic choice; the service was amazing, and our little gal was welcomed. The ambience was both chic and hip and would make for an amazing date night dinner. Because we had arrived earlier than normal dinner time, they had no problem seating our family at a booth but they did mention they had reservations later so we knew to be mindful and not overextend our mealtime. Anyone traveling with young children knows that’s not a problem since kids can get restless after some time. Needless to say this adorable restaurant is a must, we’d definitely return in a heartbeat.

Day 2: Whimsical Wonders Palais Garnier Opera House, Galleries Lafayette, and Montmarte

This was a jam packed day to say the least. We were exhausted by the end but it was so worth it. Mila was able to keep up with the walking (remember we opted for no stroller or carseat). The great thing about Paris is that the Metro is affordable, fun for a kid, and takes you to so many places.

We were really cautious to not book many tours because we wanted to have the freedom to explore as we’d like particularly since we were traveling with a four-year-old. We made sure to book our tour to the Opera House early in the morning. Right after having our breakfast at the hotel (again such a great benefit for Hilton Diamond members) we made our walk to the Palais Garnier Opera House. While we didn’t book a tour, we did have entrance reservations, so we were amongst the first that entered and we just took in the views room, after room. Mila loved it!

Next up were the Galleries Lafayette, here we toured the different department stores located on each floor. Did a little shopping and finally made it to the rooftop where we had breathtaking views of the city. Now we had shopped here before, but this was our first time at the rooftop and it was mesmerizing to experience this as a family of three! Highly recommend this for families visiting.

Another restaurant we had on our list was more of a local hip brewery, Brique Machine. Think 90s themed pizzeria with craft beers and drinks. So fun! Definitely kid friendly with great service and would be back in a heartbeat.

We headed back to hotel for a quick rest and refresh. After resting we headed back to the lounge to grab some drinks and fresh fruit for Mila. During this entire trip we never experienced a meltdown with her or fussy behavior. She was such a great sport, but I do think a lot of that has to do with good rest and nourishment. The hotel options of lounge services where you can fuel your body with good clean food was worth every penny spent.

Now this last part is not something I was expecting. We knew we’d be out exploring but little did I know we’d make the trek to Montmartre and Sacre Coeur. The walk was exhausting and again Mila kept up with the occasional piggyback ride on her dad’s shoulders, but the views were so worth it in the evening. Mila’s treat was her favorite, some ice cream or glace all while taking in the views of the basilica and city from the hilltop.

Day 3: Magical Memories at the Trocadero, Eiffel Tower and Seine River

After a night of wonderful rest, we headed towards the Trocadero to beat the crowds early in the morning soon after having breakfast at the hotel. Such a great decision for us, we had such a lovely time just walking around and taking everything in around us. There were so many photo opportunities and Mila was just overjoyed by the sight of the Eiffel Tower.

We headed towards the bank and onto the Seine River where we ended up having lunch at Francette, another restaurant we had on our list. Kid friendly, fantastic food and views of the Seine and Eiffel Tower and lovely drinks. Top recommendation from me on this one. The fact that you’re docked on a boat makes it so immersive.

Last but not least, you need to take an evening cruise on the Seine. We booked our tour tickets foa a sunset cruise, and it was spectacular for our daughter to experience this with us. We had a large tour group which definitely brings down the price so don’t necessarily think you have to go all out to get the amazing experience.

Day 4: Farewell with Flair Palais Royal and Jardin des Tuileries
We all know the heart break that comes with a beautiful vacation coming to an end. We wanted to make sure our last day was spent slowly, taking it all in. We headed to the Palais Royal early in the morning again, wonderful choice as Mila was able to play and we got so many great pictures. We grabbed coffee and then walked over to the Louvre to have her admire the pyramid. This gave her an opportunity to view such a magnificent monument, and it gave us time to sit back and reflect.

We couldn’t leave Paris without heading over to Angelina’s. While we didn’t dine there the walk up line to dine was reasonable and we were tempted to grab a table. Instead, though, we kept to our plans and bought items to bring back home and of course indulged in some fabulous pastries.

We headed back to the Tuileries where we luckily had great weather and just sat back, people watched and enjoyed the ambience. Mila played on the playground and then opted for a carousel ride. A must for any young kid! After dinner and picking up a delicious Nutella crepe, we headed back to our hotel to pack and prepare for the next morning’s departure.

Paris gave us so many wonderful memories. I had so many reservations about this short 10 day trip to London and Paris but I’m so glad we booked the trip. The memories we made will last us a lifetime. School will begin this fall for our little one and so I feel like that’s the perfect time to plan these types of long-haul trips, when there are no set schedules yet. We had amazing experiences in all the dining establishments, no car seat was needed nor was a stroller. The city is walkable in the Spring and the Metro is a must, kids love it! Of course, you’ll want to be on the lookout for scammers and pick pockets and odd things but it’s truly no different than Los Angeles in New York when it comes to those types of things.

I hope this cozy and charming itinerary inspires you. Rest assured your family’s four-day escape to Paris will be filled with joy, exploration, and togetherness. Here’s to creating magical moments that will be cherished for years to come. Bon voyage!

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xoxo,

The Sun Queen