Category Archives: paris

poilâne

poilane-paris

miche-poilane

 

P stands for…Poilâne! I find myself at this amazing bakery (first opened in 1932) whenever I’m in Paris. They are most famously known for their round, sourdough country bread – miche or pain poilâne, with their signature “p” carved into the top. Their flagship shop (shown here) is in Saint-Germain des Prés, but they also have locations in the 3rd + 15th, as well as in London! Why not visit them all…and be sure to try the Viennese pastries as well. Check out this fascinating video featuring the late Lionel Poilâne himself, as well as this beautiful video detailing their bread-making process.

Poilâne | 8 Rue du Cherche-Midi 75006 Paris

ladurée with kids – paris edition

fleurishing-famille-paris-laduree

 

Would you believe I still have content to share from our Paris trip?! I have a big finale planned, once I reach the end of it all…and I’ll be reaching that point soon (very soon). We made reservations for brunch at Ladurée, at the Champs-Elysee location (we had plans for the Arc after), and asked photographer Ashley Ludaescher to join us. I was curious if it would be suitable for toddlers  – I had seen a few there before, but never my own! Knowing how well-behaved Henry + Marie are gave us confidence, but hey – they’re still toddlers. We went in with the mindset that it wouldn’t be a leisurely experience, but that it was possible. Plus, I introduced them to the joy of macarons early. Start ’em young, am I right?!

 

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french is beautiful

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“Aucun pays ne profite aussi bien de la vie sur terre que la France.

No country does life on earth better than the French.”

Blackpoodles

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The author of this quote is unknown except for their pseudonym, but no matter – the message is poignant, and so very true. I’m deviating from my usual focus on language in this series, in light of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. While many others have eloquently articulated their feelings on this subject better than my writing abilities would ever allow, I simply cannot remain silent. It’s no secret that France has my heart, and Paris is at the beating center of it. It hurts me deeply to see the French people, and the city, suffering so. And yet, while hearts are heavy, the messages and displays of strength, resilience, and hope shine brightly through the darkness. The city of Paris has a Latin motto: fluctuat nec mergitur, which translates to “tossed by the water but not sunk”. We have all felt the waves, around the globe. As “blackpoodles” stated so beautifully, “Paris, we love you. We cry for you. We know you will laugh again, and sing again, and make love, and heal, because loving life is your essence. The forces of darkness will ebb. They will lose. They always do.” Thank you Paris, for sharing your strength with the world. Take comfort knowing that we stand with you.

* french is beautiful is a regular series – browse the archives here *

canal st. martin with kids

kids-canal-st-martin

 

Believe it or not, I still have content to share from our Paris trip…too much goodness! We dedicated a morning to Canal St. Martin in the 10th arrondissement, one of my favorite neighborhoods. We stopped at Ten Belles for our caffeine fix – don’t miss it if you’re in the neighborhood. From there we strolled down to the Canal and set the kids free. As I’ve said before, their favorite places (as toddlers) are where they can run and play freely, such as Jardin des Plantes + Palais Royal. As luck would have it, a picture perfect barge was docking right as we arrived. Paris can be such a show-off, am I right?!

 

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They (attempted to) skip stones à la Amélie, frolicked, giggled, and talked to pigeons. As snack time approached and they became a bit more rowdy, they took a serious interest in the rails along the canal. As dirty as we knew they were, we just couldn’t resist their cuteness and laughter so we let them slide and crawl along. Sometimes you just have to let them be little. We strapped them back into our stroller (so glad we brought it with us) and made our way to (nearby) Du Pain et Des Idées for a morning treat + my favorite children’s boutique, Centre Commercial Kids. A perfectly Parisian morning!

 

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Canal Saint – Martin | 75010 Paris

palais royal with kids

playing-palais-royal

 

I’m thrilled to be sharing one more of our favorite kid-friendly spots in Paris, in collaboration with Gap Kids (you can see all the amazing people + places via #littlecityguides). In case you missed them, check out our first + second spots…they are beautiful places to explore with children. Today also happens to be National Twin Day, which I somehow miss every year, so I’m thankful to be able to celebrate it with some Parisian cuteness courtesy of Henry et Marie. The gardens and architecture of Palais Royal have always been a destination for me – both visually stunning and a beautiful oasis from the city chaos that surrounds it. With a major renovation having just been completed, I couldn’t wait to take the kids.

 

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The courtyard known as Cour d’Honneur is such a fun place for both adults and children, thanks to the Colonnes de Buren, an art installation that was quite controversial when first introduced in the mid 1980’s. It’s many black-and-white columns of varying sizes seem to beckon toddlers, providing the perfect backdrop for games of hide-and-go-seek, running in circles, pigeon chasing, and sitting pretty. As soon as we arrived, Henry + Marie knew just what to do, and could have spent all day doing it. The kids were looking playful + classic in their Gap duds – Marie in her favorite denim jacket + stretch jeans, and Henry rocking his skinny jeans, bow tie + suspenders. As you may have noticed, suspenders are Henry’s jam  – what was born out of necessity to hold his pants up has become his signature look, ha!

 

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It was very difficult to narrow down my images for this post, as the gorgeous backdrop, beautiful day, and cuteness of the kids made for so many awesome shots. I highly recommend it as a spot to take your children in Paris – grab a coffee from nearby Cafe Kitsuné, let the kids get their energy out, and then enjoy a leisurely stroll through the gardens. Many thanks to GapKids for outfitting Henry + Marie and letting us share our adventures…merci mille fois!

 

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Palais Royal – Cour d’Honneur | 8 rue Montpensier 75001 Paris