I do many tours with families coming to Paris for the first time and always get so much joy seeing their faces light up in wonderment at the beauty of the city.
The M. family, Brent, Christi, and the twins Jonathan & Harrison, who are 13, are from High Point, North Carolina. I was recommended to them by Catherine Jones also from High Point, who did my tour 3 years ago along with eight of her Girl Scouts. (Click here to read about). They were in Davos, Switzerland skiing and snowboarding before they arrived in Paris in early January. The M's had never been to Paris before, so it was an adventure for all of them and they only had two and a half days to see everything.
The first morning we did a city highlights tour in a van. We first went up the hill to Montmartre and saw Sacre Coeur and the family ooh-ed and ahh'ed at the magnificent view of Paris from the basilica. We stopped at a patisserie and the M's got their first taste of the mighty Paris macarons. They were immediately hooked and each day we had a tour, there was a mandatory macaron stop. We drove down the Champs Elysees, pointing out all the American chain shops, and then went around the Arch de Triomphe, and the M's were amazed how the cars got around it without crashing into one another. We got out at Trocadero to view the Eiffel Tower and got some great family photos, possibly next year's holiday card. The boys vowed they were going to climb to the top of the tower that afternoon, all 674 steps. In the back of Notre Dame there is a park and playground and the boys still had so much pent up energy, they gingerly hoisted themselves up a set of modern day monkey bars and made themselves at home.
The next day we did some neighborhood tours and started with the Marais and they chowed down on some exotic dried fruits from the mid-east gourmet shop Izrael and then I dazzled them with the Place des Vosges and the former hotel particuler's. I took them to a typical French cafe for lunch so they could experience their first Croque Monsieur's and the growing boys polished them off quickly along with some pommes frites.
Yum, my first French pastries!
Richard, we are taking a break, you are wearing us out.
After lunch we toured St. Germain des Pres and showed them Saint Sulpice church and mentioned its association with The DaVinci Code. Everyone loved the beauty of Luxembourg Gardens and although Jonathan and Harrison were athletic and energetic, I don't think they were used to city walking that much, so their energy started to wane and they plopped themselves on to a bench. They had these expressions on their face that were saying, "Yes, we are having fun in Paris but this guide Richard is wearing us out a little". Sensing this, we made a pitstop for hot chocolate at a cafe with macarons from Pierre Herme to reenergize. I wanted to show Christi a little bit of Paris luxury and took her and the family into Hermes, which she only knew from their perfumes and didn't realize they made handbags and clothing. She marveled over the silk scarves and got a little sticker shock when she turned over the price tag on a handbag.
After two fun-filled days of painting the town, I said goodbye to the M family and we vowed we would see each other again. I had such a wonderful time with the M's and I felt a void the next day when I didn't have a tour with them. They were so just the most delightful family and why I enjoy doing my tours so much.
Mom and dad.
Playing around in front of Notre Dame.
In addition to my Eye Prefer Paris Tours, we now offer Eye Prefer New York Tours, 3-hour walking tours of New York's best neighborhoods including Soho, Meatpacking/West Village & Tribeca. Tours cost $195 for up to 3 people and $65 for each additional person.Come take a bit of the Big Apple on an Eye Prefer New York Tour!
Come experience my blog ìliveî with my Eye Prefer Paris Tours, which are 3-hour walking tours I lead. The Eye Prefer Paris Tour includes many of the places I have written about such as small museums & galleries, restaurants, cafes & food markets, secret addresses, fashion & home boutiques, parks, and much more.Tours cost 195 euros for up to 3 people, and 65 euros for each additional person. I look forward to meeting you on my tours and it will be my pleasure and delight to show you my insiders Paris. www.eyepreferparistours.com
New! Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes
I am happy to announce the launch of Eye Prefer Paris Cooking Classes. Come take an ethnic culinary journey with me and chef and caterer Charlotte Puckette, co-author of the bestseller The Ethnic Paris Cookbook (with Olivia Kiang-Snaije). First we will shop at a Paris green-market for the freshest ingredients and then return to Charlotteís professional kitchen near the Eiffel Tower to cook a three-course lunch. After, we will indulge in the delicious feast we prepared along with hand-selected wines.
Cost: 185 euros per person (about $240)
Time: 9:30AM- 2PM (approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Location: We will meet by a metro station close to the market
Class days: Tuesday,Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
Minimum of 2 students, maximum 6 students.
Click here to sign up for the next class or for more info.
lucky boys.
they will remember this trip, parts of it, their entire lives. what a wonderful, priceless thing
Posted by: Kathleen | February 03, 2012 at 01:09 PM
Where-where-where is the mound of dirt with the mole emerging?? This is one of those special things I love finding in Paris! And the rose window, too. I'm guessing behind Notre Dame? Next trip my husband and I will have to go looking for it. This was one of your most delightful posts - the headless mini-saint is a hoot - thank you for sharing the Ms' pleasure in discovering Paris!
Nancy Ashley, one of your many happy readers
Posted by: Nancy | February 03, 2012 at 01:28 PM
I have to tell you how much I enjoy your blog -- a lot! It is the only blog I read regularly! Thank you so much. Today's piece about the family from Highpoint, NC was delightful.
Posted by: Elizabeth | February 03, 2012 at 01:29 PM
Great story and lot's of fun photos of the M's.
My favorite photo was the one imitating the statue.
Posted by: Robert | February 03, 2012 at 01:30 PM