Exploring Purposefully…

Coming from London and headed to Greece the following morning, we decided to take the train to Paris for the night. My children were always excited to point out the Eiffel Tower when we saw it on TV, and I knew they would be thrilled to see it in person. Knowing we’d only have about 8 hours to explore Paris, I planned out a walking route that would take us to and past some important landmarks, but also let us soak in some Parisian vibes and continue to work through our jet lag. We also lucked out with the weather, getting a beautiful sunny day.

Itinerary details
Days: a Thursday in April
Lodging: Hotel Malte
Travelers: Two adults, two kids

The morning train ride was comfortable and straightforward, with good snack options, and my kids were amazed at how fast we went (I also enjoyed it). While we had to get up early to be on our way, having three hours of screen time and relaxing was also a nice break in the midst of our adventuring. The train arrival was delayed about 45 minutes, and we got in just after noon. We took a car to the hotel (navigating a ton of traffic unfortunately, with more delays) and were able to check in and drop off our bags. Since we were a little behind schedule, and we’d eaten a fair amount on the train, we immediately set out on foot to the Louvre to make our timed-entry. I believe we entered at the Richelieu entrance, which had a pretty short line (the other lines we saw as we left were much longer).

With only a short time in Paris, we planned to spend no more than an hour at the Louvre, but we ended up being here about 90 minutes. There was just so much to see! We got a quick peek of the Mona Lisa over everyone’s heads, saw some other famous sculptures and ancient art, and then finally dragged ourselves away.

We left through the Jardin des Tuileries, where we planned to walk in the sunshine. The sky was clear blue, the flowers were blooming, and we enjoyed meandering along. Our next timed stop was dinner, and the plan until then was to wander through the gardens, cross the Seine at the Pont Alexandre III bridge, and then stop for an afternoon snack and glass of wine at a cafe in the 7th arrondissement on our way to the Eiffel Tower. 

Our slightly delayed arrival and our extended time at the Louvre meant we were all feeling pretty hangry as we left the gardens, so we tried to pivot and look for a spot to get food sooner. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything nearby (Google Maps said the Petit Palais had a cafe but we didn’t find it), so we ended up getting even hungrier looking around the north side of the Seine before crossing and heading for the area I had originally planned to find food. Thankfully, we found a great spot, sat immediately, and had wine and bread in front of us minutes later. We ordered escargot and other French snacks, had some delicious wine, and our goofy server amused the kids while we all took a load off. This stop quickly turned our moods around, and we kept marveling at how amazing it was to be enjoying delicious snacks at a Parisian cafe.

After filling up, we walked to the Eiffel Tower, taking all the requisite pictures. I had already decided we wouldn’t waste any of our precious time in Paris waiting to ride up, so we enjoyed it from the ground, and then ended up doubling back to another cafe for another glass of wine and snack in the afternoon sun. I had made reservations nearby for dinner, which was delicious, but since we had snacked so much in the afternoon, we weren’t that hungry so ate a light meal. 

We then took a cab back to our hotel, got the kids to bed, and sat out and read a little in the lobby before turning in ourselves.

Our car came very early the next morning for our 9am flight, so we didn’t get to enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Then security lines were quite fast so early in the morning (we were there before most of the restaurants even opened), so we had a lot of down time at CDG before our next flight. Wouldn’t have minded a more leisurely departure, though I’m sure if we had waited, the lines would’ve been longer. Onto Greece!

Final review
What we did well:
I think we saw the right amount of stuff, and we got to soak in a lot of the atmosphere. There are so many places to see in Paris that we just didn’t have time for – the Notre Dame, the Arc de Triumph, Montmartre – and it would’ve felt hectic trying to squeeze it all in. Planning a 3.5 mile walk through Paris, with two major sights (the Louvre being educational, the Eiffel Tower being iconic but quick), and the rest of the time just enjoying the city and the food was ideal. We certainly haven’t “done Paris,” but we got a taste and will enjoy going back in the future.

What I would do differently next time:
I wish I had planned our food better, and I should’ve known that I wouldn’t be ready to leave the Louvre in only an hour. Our kids are past the age where we feel the need to always have snacks available (and who wants to snack on granola bars in Paris??), but having emergency rations or getting a croissant before leaving the Louvre would’ve made the next hour more enjoyable for all of us. That said, my family can stay focused during discomfort, and I was happy that there were no tantrums (and minimal sniping), and we were able to push through.

Any feedback or thoughts? Do you think we did well with our 8 hours to explore Paris? Any other suggestions for avoiding hungry meltdowns? Feel free to leave a comment!