If you do not happen to be coming to Paris in the forseeable future, don’t worry, a lot of the Marie Puce label is also available on-line. I guess it is a bit like a virtual shopping trip to Paris!

- Emilie

So here is my list of what to do in Paris with your family for a weekend (or more!) in Paris:

SEE:

The Pompidou Centre – great for the whole family. The permanent collection is world-class and well laid out, not too big and not too small. The ground floor has a little exhibition center just for kids that normally runs parallel to the temporary exhibitions and helps kids understand the exhibition. If nothing else, taking the rolling staircases, which are on the outside of the building in the plastic tubes, is an activity in itself.

The Galerie de l’Evolution – Paris’s natural history museum, which has recently been renovated and is worth a visit, especially if it is rainy outside. It is a beautiful space and is set in the Jardin des Plantes, the Botantical Gardens. It is a lovely to have a walk around in.

The Menagerie in the Jardin des Plantes – Also in the Jardin des Plantes is the Menagerie, a little zoo that has been around since the mid-19th century and has not changed a lot since then. It is a great size for smaller children and very charming.

The Sacrée Coeur and Montmartre – Montmartre and the Sacrée Coeur is a fun place to explore – unfortunately a lot of tourists agree with this, so the main streets are often packed with tourists. It is quite easy to avoid them though, as the groups normally stick to a few road and squares.

I recommend taking the funicular (easily my favourite public transportation vehicle) up to the top of the hill (you pay with a metro ticket). The view of Paris from the Sacrée Coeur is one of the best. If you walk back down the steps you will find a beautiful old merry-go-round – you might recognize it from the movie Amelie Poulain.

Musée D’Orsay – The Musée d’Orsay is a really accessible museum for kids from about 5 years and up. It houses a lot of the famous impressionists, so it is a great introduction to art and famous artwork that your kids might already know. It is right in the heart of Paris on the right bank of the Seine, beside the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens, the perfect place to go and have a run about in after a museum visit. Do note that one of the crazy things about parks in France is one is often not allowed on the grass and there are fierce looking officers with whistles paroling the parks to make sure it stays that way!

Cité des Enfants - The cité des Enfants is based in the Science Museum a little bit outside the centre of Paris at La Villette. It is definitely worth the treck out if you are staying for a few days. All the exhibitions are interactive, educational and fun. I have been there with my kids and it is quite interesting how different kids gravitate towards different part of the exhibition. The exhibitions are divided between a section for 2-7 year olds and a section for 5-12 year olds. I would advise booking tickets in advance from the museum’s website.

PLAY:

Luxembourg Gardens – The Luxembourg Gardens is possibly my favourite park in Paris – it is beautiful and very, very Parisian. Again you will stumble over the problem that it is hard to find a piece of grass to sit on, but you can sit on the famous chairs, go on the merry-go-round, rent little boats to push around the little pond with a stick, visit the play area (you will notice all the French parents sitting on the benches outside the area while the foreign parents are running around the area trying to keep an eye on their children).

Jardin d’Acclimatisation – the Jardin d’Acclimatisation is situated in the bois de Bologne, on the west side of Paris. This is without a doubt my children’s favourite park. It is a bit like a permanent fun fair with rollercoaster rides, a domestic animal zoo with some random lama’s chucked in, little ponies to ride on, swings, a little water park and several play areas. There is a little train that goes from Porte Maillot to the Jardin which children love!

Parc Floral – on the other side of Paris in the east is the Parc Floral, situated in the bois the Vincennes. It has a great play area and also over the summer has a great climbing circuit through the trees from 6 years onwards. Children are put into harnesses and get to climb and swing through the forest. The Parc Floral also hosts open air concerts (mostly classic and jazz) during the summer months.

Parc de la Villette – If you have trekked out to the Cité des Enfants, don’t miss the play area in the Parc de la Villette. It has some of the best play equipment I have seen, for all age groups.

EAT:

Petit Café du Monde – Though it is tucked away in a residental area in the 11th arrondissement, do stop by this café if you are in the area. It is especially good if you have small kids as there is a great play area and parents can relax with a good coffee and a piece of organic cake while kids play.

Pain Quotidien – The Pain Quotidien has branches all around the world, but I wanted to include this in my list as it has something 99% of French cafés have not: highchair and a changing table. The branch I go to is right in the middle of Paris in the Marais, and it is a good brunch/ lunch pit stop.

Salon de Thé Bonpoint – This tea room is in the basement of the beautiful flagship store of Bonpoint. It is a perfect place to stop for lunch after a morning of shopping around St Germain or after having had a run around the Luxembourg Gardens which are only a few minutes walk.

Rose Bakery – Courtney introduced me to Rose Bakery as I was refusing to go to an English bistro in Paris. She insisted and I now love this place. It is especially good for breakfast, if you are not a huge fan of the croissant and pain au chocolat’s on offer in French cafés. There are several branches of Rose Bakery in Paris..

Marché des Enfants Rouges – The Marché des enfants rouges is situated in the north part of the Marais and is such a fun places for kids as you order your food from the different stalls and sit down along long table and benches to eat your food. There is a great Japanese stand, but you can also choose between crepes and creole food to name a few.

Café de l’Industrie – This is as classic a French hip café as they come. I like it because they like kids in this place. No special extras are offered to them but no one minds if things get spilt of if a table is a bit noisy. There is a very reasonable kids menu if you ask if it.

SHOP:

Bon Marché – I am not a big fan of department stores, but if you are looking for a place that has everything under one roof, the Bon Marché is the place to go. It is not as crowded as the Galerie Lafayette on the other side of the Seine, and the toy department is fabulous, as it the children’s clothes department (and the shoe department, and the handbag department…)

Marie Puce is a lovely little boutique in the heart of the 6th arrondissement. Beautifully designed French clothes, mostly made in France. Classic with a interesting twist. Definitely worth having a look at. (If you don’t happen to be coming to Paris in the near future you can also shop on their website.

Serendipity is just down the road from Marie Puce, it is made the most famous interior design shop for children in Paris. It mixes it’s own designs together with carefully chosen pieces. You will find everything her from beds to room accessories.

Bonpoint – The flagship store of this label is well worth a visit, there are rooms after rooms of beautiful children’s clothes, housed in a beautiful house, just off the Luxembourg Gardens.

Bonton – Bonton used to be under the Bonpoint umbrella but is now flying on it’s own. The recently opened flagship store on the boulevard Filles de Calvaire in the 3rd is great, there is a hairdresser, the lovely Bonton clothes, an interior deco department, a great little book department, accessories for birthday parties

Wowo – Wowo is a tiny children’s clothes boutique just across the street from Bonton on the rue Froissart with sweet, quirky designs. They have a great collection of baby, boys and girls clothes. I also love their fabric which they sell in store by the meter.

Petit French Trotters – French Trotters has been around for year and has a great collection of women’s clothes. Pretty much next door, Petit French Trotters has opened with an equally great collections of children’s clothes.

Alice à Paris – Alice à Paris has managed a rare feat: stylish French clothes at very reasonable prices, I stop in one of the boutiques a couple of times a year to stock up.  There are several boutiques around Paris.

Talc – Another great French label and a big favourite with the mom’s out here. The boutique is in the 6th in the rue Jacob. The designs are simple but comfy and fun. The clothes are often recognisable by the cute animal ears sewn on top of the hoods.

Soeur – this one is an interesting one as this shop designs for the teenage market from about 10 years up (though both Esther and I have found some pretty nice pieces for ourselves there). The Soeur style does represent the style a lot of teenage girls in Paris dress – relaxed but with style. The boutique is the the rue Bonaparte also in the 6th.

SLEEP:

Georges V – This is THE address if you are staying in Paris grand style. Products based on the age of the style will be supplied, each child receives a present on it’s arrival, a children’s hairdresser can be ordered to come to the room and games and toys can be borrowed from reception. The Georges V comes with a prices but I am sure the service is impeccable

I-Escape is one of my favourite website to find hotels on and their list of Paris family-friendly hotels is really good

VRBO is a great way to find a holiday flat without using an agency. A few friends of mine have used VRBO to find a short term rental in Paris and have always been really happy with the flats they have found. Staying in a flat if you are travelling with kids does have advantages, as being able to cook meals at home after a long day of sightseeing can be a life saver!

Such a fun way to introduce the city of lights to your kids. I love the fact that Joel has, very thoughtfully, included a brief description of all the buildings onto his PDFs, so this game can be educational too.

- Emilie

You see, in France we still address each other with Madame, Monsieur and Mademoiselle — the equivalent of Sir, Madam and Miss. These terms, as far as I can tell, have completely dissapeared out of the English/American vocabulary. I really like this politeness. When I walk into a bakery I greet everyone in there with a general “Bonjour Monsieur/Dames” and when it is my turn I get told “A vous, Madame”.

There is a campaign in France to get rid of the Mademoiselle,  which makes total sense. My grandmother’s two best friends, 90 and 92 respectively, are still known as Mademoiselle as they never got married. I address them as Mademoiselle, whilst they call me Madame, and there is not a lot of logic in that. I do hope the shopkeepers will continue to call me Mademoiselle though (and not forget the wink)!

What about in your country, are women still being addressed as Senorita, Senorina or Fräulein?

- Emilie x

The illustration is of Coco Chanel, one of France’s most famous Mademoiselles, by Adrian Tomine for the New Yorker.

I love using the Velib’, but cycling around a city with kids in tow is just not possible. The arrival of the Autolib’ was announced months ago and I have been peeking down my road, to see if there were going to be any cars parked close to me. And suddenly there were 4 neatly lined up electrical cars right across the road!

I now just walk a few meters, swipe my card, unplug the car from its power socket and off I go. It’s brilliant and has already taken me all around Paris. There are not yet that many parking stations, but new ones are opening every day. For the kids, I just bring along booster seats, which are easy enough to carry.

-Emilie

P.S. Have you ever driven an electrical car? It is soo quiet!

One thing with ethically made goods is that they are always a bit pricer than high street brands, but the Veja tennis shoes are super well made and will last. I am really trying to buy quality over quantity (not always successfully….). You can find a list of stockist on the Veja website.

Below is a photo of the fab mural outside the Lilli Bulle shop we got to colour in!

]]> http://babyccinokids.com/blog/2011/09/23/veja/feed/ 2 http://babyccinokids.com/blog/2011/08/17/marche-de-st-ouen/ http://babyccinokids.com/blog/2011/08/17/marche-de-st-ouen/#comments Wed, 17 Aug 2011 05:12:59 +0000 Emilie in Paris http://babyccinokids.com/blog/?p=23631
Courtney and her lovely sister were over in Paris a while ago and they persuaded me to expand my horizon a little bit and make the journey with them to Porte de Clignancourt and the famed Marché de St Ouen, otherwise known as les Puces (the Fleas or Flea Market).

I don’t think I had visited this market in 10 years but I have totally fallen back in love with this place. Yes, it is not what it used to be. Yes, things are not dirt cheap and it is hard to find a real bargain. BUT, I love the mazes of little streets full of fabulous things and the sellers who often have a story to tell about each of their wares. I headed back there today and discovered yet another part of the market that I had no idea existed!

Note: This is not a great day out with a hoard of small kids… It is perfect if your child is small enough to sit in a stroller or big enough to enjoy looking at things, but not touching everything. If you are in Paris though and have some time on your own for a bit of a stroll, the “Puces” is a lot of fun. Check out the description of how to get there which Jordan at Oh Happy Day put together — it’s super helpful.

I am definitely picking up City Walks with Kids in Paris. Though I live in this city, I have never used a travel guide to explore it with my kids, and it will be a fun thing to do this summer! City Walks with Kids in Paris and City Walks with Kids in London are available from Smallable. The other Cirty Walks with Kids (Washington, San Francisco and New York) are available from the Chronicle Books website.

• The Pompidou Centre has a relatively new area dedicated to kids — a great way to introduce children to modern art.
• Do look out for the merry-go-rounds that are spread all round the city; you will find anything from flamboyant 2-story constructions looking like a rococco folie to retro seventies space capsules held together with tape.
• Check out the Anish Kapoor exhibit at the Grand Palais. A) because it is a cool building, built for the universal exhibition in 1900 and never taken down. B) because the exhibit is fascinating for children and parents alike.
• The Jardin des Plantes is a sure hit with all children. If it is raining the Galerie de l’Evolution is a great natural history museum. It is not as big as in other cities but it is very well laid out and entertaining. If the sun is shining the Menagerie is a lovely, old-fashioned city zoo.
• If you are looking for some nature, Paris has two woods accessible by metro, otherwise known as the lungs of Paris. The bois de Vincennes is on the eastern side of the city and the bois de Boulogne on the western side of Paris. The Bois de Boulogne plays host to the Jardin d’Acclimatation, a place I drag every single one of my visitors to.
• A bit off the beaten track, but worth visiting, is the huge metal merry-go-round in the 104, an arts centre in the north-east of Paris (Paris is, by the way, relatively small, so do not compare the distances to London or New York). It is a massive welded structure and looks amazing. It is also really fun for kids to have a ride on.
• Buses are frequent and easy to get on with pushchairs (there is a dedicated push chair area in the centre of the bus). It is possibly the easiest way to get around, if you are travelling with small kids.
• Do try the crazy syrups that French kids drink in cafés. One favourite is Grenadine (pomegranate) which makes the drink blood red and the other is Menthe (mint) which makes it taste like sweet toothpaste — kids love it over here.

Voila, just a couple of ideas. Hope you enjoy your visit if you are planning to come…

Maybe for most Parisiennes these tips are self evident. As a non-Parisienne, this type of vital information was not handed down to me from generation to generation, so I need the rules written down in hardcopy! I have not yet achieved the dizzying heights of effortless Parisian chic (especially not on the school run) but I am hoping with a bit more study one day, I might be able to make a pass for a local. The book is available from Amazon (UK and US).

-Emilie

Such a fun chance to meet up with people, see how brands have developed and discover new and exciting labels. And there is always a great space to take your children to play, and a place to meet up for coffee. Let me know if you are going to be there!

-Emilie

I am so excited, this weekend I’ll be heading to one of my favourite children’s events in Paris. Playtime Paris is a bi-yearly children’s trade fair in the lovely Bois de Vincennes on the outskirts of Paris.  A lot of my favourite children’s companies come together to display their new collections… There’s Lili and the Funky Boys, Antik Batik, Moon Kids, Petite by Sophie Schnoor, Soeur and many, many more.

While moms can browse the stands, there will be lots kids entertainment. Check out the So Chic Kids disco on Saturday night — I went with my children to one of their last events and it was a huge success. During the day there will be ateliers and entertainment. And for you “gourmand” out there you can discover my new favourite Parisian cupcakes made by Cakes by Cloe.  I reckon this is going to be a fun day out!

- Emilie

The Argonaute at the Parc de la Villette: The Argonaute is a 1950’s submarine that was taken out of commission in the ’80s and is now moored in the Parc de la Villette, right beside the Cité des Sciences, Paris’ science museum. It is fascinating. The submarine has been kept exactly the way it was and you get a real feeling of what it was like to live and work in such a confined space. The motors are completely exposed and the audio tour (available in several different languages), describes the life on a submarine really well.

Dinosaur exhibition at the Grand Palais: All the boys I know are going wild about the Dinosaur exhibition at the Grand Palais. The exhibition is not too big to be overwhelming but it is a great way to get to know this species that fascinates so many boys. The animated models are VERY realistic, so small children might be slightly scared. Children discover how dinosaurs lived and ate and there is even a replica of a dinosaur poo (somehow poo never fails to get a rise out of the under-18 crowd).

Play area at the Parc de Belleville: This play area is our favourite place to go at the moment. It has been built specifically for city kids to get them to use their imagination and get to know their physical capabilities better. It is such an unsual structure that every kid interprets differently: for some it is a boat, for some a village, for some a jungle and for some just a great place to let go of some steam.

- Emilie

Nowadays when I am in a supermarket I am actively circumventing the bonbon aisle, because if I I don’t I will be stuck there for hours explaining that I really don’t think it is a great idea to buy a cartload of sweets every time we shop.

But, there is a place that I do like to take them to every once in a while. It is a little sweet shop called “Bonbon au Palais” in the 5th arrondissement. The owner has travelled the whole of France to find the best bonbons from every region. The collection is pretty impressive.

The goodies are displayed in big glass vases and the shop is decorated like a 1950’s school room. It is so French, so old-school and so pretty that I get carried away every time we go and buy loads more than I planned!

The Bonbon au Palais
19 rue Monge
75005 Paris
Tel: 01 78 56 15 72

-Emilie

Rebecca (who used to write for us from Washington and who has, luckily for me, moved back to Paris) and I went to the opening and had a blast. The Prosecco was flowing, there was a huge counter full of hams and cheeses and little sandwiches. It was a great way of discovering the shop and the new Bonton summer collection.

Oh, did I mention that they also have one of those old-fashioned photo booths with a bucket full of dressing up hats in front of it? We also took advantage of that, though we were the only grown-ups queueing up for it in a huge line of kids…

- Emilie

BONTON
5 boulevard Filles Du Calvaire
75003 Paris
Open: Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 19:00

Luckily enough, here in Paris, the children’s cinema scene is huge, between the Forum des Images and several yearly children’s film festivals. Cinema is so much a part of the culture over here that the city organises screenings for school classes at least once a semester.

A great cinema event here on a Sunday is the monthly ‘Pochette Surprise’ event at the Balzac, an art house cinema off the Champs Elysees.  On show are a series of short classic films, some of them over 100 years old, mixed in with some classic Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy and some old-school Tex Avery animation shorts. Every short is silent and the whole programme is  accompanied by a musician, so even if you are completely anglophone, you will not miss out on anything… and to make it even better everyone gets a tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream!

- Emilie

About 100 Superheros all got together to party the afternoon away, have their face painted, eat loads of bonbons and play games. It looked a little bit like a small people’s comic book convention considering 80% of the children were dressed up as Spiderman (or Speederman as he is known as over here) but it was a lot of fun, and there are many worse things to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon than teach my kids some moves on the dance floor…

Check out the website for updates on upcoming events!

- Emilie

They can be found along the canal St Martin, an area which, for a long time now, has been attracting lots of little shops and restaurants.  If the rumours are to be believed the Antoine et Lili shops were actually the first independent shops to open up in this area,  turning the area into a trendy little spot.

Anyway, if you are in Paris and like kitsch and bright colours, Antoine et Lili is a must. The kid’s store especially is a bright, bright space with great toys, presents and clothes from the world over. It is definitely not minimalist, but colourful and loud! I also love the homewares shop were you can find great Mexican waxcloths and fabulous melamine plates for the whole family.

Antoine et Lili
95 Quai de Valmy
Paris 75010
Tel:+33 1 40 37 58 15

- Emilie

But it isn’t only during the sales time that you can find bargains. We also have a few local high street shops that have a great selection! Here is a list of a few places to visit next time you are here in Paris or in other French cities:

•It may sound strange to buy your kids clothes at a supermarket, but the Monoprix supermarket chain has a great range of baby clothes called Bout’Chou and CFK for older kids that seriously can rival any design brand. (Unfortunately their website is terrible, so you need to go in person to see what is available.)  A lot of my kids’ clothes are from here. Super cute tunics, trousers, dresses and knitwear makes these a hit with a lot of Parisian mothers.

•Du Pareil Au Meme, otherwise known as DPAM, has now become an international brand, but if you cannot find it in your country of origin, do check it out! It has a great range of clothes,  from newborn to pre-teenagers. The shops are often grouped by three, one catering only for newborns (clothes and all equipment), one for all age ranges and one specializing in shoes…

•A little shop I love called Alice A Paris has some lovely items at very reasonable prices. The collections are very classic and practical (The little dress in the photo is from there). The shop is  in the 6th arrondissement and you can also buy online.

•Another place worth checking out if you like classic clothes is a shop called Natalys, which specialises in baby things up to the age of three. The same group runs a chain of shops called Sergent Major for older kids. I don’t always find what I want in there, but it is definitely worth a look if you happen to be over in France.

•Last but not least, one of my other favorite shops is called Vertbaudet. I mostly order off their website, but they do have some shops scattered around Paris, and all over France for that matter.

Happy shopping!

- Emilie