France

Paris - Lyon - Marseille - Montagny les Lanches 

After 3 years of saving and planning my wife and I were finally able to take our honeymoon.  Beside the 3 year delay our honeymoon was a little unorthodox, we brought our 2 year old daughter and my Mother In Law.  Now I know what most of you are thinking, but we had a great time.  While we loved our trip there were a few things we would have done differently.  

When we started planning and making arrangements we didn't take into account that we would be expecting another baby.  By the time we left for France my wife was 10 weeks pregnant and dealing with severe nausea.  The trip from Paris to Marseille is 9.5 hours and we were taking this trip by car.  I would recommend making this trip by car rather than train, the country side is beautiful and it gives you opportunity to stop in small French towns that you would otherwise never stop in.  The roads are very nice and taken care of but there are some tolls to pay.  The cost from Paris to Marseille was roughly 60 Euro, but compared to the cost of taking the train and needing cabs was well worth it.  If time is of the essence then take a train.  

Most of our overnight accommodations were booked on AirBNB which I highly recommend.  Here are links to the places we stayed on our visit ( Paris   Marseille   Montagny ).  All of our hosts were wonderful and one of the things I love most about traveling this way was being able to communicate with them through AirBNB.  When traveling in a country that doesn't speak english it is hard to communicate travel plans.  AirBNB has a great app that you can put on your phone or tablet.  It translates the communication into the language you prefer and you can easily reply to messages through SMS or Email.  

We booked the rental car a few months out and got an incredible rate.  We went through EuropCar and ended up getting an Audi A4 for 7 days at 317.00 USD.  The drive was a little rough on my wife because of early pregnancy but I found the drive to be fantastic.  Once outside of the chaotic driving in Paris it was smooth sailing.  The rest stops along the way are very clean and you can purchase fresh sandwiches that you would expect to come from a deli back in the states.  Traveling this way when you have kids lets you take breaks when you want and you get to control your own schedule.

Visiting Paris with your children is a transformative experience.  I was in Paris nearly 20 years ago, but to revisit through the eyes of my daughter trumped that experience.  Although she may not remember her first trip to the Eiffel Tower, I will.  Kids open you up to very friendly encounters with strangers.  Between the cultural divide, children are a common similarity that all can relate to. I know in the U.S the French hold a stereotype of being rude.  I have not found this to be my experience.  On both of my adventures to France I have found the people to be polite and helpful.  

One last thing, and I am not writing this to get free airline tickets.  American Airlines and British Airways provided a great travel experience.  We let them know ahead of time that my wife was pregnant and we were traveling with a 2 year old.  They did everything they could to accommodate us. Call ahead and speak to them, you never know what they are willing to do to help if you never ask.   

Tips:

  • Paris - Take the BatoBus to see all of the local attractions.  BatoBus is a water taxi that travels up and down the Seine River.  You can get off and on as you like and it is very cheap.  Even cheaper if you are a student, bring your Student ID.  17 EU for Adults, 10 EU for Students.
  • Carry a handheld GPS.  I carry a Garmin eTrex 20 .  You will find yourself more comfortable straying off from the tourist traps when you know how to get back to where you started.  The best restaurants are the ones you can't see from Main St.
  • Normal dinner time is 9 p.m. 
  • Paris - Paris METRO RER MAP (PDF)
  • Currency - France is on the Euro and the current Exchange Rate is always changing.  Go to your local bank and exchange at least 200 dollars before heading over.  
  • Marseille - Visit the Old Port.  Wait to buy your souvenirs until you have visited the many street vendors located around the port.  You will find an array of handmade soaps and fresh lavender products.
  • Marseille - Eat at Chez Aldo.  It is required to make a reservation. Even if it is only for lunch this is a meal you won't want to miss.  The freshest seafood you will find in Marseille and a wonderful staff.  They were very friendly and the wait staff kept our daughter entertained.
  • Attempt to speak the language.  You don't need to speak fluently but it shows respect when you try.