WOW what a vacation!  Mauritius was admittedly not on my radar until we were searching for a warm and sunny February vacation spot, and noticed there was a direct flight (11 hours) from Paris. SO GLAD this gorgeous tropical island made the cut! We all agreed this was one of the best family vacations ever. With calm lagoons, gorgeous beaches, wildlife like dolphins and sea turtles, colorful culture, and incredibly welcoming locals, family travel in Mauritius  was both easy and

Guys, what a little paradise… for 10 days we pretty much lived in swimsuits, hopping from beach to pool to hike. With a generous dose of juicy red tomatoes, feta and Greek yogurt on the side. No surprise here, but Crete as a family vacation seriously delivered. Even more than the gorgeous scenery and delicious cuisine though, it was the locals who really made the trip. From the baker in a lost little town who snuck us some of the catered meal he was preparing (roasted goat an

Did you guys know that France has some incredible tropical islands in its territory? For instance, there is Tahiti in French Polynesia, and then Reunion islands in the Indian Ocean, and then there are a couple islands in the Caribbean like Martinique, Saint Barts (or Saint Barthélemy if you want to say the full name), and Guadeloupe! These islands are extensions of France, with the French language and euro currency, and then the same radio stations, post office, police and fi

Sharing our itinerary for Porto, Portugal today! Guys. Porto is magic .  Everything about it was just wonderful - gorgeous colorful architecture, easy but delicious dining, and a laid back vibe that is not overtly kid-friendly but totally works for families.  The city itself is pretty small, and cut in half by a river (boats - yay!).  My favorite part of this vacation was that it was just EASY.  There is plenty to do, but nothing seems to really book up in advance (note - we

It's no surprise that Greece is a dreamy summer destination. It combines everything that makes for a summer paradise - stunning beaches, a little culture and a little physical activity, delicious food (maybe dare I say my FAVORITE food to eat when it's warm out?), and friendly locals. This is our second summer in a row with a trip to Greece - a resounding endorsement from us! Here’s our itinerary for this time around, including what we loved and tips! We flew from Paris to S

I am FINALLY getting around to sharing about our epic trip down to the southern coast of France to visit the quaint fishing town of Cassis – this city had been on my list forever! I am actually glad we waited to go until the kids were a bit older (5 and 7), as a BIG part of visiting Cassis is hiking. Cassis is snuggled up next to the Calanques National Park, which boasts a stunning coastline of gleaming white inlets plunging into turquoise water, and in my opinion the BEST wa

This is THE question I get asked the most frequently… and I cannot really help you with it! UPDATE! I just wrote a more thorough post on where to stay in Paris with kids over on the Kid&Coe blog - check it out for more detailed info! The amazing view from a family apartment at the Charles Floquet Residence Here’s why: Well… There are hundreds of hotels in Paris – it is one, if not THE, most visited city in the world. While there are tons of hotels, in general, they are mu

Our highlights from the Puglia region in southern Italy ! Italy is just EASY with kids - mealtime is a no brainer (pizza. check. pasta. check.), gelaterias are abundant, and kids are treated well. We had never been to the Puglia region, and I was eager to explore the southern coast of the other European country I love so much (I studied abroad in Tuscany, and then went back to work there for a year post-college!). Here I’ll share our itinerary, and any activities, restaurants

We just got back from an amazing spring break trip to Croatia, and I wanted to share some of my best finds from our voyage. While trying to quickly research for this trip, I really struggled with finding any information on Split with kiddos. I hope this is helpful! I of course prefer that you come to Paris... BUT I just can't not share how amazing Croatia is! We spent a week in Croatia, and visited Split , Hvar , and Dubrovnik , with several day trips mixed in. The beauty of

About five or six years ago, we witnessed a mass migration of friends leaving Paris and moving to Brussels, attracted by the city’s high standard of living for bargain prices compared to Paris. The one upside of having so many loved ones choose to settle in Brussels is that we get to visit there quite often! Which is easy, because Brussels is a mere hour and 15 minute ride away, via the high-speed train Thalys ! This past month we had not one but TWO reasons to go visit the

I have a new goal of writing up some itinerary ideas for each city we visit – it’s a lofty ambition (for me:)), but it’s so hard to find family friendly plans online that it seems very worth it. AND with it being the end of the vacances scolaires , or two week school break that comes after each six week school session, I happen to have quite a few new cities to write up! We started this trip by heading to the south of France, in search of mild temperatures and sunshine. We k

Bruges is like a little fairytale city - each canal is more picturesque than the last, and each building with colorful bikes parked out front breaks the adorable-ometer just a bit more. I last visited Bruges about a decade ago, pre-kids, and I am happy to report that it is just as charming as ever and kid-friendly to boot! Quaint home in Bruges A mere hour train trip from Brussels, Bruges is a shoe-in for a quick day trip. Count about 30€ round trip for train tickets from Bru

Paris cuisine is known for many things – most notably wine, cheese and bread – but did you know Paris is also the home of some of the purest public water? One of the original water fountains in Paris Get ready for one of my favorite things about Paris – and a big euro saving tip! The Paris public water system, Eau de Paris, provides some of the best tap water in the world, and was even featured recently in Zak Efron’s documentary series on Netflix, ‘ Down to Earth .’ Parisian

A Proud Designer One of my favorite things is finding new, English language activities in Paris that are family friendly – nothing makes me happier than discovering that unique activity that will make your stay in Paris even more memorable for you and your kids. That’s why I am SO excited to share this new discovery with you! Last week, I had the opportunity to take a private leather working class and make a custom purse at the adorable Atelier Brune leather-working workshop

This is one of my absolute favorite museums in Paris - an absolute must for any visit to the City of Light that lasts a couple days! Combining a varied and manageable collection in a gorgeous space, magnificent gardens and an on-site café, this is a great option for families. 'The Thinker' tucked into the sculpture garden The museum is housed in a 1700s mansion that was previously Rodin’s personal home and studio. He bequeathed it to the State near the end of his life, along

The Merits of… the French Beach Vacation We are back in Paris, and the summer is over –the ‘ rentrée ,’ or the mass return back to work and school after summer vacation, is in full swing. The weather coordinated perfectly with the end of vacation – starting September 1st, chilly fall weather blew in. Sweater weather is officially here! Over the summer, we were lucky enough to go on several vacations. After two months cooped up in a tiny Parisian apartment, cravings for the o