We took a toddler to Paris

I'm writing this post in January 2015, almost a year after Nick and I decided to take a toddler to Paris. You read that right. Paris. As in France. As in 7+ hours on a plane with a tiny person on your (my) lap. Yep. Paris.

This whole adventure started because Nick had a last minute business trip come up that would mean a  free flight to Paris. Per our marriage vows, any trips to Paris must include me or the marriage is immediately considered null and void and will require spousal support for the rest of my life. So, this meant that we were going to go together...obviously a no brainer.

Once that was determined, the next question was, "What are we going to do with B?" Our first reaction was to take him. The next thought was from my parents, who graciously (selfishly) offered to take him. We put some thought into it and promptly booked the flight, toddler in tow. In all honesty, leaving him at home was never really an option. I was not going to be flying across the pond without my little dude and I knew that my mommy-guilt ridden mind would be thinking of how much fun we'd be having with him while we were there. Plus, his under 2 status meant that he would fly to France for less than $200. So. It was decided. We were taking out toddler to Paris.

Booking the trip was super easy. We flew on Air France who was very, VERY family friendly. They graciously moved us to a bulkhead row, with an extra seat so we had plenty of room for B. I was able to schedule our flights to line up (loosely) with his bedtime, meaning that he snoozed for the majority of the flight over. Thankfully, this wasn't his first flight, so we were somewhat prepared for the trip. Per usual, I totally overpacked, in preparation for any kind of explosion, malfunction or episode that might occur, so in addition to a diaper bag, I had an auxiliary bag with games, toys, food, cups, blankets and changes of clothes. But, I couldn't have done this trip without my Ergo Baby or my Joovy Groove Ultralight Stroller. Both of those items were invaluable in our travels.

Selfie at CDG!

Before we embarked on the trip, I did a lot of research on our hotel and accommodations. I was worried that we would end up in a closet-sized room, and that we would be forced to tip-toe around B when he went to sleep. I also knew that we would be traveling with a lot of extra gear, that would require extra space. Somehow, in the midst of Googling Paris hotels, I thought to look for extended-stay accommodations and stumbled on the glorious Residhome Appart Hotel Paris-Opéra. What set this place apart from all of the other hotel options (besides price) was the amount of room that it offered. Since it was an extended stay property, it had two rooms, plus a generous entry way that was perfect for storing a stroller and all of the gear that comes with traveling with a tiny person. It also had a very small kitchen with a mini-fridge and stove and a generous size bathroom with a tub and shower, PLUS an extra 1/2 bathroom in the foyer. The living room and bedroom could be closed off, which meant that B had his own room and we didn't have to tiptoe around after he went to sleep. If you are traveling to Paris and are looking for a place to stay, especially with a family, or with another couple and want to save on hotel costs, I highly recommend this place.

Admittedly, we were very leery and nervous about taking a toddler to Paris, but after we thought about it, we decided that it was a chance that we would regret passing up. This was the only time that B would be able to fly to Paris for less than $200 (his flight was free, we just had to pay taxes). So, when we got to Paris and got settled in, we hit the ground running because Tiny Humans are Portable, after all. Here's a quick recap of some of the highlights:

Day 1: Flight to Paris from Detroit. B did amazing on the flight, sleeping for most of the way. We will always be eternally grateful to the Air France gate agent who moved us to a bulkhead row with an empty seat.
Day 2: Montmartre, Moulin Rouge, B's first (and second) merry-go-round ride, Arc de Triomphe, Champes Eleysee,
Day 3: Paris Opera, lots of playgrounds, Pompidou centre, Notre Dame, Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens
Day 4: Train ride to Montpellier, Exploring Montpellier, Aqueducts, B's first chocolate mousse,
Day 5: Date with mommy, playground time and fancy dinner
Day 6: Taxi Rid to the zoo, crepes, exploring Montpellier, potato chips
Day 7: Valentine's Day, train ride back to Paris, Valentine's Day Lunch, Louvre, Eiffel Tower at night, weird Chinese food for dinner with delicious champagne
Day 8: Last day of sightseeing! Galleries de Lafayette, Lindt store, open air (freezing cold) bus tour
Day 9: Packing up our gear, catching our flight and heading home