Categories: Christmas in France, Family Travel
Rank your favorite activities and places on this trip
1) Seeing Aix-en-Provence with my mother, and seeing the places she lived and studied in during her year abroad (1965-1966). This was especially touching to watch the grandkids (who aren’t really kids anymore) having this experience. I think their heads were exploding imagining their grandmother riding her little French moped around Provence. Priceless.
2) Aix-en-Provence in general. Just a beautiful town! So much sunshine – even in December!
3) Picnic under the Pont-du-Gard. We grabbed picnic essentials at a grocery store and ate on the banks of the river beneath the bridge. The weather was glorious – warm and sunny. We took off our jackets and ate sandwiches while admiring a true wonder of architecture and history.
4) Dinner cruise on the Seine (Paris), aboard Le Calife. This was a bit of a splurge experience, but the food was very good, and the boat is beautiful! It was elegant, but approachable. The scenery, was of course, top notch. As with all the dinner cruises, we arrived at the Eiffel Tower on time to see her sparkle!
5) Entire experience aboard the Anne Marie barge, part of the CroisiEurope peniche fleet. We shared the boat with 4 Belgians and 7 French folks. All the passengers were friendly. Although the other passengers were all native French speakers, we got along wonderfully. We spoke enough French to make an attempt, and many of them did likewise in English. New Year’s Eve was a real treat – we stayed up for champagne and dancing with the other passengers and crew. We all remarked that we’ve never been kissed by so many people in our lives. Ha! At the stroke of midnight, the Bonne Annees and Bisous were flying. It was a truly joyous way to ring in the New Year.
6) Christmas in Aix. We went to the midnight mass at the Saint Sauveur Cathedral in Aix. The Gregorian Chant bouncing off the stone walls was dreamy. We walked out right at midnight, the church bells ringing. The following day was spent lazily in the Hotel Aquabella. The hotel has a little spa area, built atop some ancient Roman baths, which were built atop a natural hot
spring. We woke up late that day, had a picnic brunch in a suite that we’d rented specially for that day for this very purpose. We then spent the afternoon soaking in the whirlpool, steaming in the hammam, heating up in the sauna, trying out the “experience showers” (showers that change temperature and pressure, all while sounds of jungles/waterfalls/rain surround you), and just generally relaxing. Prior to this, we had hit Paris pretty hard for two days and then taken the TGV down to Aix on the 24th. The forced slow-down was heavenly! I might just schedule such a day intentionally in future trips.
7) Dinner at Le Refuge des Fondues in Paris (Montmartre). This was our final dinner and we all loved it! My husband and I had eaten there back in 1998 on our first real trip together (backpacking around Europe on $50 a day!) – I even included a photo from 1998 for comparison. Le Refuge des Fondues serves only fondue (either meat/oil or cheese). It is a set menu and price (around 30 euros). Every guest receives a welcome Kir, a small plate of appetizers, fondue, dessert, and wine served in a bibberon! The restaurant is so small that if you are seated against the wall, you may be required to step over the table. While this place is usually filled with other tourists, it is an experience worth having. It’s fun, the atmosphere is incredibly convivial, the food is good, and it’s utterly unique. It is almost always sold out so reservations are a must. We saw countless people show up during our seating, only to be turned away.
8) Chasing the ancient Romans around Provence: we have some history lovers in our group, so we really enjoyed seeking out many of the Roman ruins in Provence. We spent a day in Arles – visiting the Ampitheater, the Roman Theater, and Les Alyscamps (a double hitter because it also featured in a VanGogh painting). The Pont du Gard outside of Nimes, and of course the ruins of the baths in the Hotel Aquabella in Aix (where they have a few preserved sections beneath a plexiglass floor, or behind a plexiglass wall).
9) Chasing VanGogh around Arles. We also have some art fans in our crew! We had visited the Musee d’Orsay in Paris (where we saw many Van Gogh paintings), so it was especially fun to see some of the very places he had painted. An unexpected bonus was that when our barge docked in Arles for the night, we were moored in the very spot from which Van Gogh painted his Starry Night Over the Rhone (the city very helpfully has a plaque marking the spot). It was dreamy to sit on deck that night and look across the water – which (in the dark) looks remarkably as it does in his painting.
10) Gallerie Dior. This was an unexpected delight. We had not planned on a visit, but our daughter expressed an interest in going. She is a costume design student at university, and loves seeing garments and how they are constructed. We had a few free hours on one of our Paris days when we had all split up. Elise and I got in a cab and went to brave the line. We waited probably 45 minutes and got in! The exhibit is so well presented. Very much like a museum. M. Dior’s office, sketches, garment mock-ups, and of course many of the gowns themselves. It was truly wonderful and not something I would have
thought to seek out. While I will never own a Dior dress, I have to admit that I now own a second-hand Dior scarf and a pocket square (see next entry). Ha!
11) Chinemachine vintage store in Montmartre. This is a tiny store, at the top of Rue des Martyrs. I popped in and found a small Dior pocket square for 7 euros. My nephew Cullen found an Italian suit for 30 euros. Prices are very reasonable and it’s a fun place to poke around.
12) The Palais Garnier. My husband and I had arranged a private back-stage tour with our kids (this was their Christmas gift). As I mentioned, our daughter is a costume design student and is heavily involved in the theater at her university. Our son is a massive Phantom of the Opera fan. This tour was a bit pricey (800 euros!), but for theater and/or Phantom of the Opera fans, I really would say it’s worth it. Our guide took us all over the theater, including Box 5 (the Phantom’s box), into the theater itself (I LOVE that Chagall ceiling), the Grand Foyer, the basement to see the old massive wooden gears for the stage
apparatus (no longer used as it’s all automated), and even “the lake.”
13) The Rake’s Progress (opera) at the Palais Garnier. OK – so this went sideways on us, but in the most hilarious way. We hadn’t realized that when the synopsis mentioned “debauchery” that this meant it would be VERY realistically portrayed on stage. Many naked bodies. Many naked bodies doing things that are normally done in private. All with our children, my nephews, and my mother in tow. We all had a good laugh about this, and it will be a lifetime memory.
(14) Spending the night in a castle at the Chateau de Pondres. My mom and I kept this a surprise for the group. We’d told everyone we were going there for dinner (which was true), and that we were going to spend that night in an Ibis over in Avignon (not true). It was a fun surprise and everyone loved it. The
“kids” all shared a suite in a part of the chateau that was the original keep – they were delighted.
Did you have favorite restaurants?
(1) Le Select (Paris, Montparnasse). Landmark brasserie. We walked here from the Catacombs for an early dinner on our first day (we’d landed that morning). We knew we wouldn’t be able to stay awake for a 7 PM Parisian dinner, so we needed a restaurant that served food all day. This more than fit the bill.
The atmosphere is fun – you just imagine Hemingway and Fitzgerald carousing it up).
(2) Le Calife (river dinner cruise, Paris). More expensive than the standard Seine dinner cruises, but the boat is utterly charming, and the food is quite good. This was a fun splurge, and I would do it again.
(3) Bouillon Chartier Grands Boulevards (Paris, 9th Arr.). I know these can be a bit controversial, but we really enjoyed the experience. It’s fast, frenetic, real French food. The waiters are brusque, but not unkind or rude. It’s part of the overall experience. The waiter will write your order directly on the tablecloth and calculate the bill right there too. The food is quite reasonably priced, so this is a great place to try some of the more adventurous French food, without worrying about how much you’ve spent on something that you may not enjoy. A plate of escargot made the rounds of our young people! There will certainly be a line outside – but it moves quickly. Easy walking distance to the Palais Garnier.
(4) Chateau de Pondres (Villevieille – probably just outside/West of Provence). This is a Michelin listed (not starred) restaurant. The food was good, the atmosphere was amazing! The regular dining room is the old weapons room of the castle. The food was a little pricier than we were paying in other
restaurants (around 30 – 40 euros per dish), but worth it. You eat at the restaurant without being a guest at the hotel.
(5) La Menara (Aix-en-Provence). Good Moroccan food.
(6) Le Bouche a Oreille (Aix-en-Provence). Great little restaurant serving traditional Provencal food. Delicious food, and really warm staff.
(7) Le Refuge des Fondus (Paris, Montmartre). We loved this, but acknowledge that it may not be for everyone. Tiny restaurant, with two seatings. Reservations are a must. Set menu (Kir, appetizer plate, fondu (either meat/oil or cheese), dessert, wine). Wine (or non-alcoholic options) served in glass baby
bottles. It’s a bit raucous, but very fun. And the fondue is great!
What were your favorite foods on this trip? What can you say about restaurants in France in general?
I’m a vegetarian, so I’m often ordering “the one vegetarian dish on the menu.” No one else in my family is vegetarian, so this answer is a little skewed. I can say that being a vegetarian in France is very easy, and actually there are often multiple options (despite what I said above). I also find the options available are
generally well thought out, and not just “let’s slap a pasta dish on the menu for the vegetarians”. I ate very well on the trip! In general, my advice is just to avoid the most touristy areas for restaurants (I know, everyone says this!). Skip the places in Paris with the fake flowers overhead. We found almost all of our
meals to be well made, thoughtfully presented, and with very fresh ingredients.
Have a picnic if weather permits! They are so easy to put together in France.
Find a picturesque place to sit and enjoy.
I know I’ve heard it on your show before, but it bears repeating (especially for Americans) – your restaurant experience in France will be much slower than you are used to. Plan accordingly. This was actually one of the reasons we decided to try the Bouillon Chartier – we knew we could eat relatively
quickly and still make the opera at 7:30.
The young people all tried fois gras (my nephew had it repeatedly!), and escargot. Part of the fun of France is exploring the food.
(1) We stayed as centrally as possible so that we could walk to most sites.
(2) We used taxis a few times when we had to cover larger distances and when we had to move between hotels and the big train stations. I’m a big fan of the Paris Metro, but we actually didn’t use it on this trip. Sometimes with larger groups it’s just easier to hail a cab (or in our case, 2 cabs).
(3) TGV between Gare de Lyon and Aix (and back again). These trains are so comfortable. No need to purchase an upgraded ticket (“regular” 2nd class is roomy and comfortable). The scenery was wonderful.
(4) We rented a big 9 seater Renault van for two days/one night. We named it Jean Reno (which at least for Americans is pronounced the same as Renault), because it was French, sturdy, and got the job done. Ha! We loved driving around Provence, and this allowed us to get to Chateau de Pondres (not on any
train lines), and the Pont du Gard.
What did you learn about France on this trip?
I’ve been to France a fair number of times (maybe 8 times?), so I had a pretty good idea of what to expect. However, there’s always more to learn. I absolutely LOVED Aix-en-Provence. It is a beautiful town, and has so much sunshine. We also got a few snapshots of other places while on our barge (hello Aigues Mortes!) that I will definitely return to. I love Paris, and will likely include it in future visits to France, but I will add my recommendation to others that say: Paris is not France – make sure you explore other areas as well.
Our biggest surprise this trip was probably the other passengers aboard the Anne Marie. We all just got along so well. New Years Eve was a pure delight. So many cheeks were kissed!
Did you make any mistakes on this trip? Is there something you wish you had known before you came?
Two mistakes come to mind:
(1) Our very first day, we decided to take taxis from our hotel to the Catacombs. We were jetlagged and thought this was probably just the easiest thing to do. Our hotel called the cabs for us. Due to the size of our group, we ended up with one van and one regular cab. Taxis in Paris are regulated, so I know we weren’t “overcharged” – but we certainly were driven the long way round. As my mom said “I think we went ’round Robin Hood’s barn”. The total distance between the two places was 4.4 km (about 2.7 miles), and should have been a straight shot. We ended up winding all over the place. The taxi fare ended up being like 40 euros for the van and 35 for the regular taxi. We realized what was happening about 15 minutes into the ride and asked the driver to pull over. I pulled up the location on my phone and showed it to him (we’d veered off quite a bit), and then somehow we magically drove straight there. I’m not sure how to protect against this, other than to suggest that you pull up the location on your phone and watch as you go. We never had this happen again in any taxis, so I certainly don’t want to scare people away from Parisian taxis.
(2) We tried to visit Sacre Coeur on New Years Day. It was CRAZY up there. I’m honestly not sure I’ve ever been in such a crowd, and I know I’ve never seen one in Paris like that. I’ve been in that area in the summer time and in fall. I’ve never seen anything like it. I think what happened was that many tourist
sites were closed for New Year’s day, so EVERYONE was up there. We quickly left the area and just went back the next day, when it was much more manageable.
What tips do you want to share with other visitors? Perhaps something that surprised you?
(1) If planning for a group, more reservations are needed (restaurants, museums, etc…). When I travel with just my husband, or with just my family of 4, we actually don’t like to reserve that much, as it allows for more spontaneous discovery. However, we’ve learned that when all 9 of us travel together, reservations make things so much easier. It is almost impossible to walk up to a restaurant and ask for “une table pour 9 personnes.” So, we planned out many of our dinners ahead of time. We made reservations when possible, knowing that we *could* cancel if we found something better once we got there (but we never actually did this). Reservations for museums also really saved time, as we didn’t stand in lines simply to buy tickets (with the exception of Gallerie Dior, which was just myself and my daughter – all 9 of us never would have gotten in there).
(2) Group travel is so much easier when you stay in a central, walkable, location. This is something we have learned the hard way. We all visited London together in 2018, and chose to rent a lovely (!) AirBnB in the outskirts (as there are NO affordable apartments for a party our size in the city center). It resulted
in so much time spent on the tube, and made it impossible to return to the apartment for a quick rest. I have a memory of sweet nephew (who would have been 16 at the time), putting his head against a wall in
a cafe, saying, “I just want to take a nap.” We’d been on our feet all day, and still had a food tour ahead of us at that time. We now opt for central hotels, and just accept the tradeoff of not having a communal space (other than the lobby).
(3) Even though I mentioned making reservations in my first point, I’d also recommend trying to avoid the temptation to over-schedule. We usually tried to schedule one thing per day, plus one restaurant reservation. That left us plenty of time to walk around and and soak it in.
(4) We’ve also learned over time: DO NOT HURRY THE KIDS. Some times it’s necessary (that train will leave whether you’re there or not), but often times it really is not. We’ve learned that by scheduling one thing per day, we’re not trying to cram too much in – and it allows everyone to take their time and property enjoy things. Does this mean that we’ll miss some things that we’d like to have seen/done? Absolutely. But everyone is happier, and it gives us something to look forward to on the next visit.
(5) Try to pack in carryon luggage, if possible. We’ve been doing this for a number of years, and it has made our travels so much easier. Obviously, it’s easier to carry your own luggage when you have less of it. But, there is one other reason that I don’t often see mentioned: many hotels (especially Paris) really don’t have any place to put a larger suitcase. You’ll be forced to leave it out in the room (and in Paris many rooms really are only big enough to walk around the bed). With a carryon, you can usually unpack what you need and then squeeze that smaller bag into the small closet (standing up). Our first room only had space to put one carryon into the closet. The other one went on top. Had we had large luggage, we literally would have had to leave it standing on the floor, and then moved it to get to the bathroom.
How did the podcast and other trip reports help you prepare for your trip?
I got a HUGE tip from the podcast: nothing will be open in Provence on Christmas Day. We had originally planned to stay at a different hotel (one with a bit more charm than the Aquabella). But once I realized that we literally would have nothing to do that day, we decided to switch our reservation over to the
Aquabella so that we could laze around in their spa that day. We purchased bread/cheese/sausage/fruit on the 24th, so that we could have a picnic brunch in the hotel. We had located a restaurant for dinner that night (La Menara), so we knew we had dinner taken care of. It ended up being a lovely, relaxing, day!
But had we not known, we might have been a bit hungry and bored. Thank you for this tip!
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Episode Page TranscriptCategories: Christmas in France, Family Travel