Paris for a Mother-Daughter Getaway

time for a visit

My mom and I grew up with an incredibly strong bond. “When Supal was born I wanted to give her every opportunity the world had to offer. She should see no boundaries and not limits. I wanted her to be one thing… and that was unstoppable.”

Growing up my mother was a proper mother to me. One that held very high expectations, never let me quit, encouraged {and sometimes forced} me to do things that I never thought I would cherish one day. As I grew older, our relationship of mother-daughter became more of a friendship. She was, and still is, the first person I go to when I need advice or have a problem. The relationship evolved organically as trust, honesty and love was instilled in existing structures. And to this day, I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t FaceTime her regularly.

It had been one year since I had seen my mother in the flesh and I was itching to get some quality time with her and a mother-daughter getaway was the perfect idea. At that point, I hadn’t made plans to go to America-and so my parents thought it was time one of them bought a ticket to visit me across the pond. With eyes full of tears right now, it is really hard to live so far from them-but their love reaches me through every barrier that comes between us.

And like any child that has been give the world plus more, I wanted to treat her to a trip she will never EVER forget. she had been to London a few times now {not since I moved here}, so it seemed fitting to take a European city-break like the locals do. So we went to Paris for a mother-daughter getaway.

I didn’t want to rush Paris, so I decided to book it for 5 days, which is way more than what you need to explore the city. But I wanted to be able to take time to sit down and sip on coffee whilst people watching and take extra long sleep-ins. So 5 days, 4 nights it was. We first stayed in Hotel Bourg Tibourg in Le Marais, which was perfect as it was in the heart of it all, but quiet enough to get some good rest and not be too bothered. The latter portion of our trip we stayed at Hotel Sacha in Montmartre. There are lots of boutiques and cafes surrounding the hotel and it was super close to Sacre Coeur and the Parisian views from above.

“I want to experience the Paris that you love.”

When I heard the words above, I knew I needed to take her to some of the places I frequent to and do the things that I love best. We stopped at almost every boulangerie that came in our path and grabbed a baguette. I know where every Laduree macaron can be found in the world and we happily snacked on those. We took a nap under the shade of a tree in the Tuileries and gossiped in the Luxembourg gardens. Shopping was just a whole other experience we got to do together too. It truly was a wonderful mother-daughter getaway!

some of the new place

You can find suggestions and tips from my previous Paris trips of places I went to: here is the first time I went and I shared my whole weekend itinerary and what I wore the entire weekend. The second post I shared were some places I go to often if I need a bit of a pamper in Paris. And since I was in this city for the first time with my mom, I wanted to make sure we discovered places together too. They are, after all, the ultimate memory when I visit again and again.

We grabbed a coffee at The Sprezzatura with my friend, Ylenia of @ineffabledaze one afternoon in Le Marais. Surrounding it were so many sweet boutiques and instagrammable doors! And the interiors, much like the coffee, did not disappoint.

One of the warmer days we were in Paris, and a particularly sunny one, we decided a lunch of ice cream was totally necessary. With a fast queue running out the door we knew Scaramouche was the place to get it. Utterly creamy, thick and subtly flavored-we ended up helping ourselves to double scoops on a cone each!

My mom and I packed a picnic for the train to Paris from London to truly take time for ourselves for a mother-daughter getaway. Though it only takes a little over 2 hours, we ended up indulging on some of our favorite British delights. Lots of cheeky treats were had and so we were craving some vegetables. Luckily, Le Marais is full of gastro-experiences, so we headed to Miznon for dinner. Order the falafel plate, trust me. There are a few falafel places in that little corner, but this one has the freshest ingredients and the best pita bread!

I try out a new brasserie whenever I’m in town. Last time it was Cafe de Flore and this time I headed to Le Deux Magots in St. Germaine! Just across the street from the former, you get a proper Parisian experience even for a mother-daughter getaway.

some of the regulars

There were many streets and corners and bridges and views that I took my mom. “This street is my favorite because there are some cute balconies here.” “It’s just a little bit more and the view will be worth it! I promise!” Those spots will be reserved for those of you who visit me, but to share some of my normally frequented places…

We went to Grand Coeur and Cafe de l’homme for a meal. Go for the seasonal menu and the amazing French frites. The steak tartare is one of my favorites at Cafe de l’homme-and don’t forget to ask for a window seat if you can. Alternatively, you can go just for a coffee if you’d like! It’s perfect for an afternoon as it overlooks the Eiffel Tower.

The lines into the museums were overwhelming! The Lourve in particular was a nightmare as it was the height of the tourist season. We ended up going to Musee D’Orsay and by our surprise the queue wasn’t all that bad. I really wanted to see my homies, Monet and Degas. You need some art for a mother-daughter getaway!

Have you gone on a mother-daughter getaway?