A FAMILY LOVE AFFAIR WITH PARIS
Saba first visited Paris when she was 10 years old and the magic of her first trip has stayed with her up until today.
In this article she looks back at her past travels and describes her latest one. She shares about her favorite places in Paris and describes her experience in our boutique L'Île aux Fées.
Can you tell us about your passion for Paris?
I had the luck of spending three full months in France with my family during the summer of 1991. Out of all the cities we had ever visited in the world, the one that captured our heart and souls most was Paris. We then decided that no matter where we travelled, we would either start or end our trips in Paris ! And that started a tradition which we are continuing to keep alive !
Today as a mother of 2 wonderful girls, living on the west coast of United States, we make sure to visit a new country every year and give our children precious life, history and art lesson through these trips. Finally coming back to Paris after all the lockdowns was a must!
I think Thomas Jefferson said it best : “A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.” Centuries worth of world’s best architecture, philosophy and art gathered in one city ! What else can one ask for !
Can you please share about your favourite places in Paris?
For hotels, we like the Right Bank, either rue Saint Honoré or avenue Montaigne. Hotel Richepanse, rue du Chevalier de Saint Georges is a lovely one too with large rooms overlooking elegant Haussmanien buildings.
Two streets away from the mythical Chanel rue Cambon, Hotel Castille offers outstanding service and are very kid-friendly. We strongly recommend. And of course, I have to mention l'hôtel de Crillon,where I have the fondest memories as a child!
Our favourite place for a treat is Ritz Paris comptoir, an amazing tea room run by the talented chef François Perret! Exquisite pâtisseries, viennoiseries, madeleines of all sizes and shapes, brioches, tarts, delicatessen of all sorts and even cake shakes... It's a dream !
For women's shopping I love Dice Kayek for its architectural silhouettes and Manoush Paris for its colorful and eco-friendly collections.
As for museums, I was spellbound by the Galerie Dior ! The girls loved it too. It was a fun fashion outing. We enjoyed the gorgeous scenography and learnt a lot about the maison too !
Can you please share about your experience at the boutique?
Apart from all the museums and palaces we had on the list, there was another special place we were very excited about : a little boutique in the heart of Paris making beautiful dresses for little girls! L'Ile aux Fées of course !
Liana, my youngest who just turned nine, loves her Charlotte sy Dimby dresses. Shipped to the United States, she has worn them for every occasion : from Easter to Christmas ! Charlotte’s beautiful dresses are a staple in her closet.
On a lazy Sunday afternoon we took the metro from Rue saint Honoré where our hotel was located and stopped only a few stations away at rue Notre Dame des Champs. A short walk and there it was in all it glory ! The cutest, sweetest boutique with colorful dresses hanging in the window !
We were so excited to finally meet the store manager Sybille, who’s been wonderful and was always helping us with everything! She was waiting for us with a beautiful smile and a wonderful handmade welcome card for Liana. With her perfect English she gave us a tour of the store and a bit of its history.
We left the store with another beautiful dress and a few hair accessories and hope to come back very soon !
What tips would you give to families visiting Paris?
Do not travel to or from Paris on July 14th especially if you are staying in central Paris! An amazing military parade and fireworks launched from the Eiffel Tower are organised each year to celebrate the French National Day! These are definitely worth the sight but mean that many roads are blocked... Getting to the airport can prove very challenging !
I also recommend wearing comfortable shoes to be able to walk around! It's the best way to enjoy the city.
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Follow Saba and her family on Instagram : @sussi_ah
Read more articles about mums' experiences in Paris
Come and visit our boutique L'Ile aux Fées
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