A Tale of Two Family Friendly Cities: London & Paris Tour

In the morning, the kids’ eyes widen at a traditional English breakfast. Their plate practically overflows with eggs, bacon, beans, toast, and mushrooms. Their smiles are priceless and are a great start to your first day in the city. London is iconic, not just for its role as the seat of power for kings and the British Empire, but also for its use as the setting in pop culture. People line up to take a photo with Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station. The Globe Theater continues to stage productions of Shakespeare’s celebrated plays.

Your guide meets you at the hotel after breakfast, taking you on a remarkable excursion through the city, culminating at Buckingham Palace to witness the Changing of the Guard. The colorful spectacle encompasses the forecourt of the palace, known as the seat of the British monarchy since the 19th century. The guards stand with bright red coats and golden buttons. Their furry bearskin hats rise to 18 inches tall. The guards have protected the household since the 17th century.

The kids watch with fervor, absorbing the unique movements and sounds of the ceremony. Once regiment replaces another while the band plays music, and drums keep the beat to which each soldier marches. The wrought iron gates open up. The focus on the guards’ faces never wane. They march up the pathway and through the gates exchanging places with the previous guards assigned. The treasures of your journey are not just what you see, but knowing you are sharing the fun and inspiring memories for your family.

At breakfast, you sip on a freshly pressed English tea with milk. The kids spread butter and jam over freshly baked scones and use their fingers to pick up any loose crumbs. After your meal, your guide meets you at the hotel and escorts you into the English countryside to visit Windsor Castle. The difference between Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle is immediately apparent. The splendor of the architecture towers over the village of Windsor, surrounded by the emerald grasses and jade trees of the countryside.

The town lies on the banks of the River Thames, decorated with half-timbered homes. Cobblestones line the lanes and alleyways, adding to the medieval ambiance leading to the castle. The kids tell you the castle looks like a picture. British royalty has used the edifice as a summer residence for more than 900 years, beginning with William the Conqueror in the 11th century. The creamy hue of the stone stands out against the encompassing greenery.

When you enter the grounds, the kids almost whistle at the opulent interior, noticing the vaulted ceilings and scarlet-carpeted floor. They point at the armor decorating the walls. Some of the finest artwork in the Royal Collection decorates the State Apartments, from Rembrandt to Canaletto. In the Waterloo Chamber, the sheer size of the room is captivating and daunting, similar to a medieval great hall, adorned with a wood carved coat of arms beneath an elegant gilded chandelier. The radiance of the castle grounds is something that cannot be replicated.

In the morning, your guide meets the family after breakfast eager to show you all the wonders of the city along the shores of the River Thames. During your walking tour, you find the powerful walls and looming turrets of the Tower of London. William the Conqueror erected the White Tower to protect the city from invaders. The tower overlooks the river. The grounds encompass 18 acres with six outer towers, two bastions, and 13 inner towers.

When you reach the site, the kids delight as a traditional Beefeater, also known as Yeoman Warders, greets you. He motions to the walls of the Inner Ward, mentioning that they are up to 15 feet thick. When you enter the Line of Kings, your guide lets the kids absorb the splendor of the display of the royal armor. He mentions it is the oldest tourist attraction in the world dating back to the mid-1600s.  The kids can’t stop staring at the medieval sporting weapons and shimmering armor for both knights and horses. They can’t help but imagine themselves holding a broadsword, pushing their mask down, and storming into battle. You can’t contain the kids’ excitement in the city, and instead you match their enthusiasm with your own.

In the morning, your private transfer picks up the family at the hotel and escorts you to Pancras Station where you board the train to Paris. Your first class train car provides the family with luxury and comfort along the journey. The kids are excited to ride on a train. The city soon disappears behind the lush countryside of southern England before you venture underneath the English Channel in the world renowned Chunnel. The tunnel travels more than 31 miles between Folkstone, England, and Coquelles, France. When the light shines through the windows, the kids look out on the open French countryside, noticing the similarities and differences of the emerald grasses and rolling hills. Settling in Paris is easy; the aroma of rich hot chocolate and fresh macaroons surrounds the family.

Tuileries Gardens creates lush views and comforting shade in the center of the city, separating the Champs Elysees from the Louvre. Your guide meets you at your hotel and leads you along the celebrated sights of the city culminating at the Eiffel Tower. The structure stands 1,063 feet tall and was constructed in the 19th century as the entryway to the World’s Fair. The ironwork crisscrosses along the structure. When you reach the top of the tower, the kids gasp at the view. The breeze blows gently. You can see the separation of the Right and Left Banks. The story the family is creating continues in the form of unforgettable memories.

The kids note the difference in the aroma of the morning. Instead of the scent of herbaceous tea accompanied by eggs and bacon, they note the buttery, sweet aroma of chocolate croissants. You notice the scent of creamy cappuccino has replaced the tea. After breakfast, you venture to the embodiment of monarchy luxury, taking you away from the heart of Paris and into the Palace of Versailles. It is difficult not to stare at the opulence of both the exterior and interior in child-like wonderment. Your tour is separated into two parts, the staterooms and interior grandeur, and the garden grounds.

The doors opening into the gardens showcase a terraced foreground and sweeping greenery decorated with ponds and fountains. You hop on bicycles for a tremendous exploration of the dazzling hedges, sculpted trees, and glittering fountains. The wind sweeps past as graceful as the trees. The kids particularly like the Saturn Fountain, at the south end of the gardens, showing the God surrounded by small cupids on a shellfish sprinkled island. The aroma of fresh pastries emanates from the hidden Austrian village on the grounds, erected in the 18th century for Queen Marie Antoinette, decorated with fragrant flowers and waterfall cascading off of the grotto.

The Marché International de Rungis encompasses 573 acres of space in the heart of Paris, filled with wholesale foods catering to the culinary needs of chefs and food enthusiasts since the 10th century. Paris is a city that you could spend exploring your entire life and still find new and exciting things to see, just like at the Louvre Museum. After breakfast, the family travels alongside the Seine to the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Following your trip to Notre Dame, you continue to the Louvre to uncover the splendor of art and history combined. You venture inside the glass pyramid and down into the atrium. The marble floors glisten with polish. Medieval weapons showcase the past of the city. The museum was established in the 18th century and now holds nearly 35,000 artifacts. The base of the original construction is displayed in the lower regions, showing the thick and heavy stone on which the entire building was based.

The kids delight at the adventure to come, designed by your guide to lead them on a scavenger hunt around the art and artifacts. In the painting “Liberty Leading the People,” you find the 19th century work masterful, with an incredible size of 102 inches by 128 inches. The kids search the painting for their hunt. You gaze at the brushstrokes and images, finding liberty as inspirational as the people she leads.

People begin to stroll through the Tuileries Gardens early in the morning, walking in the shade and along the clay lanes leading to the Place de la Concorde. An Egyptian Obelisk towers over the square and crowns the area leading to the Champs Elysees. At breakfast, the kids tell you their favorite moments of the trip, from the train ride to the Tower of London, and exploring all the artwork in a museum to solve the clues their guide created. They even loved the museums!

The aroma of fresh macaroons from Café Angelina beckons to you. Before your private transfer meets the family at the hotel, you think you’ll grab a box to take home with you, a simple reminder of the pleasures of Paris and the marvelous time the family had visiting two of the most treasured cities in Europe.