Bonjour Chérie!
“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
- Marcel Proust
It all began last summer with an impromptu invitation. It was the final day of our very first family trip to France & I received a message on Instagram from Charlotte sy Dimby with an invitation to visit her boutique, L'île Aux Fées. We happened to be at Luxembourg Gardens that day, which is very close to the boutique, as Arya & Ayla wanted to sail boats around the Grand Bassin there. After sailing boats & grabbing a delicious lunch at the Mademoiselle Angelina tea room located in the park, we began our journey to L'île Aux Fées. When we arrived, we were greeted with the warmest welcome from Charlotte as we entered the truly enchanting space she has created. Arya & Ayla immediately went up to one of the displays & began picking out a few small treasures for our journey home. I only wish we’d had more room in our luggage, as there were so many beautiful items to choose from!
Since then, it fills me with joy to say that I now consider Charlotte to be one of my dearest friends & sources of inspiration! We speak nearly every day & have collaborated on several occasions to create bespoke dress designs for Arya & Ayla, including the blue dresses they are wearing throughout this post. While planning our most recent trip to France, I reached out to Charlotte & she had the wonderful idea to work with the incredibly talented artist, Madeleine Hall, to create a map featuring the five places we would be visiting on one of our special days in Paris. In the end, we came up with a way to document what Arya & Ayla lovingly refer to as our “map day” that was interactive, beautiful, & educational along the way.
Without further ado, here are the five child friendly activities we did on our special “map day” in Paris!
Breakfast at Le Meurice
Our day began with breakfast at Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse. Inspired by the Salon de la Paix at the Château de Versailles, I could not have envisioned a more opulent setting! It was truly magnificent. The service was excellent & we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast, which included croissants & pains au chocolat created by world-renowned pastry chef Cédric Grolet.
The Eiffel Tower
After breakfast, we set off to see the the Eiffel Tower. We stopped by one of my favorite spots for photos, on Rue de L’Université, where you can find the loveliest view of the Eiffel Tower, perfectly framed within the iconically Parisian Haussmannian style apartment buildings. I’ve linked the exact address where we took photos here in case you would like to visit it as well. I never seem to grow tired of seeing this iconic landmark & would love to take Arya & Ayla up to the top to experience the panoramic city view during our next visit to Paris.
The Carousel of the Eiffel Tower
Every day since our previous trip to France, Arya & Ayla have asked to return to Paris to ride on a carousel. After exploring the grounds surrounding the Eiffel Tower, we went on several rides on the Carousel of the Eiffel Tower. Seeing the looks of pure joy on Arya & Ayla’s faces was absolute bliss. More often than not, it is the simplest things that bring us the greatest joy!
Sailing Boats at Luxembourg Gardens
During our previous visit, Arya & Ayla had a wonderful time sailing boats around the Grand Bassin at Luxembourg Gardens. This tradition of renting hand-made wooden boats, known as the P’tits Voiliers, has been around for nearly 100 years. Initially the idea of Clément Paudeau in 1927, who created the wooden boats with sails hand sewn by his wife, the boats rented today have remained largely unchanged since Paudeau’s era, with the addition of new paint & sails over time. It was lovely watching Arya & Ayla partake in such a beloved Parisian tradition, especially since my parents were there to experience it with us this time.
Visiting Boutique L'île Aux Fées
Last, but certainly not least, was our visit to the enchanting L'île Aux Fées boutique. As previously mentioned, this jewel box of a boutique is run by my dear friend Charlotte & specializes in limited editions of handmade smocked dresses & baby outfits. My mom often says that Charlotte & I are kindred spirits, & I truly believe that. Charlotte is one of the kindest, loveliest, & most positive people I have ever met & I am incredibly grateful to have her in my life. If you love beautiful, handmade childrenswear as much as I do, then I highly recommend visiting her boutique or online store. The quality & attention to detail is evident in each piece & I always look forward to seeing the new collections, as well as creating new dress designs for Arya & Ayla. This year, Charlotte had a special board set up for visitors to sign & create artwork that she will be displaying in the boutique. The girls each left their mark & I can’t wait to show them the final product during our next visit!
I hope you enjoyed scrolling through these photos of the five child friendly activities we did on our special “map day” in Paris! I am so thankful we were able to make the journey & would like to express my deepest gratitude to Charlotte & Madeleine Hall for helping to create a truly unforgettable experience, as well as my parents for joining us on this adventure! If you would like to receive personalized tips for your Paris trip or have a special map/illustrations made, please contact the Charlotte & Burlington family club via email at info@charlottesydimby.com, or on Instagram @charlotteandburlington. You can join the club here as well. Arya & Ayla have enjoyed partaking in the club’s pen pal program, as well as the various activities & experiences that they offer!
What are some of your favorite child friendly activities to do in Paris? I would love to hear about them in the comments section below!
Thank you for stopping by! Wishing you a wonderful weekend filled with love & laughter!
Yours Truly, Victoria
