Our last stop was Paris, France. And Paris is always a good idea! Liana was most excited about seeing the Eiffel Tower. All she ever talked about back home was visiting Paris one day to see the Eiffel Tower. Ironically, when I was 8 years old, I became obsessed with learning French. I read a lot of books and tried to teach myself. I was able to pick up basic words and read some things. When asked why- I’d say because I want to visit Paris one day! 

We were pretty relieved to be out of London since everything is quite pricey there. It is so easy to spend when on vacation but it’s important to budget when you’re visiting multiple destinations. From Dublin to London to Paris. One can get a little crazy. 

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When in Paris, Parisian Cafes are a Must

One of my favorite things about Paris is its cafes. I love having breakfast there so I couldn’t wait to take Liana to her first Parisian cafe. We stopped at a spot near the Notre Dame Cathedral to have crepes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate. Yumm…

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So Many Sights to See

Next, we stopped at the Love Lock bridge in Paris. What is that exactly? It’s a place to profess your love. Write your names on the padlock and toss the key into the Seine River as a symbol of your undying love. So, we are not a couple but she is the love of my life so we did it just for fun. Liana drew a picture of the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower and then we tagged it up with our names (and branded it JerseyFashionista, of course).

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Not too far a walk from the bridge was the Notre Dame Cathedral. This was my second time visiting the historical cathedral. I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the new tourist bench (think Times Square) they mounted in front of the cathedral. On my first visit, I remember there being gypsies walking around the area but this time there were none. Just big tourist bleachers which in my opinion, kills the feel of it.

Once you get inside the cathedral, it’s just beautiful. Every detailed carving, the smells of incense and candles lit, it’s all very spiritual. We didn’t go up to the top because it would take up too much of our day and we were only in Paris for a few days.

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Making the most of our time in Paris

Until we finally made it to the Louvre and the Jardin des Tuileries (located right next to the Louvre). We didn’t visit the inside of the Louvre museum. That can take up an entire day. Our goal was to really see some sights especially the Eiffel Tower, shop a little,  and visit Disneyland Paris. I guess you can say, the highlights. Being that it was my second visit to Paris, I didn’t mind at all. I loved revisiting the places I saw and seeing how a few places had changed. After all, Liana is a kid- I wanted to do things she would also enjoy.

More Reading: Visiting Disneyland Paris

_MG_0124 As we walked around the gardens, we saw a cool carnival going on. Hooray! Kids stuff! Carousels, trampolines, cotton candy, and more. My daughter’s eyes lit up and so we just had to make another stop.

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She had a blast! And of course, bloggers always get to do fun projects while on vacay. So, I whipped out another one of the tutu designs and did a quick shoot using the carousel and then the gardens as the background. Sadly, the Eiffel tower had major construction going on so that wasn’t an option (they are making a restaurant in the middle of it!). Either way, we got some great shots. (and later edited in the Eiffel Tower) 

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Look! A rainbow around the Eiffel tower!

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 Next, we took a rest at probably one of my favorite spots in Paris. So peaceful. My mom loved it too. I think we all needed it after all the walking!

I really love this garden. It’s where I think I appreciate the Parisian lifestyle the most. It’s not like New Jersey at all. People sit, relax, communicate. There’s also a cafe in the park where people stop to eat or have coffee. You rarely see a person walking around with a cup of coffee to go. But then again, in a few years, if I should return to visit, I may see that change just as I saw that touristy bleacher across the Notre Dame. I can only hope it doesn’t lose its authenticity because it’s such a beautiful city.

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We ended the evening with a sparkly tour of the Eiffel Tower. Liana’s dream to visit came true and I couldn’t have been happier to help make that happen for her! She’s such an amazing kid with big dreams and a traveler’s heart. _MG_0263

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Au revoir! 

So, our last day in Paris was spent at Disney Land Paris. I tried to fit as much as I could on this post but I decided to dedicate an entire post to Disneyland Paris since there are so many pictures! I hope you enjoyed reading about our little ventures to Europe this Summer.

Have you visited Paris with your little one(s)? As always, if you have any questions, feel free to comment below 🙂

xo lillie