London/Paris June 2017 - Trip Report-FInally finished 11/5 - Including Disney Paris

So glad you booked it. In my opinion you should try to do the Eye after the tea. There is a tube station (Marylebone) right behind the hotel and I think it is a direct train to the Eye (double check me on that). It would be good to get up and move around outside after the heavy amount of food at the tea. I agree to not do the tea after your Studio Tour.

Thanks for the recommendation! That's kind of what I was thinking in terms of when to do the London Eye, but very helpful to know about the tube station near the Landmark (which I will double check :))
 
Day 3: English Countryside

After breakfast we met at 8:30 for our coach ride into the English countryside. No rain today (yay) but there was a bit of a breeze. The coach ride passed quickly and the scenery was beautiful. We pulled up to a beautiful English Manor that currently serves as a conference center. The center has an expansive front lawn which was set up for our archery lesson. There was one archery master and one or two assistants that got each of us fitted with protective arm gear and sized with a bow. The master demonstrated how to use the bow and how to aim and then we were divided into teams of mostly four people. Families were kept together as teams. We all had a few practice rounds and the master gave extra help to those who did not get the motion to shoot the arrow accurately. We then had a friendly competition for a few rounds and a chance to try longer distance shooting. Since each team broke in half to shoot in shifts, there was a nice chance during this event to chat with other Adventurers and the Guides. Frankie and Adam had water for us and may have also handed out snacks while we were on the bus. After the archery we took a group photo and a few of the kids had a good chance to run around on the lawns.
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We re-boarded the coach and had a fairly short drive to the town of Windsor receiving narration along the way from Steven. The coach parked near the train station, and we walked through the station and shopping center to a point near the main tourist street and the entrance to Windsor Castle. We were being turned loose for about an hour and half or so before our scone making so Frankie and Adam gave several restaurant recommendations as well as shopping tips. We enjoyed Cornish Pasties at a little shop right on the main tourist street. The shop offered several different types including vegetarian and had very friendly staff. The seating was pretty limited but we were able to find something. Afterwards the kids insisted on getting shakes from the neighboring shop which the guides had highly recommended. We spent the rest of our time shopping and were able to get quite a few souvenirs both kitschy and nicer here. And, of course we hit up the local candy shops for British candies.


Scone making took place in the upstairs banquet hall type room (with a great throne-looking chair that the kids enjoyed for photo opps) right off the main square. A local bakery owner and her daughter led us through the mixing and cutting of the scones and then took them off to bake at their bakery downstairs. While the scones baked we had some trivia, history of the room and a “cream” tasting. This was another activity that the whole group seemed to enjoy. Our warm scones were brought back to us along with jam, cream and tea. I was not all that hungry after lunch but still ate every bite of the warm scones.
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We then walked as a group to the entrance of the castle and went through security. Our local guide, Steven, walked us through the grounds and pointed out many points of interest along the way. We were led up to the entrance of the castle but were on our own to tour through the castle at out own pace. We found the docents stationed within the various rooms to be very helpful and talkative and one in particular shared stories of William and Harry riding bikes within the castle. I would have loved to have another half hour or so here. I was able to get through all the rooms on the public tour but only had time for a brief gift shop visit and really did not have time for any outdoor photos of the grounds. The gift shops had some beautiful tea sets which I was able to have shipped home. I really wanted one but did not want to have to put it in my carry-on.


After our meet up we walked back to the coach for the drive back to London. On this stop it seemed to take a bit of time to get everyone gathered back up and then through the shopping area back to the bus parking area. We hit some traffic heading back into town so we ended up back at the hotel late. I can’t remember exactly what time but it was later than I was expecting – I had hoped to hit Harrod’s and Hard Rock that night (DH and DS really like to go to one in each city and this was the original), but it was too late to do both. We also were told that bags were to be ready for pick up at 6:15 am just inside our door so I knew we would have a lot of packing up to do and an early wake-up. We took the Tube to Hyde Park and walked over to the Hard Rock. We had a fun waiter and it was a nice last evening in London. I am glad that we at least were able to get a tiny bit of a walk through Hyde Park into the trip.
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In retrospect, I think the trip really could have used another day in London – with two days of touring we barely scratched the surface – we had two extra days on our own and we definitely will be going back.
 


In retrospect, I think the trip really could have used another day in London – with two days of touring we barely scratched the surface – we had two extra days on our own and we definitely will be going back.

This is why I will not book this adventure. I want to spend time in London and in England and am not interested in Paris at all.
 
I'm really enjoying following your trip report! We did the London/Paris adventure in 2011 and it's interesting to read about the differences in the itinerary then and now. Ours was adults only so that makes a difference too. We had Adam as one of our guides and Frankie on our 2013 Germany ABD. Top notch!! And Steven is fantastic - really brings the history alive!! This trip was our first travel abroad and although the time in London and Paris was short, it really gave us a taste for travel!

Laurie
 
Love this trip report. It is such a treat to read about everyone's travels. I think if we did this one, we would plan to have about 4 pre-days in London, and then just as the kids need an infusion of other energy/other kids, join up with ABD.
 


Day 4 – London to Paris

Today was an early day – bags needed to be fully packed and tagged and placed just inside our doors by 6:15 am. We would be able to keep our carry-on luggage with us on the Eurostar and for our coach tour of Paris but Tinkerbell was going to take care of the rest.. We would not be seeing our checked bags again until we checked into our rooms at the Hilton in Paris. After enjoying our last grand buffet breakfast at the Landmark, we boarded the coach for the drive to the train station. After arriving at the station, the guides gave us an overview of the station (where to get things to eat, shops, and where to go through security). We were told what time to make sure we went through security by and then we were free to explore on our own and the guides showed us where to go across the street to see the “real” Platform 9 ¾. The Kings Cross Station has a photographer set up to take pictures at the Platform and a nice little gift shop. The line was unusually short so our group had the option to wait in line for a photo (at your own cost and time). Passing through security and passport control took a bit of time, but was well organized. The guides had recommended that we pick up something for lunch in the station to take on the train. There were many restaurants before security and 2 or 3 places after security to grab sandwiches and salads. We bought sandwiches after going through security and also made use of the ATM to get some Euros before arriving in Paris. In retrospect, we really didn’t need to get the sandwiches to take on the train. We had eaten a huge buffet breakfast at the Landmark and then we were served a continental breakfast on the train of a croissant, yogurt, fruit, juice and coffee.

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Our group was spread out between two train cars, and we had assigned seats. Families were generally together or close by each other. The train had wi-fi which was spotty at times. I caught up on work during the two hour ride and the wi-fi worked well enough for that but it was not good enough for watching videos according to the kids. The ride was very smooth and passed really quickly. Before we knew it, we were whizzing through the French countryside and then pulling into the train station. Our local French guide met us at the station and helped maneuver the group through the crowded station and to our coach. Our coach made its way through Parisian traffic including our first exposure to the insane traffic circle around the Champs Elysee. It was certainly a culture shock after spending the last 5 days in London. While we drove through town Cecile pointed out many landmarks. We stopped at a park across the street from the Eiffel Tower where we had about twenty minutes to walk around and take photos in front of the Tower. The guides took family photos (and jumped into selfies for anyone who wanted them).

Eiffel Tower Nick.jpg

After re-boarding our coach, we then made our way through the streets again towards our hotel, The Hilton Opera, which is right next to the Gare St Lazard. The hotel is in a good location near many shops including the large department stores, La Madeleine and a Starbucks on either side. All the kids got a kick out of the fact that there was a McDonalds right across the street. Our guides handed out our keys and we had about an hour or hour and a half to settle in and “unpack”. I say that in quotes, because there really wasn’t anywhere to unpack this hotel did not have any drawers – there was a small hanging area and one shelf in the closet, so a few things were unpacked, but we basically lived out of our suitcases on the floor which was hard because our room was tiny. Much more typical of what you would expect from a European hotel room. We had been spoiled by the Landmark. We also did not have connecting rooms at this hotel. I think the hotel had them, but likely not many, and the hotel was fully booked up so we did not have a chance to move the first night. We just decided to split up with guys in one room and girls in the other. The rooms were next to each other so that was fine. I am a very light sleeper so the price of having a cool city street view on the troisieme etage was a lot of noise at night. I always travel with earplugs but they were not enough for me here. I don’t want to sound too negative on the hotel, it was perfectly fine and had nice beds, nice linens etc, we had just been very spoiled by the Landmark.



We all met for an early dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Le Pain Quotidien, which we had to ourselves (or at least a good part of it). I was one of the last to arrive since I had been unpacking and Adam and Frankie had been assigning seats for the group. I arrived to find a glass of wine waiting for me. The younger kids were all together and they all received little stuffed animals. My 14 year old son was assigned to sit with us at one of the adult tables, I think he would have preferred to be with the younger kids, but he was a good sport and kept up conversation with us adults. I don’t think we had pre-ordered meals here and there was a bit of confusing when they stated bringing out the entrees. I asked for a vegetarian entrée (I had noted it on my reservation) and by the amount of discussion that ensued you would have thought I created an international incident. It was eventually resolved (the restaurant had vegetarian items on their regular menu but obviously had not prepared them for the banquet). I can’t remember what the food was, but it was enjoyable. The kids were served a variety of things including chicken nuggets which they all swore were from the McDonalds across the street.



Right after dinner we boarded the coach for our nighttime tour of the Eiffel Tower. The Tower was really crowded (although the Guides said it really wasn’t as bad as they sometimes see it) and there was a little bit of hassle getting our group through the various checkpoints and ticket taking areas. We split into three groups and then reconvened as we made our way towards the top. We were able to go all the way to the top to see the amazing views. Right before we boarded the last elevator we were able to see someone zipline off the Tower!. Despite the crowds this was a true highlight and an amazing way to start off our time in Paris. How incredible to get to see the City from the heights of the Eiffel Tower at dusk. Frankie and Adam did a great job keeping tabs on our group in the crowds and you could see their relief when we were finally all safely together on the coach. Somehow they managed to time it just perfectly on our drive back to the hotel and they told us to turn and look back at the Eiffel Tower in time to see the twinkle lights. The next morning was going to be an early one as we headed out to a jam packed day. Unfortunately, I was going to have a late night catching up on work email.

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Day 4 – London to Paris

Today was an early day – bags needed to be fully packed and tagged and placed just inside our doors by 6:15 am. We would be able to keep our carry-on luggage with us on the Eurostar and for our coach tour of Paris but Tinkerbell was going to take care of the rest.. We would not be seeing our checked bags again until we checked into our rooms at the Hilton in Paris. After enjoying our last grand buffet breakfast at the Landmark, we boarded the coach for the drive to the train station. After arriving at the station, the guides gave us an overview of the station (where to get things to eat, shops, and where to go through security). We were told what time to make sure we went through security by and then we were free to explore on our own and the guides showed us where to go across the street to see the “real” Platform 9 ¾. The Kings Cross Station has a photographer set up to take pictures at the Platform and a nice little gift shop. The line was unusually short so our group had the option to wait in line for a photo (at your own cost and time). Passing through security and passport control took a bit of time, but was well organized. The guides had recommended that we pick up something for lunch in the station to take on the train. There were many restaurants before security and 2 or 3 places after security to grab sandwiches and salads. We bought sandwiches after going through security and also made use of the ATM to get some Euros before arriving in Paris. In retrospect, we really didn’t need to get the sandwiches to take on the train. We had eaten a huge buffet breakfast at the Landmark and then we were served a continental breakfast on the train of a croissant, yogurt, fruit, juice and coffee.

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Our group was spread out between two train cars, and we had assigned seats. Families were generally together or close by each other. The train had wi-fi which was spotty at times. I caught up on work during the two hour ride and the wi-fi worked well enough for that but it was not good enough for watching videos according to the kids. The ride was very smooth and passed really quickly. Before we knew it, we were whizzing through the French countryside and then pulling into the train station. Our local French guide met us at the station and helped maneuver the group through the crowded station and to our coach. Our coach made its way through Parisian traffic including our first exposure to the insane traffic circle around the Champs Elysee. It was certainly a culture shock after spending the last 5 days in London. While we drove through town Cecile pointed out many landmarks. We stopped at a park across the street from the Eiffel Tower where we had about twenty minutes to walk around and take photos in front of the Tower. The guides took family photos (and jumped into selfies for anyone who wanted them).

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After re-boarding our coach, we then made our way through the streets again towards our hotel, The Hilton Opera, which is right next to the Gare St Lazard. The hotel is in a good location near many shops including the large department stores, La Madeleine and a Starbucks on either side. All the kids got a kick out of the fact that there was a McDonalds right across the street. Our guides handed out our keys and we had about an hour or hour and a half to settle in and “unpack”. I say that in quotes, because there really wasn’t anywhere to unpack this hotel did not have any drawers – there was a small hanging area and one shelf in the closet, so a few things were unpacked, but we basically lived out of our suitcases on the floor which was hard because our room was tiny. Much more typical of what you would expect from a European hotel room. We had been spoiled by the Landmark. We also did not have connecting rooms at this hotel. I think the hotel had them, but likely not many, and the hotel was fully booked up so we did not have a chance to move the first night. We just decided to split up with guys in one room and girls in the other. The rooms were next to each other so that was fine. I am a very light sleeper so the price of having a cool city street view on the troisieme etage was a lot of noise at night. I always travel with earplugs but they were not enough for me here. I don’t want to sound too negative on the hotel, it was perfectly fine and had nice beds, nice linens etc, we had just been very spoiled by the Landmark.



We all met for an early dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, Le Pain Quotidien, which we had to ourselves (or at least a good part of it). I was one of the last to arrive since I had been unpacking and Adam and Frankie had been assigning seats for the group. I arrived to find a glass of wine waiting for me. The younger kids were all together and they all received little stuffed animals. My 14 year old son was assigned to sit with us at one of the adult tables, I think he would have preferred to be with the younger kids, but he was a good sport and kept up conversation with us adults. I don’t think we had pre-ordered meals here and there was a bit of confusing when they stated bringing out the entrees. I asked for a vegetarian entrée (I had noted it on my reservation) and by the amount of discussion that ensued you would have thought I created an international incident. It was eventually resolved (the restaurant had vegetarian items on their regular menu but obviously had not prepared them for the banquet). I can’t remember what the food was, but it was enjoyable. The kids were served a variety of things including chicken nuggets which they all swore were from the McDonalds across the street.



Right after dinner we boarded the coach for our nighttime tour of the Eiffel Tower. The Tower was really crowded (although the Guides said it really wasn’t as bad as they sometimes see it) and there was a little bit of hassle getting our group through the various checkpoints and ticket taking areas. We split into three groups and then reconvened as we made our way towards the top. We were able to go all the way to the top to see the amazing views. Right before we boarded the last elevator we were able to see someone zipline off the Tower!. Despite the crowds this was a true highlight and an amazing way to start off our time in Paris. How incredible to get to see the City from the heights of the Eiffel Tower at dusk. Frankie and Adam did a great job keeping tabs on our group in the crowds and you could see their relief when we were finally all safely together on the coach. Somehow they managed to time it just perfectly on our drive back to the hotel and they told us to turn and look back at the Eiffel Tower in time to see the twinkle lights. The next morning was going to be an early one as we headed out to a jam packed day. Unfortunately, I was going to have a late night catching up on work email.

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Hilary, I am really enjoying your review. I am very torn about planning this adventure or going it alone.
One question, do you have the opportunity to choose room type when booking or upgrade to another room category (obviously at an additional cost)?
Thank you and look forward to reading more.
 
Hilary, I am really enjoying your review. I am very torn about planning this adventure or going it alone.
One question, do you have the opportunity to choose room type when booking or upgrade to another room category (obviously at an additional cost)?
Thank you and look forward to reading more.
Thank you for reading along. No, with ABD you do not get to select room type or pay to upgrade to another type.

Please feel free to ask any questions that you have - I (and the others on this board) would be happy to give you our thoughts on why ABD. For my family (this was our third ABD) there are a few things that draw us to doing the ABD trips even to places that aren't exotic and could be easily done on your own. While I love to plan and research, I just don't have the time to do it. I love all the specialized tours and things that ABD finds to include. I like knowing that I will have a great itinerary with a variety of activities planned for me. Planning 2 pre and 2 post days was more than I had time for and it fell to the last minute. My family also loves the group travel aspect of ABD. We love to make new friends and have done so on both our ABDs and cruises. We stay in touch with several of them and have taken later vacations with a few of our new friends. My kids love having other kids along and it really helps reduce the family bickering to not have us all together and only talking to each other 24/7. Plus the ABD guides are great.
 
Thank you for reading along. No, with ABD you do not get to select room type or pay to upgrade to another type.

Please feel free to ask any questions that you have - I (and the others on this board) would be happy to give you our thoughts on why ABD. For my family (this was our third ABD) there are a few things that draw us to doing the ABD trips even to places that aren't exotic and could be easily done on your own. While I love to plan and research, I just don't have the time to do it. I love all the specialized tours and things that ABD finds to include. I like knowing that I will have a great itinerary with a variety of activities planned for me. Planning 2 pre and 2 post days was more than I had time for and it fell to the last minute. My family also loves the group travel aspect of ABD. We love to make new friends and have done so on both our ABDs and cruises. We stay in touch with several of them and have taken later vacations with a few of our new friends. My kids love having other kids along and it really helps reduce the family bickering to not have us all together and only talking to each other 24/7. Plus the ABD guides are great.
Thank you again. I like the idea of having everything planned out. I also like the idea of meeting others and having a chance for our only child (son 12) to have other kids to interact with. The only thing holding me back is the hotel accommodations. I know that probably sounds strange, but that can often make or break a vacation for me. If we o it on our own, would stay at Dorchester in London and Peninsula, Shangri La or Four Seasons in Paris. Also, is there spa time or any fine dining options? I was hoping to get dressed up a couple of nights.
 
Thank you again. I like the idea of having everything planned out. I also like the idea of meeting others and having a chance for our only child (son 12) to have other kids to interact with. The only thing holding me back is the hotel accommodations. I know that probably sounds strange, but that can often make or break a vacation for me. If we o it on our own, would stay at Dorchester in London and Peninsula, Shangri La or Four Seasons in Paris. Also, is there spa time or any fine dining options? I was hoping to get dressed up a couple of nights.

No, it does not sound strange at all. Through my job I have been lucky enough to stay in some very nice hotels and have friends and co-workers who regularly stay in the hotels you mention. The ABD hotels are not the highest end luxury hotels. On our Central Europe trip we did stay in a Ritz Carlton and a very nice hotel in the mountains of Germany (they have since switched to a different hotel). We were quite pleased with the Landmark and would stay there again. The Hilton Opera was nice and it was certainly fine for this type of trip but not in the league of GeorgeV and not as nice as the Landmark. I would probably stay elsewhere on a future trip to Paris unless I had a great opportunity to use Hilton points. I think that with regard to the hotel rooms, you need to weigh the other positives that you mention with a different hotel experience than what you do on your own travel. Probably the biggest thing I tell people to consider is whether they think they will like being part of a group. The group spends a lot of time together, groups move more slowly (bathroom stops can take awhile), you need to abide by the guides timelines for meeting up or you will throw off the day's plans.

As far as Spa time goes, in London you would need to work it in on your pre-days. It is good to arrive at least one day early and you could spa then. In Paris there is definitely free time on the day that you do the walking tour of LeMarais (coming up soon in my updates). On that day we were free from 1 pm onwards.

Dining: Yes there are chances to do fine dining on your own. You have one free evening in London which you could plan out in advance (always make sure to confirm timing with your guides on the first day regarding any extras you have booked) as well as any pre-days. In Paris there are two nights where you are completely on your own for dinner. As far as the ABD meals go, no of them would qualify as fine dining. They are group dining and they aim to please a variety of tastes and palates. For most of the ABD meals we had a choice of three entrees (we made our selections on the first night of the trip) Several of them were quite nice and a few were average. In London and one night in Paris we kept it pretty casual, but one night in Paris we met up with a former co-worker and had a really nice meal - not Michelin level, but I would call it fine dining. My family also likes to dress up when on occasion. My husband and I dressed up a bit for the welcome dinner and farewell dinner (he brought a blazer for the farewell dinner) although others did not and that was perfectly fine. We also dressed up for the Adult Dinner in the hotel restaurant and our dinner with my friend in Paris.

We have friends who have done these cities staying in the hotels you mention and then hiring private guides for everything, but that does require more planning on your part and also takes away the social aspect. For us, I don't think we would have had as much fun doing the trip on our own even if the hotels had been higher end and we had more fine dining. We really like the social aspects and building the relationship with the guides. Others may not care as much about that and value time on their own more.

Hilary
 
Hilary, Thank you for such an in depth response. You're input is really helping us to make an informed decision. I wish you and your family many more wonderful adventures!!!!
 
Day 5 - Versailles at MontMartre

This was another very full day. We had an early meet time to get on the bus and I had not had too much sleep, so it was a little bit of a grumpy start for me. The breakfast at the Hilton was a buffet, and it definitely did not compare to the Landmark. My husband and son compared it to the breakfast at the Residence Inn. Driving out to Versailles we experienced a come traffic which I think was due to the French Open.

Frankie and Adam warned us about the crowds at Versailles and they were right. We split into two groups each with a local guide and we had whisper headsets for the entire indoor tour. The Versailles tour is a good one because you get to see quite a few rooms and as expected it was opulent and grand. Our local guides did a good job of talking about the historical significance of various rooms/pieces of art and describing the political climate of the time. Frankie and Adam were right about the crowds – it was shoulder to shoulder, elbow to elbow and you had to be aggressive about keeping your family together and making your way through the rooms. Despite the crowds, or maybe because it was such a huge room, we were able to get family photos in the hall of mirrors. When we came to the end of the tour, we had a very brief (about 20 minutes) amount of time to make a restroom stop and hit the gift shop.

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We reconvened and made our way to the back of the palace and into the start of the gardens. We had the option of an easy bike ride through the gardens on mostly flat gravel paths or a walking tour of the gardens. Our group probably split about 1/3 garden walk and 2/3 bike. My entire family decided to do the bikes (I was very happy to hear that it was on garden paths with no car traffic), and we headed down the hill towards the reflecting pond/small lake. The palace was having a special event for the time we were there which was music in the gardens. It was lovely to hear the classical music which was piped in via hidden speakers into the garden.

We were fitted for our bikes and helmets at the bike rental shops in the gardens. Adam and Frankie gave some instructions on where we would be going and pointed out where to stop at the half way point. We were off with several of the kids going at a crazy pace. I don’t know if one of the guides managed to stay ahead of them because I took a leisurely pace, but we all made it to the halfway spot where we had nice family group photos taken. There had been a little bit of rain overnight so there was a bit of mud that ended up splattering on some of us (of course the day I chose to wear white pants). After photos, we were told to head back along the other side of the lake back towards the bike shop. I kept to my own leisurely pace and ended up being the last one (although Frankie stopped and waited for me) because I came across a mother swan and her babies that just had to be photographed. My family does not ride bikes a ton at home, but we all really liked this activity and probably would have enjoyed an even longer ride maybe with a picnic lunch. It ranked very high up on our favorites for the week. After the crowds of Versailles and the fact that most of this ABD is in the city, it was very enjoyable to spend time outdoors.

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Lunch was held at La Flotille which was right next to the bike shop. Our group was divided between several tables under umbrellas in the garden. Beer and wine were not included but we were able to order our own separately if we liked. It was too nice of a day to not enjoy a glass of rose in the garden. It was a leisurely lunch spent getting to know new friends.
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We had to walk from the gardens to the coach park and it was a bit of a walk after the bike riding – plenty of complaining from kids until we got them started on a game chasing each other. Once we were on our coach, there was time for a quick nap (maybe 30 or 40 min bus ride) as we headed back into Paris to Montmartre. In Montmartre our entire group walked up a steep but short hill to get to the restaurant where the wine tasting was to be held. ABD had an area in the back of the restaurant with one long table set up for the adults and one table for the kids. It seemed like the kids were done with their juice and cake before the adults were even all settled, so the guides headed off with the kids to tour the neighborhood and art market and to get ice cream. The wine tasting was fun and the staff was generous with the pours (and willing to give you more of anything you liked). The gentleman leading the tasting was new to this event, and DH and I had a fun time helping him come up with the right word in English to explain the wine’s characteristics and varietals. We live in one of California’s wine growing regions with two tasting rooms within walking distance of our house and would rate this as a fairly basic/introductory wine tasting which was appropriate for the group because we had some folks who had never been to a tasting. The leaders kept it very approachable for wine newbies and also served various foods (cheese, bread, charcuterie) along with the wines.

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A successful tasting!
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When we were done we joined back up with the kids and were given about 45 minutes to shop and explore the area. I wish we had had a little more time here. It was a very cute area with lots of shops. I considered staying here and taking a cab back to the hotel, but I could tell the kids were nearing exhaustion after a very long day.


We arrived back at the hotel at just about dinner time and the rest of the evening was OYO. The guides stayed in the lobby to chat and make recommendations for dinner. We decided to stay close by and found a brasserie that seemed lively with both locals and tourists and which offered something for everyone. DD was able to get her burger, DS and DH were able to have escargot and I found something vegetarian. The kids were exhausted and it was probably 9:15 at this point so we took them back to the hotel to chill out and we headed back out. I had grand visions of trying to find a little bakery to get dessert but most shops were closed up at this point, so we headed back to the hotel. We were very excited to not have to meet up until 9:30 the next morning!

Escargot:
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Love your photos, and maybe I'm not so anti-Paris after all. LOL! I would love Versailles and the bicycle ride. Glad we finally got a full family picture, and you have a beautiful family.

I feel your pain about wearing the wrong color clothing (white shirt to an Italian restaurant).
 
Love your photos, and maybe I'm not so anti-Paris after all. LOL! I would love Versailles and the bicycle ride. Glad we finally got a full family picture, and you have a beautiful family.

I feel your pain about wearing the wrong color clothing (white shirt to an Italian restaurant).

Yes, bike riding was great and if you are a fan of food wait until I post the next installment.
 
Did Frankie happen to tell you about another guest a few years ago who was the last one of the bike group?...... who lost her pedal and he had to walk with her, pushing their bikes the entire way back to the palace?!?..... :rolleyes1 :P
 
Did Frankie happen to tell you about another guest a few years ago who was the last one of the bike group?...... who lost her pedal and he had to walk with her, pushing their bikes the entire way back to the palace?!?..... :rolleyes1 :P
Ha! No he did not but he told me he never leaves a guest behind. He also waited for me on the Notre Dame climb (my family had gone way ahead while I dealt with my fear of heights/spiral staircases). This is why I had to stop. How could everyone just ride by this cuteness.
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Frankie is really one of the best.
 

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