Paris in springtime is enchanting, Paris at Christmas is magical. Last year, we visited somewhere in between, on a snowy, grey weekend in March - but it was still special, as it was our first trip abroad as a family of three.
wearing Hobbs Georgia faux fur coat, A Kjærbede big Winnie sunglasses & Saint Laurent Cassandre envelope bag on Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor
Raphael was six months old, and we were meeting my husband's family. We live in north London so St Pancras is really convenient - we took a black cab with the pram and got on the Eurostar. Because he was still using the bassinet, we took our regular pram (the Bugaboo Fox, if you're in the market) rather than the travel pram (the Silver Cross Clic - we really like this one too; both recommended).
From Gare de Nord, we took a quick taxi with Raphael strapped in the baby carrier (the Artipoppe Zeitgeist - also recommended), and checked into home for the weekend: the Kimpton St Honoré.
Kimpton St Honoré rooftop
We wanted to stay central and the new Kimpton certainly is that, moments from the Palais Garnier, Place Vendôme and the Jardin des Tuileries in the 1st arrondissement.
Housed in a listed Art Deco building on Boulevard des Capucines, the hotel has a beautiful preserved Belle Epoque façade and 149 rooms and suites. The interiors are elegant, fresh and modern - our room was all bright white, neutral tones, dusty pink and pale wood, with lots of natural light and Eiffel Tower views.
Breakfast is served in the laidback Montecito restaurant, serving a Californian-inspired menu - we had a great lunch here too. The Sequoia rooftop bar was closed when we stayed, but I imagine it's buzzy in the warmer months, offering some of the best views of Paris rooftops.
I had an excellent full body massage in the hotel's Codage spa, and we used the swimming pool each day. We were on the waiting list for baby swim classes in London, so it was Raphael's first time in the pool, and I have fond memories of his first kicks and splashes here.
The pinkest of pinks in the Jardin des Champs-Élysées
Despite the cold, the city was emerging from winter hibernation with spring flowers blossoming, and the gardens and tree-lined boulevards coming alive with fresh green. It was a joy to stroll along the river Seine and around the Palais-Royal Garden, and have a change of scenery after months of the newborn bubble in London.
Palais-Royal
We picked up coffees at Cafe Kitsuné, and one of their cool keep cups - I went for the white one, having just retired the black one I bought in Japan a few years ago - before wandering around the Jardin des Tuileries.
Cafe Kitsuné (the best coffee in Paris)
We left Raphael with his grandparents for the first time to visit the Petit Palais by ourselves, for an hour of art and sculptures. Opposite the Grand Palais, the museum was built for the 1900 Exposition Universelle, and now houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts - it's a must-see for art lovers.
Lully enfant - Adrien Gaudez (1885)
We had oysters and a seafood platter for dinner at the nearby Grand Café Capucines brasserie, before returning to the hotel for Raphael's bedtime, watching the sparkling Eiffel Tower and TV with headphones on (#ParentLife).
Bonne nuit!
I worried it would be a challenge to navigate the city's narrow streets and public transport with a pram (whenever we travel, it makes me realise how easy London is with black cabs and big double decker buses) but it's such a walkable city, with lots of parks. If you stay central and can take advantage of the easy Eurostar, I'd definitely recommend visiting Paris with a baby - and I'd definitely recommend staying at the Kimpton.
Kimpton St Honoré, 27-29 Bd des Capucines, 75002 Paris, France
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel details
Sunset on the Seine at Lavacourt, Winter Effect - Claude Monet (1880)
Petit Palais courtyard
Femme au bouquet - Félix Vallotton (1922)
Le Bain - Mary Cassatt (1910)
Petit Palais
Oysters at Grand Café Capucines
Codage Paris toiletries
Allons-y! Baby's first Eurostar
