Paris in February

A Winter Break in Paris, France

Whether you are planning your first visit to Paris or your third, chances are that February did not jump out at you as a great time to go. The truth is, there is no bad time to go to Paris. To paraphrase Sabrina, it’s always a good idea:)

*This post contains affiliate links, so I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on my site at no additional cost to you.

There are just a couple “cons” to visiting a European city during the chilly winter months. One, you’ll miss the flowers, trees, and gardens in full color (ok, that’s a big one). And, two, you’ll need to pack warmer, bulkier clothes. I really can’t think of anything else. The list of “pros” may be compelling enough to overlook those drawbacks – fewer crowds, shorter lines, better fares and rates on airfare and hotels, cozy cafes, and winter sale season for fashion. Convinced yet?

My BFF and I decided to take advantage of all of the above with our teenaged kids in tow. This was my third visit to Paris, but Kath’s first. I knew there would be some “must-sees” on her list that every first-timer must do. While I was excited to see those places again, I also was looking forward to a couple things that I had not had time for on previous visits.

Our five-day itinerary satisfied the major checkboxes for Kath’s first-time visit, as well as few new hidden gems for my repeat visit. We ended up going our separate ways here and there, which kept everyone happy and entertained!

Day 1: Arrival, St.-Germain-des-Prés, Walk along the Seine
Day 2: Sainte-Chapelle, Pastry Tour, French Macaron Class, Eiffel Tower
Day 3: Cathedral de Notre Dame, Cafe Angelina, Marais
Day 4: Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Montmartre, Musée d’Orsay, Place de la Concorde
Day 5: Palace Garnier, Galeries Lafayette
Day 6: Kath & AC’s extra day to visit the Louvre

Day 1: Arrival, St.-Germain-des-Prés, Walk along the Seine

Paris is a fabulous city! The first time I went (that time, with my mother), I was overwhelmed by everything, trying to take it all in with a packed itinerary in-hand, which is pretty much what everyone does. We hit the ground running from the moment we stepped off the plane.

As I have gone a few times now, it has been really nice take things as a slower pace, lingering in the cafes and museums or getting a bit lost in streets of the Marais. Each time, I’ve enjoyed it more and increasingly appreciate the joie de vivre.

The first thing we did was check in to our lovely boutique hotel, Hotel Henri IV Rive Gauche. Set in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, this 17th century house is within walking distance to food, shopping, major points of interest, and the Metro (which will get you anywhere in the city).

Kath and her daughter, Anna Claire, were still en route. So, my son, Pierce, and I grabbed our umbrellas and headed out to wander the ‘hood. With no expectations or agenda, we ended up cafe hopping and peering into the windows of the art galleries and antique shops. I hit the kid-lottery with my boys, who actually don’t mind doing these kinds of things with me:)

Above photos: The iconic cafes of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

We met our travel companions back at the hotel after they arrived and headed straight out again for a walk along the Seine and its many bridges. We stopped at the Equestrian Statue of Henri IV at Pont Neuf and the Pont des Arts bridge, which is famous for the padlocks attached to its railing. The original railings had to be removed and replaced due to their weight compromising the bridge’s structural integrity. However, the love-lock rails are just over on the right side of the bridge where visitors can stop to see them.

Above photos: Equestrian Statue of Henri IV at Pont Neuf (left) and Love Locks at the Pont des Arts bridge (above right)

As the rain continued, we finally ducked in to a Metro station so our first-time visitors could get to a place to catch a glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. In my humble opinion, this should be the first thing that anyone does when they arrive in Paris. “Pow! There it is!” It is such an exciting thing to finally see with your own eyes, even if at a distance until later in your trip.

Above photo: The dome of Invalides and the Eiffel Tower are seen from the Seine

Being weary from our long-haul flights, we grabbed a quick and casual dinner and headed back our hotel to sleep off the jet lag.

Day 2: Sainte-Chapelle, Pastry Tour, French Macaron Class, Eiffel Tower

This day was quite possibly my most favorite day in Paris ever. After grabbing coffees and croissants from the bakery near our hotel, we headed to Île de la Cité, the small island in the river Seine in the center of Paris. There are quite a few famous sights here, including the Notre Dame Cathedral. However, we were headed to the smaller Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th century Gothic chapel within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the former residence of the Kings of France.

Above photo: Crossing over the Seine, looking towards Notre Dame Cathedral on Île de la Cité

Above photo: Gate of the Palais de la Cité

Above photo: Sainte-Chapelle

The stained-glass windows of the chapel are the main draw of this attraction. There are 1,113 beautifully restored windows, to be exact. One cannot help but feel that they are standing in the middle of a jewelry box filled with gemstones.

We filled the rest of our morning with a long walk through the Jardin des Tuileries and onwards to the famous shopping street, Champs-Élysées. During the Spring and Summer months, these areas are overflowing with gorgeous flowers and gardens. Even though the landscaping was a bit grey for us, it hardly detracted from all the fun we were having.

Our next activity was a pastry tour and baking class we had booked with La Cuisine Paris. Kath and I have been baking and throwing parties together since our college days. So, we knew this was going to be right up our alley. We met our guide at our starting point on the outskirts of the Marais neighboorhood.

I’m a huge fan of food tours, especially if you are traveling with teens. It is a great way to get to know a city and dive into the culture without too many complaints. Kids and teens (especially mine) can get bored if I pack the day with too many churches and museums. So, I’m an advocate of anything keeps their interest – and they are always interested in food. So, there you go!

Our pastry tour took us through the uber trendy Marais, sampling a plethora of chocolate, breads, and pastries. It was hands-down the best whirlwind dessert experience!

Above photos: Pastry Tour in the Marais with La Cuisine Paris

Immediately following our tour, we headed to our two-hour private class to learn how to make French Macarons. While these classes are available for larger groups, we scheduled a private class because we had the kids with us and really wanted it to be tailored as a “cooking with your kid” experience. Our pastry chef instructor was so accommodating and gave us a perfect afternoon of baking fun.

Above photos: French Macaron Class at La Cuisine Paris

With our pockets stuffed with left-overs, we decided we would take our sugar-highs to the top of the Eiffel Tower. No matter how many times I go to Paris, I will never get tired of this view. The best part for us: no line. Okay, a little line, but nothing that even came close to the queues I’ve seen during the summer months.

Above photos: The Eiffel Tower

Day 3: Cathedral de Notre Dame, Cafe Angelina, Marais

Our next day, we decided to split up for the morning. Kath and her daughter wanted to attend mass at Notre Dame (this was obviously prior to the fire). Since I had been there a couple times already, Pierce and I headed over to the 1st arrondissement on the right bank. This upscale area is home to many designer shops and high-end hotels. It is also a great place to enjoy architecture, the ornate entrances and doors, and open square of Place Vendôme.

Above photo: Place Vendôme

We met up with our companions for lunch at Angelina, a legendary 1903 tea room with the best hot chocolate . Once a meeting place for Parisian aristocracy, everything here is beautiful from the belle epoque-style setting to the pastry creations. This is truly a place where you could linger for quite a while, working your way through a tiered stand of confections and refills of chocolat chaud.

Above photos: Lunch at Angelina

We spent the remainder of our day just walking through the endless maze of cobblestone streets. No itinerary, no to-do list, no particular place to be. Just an afternoon of discovery. When we returned to the hotel later, I quickly re-connected to the Wi-Fi to look up the names of some of the places we saw. I suppose that was a backwards approach to tourism, but it was completely stress-free!

Day 4: Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Montmartre, Musée d’Orsay, Place de la Concorde

I only vaguely remember visiting Montmartre on my very first trip to Paris. I didn’t make it there on my second trip. So, I was really looking forward to going there again and making sure the memories stuck this time.

Montmartre is a large hill in Paris’s northern 18th arrondissement and is perhaps most well-known for the artist community and the Sacré-Cœur on its summit. From where we were staying, it was a bit of a walk. So, we hopped on the Metro and got off at Abbesses.

The Abbesses Metro station is also very close to the Mur des Je t’aime (the love mural), which you can stop to see either before you head up the hill or on your way back. We decided to save it for the way back.

It’s pretty easy to find your way up to the Sacré-Coeur. Just point your feet towards with big white dome or follow the rest of the crowd. Once you arrive, you can either take the Funiculaire de Montmartre up to the church or you can walk the stairs. The funiculaire is fun and only a couple dollars. There are Metro ticket machines at the entrance so you can easily purchase and then get in line.

Above photos: Funiculaire de Montmartre

The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is a lovely church, and we were lucky enough to be there during a mass so we could hear the gorgeous acoustics. The most impressive highlights are the ceiling mosaic (the largest in France) and the city views from the outside.

Above photos: The Sacré-Coeur Basilica

Aside from the Sacré-Coeur, which is worth the visit to Montmartre all on its own, the neighborhood is really lovely. We wandered through the main square filled with artists displaying and selling their works. I 1000% regret not buying one of these floral paintings.

Above photos: Montmartre

The side streets are lined with shops, cafes, and all sorts of little treasures. It is authentically charming and authentically Paris. This is definitely not a place you will want to rush through. It is a place to stroll leisurely, linger over a latte, and make new friends.

Above left photo: The historic Le Consulat Café

Before getting back on the Metro, we stopped by the popular Wall of Love to admire the mural and take a few photos. We took the same Metro line (12) back the way we came, but stopped short at the Solférino Station, just a couple blocks away from the steps of Musée d’Orsay.

Above photo: Mur des Je t’aime

The Musée d’Orsay is my favorite art museum in Paris. The Louvre gets all the attention is seems, and it is absolutely an incredible museum. But, I simply love the collections housed by Musée d’Orsay, such as Monet, Degas, Renoir, and Manet, to name a few.

Above photos: Works of art at Musée d’Orsay

Don’t forget to visit the top floor for a photo in front of the clock overlooking the Seine. The clock is part of the great hall and is located on the fifth floor of the building.

Above right photo: Musée d’Orsay Interior Clock

Musée d’Orsay also has a bright and ornate tea room you can visit in case all that art makes you hungry. Or, in our case, we took a break to figure out our next move. As we were sitting there, the kids spotted the Big Wheel in Place du Concorde through the windows. Who doesn’t want to ride a ferris wheel in February??!?

Above photo: Restaurant du Musée d’Orsay

It may not sound like a fun winter activity, but the carriages on the Big Wheel have some protection from the wind, so you aren’t completely exposed to the elements. Our timing was perfect for capturing the sunset views over the city.

Above photos: Views from the Grande Roue De Paris

Day 5: Palace Garnier, Galleries Lafayette

We had just a couple places on our list for our last day in Paris — Palais Garnier and Galeries Lafayette. Palais Garnier is the exquisite opera house of Paris. Self-guided and guided daily tours are available. This is one to not be missed. The full splendor and opulance of Paris can be summed up in the gilded auditorium with the domed ceiling painted by Marc Chagall.

Above photos: Palais Garnier

When I first started traveling internationally with my boys, we started a tradition of buying their new tennis shoes for the upcoming school year while we were abroad. This was my way of steering them away from cheesy souvenirs that would end up squirreled away in a drawer and instead buying them something that they needed anyway. It really didn’t even matter to me if they bought shoes that I could have bought back home in the US. They were just thrilled to be able to tell their friends, “I got them in Paris. (…or Zurich…or London). It was no different on this trip. We headed over to Galeries Lafayette to find Pierce his next pair sneakers.

Above photos: Shopping at Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

This department store has a great selection of upscale fashion and gourmet food. The architecture and art nouveau glass dome is stunning, making it a popular tourist destination even for those that aren’t interested in the shopping. It was a great last-day activity. Lucky for us, many of the Winter Sales were still on and we found some great deals.

Above photos: Galeries Lafayette Haussmann

For our final hurrah with our travel buddies, we met up at Ladurée on Champs-Élysées for a bite to eat and take-away macarons. Ladurée is a beautiful bakery famous for its exquisite pastries and macarons. But, the cafe lounge is also a gorgeous place to rest your weary shopping feet and enjoy a plate of finger sandwiches.

Above photos: Ladurée Champs-Élysées

Day 6: Kath & AC’s extra day to visit the Louvre

As Pierce and I set off for our journey back to Texas, Kath & Anna Claire stayed behind for an extra day to check-off a few more of their “first-timer” boxes, including the Louvre Museum. No first visit to Paris is complete without exploring this amazing place. It is helpful to do some advance reading and familiarize yourself with the exhibits and special collections so you have some idea on how to prioritize your time — especially if your time is limited.

Of course, I headed immediately to the Venus de Milo when I previously visited. For others, it’s the Mona Lisa:) My kids probably could have skipped everything except the Egyptian Exhibit.

Outside the museum the The Tuileries Garden is the ideal place to people watch, eat your lunch, or enjoy the sculptures. Regardless of when you visit, a walk through this garden is a walk through history. Once a royal garden where the imperial family played, it was opened to the general public in 1871 and has been ever since.