- Do book your eurostar train tickets to work around, or at least with, nap times.
- Don't do this just one way of the journey. Like we did. The train journey to paris was like a dream it went so perfectly. On the way back I think everyone in the whole train station knew us. You know the 'oh those people again' comments. Yep, that's our child crying at the top of the escalator for 30 minutes. With no shoes on. Pointing at something in the distance uncontrollably. I think he was crying for a reason at first (though we never did figure it out). But by the end I don't think even he knew why he was crying. It was FUN. At least all the staff took pity on us and let us go in the super fast lane to get through. Then again, maybe they were just trying to get rid of us. Don't blame them really.
- Don't let your kid wake at 330am on your first full day there when you have heaps of activities planned. Actually, I don't really know how we could've stopped this but I do know it was a huge pain in the a**.
- Do stay near one main attraction. That way when you're tired AF (from your toddler waking at 330am) there is one place you can stroll to without any fuss. We stayed just across from the Louvre (A-MAZ-ING) and the huge Tulleries gardens were a massive WIN for the toddler.
- Do eat every pastry in sight. What? You'll probably need the energy to keep up with the toddler.
- Don't worry about the diet. The french paradox will mean you'll probably come home skinnier. Right?
- Do let your kid enjoy the beautiful park surrounding the Luxembourg Palace.
- Don't let him sit on the merry go round by himself. Or at least, be prepared to catch him should he fall (yes he fell, it was traumatic, but he was totally fine).
- Do book somewhere half decent to stay. We all know you'll be spending way more time than intended indoors with the toddler.
- But don't make the accommodation too amazing because Paris is so damn good you won't want any excuses to not get out and make the absolute most of it.