The Petit Guide (2025)

04/02/2025

Wonderful two mornings touring with this fun loving and peppy family!

We explored central Paris, where we popped into Notre Dame, did some impromptu blanket shopping to stay warm:), and then adventured in Montmartre where we had hot chocolates, blew bubbles, hopped on a carrousel ride and talked about the artistic history of this charming Parisian neighborhood. Julie is a super mom carrying her sweetie all over Paris!

I particularly loved getting to have lunch together - Yay for low season when there is time for more leisurely tours and no need to rush off at the end!

Thank you Julie and co for including me in your Paris trip - it was a sincere joy to spend time with you all 💕

29/01/2025

Continuing in the theme of Paris accommodations today!

I LOVE helping with Paris trip planning, especially for families, but my weakness is helping with hotel bookings:) The other day, when I shared the list of hotels vetted by actual families, a mom from a tour back in 2023 reached out with a wonderful idea!

Jackie and her two sweet daughters took a Montmartre tour with me back in 2023, and she has since transitioned into being a full time travel advisor, specialized in family travel, at her company

Did you know that you can use a travel advisor to book hotels for little to no fee AND that they can score you perks like free breakfast and late check out? OR make sure that a cute Paris coloring set for kids is awaiting you in your room after a long voyage? I most definitely did not know that!

Jackie would love to help advise on the best hotels for families in Paris (and all over the world!), and secure the bookings for you guys! She has impeccable taste and is all ears on each families needs and expectations.

I love supporting other businesses run by parents who understand the priorities when traveling with kids:) and adore when my job puts me in contact with wonderful folks who can be of assistance to families. If you need help booking a hotel in Paris, Jackie is your gal!

23/01/2025

PARIS FAMILY ACCOMMODATIONS!

The other week I asked you guys to share your FAVE Paris hotels and apartments that worked for your family, and you guys majorly delivered!

I have compiled the list, and tried to sort the options into various categories - top picks (these come up over and over again with only rave reviews), budget friendly, luxury, including the neighborhood, etc.

I also included the comments from the person who shared! There is something for everyone - connecting hotel rooms, spacious airbnbs, serviced apartments in the heart of Paris, super fancy suites for a splurge…!

Find the whole list on my blog at https://www.zoepetit.com/post/paris-family-accommodations

If you have a spot to add - drop it below and I’ll update the list with more options!

Thank you from all the families struggling with where to stay in Paris!!! The shared photos come from .charles.floquet

13/01/2025

Thoughts on the past year and the year to come! Anyone else feeling the urge to get their 2025 life in order???

10/01/2025

I am super late to the game posting about the ‘Galette des Rois’ cake 👑 , the traditional dessert that accompanies Epiphany on January 6th! In my household we hit the galette hard, and it’s a staple until the bakeries retire them at the end of the month!

Galette des Rois, or ‘King’s Cake’ in English (although it is nothing like the brightly frosted cake we know in the US), is a simple cake made of puff pastry filled with a thick layer of frangipane, or almond paste. It is so so delicious!

There is also a very fun tradition that goes along with eating the cake - the youngest person hides under the table, and assigns a piece of cake to each person - that way there’s no cheating if the ceramic treat that’s hidden inside is visible:) One lucky taster will get the ‘feve,’ a small ceramic figurine, and become King or Queen and receive the crown (which comes along with each galette des rois). Kids love this game and take it very seriously!

Here is a selection of our faves from over the years, including one from , which won 2nd place in the Galette competition last year I believe and came with TWO little figurines inside (a ceramic one and the golden Arc de Triomphe. Great souvenir!). The , and galettes are also in our top picks:) the last pic is our collection of figurines from over the years. The kids always get so excited to play picking every January!

If you can’t purchase these cakes in your area, you can whip one up pretty easily by following a recipe online!

06/01/2025

My first tour of 2025 this morning reserved an excellent surprise - ending in the newly restored Notre Dame Cathedral!

The cathedral reopened about a month ago, and the lines have been crazy and the reservation process a disaster ever since. I had assumed today would be the same story but much to our surprise there was almost no line and we were in the church in less than a minute! I honestly felt a bit in shock walking through the door, and it took a minute to realize what was happening.

The interior is quite cheerful and lively, with bright colors and gleaming white stone. It feels like the restoration process breathed new life into what was a bit gloomy feeling before. It was fun looking around with a young girl who was visiting for the first time, and marveling what was possible architecturally almost 1000 years ago!

What a gift. Thank you 2025, your off to an excellent start 👌

18/12/2024

CANCER FREE!!!!

Y’all. I am so excited to share this with you!!! About a week ago, I got THE call every cancer patient is dreaming of… no more cancer!!!! This has been hanging over my head since January 9, when I was diagnosed with stage 3C colorectal cancer.

The call came pretty late in the evening. I saw my doctor’s name come up on the screen and immediately my heart started racing. I was awaiting the post-op analysis results, and had been told it would be at least two weeks. This was only one week out… my stomach dropped, sure that such a quick call was bad news. But when I heard the surgeon’s voice, he sounded happy. Thrilled even! He told me that all the margins were clear and the operation was a success!

Telling people has been SO fun. My dad yelled “FANTASTIC!!!!” And did a fist pump. My daughter wrote me a beautiful poem (in French, see second photo. Translation “as soon as I see you my heart explodes; it is the most beautiful day of my life” 😭)

I am still processing the news. It feels wonderful but also all of a sudden I feel very tired 😂 Now that it is behind me my body can finally relax I guess?

I wanted to thank everyonewho helped me get through this very tough year. The joyful families who took tours with me and gave me a mental break from cancer land - your positivity and energy helped more than you’ll ever know!!! ; my lovely tour partners Sophie and Mandie who stepped in when I was not free and are so dedicated to serving The Petit Guide families; all the folks in this community who sent uplifting messages of support to a complete stranger - you guys are awesome!!! ; my dear friends and family who sent flowers, meals and let me cry when things were too much. And most of all to my husband Pascal. He juggled this year of challenges like a pro, attending all my dr appointments, searching out the random things that sounded appetizing during chemo, organizing fun mini escapes in Paris, and mostly just being a rock for our family. I’ll never forget after one of the first apts when I was crying in the car and Pascal cleared his afternoon and made a beeline to the movies to distract me 💕 that was a solid move.
Continued in comments :)

17/12/2024

Last tours of the year!!!! Thank you to these amazing families for their excellent attitudes in the chilly Paris weather. Sophie danced the cancan in front of the Moulin Rouge, we found the Montmartre windmills, and kids got their own carrousel tickets in French! Bravo to all these lovely kiddos for being so inquisitive, energetic and fun to show around (and bravo to their parents for raising such great kids!).

What a year. I can’t believe it’s time to hang up my tour bag and take a break for the holidays!

15/12/2024

We spent the most relaxing and cozy weekend with our friends at their country house in the Perche, about two hours from Paris. We cooked elaborate recipes and lingered at the table after meals, played cards, slept in… it was basically heaven and much needed after an intense couple of weeks! Isn’t their home gorgeous and inviting? I am obsessed with the perfectly-placed window next to their fireplace - the view looks like a painting!

PS our friend Jaime has a real green thumb and just launched a new service, .fr to help Parisians take advantage of their balconies! Keep it in mind if you live in Paris and want a luscious and plant-filled balcony space!

09/12/2024

It’s that time of the year - time to get letters in the mail to Santa! I share this activity every year because… it’s just that fun!

Ever since 1962, French kids have been sending letters to Santa… and getting a response! This incredible free service is set up by , the French postal system, who dedicates 50 employees to the cause for the month before Christmas!

This will be our 6th year participating, and we’ve always gotten a response in return. The best part - you can write in French OR English, and your response will be in the same language! You can even write from abroad and get a response!

No need for a stamp in France - just make sure ‘Père Noël’ is written on the envelope and it’ll make its way to Libourne (near Bordeaux), where French Santa apparently resides:) (if you’re writing from abroad, I’m guessing you do need a stamp.)

While reading about this service online, I saw several sites link to ‘modèles’ of letters to write - this is oh so French (there is so much formal mail sent here!), and only the French would have a recommended format for writing to Santa! 😂

Don’t forget to include your address if you want a response! You officially have til Dec 20 to post your letter, but I say the sooner the better if you want to experience the joy of your kids receiving a real response in the mail:) I’ll keep you posted on ours!

List of possible addresses:
Petit Papa Noël
1 rue du Ciel étoilé
Pôle Nord

Papa Noël
Avenue des Rennes
Laponie

Use this address if writing from abroad:
Père Noël
33500 Libourne
France

30/11/2024

Shout out to my cuties of the week!!! And what a week it was! The Petit Guides were out in full force, we did a record breaking 20 tours last week! Thank you to my lovely partners Sophie and Mandie for helping deliver fun and family friendly tours all over Paris!

We had first-time-ever Eiffel Tower sightings, art shopping, carrousel riding, matching beret wearing, oyster trying… SO FUN!!! Thanks to all our families for the wonderful week exploring Paris. We are so grateful for you guys! 💕

26/11/2024

Hi guys!

I wanted to share a quick health update with you all :) this community of fellow parents, adventurers and lovers of France has been such a blessing to me as I’ve gone through cancer treatment since January - I appreciate you all so very much, and you support and kind words have been a buoy of light throughout this long process! I am 100% convinced that the joy I receive from all the families I meet both in real life and online has given me the strength to keep working through my treatments, which has led to a positive mindset that is so crucial to a good outcome!

After multiple operations, chemotherapy and radiation, I have what I *hope* will be a final operation in a week! The past months have been a real roller coaster, with lots of uncertainty after various test results. I had to learn to listen to my gut and advocate hard for myself - a real challenge for me! The doctors finally found a solution that works for my lifestyle and long term health goals, and I will be getting a somewhat rare and newish type of operation, that should not have any long term side effects.

Just wanted to share this news, as I wrap up will hopefully be the last step in fully healing! I hate operations, but I am excited to get this done and close this chapter on active treatment !

Thanks again to everyone for their lovely support and kind words 💕 I appreciate it so so much!

25/11/2024

It’s beginning time look a lot like Christmas!!!

Can’t wait to share more about our very festive holiday activities over the weekend!

In the meantime… behold the gorgeous Christmas tree. This is a MUST every holiday season! This will be up through December 31st!

22/11/2024

Shout out to some of the cuties I’ve had the pleasure of exploring with lately!!! We have had a year’s worth of extreme weather recently, with rain, sunshine and snow! We still managed to sketch (although sometimes in a cafe with hot chocolate ☕️:)), hunt Space Invaders, and even make snowballs - a tour first!

Thank you to all my lovely families for having such excellent attitudes even when the weather is challenging!!! I appreciate it so much!

14/11/2024

Just doing some cubist drawings in front of Picasso’s studio… you know, no big deal.

I was so impressed with this little lady who already knew all about cubism and started drawing this as soon as she heard we were in front of where Picasso used to live!

08/11/2024

The days are getting shorter and that means getting to tour during the golden hour!

Loved showing this sweet family with two little guys around this week. Thanks for spending part of your Paris time with me 💕

07/11/2024

Introducing the ‘Paris Travel Tips - Preparing for Your Family Trip to Paris’ guide!

This downloadable PDF guide is chock full of all my Paris tips, from dining and transportation tips to ideas on the best museums and parks to visit (and more importantly… WHEN to visit! Did you know there are certain days to go to the best parks???). I also cover safety, where to stay, how to get the kids excited for Paris, as well as the Paris layout and vocab!

This guide is sent as a gift to all tour and travel planning families 💕

Otherwise, get it here or at the link in my bio ! https://payhip.com/b/aPlye

06/11/2024

When you’re touring with a group of very hip pre-teens and there’s no line at the vintage photo booth in Montmartre, you stop!!!

This is such a fun souvenir from a Paris trip!

The Petit Guide