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On Sunday mornings Parisian families awake early, driven out of bed by their young, restless children who seize the one morning a week they can really concentrate on play (Saturday is a school day). Rive Gauche families bundle the kids up and head to the Luxembourg Gardens. Some of these families are meeting grandparents, or doting aunts, and when they do, the rendez-vous is Pavillion de la Fontaine, a small café in the middle of the park, not far from the Medici Fountain and under the chestnut trees. The setting is ideal and the food surprisingly good for a park café. A tartine or croissant with a café crème is the traditional breakfast (chocolat chaud for the enfants, of course!), but this is one place worth splashing out on their freshly made waffles or crèpes. In the afternoon, there are sometimes concerts at the gazebo-ed bandstand, just meters away, the perfect accompaniment for one of their artisanal ice creams.

Overview

More rough-and-tumble and far less touristy than the Tuileries and Luxembourg gardens, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont is a green space that’s worth a visit—especially given the recent resurgence of its surrounding district, the formerly working-class neighborhood of Belleville. You’ll find a nice mix of mostly Parisians walking, eating, canoodling, and sipping cocktails at the park’s not-too-overpriced Rosa Bonheur bar. In short, there’s plenty to keep you entertained if you just want to sit back and people-watch. From the elevation of this former quarry (much of the stone used to build Paris was extracted here), you can get a nice view of the city, especially if you make the trek to the Victorian-era folly that sits at the park’s highest point.

On sunny days, Parisians head for the Luxembourg Garden, built by Marie de’ Medici in 1611 and modeled after the Boboli Gardens in her native Florence. In addition to the magnificent Medici Fountain, there are more than 100 statues arranged around the garden’s 20 hectares (50 acres), which encompass both formal French and English gardens. Here you’ll find chess players, puppeteers, children sailing tiny boats on the octagonal pool and sometimes a free concert in the gazebo.

This is an exquisite international takeout shop. Order salmon and foie gras for a party or get a sandwich and a pastry and go down the block to eat it in the Luxembourg Gardens. On a cold day, we like to sit on a bench near the orangerie, and in the summer, the lawn is gorgeous.

La Grande Épicerie is the food emporium for the Bon Marché department store. A definite spot to buy gourmet food for a picnic or for gifts to take home. It sells over 30,000 gourmet products including groceries, fresh produce, fish, wines and pastries. Grab some french mustard, a baguette, sliced meats, some yummy apples, a sugary sweet treat and head to Luxembourg Gardens for a real feast!

Château de Bouillon is a medieval castle in the town of Bouillon in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. The château is situated on a rocky spur of land within a sharp bend of the Semois River. In 1082, Bouillon Castle was inherited by Godfrey of Bouillon, who sold it to Otbert, Bishop of Liège in order to finance the First Crusade. The castle was later fitted for heavy artillery by Vauban, Louis XIV’s military architect in the late 17th century. It’s a great place to visit with kids, our son was really impressed with the cannons and the cannon balls displayed in the château’s courtyard. The town of Bouillon is beautifully ornamented with hanging geranium. You can rent paddle boats for up to 5 people and go on the river or you can take the little city train that takes you to the top of the city offering you the best views of the château. After that you can choose one of the little cafes, sit down for nice meal and watch the world go by. The town also has a great butcher/dairy place selling local hams and cheeses. For a small town is has allot to offer so check it out.