I always thought of my parents as brave adventurers. They each fled Communist Poland when they were young, and arrived in Chicago not knowing anyone. They worked hard, dreamed big and eventually found each other. They had a beautiful love story and always stressed the importance of exploring the world. During the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020, I had the idea to interview my parents throughout the course of the year and write books about their lives. One of the questions I asked each of them was: “What is on your travel bucket list?” They each had various places, but the first on their list was a trip to the city of love…Paris. Sadly, my wonderful father and my mom’s best friend, passed away on August 28, 2022. They never got to take that trip. I decided that we shouldn’t wait. I convinced my mom to let me plan a trip for Mother’s Day in May 2023. At first she resisted, saying that she wasn’t in the headspace to enjoy a trip like that. But eventually she agreed, and I planned a week to show her the highlights in a week. It all the time she could commit to, and I knew we could make it magical.

Day 1: Arrival in Loire Valley

We arrived in Paris Charles De Gaulle airport in the morning, and took a speed train to Tours. We took the Gare Aeroport CDG2 TGV (Nantes line) to Gare de Saint-Pierre-des Corps. You can book via Trainline app. Be sure to get in the correct train car as moving about the cars is very cumbersome once the train is in motion. Once we arrived, we headed to the car rental office and picked up a car. The process was very easy.

We headed to our hotel to check in. The property was called Domaine de la Commanderie de Ballon. It was a very secluded and private manor that you entered via a giant iron gate. Commanderie is essentially a Knights Templar castle, and most were constructed in the 12th and 13th centuries, which makes finding one in good condition very rare. This castle was built in 1180 and one of the first founded by the Templar brothers. We stayed in the Junior Suite, which felt like an apartment. There was a small dining table by the window, looking out at the property. Up the hill in the back, there was a dreamy jacuzzi, pool and sauna located amidst the tall trees and the sound of birds chirping. It was truly a dream. We took advantage of the cedar jacuzzi tub and relaxed ourselves after the long day of travel. It started to rain, so we headed indoors where the hotel staff had arranged for a mother/daughter massage in a designated suite. We continued to de-stress as we listened to the rain and the birds. It was truly one of the most remarkable massages we have ever received. My mom even fell asleep! Once we were done, we headed back to our suite where dinner was brought in. The property doesn’t have a restaurant on site, but you can arrange for a dinner plate. My mom ordered the Beef Bourguignon and I had the salmon. The dishes arrived alongside a piping hot bowl of tomato soup, fresh baguette and a molten chocolate lava cake. Wine is BYOB, so keep that in mind. The food was incredible. I practically licked the plate clean. We tried to have an early night, since the next day we were setting out on an adventure to explore the Loire Valley. The first night was the perfect way to ease into our trip.

Day 2: Wine & Castle Tour

I was initially opposed to getting a guide, because I like to go exploring on my own. However, I will say that a winery tour is best done with a guide. For one, I was able to let loose and get a little tipsy without worrying about having to drive. Secondly, the guide is a historian and an expert on the area. You end up learning so much on your journey about the various wine appellations and the history of the castles. The Loire Valley has the largest concentration of castles in all of Europe! There are 300 chateaux in this 175-mile stretch of the river. The reason is that the river was once immensely important for trading, and later it served as a dividing point between the north and the south of the country, and thus a fault line between rival armies. When the war ended in 1453, the chateaux started being palaces of pleasure, with many kinds settling in the area, buying the castles and fixing them up to their desired specifications. The 16th century brought a wealth of inspiration to The Valley, including Italian art, Renaissance architecture styles and Leonardo da Vinci, who was invited to the king’s court in 1516.

Our guide picked us up early around 9:30am, to head to the first stop: wine tasting in the Chignon wine region. Chignon reds are mainly made with Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon varietals, while the white wines are made with Chenin Blanc. The roughly 200 producers of the area account for about 12 million bottles of wine per year. When grown in the light, sandy-gravel soils along the banks of the Vienne, Chignon is rounded on the palette, supple and easy to drink. When grown in the denser soil of limestone slopes, the wine gains a fuller body, is more robust and develops a much longer aging potential.

The first stop was at Chateau de Coulaine. This was the more rustic of the two we visited. We went down to the cave to see the aging barrels and were greeted by a cute 3-month old pup named Scottie, that wanted to show us around. This is a historic estate where the De Bonnaventure family have been making wine continually since 1300. The family live in a Gothic chateau built in 1469-70, with additions in the 19th century. They were the first estate in Chinon to become certified organic in 1997. Since Jean took over from his parents in 2013, we has continued the work with the same respect. We loved the wine, and bought a bottle of the Chenin Blanc, which was the perfect afternoon glass to enjoy later. It’s a very rare white organic Chinon with a clean and soft fruit on the nose and a balance of ripe citrus fruit in the mouth.

Our second stop was Chateau de Minière in the heart of the Bourgueil appellation region. An appellation refers to a legally determined and protected wine region. Vintners created the Loire Valley AOP label system in 1936. This system covers the grapes that may be used, the vineyards that grapes may come from and the production methods. Today, there are 51 AOP regions in the Loire, and more are being created. The chateau and its historic park is two centuries old, and has been managed by women since the 18th century. The French writer Charles Perrault was inspired by the chateau when he wrote “Sleeping Beauty”. The vines here are between 1 and 100 years old. The majority of the mature vines are 50-60 years old. The older ones flourish on the hillsides, where the estate is famous for the limestone that’s typical of the region. The younger vines are mainly grown on the lighter, sandy and gravel soils, as well as on clay and mixed soils. In the late 19^th century, the phylloxera outbreak in France wiped out all the vineyards in the Loire Valley. The pest appeared in French territory in the 1860’s as global travel became more widespread. Now the vines are protected against the phylloxera through grafting phylloxera-resistant American grapevine rootstock onto European grape vines. The diverse micro climates and soils and the various ages of the vines allow the winery to produce a wide range of wines. They can be tasted young, when they are fruity, delicate and flavorful, or later on, as they become more potent, and will be able to be aged. Those tannins soften and develop over time. The wines are all certified organic. To overcome the monoculture enforced by the wine, bio-diversity is encouraged wherever possible. You can only water the vines for the first three years, and then you have to let nature take its course. The watering allows the roots to bury deep. Seeing poppies growing amidst the vines is a good indicator that they are organic, because they wouldn’t grow with chemicals. The chateau’s park is also a bird sanctuary, creating conditions to encourage the establishment of wildlife and wild plants. Bee hives have also been set up. The commitment to nature extends further into everyday life. In the renovation work, rainwater and heat pumps were used. Eventually, the plan is to make the Chateau de Miniere a shining example of bio-diversity in the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage region. My mom ordered serval wines to ship back to her home in Chicago, which will be a great way to remember our time here. Rouge de Miniere (an easy-going red that aged in a stainless steel barrel); Chateau de Miniere (A deliciously rounded wine that combines all the charm that comes from the clay with the freshness of limestone aged in an oak barrel); Vignes Centenaires de Miniere (the quintessential wine of the estate made only in the greatest vintages and is grown on old vines planted on the very best tuffeau soils in the appellation and aged in an oak barrel) ; Bulles Rouges de Miniere (an original sparkling red made of 100% Cab Franc)

After our two winery visits, we set out to explore Villandry Castle and Gardens. The exterior of the castle is in the Renaissance style, but the interior is in the 18th century style, which was more cosy and warm. Fresh flowers can be found in each room. As for some history, during the French Revolution, the property was confiscated and in the early 19th century, Emperor Napoleon acquired it for his brother Jerome Bonaparte. In 1906, Joachim Carvallo purchased the property, financed by his wife Ann Coleman, an American heiress. The castle is still managed by the family, who live in the luxurious stables. Villandry is very famous for the gardens due to their diversity and originality (Love Garden, Kitchen Garden, Aromatic and Medicine Plant Garden, Water Garden and the brand-new Sun Garden) and by its size (15 acres, 1150 linden trees).

After we left Villandry, our tour guide took us to see Azay-le-Rideau, the village where she lives nearby. It was nice to wander the streets like a local. We got caught in a bit of rain, so we popped into a local soap shop (La Savonnerie Du Zebre), and then picked up some foodie gifts for friends, as well as bread and cheese to enjoy in our hotel.

After we said our goodbyes to Aurelie, we decided to head to Tours, which was the capital of France at the time of Louis XI. We went to dinner at a place that Aurelie recommended called Brasserie de l’Univers. It was a lively restaurant in the center of town. The escargot was great, but we didn’t enjoy the drinks or the mussels. It was pleasant walking along the main road, even though it was slightly drizzling. We were pretty tired afterward, so we headed back to the hotel, drank some wine and went to sleep.

Day 3: Au Revoir Loire, Bonjour Paris

We woke up on Thursday morning, packed and hit the road pretty early to explore Chateau Chenonceau on our own. It was about a 40 minute drive from our hotel, heading East. We parked our car and walked through the incredible tree-lined path to the castle. It’s not visible from the road, and the lead up to seeing it is beautifully dramatic. Once we made it past the trees, we saw the majestic castle before us. It really takes your breath away. The Chateau de Chenonceau spans the River Cher. It was designed and owned by women only and is therefore also known as the Château des Dames or Ladies’ Château. Its architecture is a perfect combination of elegance, beauty and refinement.  Henri II gave the Chateau de Chenonceau to his young mistress Diane of Poitiers. After his death, his widow Catherine de Medici took it back and exiled the mistress. Catherine of Medici re-landscaped the park and added new buildings. But above all, we owe her the famous Italian Renaissance style two-story gallery that tops the bridge built by Diane.

After the castle, we returned the car in Tours and boarded the train from Saint Pierre des Corps to Paris Montparnasse. It only took an hour to get to Paris. Once there, we called an Uber to take us to Hôtel Récamier, where we’d be staying for the next 4 nights. The hotel is located on the Left Bank in the charming neighborhood of Saint-Germain-des-Prés. As we walked up to the hotel, we saw a little sign from our Dad, there was a salon bearing his name called “Alexandre” right next door. We had a little moment for him, and then checked in, had some tea in the parlor and then got ready for dinner. That evening, we were having dinner at the newly opened Maison Delano off of Champs Elysees. My client had opened the hotel, and recommended that we dine in the French-Andalusian restaurant in the hotel called Chambre Bleue by Michelin Star Chef Dani García, which was a ituated at the heart of the hotel, in the historic courtyard. The restaurant draws inspiration from Pablo Picasso’s namesake painting. Both artists hailed from Malaga and both brought their creative vision to Paris. We got the royal treatment. The staff was all expecting us, and the hotel’s general manager came over and personally welcomed us with champagne. The service was exceptional. My mom was so impressed. I think our favorite dish was the tomato tartare. We also ordered the shrimp served in olive oil, the endive salad, the tuna carpaccio in olive oil and soy dressing (belly, loin and top loin) and the John dory fillet, butter crust, white asparagus, virgin olive oil and champagne sauce. We also had a delicious bottle of wine. It was our most extravagant meal. When I came out of the bathroom, my mom was smoking a cigarette! She had asked the server if she can buy one and he just brought her one of his. Everyone in Paris smokes, and she wanted to be French for the night! We had such a fun night. I called an Uber to pick us up and added an extra stop at the Eiffel Tower do that we can see it at night. We got lucky enough to get there just as it started sparkling, which only happens once every hour in the evenings. It made us feel like we were really in Paris!

Day 4: Photo shoot, Louvre, classical music concert at Sainte-Chapelle

We had to wake up early to meet our photographer Rachael at the Louvre. I booked a 30 minute session with her through a company called Flytographer. I picked her because she seemed very kind and her work was amazing. I thought she’d be the perfect person to make my mom feel at ease and relaxed. Mom was having a hard time loosening up for the photos, so I played “Take it Easy” by The Eagles for her from my phone. Once she started to dance, the movement was a lot more natural. The photos came out great! Rachael was very kind and agreed to shoot in a second location, a cute little cafe around the corner. She gave us a few bonus pictures because she said she loved our story and really enjoyed working with us.

After the shoot, we went to see my Paris office in Marais, a very cool and hip area with loads of restaurants. We decided to eat breakfast in this area. We shared a delicious Breton-style buckwheat galette and a sweet crepe from Breizh Cafe at the original location. Apparently cider goes best with crepes, but we had coffee. Afterwards, we took an Uber back to the hotel to change and relax for a while. We got lunch at Les Deux Magots, a very famous restaurant near our hotel where Hemingway and other artists used to dine. Mom got a pastry called the Paris-Brest, and we made friends with a very nice couple from Edinburgh. We had a long discussion on AI and the differences of living in a major city versus the countryside. I wish I had exchanged information with them to stay in touch, but maybe it was just meant to be a nice interaction on our journey through France. Once we were done, the weather was still gray, so we decided to go to The Louvre. We both love art and could have spent the whole day there. This time, we only saw one small section, the Greek statues (Venus de Milo) and of course Italian Paintings, which included the Mona Lisa. We couldn’t get close because of the swarm of people, but it was important to at least see it from a slight distance. We checked that box, and set out to walk to Notre Dame cathedral. Built in 1163 and completed in 1345, it’s the most famous Gothic cathedral from the Middle Ages. So much of it was destroyed in the tragic fire in 2019. By the time the fire was extinguished, the cathedral’s spire had collapsed, and most of the roof was destroyed. After the fire, there was an outpouring of support, and $10.6 million was raised from more than 10,500 donors in the U.S. and in more than 50 countries outside of France. There is much work yet to be done, but it looks like the plan is to reopen end of 2024. After we had finished reading about the cathedral, we walked over to Sainte-Chapelle, a famous gothic chapel. Construction began sometime after 1238, and it was consecrated in 1248. It’s considered one of the highest achievements of gothic architecture and was commissioned by King Louis IX to house his collection of Passion relics, including Christ’s Crown of thorns, one of the most important relics in medieval Christiandom. Later, it was held at Notre-Dame until the fire, which it survived. The chapel also features a truly exceptional collection of stained glass windows that tell the story of the Bible. I was surprising my mom, and she had no idea where we were going. Once we arrived, we had to wait in a long line, but finally we made it into the beautiful chapel. The concert was so wonderful. After the show, we walked back to our hotel. We passed a market, and mom bought very large pieces of truffle cheese and halva…they were so expensive, but she felt bad walking away from it once he cut it. It was absolutely delicious, but we kept laughing about the millionaire cheese and halva.

Day 5: Tulleries Gardens, Hôtel de la Marine, Champs Elysees, Eternal Flame love lock, Eiffel Tower and evening cruise along the Seine.

We slept in kind of late on Saturday, so once we left he house we went straight to get breakfast, but we missed the croissants! Mom chose the restaurant, which was called Cafe Louise, a delightful casual restaurant that has an upscale ambience. Since it was lunch time, mom ordered the Croque Madamme and I had a delicious salad with breaded goat cheese, figs and walnuts. Once we were done, we strolled toward the Tuileries Garden. On the way, we stopped to buy ourselves some French perfume. The French are famous for perfume, because there was a point in history where they didn’t bath because the King thought that water and soap caused disease. We each bought a small bottle of E.Q. perfume from D’Orsay. We were told that it’s an exclusive creation signed by the master perfumer Dominique Ropion. A floral, musky fragrance evoking the extension of a kiss. Sounds like the perfect perfume to wear in the city of love! After that, we made our way to the famous Tuileries Garden. It’s one of the biggest and oldest French gardens, dating back to the 17th century. It’s famous for many reasons–one reason is that in during the uprising in1789, Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette took refuge in the palace after the revolutionaries had taken them back to the palace of Versailles. We walked through the garden towards the Place de la Concorde. Just across the plaza there was the Hotel de la Marine, a historic heritage museum. It has a very rich collection of paintings, sculptures, tapestries, chandeliers, furniture and other decorative art, mostly from 18th and 19th century. The curators found many original pieces from the Palace of Versailles and the Elysees Palace. Once we finished exploring, we went for a gelato break on Champs Elysees and a cute little gelato stand. We sat on the bench and relaxed for a bit before walking all along the Champs Elysees towards the Arc de Triomphe, which honors those who fought and died for France during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic wars. We passed all the luxury stores and then sat down for more escargot and Aperol Spritz. Once we were finished, we started to make our way to the Eiffel Tower, so that mom can see it during the day. On the way, we stumbled upon the Flame of Liberty (built in 1989), which is a gold leaf covered replica of the flame of the torch of the Statue of Liberty in New York. It also has become a memorial to Princess Diana, who tragically died in the underpass just below, during a paparazzi car chase in 1997. My parents got married the same year as Princess Diana and Prince Charles, and we were all together when we heard of her passing. The area is surrounded by locks where people have chosen to remember their loved ones. I was carrying a love lock with me to place in Paris for Dad, and this looked like the perfect place. The Eiffel Tower stood in the background. We had a moment for Dad, and left a little piece of our hearts there in his memory. We started to walk towards the Eiffel Tower, and the weather started to get cold and gray. We had time to get close to the tower, but we didn’t get to see it with a clear sky. It started to rain, so we headed back to the hotel. We had dinner in our neighborhood at Cafe de Flore, where Descartes, Picasso, Simone de Beauvoir, Hemingway and many more artists used to dine. We each had onion soup, and when we were done, we had the idea to walk over to the river and try to catch an evening river cruise along the Seine. We made it onto one of the last tours. It was wonderful to see the city at night, with all the beautiful lights. he Beaux-Arts style bridge, with its exuberant Art Nouveau lamps, cherubs, nymphs and winged horses at either end, was built between 1896 and 1900 for the World Exhibition. It’s named after Tsar Alexander III, who had concluded the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. We loved it because of its ornate beauty, and also because it was named the same as Dad. It was chilly but beautiful as we sailed along. After getting off, we popped into a cafe to warm up and have a glass of wine. Then we called it a night and went back to our hotel.

Day 6: Mother’s Day Brunch, Luxembourg Garden, Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge

Sunday was Mother’s Day, so we went out for brunch. Since we had been eating a lot of heavy French food, I chose a trendy restaurant that specializes in pancakes and avocado toast. It was a cute spot, but we decided that this type of food is best enjoyed in America. We had a bellini toast, ate some of our breakfast and decided to stop by a sidewalk French cafe for a coffee. We ended up ordering a Beef Bourguignon since we loved it so much in the Loire Valley. Once we had our two breakfasts (why not?), we stopped into a boutique called Allison, where mom bought a beautiful long kimono by a Danish designer that hand dyes receycled saris. It was stunning and definitely a conversation piece. After we dropped off our bags at the hotel, we freshened up, and I took mom to the Luxembourg Gardens, which are inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence. They were created under the direction of Queen Marie de Medici in 1612. The gardens cover about 57 acres and are split into French gardens and English gardens. Between the two is a geometric forest and a large pond. There are 106 statues spread throughout the garden, but the most famous monument is the stunning Medici fountain. We stumbled upon a concert in the gardens and listened for a while. We could have stayed there all day, but we had to leave to hop on the train to Monmartre, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris. Once someone helped us figure out the train, it was really easy. We took a path that required us to climb up many stairs as we made our way towards Sacre Coeur Basilica (Basilica of the Sacred Heart). From its dome two hundred meters above the Seine, it overlooks the entire city of Paris and is the second most popular tourist destination and second highest point after the Eiffel Tower. Construction began in 1875 and continued for forty years under five different architects until it was completed in 1914 in the Romano-Byzantine style. We made our way to the steps where a musician was playing various songs. We took a seat and bought a couple Heinekens and sang along with the crowd of people. After a while, we made our way down the winding stairs, past the famous carousel from the movie Amelie, and walked through the beautiful streets of Monmartre as golden hour approached. We had a dinner reservation at La Maison Rose, a picturesque pink maisonette on a lovely street. It was bought in 1905 by Ramon Pichot, who was friends with Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso, who both visited him in the little house that was his painting studio. In 1948, Beatrice Miolano bought the home, and most recently it re-opened in December 2017 with a new team led by Laurence Miolano, the granddaughter of Beatrice, who has a commitment to eco-concious practices. She prioritizes seasonal, local agriculture and supports the local economy. We went early so that we can have a leisurely dinner. There were many tourists taking photos in front of this famous restaurant. We say outside and met the owner. She was lovely and very friendly. The food was wonderful. Mom had a vegan primavera penne pasta with a cream of green peas, fresh herbs, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds, and I had the Brandade de Morue, which is cod fish whipped with a light potato puree and garlic, served with a fresh seasonal green salad. For dessert, we had carrot cake served with powdered sugar and rosemary. We enjoyed sipping Rose and taking in the view of the setting sun. Once we were done, we made our way over towards the Moulin Rouge. We had tickets to a late show (11:30pm) because it was all that was available a month before. We walked past a very fun bar called Le Petit Cafe do Monmartre. Everyone was singing and the fun was spilling out to the street, but there were no tables available. We tried to find a place that was quieter, and ended up a cafe around the corner from Moulin Rouge. It wasn’t anything special, but we just needed a place to hang out for about an hour or so. When we arrived at the Moulin Rouge, we had to wait in a very long line until the doors opened. The seating is not assigned, so coming early works to your advantage. We walked into the very impressive and large main hall. It was so elegant. Each party gets personally seated at communal tables, and we got great seats right against the railing so there was no one blocking our view. Photography is not allowed for the show. I had read some reviews from people who thought it was cheesy, but once the show started, we were mesmerized. The performers were talented and so beautiful. They had various sets that included dancing, singing, theatrics, contortionist and amazing costumes. We loved it! After the show, we got street crepes while we waited for our Uber home. There is nothing like fresh, hot French crepes at 2:00am!

Day 7: Au Revoir and Merci Paris

We had an 11:20am flight home, so we went straight to the airport on Monday morning. I took a connecting flight through Chicago so that I can travel with my mom and get her back to Chicago safely and comfortably. We only had 7 days in France, but we made memories to last a lifetime. I feel so grateful that we got the chance to experience this together.