Paris with Two Teens and a Vintage Sidecar

The Vintage Sidecar Tour

Hands down the highlight of our trip, this was one of the most fun, cinematic ways to experience Paris. We booked the sunset vintage sidecar tour with Retro Tour Paris, and it could not have felt more magical.

Each sidecar accommodates two people: one seated in the sidecar and the other behind the driver-guide. You can choose from preset routes around the city or work with your guide to create your own itinerary.

The guides are a huge part of what makes the experience so memorable. They’re knowledgeable, highly entertaining, and excellent drivers. I never felt unsafe—even weaving through Paris traffic at golden hour.

From the moment the sidecars pulled up outside our hotel, they turned heads everywhere we went. Sitting on the back of the motorcycle in sunglasses, with the wind whipping through my hair as we zipped through Paris at sunset, felt like stepping into our own Audrey Hepburn-meets-Emily in Paris moment.

Hotels

We stayed in two different hotels, each offering excellent options for a group of three.

• La Maison Favart: We stayed in the family suite overlooking Place Boieldieu, and it was simply beautiful. Waking up to that quintessential Parisian view felt like stepping into a storybook. The décor — elegant, intimate, and distinctly Parisian—perfectly captured the spirit of a mother-daughter trip. It felt special and celebratory.

• Hotel Panache: We adored this well-priced boutique hotel, perfectly positioned in the Grands Boulevards district of the 9th arrondissement. Full of charm and staffed by a warm, friendly team, it’s a wonderful value with a classic Parisian boulevard atmosphere that feels genuinely local.

Restaurants

• L’Ami Jean: One of the best meals I’ve had in years, this Basque-influenced bistro near the Eiffel Tower is worth planning your schedule around. Book well in advance.

• Poulette: Fresh, stylish, and casual, with a friendly local vibe.

• Camille: We stumbled onto this Marais bistro without a reservation and were enchanted—the food, service, and charm were everything you’d hope Paris would be.

• Café Cassette: Maybe a little touristy, yes, but what a find. On a rainy Saturday in an area filled with overcrowded, mediocre choices, this flower-filled Saint-Germain brasserie won us over with its classic French fare, friendly service, and floral, summery atmosphere.

Shops we loved

• Il Était une Fois: A Marais boutique with some of the best window displays I’ve seen in ages. The ground floor is filled with fantasy figurines—fairies, dragons, and the like—while the upper floor carries jewelry and Christmas ornaments year-round.

• Free ‘P’ Star: A beloved Marais institution with three locations packed floor-to-ceiling with affordable vintage finds, from feather boas and platform boots to leather jackets spanning the 1950s through the ‘80s.

• The King of Frip: A well-stocked, two-floor Marais thrift shop with a wide-ranging selection for men and women at wallet-friendly prices.

• Kilo Shop: An eco-conscious vintage chain where thousands of secondhand pieces are priced by weight.

Book top restaurants and museum exhibitions well in advance. The city is extremely crowded, and tickets for special exhibits like La Galerie Dior and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs can be nearly impossible to get at the last minute—at least without paying for premium concierge services that specialize in hard-to-get tickets.

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