Just returned from a trip to Paris and Normandy with my family and wanted to share some thoughts for anyone planning a similar trip.
The Highlights:
We booked a half-day D-Day beach tour with Overlord Tour in Normandy and it was hands-down the best experience of the trip. It was a private tour with just our family, and our guide Guillaume — a Normandy local — was phenomenal. Knowledgeable, personable, and passionate about the history. Cannot recommend this enough.
I also ran in a race while we were there and absolutely loved it — a truly phenomenal experience and a unique way to see the area.
Our champagne day trip through O Chateau was incredible. The experience itself was wonderful, though I'd note the travel vehicle felt a bit cramped for the group size. Still, highly recommend it.
The Palais Garnier opera house was stunning and we had a great visit. That said, I think timing is everything — I can't imagine trying to enjoy it during peak season.
The food was the other major standout. Every restaurant reservation we made was excellent, and the Superfluous and Septime restaurants in particular were truly memorable. French food lived up to the hype and then some.
The Lowlights:
Versailles was a sardine can. We visited during what's supposedly the off-season and it was still jam-packed. Honestly a miserable experience given the crowds.
The Louvre was a mixed bag. We entered through a side entrance, which was smart — the early part of our visit was enjoyable. But once we hit the main crowds, the experience went downhill fast. If this is what off-peak looks like, I cannot imagine visiting in summer.
Shopping was disappointing. I was specifically looking for teen-friendly shopping and tried Galeries Lafayette and Forum des Halles, but both were overwhelmingly crowded and the selection wasn't what I'd expected. Maybe I wasn't hitting the right spots — would love recommendations from anyone who's had better luck shopping with teens in Paris.
Bottom Line: The food, Normandy, and the champagne trip made this vacation. For the major tourist sites, manage your expectations on crowds even in the shoulder season, and prioritize timed entries and side entrances wherever possible.