We stayed at Claire’s home with our 2-year-old toddler, our parents, and our niece. We could not have had a more perfect place. The location can not be beat—more on that later—but for us, the best part was how Claire helped us manage travel with a toddler. She provided a pack-and-play crib (note it was bigger than American pack and plays, the sheet we brought wouldn’t fit, but she had it all made up for us with foam mattress and fitted sheet), high chair and stroller (note we didn’t use either, but appreciated that they were there) even a child training potty! Plus a smaller day bed that could be used for a smaller child who wants to sleep near parents. The location can not be any better. Two small playgrounds within a couple blocks, 5 mins walk to Notre Dame, 20 mins walk to almost everywhere else you want to go, and if you don’t have a toddler, you could walk to pretty much any major site in the city. Four metro options within a few minutes walk (2 of which are within a couple blocks) and a bus stop directly in front of the door. We ended up using busses a lot, they often don’t take longer than metro, are a great way to see the city, and the toddler thought they were cool. The neighborhood was fascinating, too. You are in the big city—with the windows open, you will get a lot of street noise, but that’s to be expected. Many groceries are within a couple blocks, and amazing breakfast tartes and croissants are just a couple minutes walk. I would go out every morning for 20 minutes and come back with fresh baked breakfast for everyone. There’s a fresh market several days a week for your fruit & veggie Parisian experience, a fantastic cheese place (just give them a budget and let them work their magic), and two MOF patisseries nearby. (See “Kings of Pastry” before going to Paris.) Two other considerations before you choose a place: the tiny elevator is a must if you have suitcases and/or guests uncomfortable with steep winding stairs, which every place will have. Like most Europeans, Claire says she is on the second floor, as Europeans count the ground floor as zero. To Americans, she’s on the third floor. The elevator works great. Also, Paris can be hot and humid, and AC is hard to find but necessary for summer vacations. Claire’s home faces north and stayed relatively cool for our August stay, and the AC in the center bedroom chills that room and much of the rest of the home. In a heat wave, though, the bunk bedroom would likely be toasty. There are several fans in the home to spread cool air. Final pro travel tips: for kids, check out Parc de Vilettes. For adults, get a private Lourve tour from Bertrand at tours by locals, do not wander the Lourve aimlessly by yourself. Claire helped make our...