Three Generations Make Memories in Paris

From viewing art masterpieces to roaming through a painter’s garden and making a home-cooked French meal, a family discovers the many wonders of the City of Lights

By Darcy Rhyno

Claude Monet’s water lilies are spread before my mother’s feet as if in a dream. We’re standing on the bridge built by the famous impressionist at his home in Giverny, France. The bridge and pond became a focal point for his life’s work. Over a 30-year period, Monet painted 250 water lily scenes. For my mom, a hobby painter, looking out over the inspiration for some of the world’s most beloved paintings is a dream come true.

CLAUDE MONET’S HOUSE AND GARDEN

© BENJAMIN MARILLEY

All her life, my mother’s wish to travel to Europe remained elusive. When my wife and I were planning a three-week holiday to Paris with our two teenage children, we decided to invite my mom.

The day trip to Giverny is just one of many we take, all within 100 kilometres of Paris. On other days, we marvel at the decadence of Versailles, explore Loire Valley châteaux and step back in time within the walled medieval town of Provins.

CHÂTEAU DE CHAMBORD, LOIRE VALLEY

In Paris, we spend our days exploring one of the world’s most walkable cities. As an avid golfer, my mother has no difficulty climbing the Eiffel Tower or the cobblestone streets up to Sacré-Cœur Basilica, although rest stops at sidewalk cafés for lunch or a quick espresso are welcome.

WRITER DARCY RHYNO’S FAMILY IN PARIS

© DARCY RHYNO

On one memorable day, we shop for wine, soft drinks, cheeses, baguettes and fresh fruit for a picnic beside the Seine with a view of Notre Dame Cathedral. Mid-picnic, a group shows up to practice dancing the tango. We are mesmerized. My mom blushes when a handsome Parisian asks her to dance.

DANCING BESIDE THE SEINE IN PARIS

© DARCY RHYNO

My mom is here, having the time of her life. We couldn’t be more pleased as we watch her take it all in. But what we don’t expect are the ways Paris will leave equally lasting impressions on our son, our daughter and ourselves.

It’s at Château de Versailles and the Loire Valley’s Château de Chaumont that our daughter has her most memorable moments. Contemporary art displays in both châteaux reference the sheer decadence of French nobility. Exploring the great halls of Versailles, we come upon a helicopter draped in giant, pink feathers. Outside among the traditional gardens at Chaumont, we find contemporary sculptures – a giant hand, an army of golden gnomes and a flock of blue butterflies. Our daughter discovers the power of art as historical commentary. Back home, history becomes her favourite school subject.

BALLOON OVER CHATEAU DE CHAUMONT

© DARCY RHYNO

Our son happens to mark a birthday mid-trip. When we ask him what he’d like for gifts, he surprises us. “I want to climb the Eiffel Tower at night, and I want a home-cooked French dinner.”

EIFFEL TOWER BY NIGHT

We grant both wishes, the second by shopping at a nearby market where we buy fresh tomatoes and figs, a cut of lamb and whole branches of rosemary. Rather than birthday cake, we stop at a boulangerie for an assortment of pâtisseries. Taking a when-in-Rome approach, we even buy a half litre of rosé to share with our son. He’s so thoroughly smitten with French cuisine, we later sign him up for a subscription to a gourmet cooking magazine.

It’s at the market where my wife has her Parisian moment. When we meet up after exploring every corner, I find my wife, an avid gardener, laden with an armload of flowers. She’s radiating and radiant. I take photos of her until she implores me to stop.

My own memories are made at Père Lachaise Cemetery, of all places. That’s where I discover the headstones of Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and Marcel Proust, some of my literary idols. But the personality I’m most interested in is Jim Morrison, the lead singer for the 1960s band, The Doors. In my youth, I fell for his rebellious spirit and his dark poetry. As is the custom for visitors here, I crack a beer at his graveside and pour a generous portion for Morrison before making a toast in his memory.

Paris has left lasting impressions on all of us, but my mom is in for one more. Deep inside the Louvre, I stand with her before Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. There before the world’s most famous painting, she contemplates the power of art while I contemplate the ability of Paris to transform three generations of travellers.