1Y5M パリ Arata in Paris

ロングウイークエンドはパリ。私は買い物がほとんどできず欲求不満。でも、りえさん一家を訪ねたし（セーラちゃんは本当に可愛かった！）、大学時代の友達のいづみちゃんに8年ぶりに会えた。ある意味、観光やおいしいレストランに行くことなんて、初めから諦めていたから、アラタをどこで遊ばせられるかが重要課題だった。（でも、でも、買い物はもっとしたかったわ…。）

サクレクール寺院の近くに宿泊。メトロ Abbesses 駅の入り口近くに、（移動？）メリーゴーランドとプレイグラウンドつきの小さい公園を発見して、まずは一安心。サンジェルマンは可愛い子供服屋さんの宝庫で、リュクセンブール公園には有料（１ユーロ）の充実したプレイグラウンドがあり、子供たちでごった返していた。アラタも滑り台や砂場で大喜び。

さて、ロンドンと違うところは、パリの公園の芝生は立ち入り禁止が多く、メトロはロンドン以上にチャイルドフレンドリーで「なく」、階段ばかりで苦労した。レストランやカフェで、ハイチェアがあるところがほとんどなかったのは、大人の国だからなのかしら。子供連れで行ってはいけないのかなあ。普通の席に座る羽目になったアラタは、どうしてもちっちゃいから、顔だけテーブルの上にだして、まあ、一生懸命食べていたけど。パリで子育ては、意外と大変かも。

We spent in Paris for this long weekend. I was a bit frustrated as I didn't have enough time to go shopping... But we met up Rie's family, her 8 months daughter Sara was so cuuuute!, and we also saw Izumi, my friend from University, who now lives in Paris. Well, we didn't expect doing sightseeing nor going to eat nice food. It was more important for us to find the places Arata can play!

We stayed near Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. To our relief, we found a small park with a tiny play ground just above the Abbesses metro station and Arata played there for a while. There was also a merry-go-round and Arata was in a helicopter with a bit older boy. In St German, there are lots of cute baby and toddler clothes shops. And there is a big well equipped play ground, 1 euro per admission, in the Luxwmbourg Park. The play ground was full of children. Arata was so excited and enjoyed playing there.

My impression of Paris is it will probably not as easy as in London to take small kids around. There are lots of parks and they usually have nice areas with lawn. But most of them are not allowed for us to get in. The Metro stations are not really child friendly, not step free, probably worse than in London. And I didn't see many cafes or restaurants which have a high chair. Probably, Paris is rather the city for adults and nobody takes their small kids to restaurants or cafes?? Arata always had to sit in a normal chair for adults. He is still so small and only his head was seen above the table...