This was the week we officially became an e-bike family. There were horses, beaches, canal boats, science experiments, M&M waffles, new helmets, and enough playground time to make moving back into Lightning McQueen seem restful.

Veer

We started Sunday by walking out of the campground to a nearby bike rental shop and renting two e-bikes with kids’ seats on the back. After getting everyone situated, we rode around the corner to Aldi for breakfast. The baked pastries are getting a little better as we move through the Netherlands—more meat, more variety, and generally more reasons to eat breakfast in an Aldi parking lot like the classy European travelers we are.

From there we set off around the bay toward the town of Veer. Coons estimated that we rode “almost probably 25 miles,” which is not an especially precise unit of measurement, but it was a big ride. We followed the beaches and water, passing plenty of other cyclists and even some horses that ran alongside us for a bit. Nolan loved watching and running with the horsies, which was “pretty cool,” and both kids seemed perfectly happy riding behind us while Mom and Dad let the electric motors do some very necessary assisting.

We stopped in Veer for a little sightseeing and then debated taking the ferry back. Instead, we retraced our route and stopped for lunch at a restaurant with a playground on the edge of the water, just outside Kamperland. This was essentially the ideal family restaurant setup: food for us, playground for them, and no expectation that anyone sit quietly for very long.

Back at the campground, the kids swam, we cooked dinner, and then Nolan and Nina returned to the playground and made new friends. Nina stayed out there for a long time, and Nolan kept going until 10 p.m., when he officially shut down the campground playground.

Mom’s favorite part was biking around the lake and watching the kids make friends. Dad chose the family bike ride. Nolan had so many favorite things that he opened with, “There’s a lot of things I want to say!” He loved the horses, playground, new friends, and being with his family. Nina, meanwhile, selected going to the potty. Twenty-five miles of beaches, horses, swimming, and friendship, and the potty took the crown. Three-year-olds keep you humble.

Leppelstraat

The next morning we packed up the campsite but squeezed in one more ride before returning the rental bikes. We went back to Aldi for breakfast and then rode to the beach, where the kids played in the sand. Nina got into the water, Nolan searched for shells, and we found a lot of dead jellyfish washed onto the shore.

The sand was beautiful and the weather was nice, even if the jellyfish situation added a slightly bittersweet layer to the morning.

After dropping off the bikes, we loaded everyone into Lightning McQueen and drove about an hour to our Airbnb in Leppelstraat, just outside Halsteren. The Airbnb was on a horse farm, which meant Nolan and Nina immediately forgot about basically everything else. They spent a couple of hours feeding apples to the horses and playing with the dogs and cats while Dad worked.

Mom ordered a full sushi feast for dinner, and the kids actually tried the food. This was exciting enough to earn a spot among Mom’s favorite moments, along with watching them play with all the farm animals. Nolan’s favorite part was petting the horses, while Nina specifically chose feeding one an apple. After dinner we called Yaya, got the kids bathed and ready for bed, and Mom tackled a large amount of laundry so Lightning McQueen would be ready for another week on the road.

The horse farm was magical during the day and slightly less magical overnight. We did not sleep especially well thanks to loud horses and lots of creatures running above our heads. Nothing helps you drift peacefully to sleep like lying awake and wondering what is moving around right above you in the ceiling.

Thankfully, we had a late checkout the next morning. Mom finished the laundry while Dad took Nolan and Nina back outside for more time with the horses, dogs, and cats. Then we packed up, bought groceries, and headed off to make a fairly major purchase.

The Great E-Bike Purchase

Europe so far has been a major bike culture. So naturally Coons is jelly and thus we drove to EbikeXL and bought two used Trek e-bikes, complete with kids’ seats on the back. We also bought a lock and two adult helmets. We still needed helmets for Nolan and Nina, but otherwise our family cycling fleet was officially ready to go.

Buying two e-bikes while traveling Europe in a camper van felt like a fairly significant logistical commitment, but everyone was thrilled. Dad and Mom both picked the purchase as the best part of the day, and Nolan agreed. The kids also behaved incredibly well while we were in the store, which Mom correctly considered an additional highlight. Nina’s favorite part was sitting in the van, so once again the expensive outing itself was not strictly necessary for everyone.

With the new bikes sorted, we continued to Camping Gasper, just south of Amsterdam and right near the metro. The forecast called for rain, but we were excited for a few days in the city—and very excited that our two new bikes and their two new passenger seats had successfully joined the already crowded cast aboard Lightning McQueen. And of course the bikes are both gray because we are somehow destined to have only gray modes of transportation.

Amsterdam

We got another late start on Wednesday and took the train into Amsterdam. Our first stop was Madam Pancake for lunch, where Nolan and Nina loved the M&M waffles. Side note: we promise they are eating their fruits and veggies as well as all of these yummy things. Once everyone had been properly fueled with pancakes and or chocolate, we hopped onto an open-top boat for a cruise through the canals.

The canal ride was Dad’s favorite part of the day, and Nolan called it the “best friend” of his day or was that the beautiful blonde running the bar on the boat?

Afterward we went to Vondelpark for a bit, then took the tram and train back to the campground so Dad could work. It had rained in the morning, but the weather ended up cooperating for most of the day.

The other major cultural discovery was not Dutch architecture, canals, or public transportation. It was the Spice Girls. Mom’s favorite part of the entire day was watching Nolan and Nina discover their girl power, listening to their Spice Girls’ Yoto card for the first time, which felt like a successful piece of parental education. Nina still voted for staying in the van.

The next day looked rainier, so we planned our outing around the NEMO Science Museum. We arrived a little early and walked around Amsterdam, got some mini pancakes, and did a little shopping. Nina bought a stuffy, and Nolan bought a remote-control Spider-Man race car—his “Spidey car,” which immediately became his favorite part of the day. Nina called the city “weird” because there were so many fun-looking adult stores they couldn’t go into and honestly she is completely correct.

We spent about three hours inside NEMO exploring the exhibits. The kids loved it, and Dad played Mario Kart and other video games with Nolan. Nolan particularly enjoyed the fighting game because the characters punched Daddy in the face many times and Nolan won. Educational science! Mom spent time exploring with Nina, and we eventually had a snack on the rooftop terrace before heading back to camp.

That evening we cooked dinner, Dad worked, and the kids went to bed. It had been a successful couple of days in Amsterdam: canal boats, parks, pancakes, science, video games, and the Spice Girls. We are not sure what else anyone could reasonably ask from a city break in Amsterdam…. with kids.

Camping de Wildhoeve

By Friday we had traded Amsterdam for Camping de Wildhoeve, with a stop to get the kids their own bike helmets. Nolan selected an orange one and was extremely pleased with the purchase. His list of favorite things that day also included climbing a rock wall unassisted, using a fire pole, swimming without a shirt, watching Daddy go down a giant slide, riding with Nina, and getting ice cream. It was a very full day for Bubby.

Nina also loved the playground and swimming pool.

After dinner we finally put the whole new cycling setup into action: two Trek e-bikes, two kids’ seats, four helmets, and the Moana soundtrack.

We rode into town for ice cream, which was about as perfect a first family ride as we could have hoped for.

Dad loved finally riding the new bikes with everyone properly helmeted, while Mom chose the ride, the ice cream, and listening to Moana.

On Saturday morning we visited the campground shop for bread and donuts. Then Mom took Nolan and Nina to the indoor playground while Dad worked, because even on a travel week somebody has to pay for the e-bikes, sushi feasts, and steady flow of ice cream.

After lunch we all went to the pool, where the kids swam for about three hours straight and made more new friends. Nolan and Nina seem able to build a social circle at every campground within minutes, usually before Mom and Dad have figured out where the bathrooms are.

Once everyone was finally out of the pool and changed, we climbed back onto the e-bikes and rode to Epee for dinner at Het Wappen Grill and Chill. Mom and Dad ordered steaks, the kids had burgers, and we finished with ice cream. Then we made the roughly 20-minute ride back to the campground.

It began raining a little after we returned, so Nina got to go out in her rain suit—her favorite part of the day—before we all piled into Lightning McQueen and got ready for bed. Dad and Mom both chose our bike ride and family dinner as their highlights, while Nolan went with swimming, biking, and ice cream. That pretty well summed up our weekend at Wildhoeve: play until everyone is exhausted, bike somewhere for food, add ice cream, and retreat to the van when the rain arrives. Honestly, we could get used to this.

This week had medieval battles, giant chess, big cats, Belgian waffles, brave trips down water slides, and an extremely important 33-foot extension cord for Lightning McQueen. In other words, a little something for everyone.

La Roche-en-Ardenne

We woke up at the campground in La Roche-en-Ardenne with one very sleepy Nina and eventually rallied everyone for an adventure into town. We loaded both kids into the wagon and made our first thrilling stop of the day for a 33-foot—or 10-meter, because Europe—extension cord so we could plug in Lightning McQueen. Van life is nothing if not glamorous.

The town itself was beautiful, with cobblestone streets, small buildings, and colorful balloons hanging overhead. On our way to the château, we passed a tank from the World War II Museum and then began the climb up to the castle. We left the wagon behind and went in on foot, which always sounds like a reasonable decision until someone’s three-year-old legs stop working.

There was an archery range near the entrance, so Coons tried his hand at it and hit the target every time. Daddy’s still got it! We explored the castle while workers dressed in medieval garb practiced battles with swords, pikes, and a musket.

Nina later summed up her highlight very clearly: “My big part of my day was going into the castle.” Fair enough. It is hard for a normal Tuesday to compete with an actual castle.

After climbing around, we headed back down for pizza and scampi pasta in red sauce, followed by ice cream, of course. The kids also did a little shopping. After carefully assessing the available wares, they decided to pool their money, buy some candy, and save the rest for another day. This may have been their most financially responsible decision to date, despite the candy.

Back at the campground, we had a great pool session and Nina started jumping into the water for the first time. We celebrated with poolside drinks until she fell asleep in the wagon. Then we made dinner, met some neighbors, and called it a night.

We spent the following day right where we were. Dad had a big headache and was not feeling well, so Mom took the kids to the playground, where they played independently, shared all of their sand toys with friends, and made Mommy very proud per usual. We also played cards and soccer, and Dad managed a game of Uno with Nolan. The weather was warm but a little rainy, which made hanging around Lightning McQueen feel like the right move.

That evening we ate at the campground restaurant. Dad had fish, Mom had a great meat-and-cheese board, Nolan had pasta, and Nina had cheese croquettes.

That’s kind of like grilled cheese, right? Nolan declared the restaurant the best part of his day, while Nina chose eating dinner. Once again, Nina would like everyone to know that the food here is divine.

After dinner the kids played in the sandbox, we went down to the river to skip rocks. Dad and Nolan waded across to the other side and back, which ended up being Coons’ favorite part of the day. It was a very nice ending to a slow campground day—especially considering that the morning began with Dad barely leaving the van.

Park Attractive Reine Fabiola & Nemur

On Monday we packed up camp but squeezed in one more stop before leaving La Roche-en-Ardenne: Park Attractive Reine Fabiola, up on the hill near the castle. We ate lunch, played on the swings, and Dad and Nolan faced off over a giant chessboard.

Dad chose giant chess as his favorite part of the day, although there is no official record of who won. We will assume the result was controversial.

From there we drove to our Airbnb just outside Nemur, Belgium. Dad set up his office, the kids discovered the television, and Mom tackled the laundry. We ordered food, got everyone bathed, and spent the evening resetting for another week on the road.

Mom’s favorite part was taking a long, hot shower, which is the kind of luxury you fully appreciate after several days at a campground with only cold water. Nolan said his favorite part was happening right then as he played with Play-Doh, and Nina voted for the toys. The Airbnb was not a castle or a pool, but it had hot water, television, Play-Doh, and laundry facilities. Five stars from the whole family.

Pairi Daiza & Jabbeke

The next morning we packed up the Airbnb and drove about an hour and a half to Pairi Daiza, one of the largest zoos in Europe.

It was spectacular, with different sections built around different parts of the world. We saw pandas, snow leopards, lions, tigers, polar bears, and walruses.

There were a lot of big cats, which made Dad very happy, while Mom especially loved the tigers, polar bear, and walruses. Her official review was “spectacular, exquisite,” so the zoo did pretty well.

The kids also did pretty well, especially considering that we did not have the stroller or wagon. They walked a lot. We carried them a lot. Everyone got through it. This is basically the family-travel version of an endurance event, except the course has pandas and the participants regularly ask for snacks.

At the end, Nolan and Nina spent time in the gift shop choosing new stuffies with their own money. Nolan’s favorite part of the entire zoo day was buying his stuffy and getting candy, which feels about right after the adults spent hours admiring the carefully designed exhibits and rare animals.

Then we hopped back into Lightning McQueen and drove toward the coast. We set up at Klein Strand in Jabbeke, just outside Bruges, where we planned to spend a few days slowing down at the campground. Nina wasted no time identifying the day’s true highlight: swimming at the campground. Pandas, snow leopards, polar bears, walruses…and the pool still won. Tough crowd.

Bruges

We started our Bruges day with breakfast, then walked to the bus stop and caught the number 30 into town. Our first stop was a canal boat tour, which lasted about 30 minutes and took us past many of the historical buildings.

Mom loved seeing the city from the water, and the boat ride was one of Dad’s favorite parts too.

Afterward we found an outdoor table and ordered pizza and pasta. The kids got ice cream for dessert while Mommy did a little window shopping. This was only the first dessert stop of the day, because we were in Belgium and apparently had a responsibility to conduct thorough research.

Next came the Fry Museum, where we learned about the history of french fries, played interactive games, and shot potatoes at giant bugs. The giant green bug was a particular favorite.

We also watched a movie and, naturally, ate fries before leaving. It would have been irresponsible not to. Did you know that people from Belgium consume the most amount of french fries in a year? 16kg!

Then we went to a dessert shop for more ice cream and a real Belgian waffle. Nolan’s recap enthusiastically included the Fry Museum, ice cream, and Belgian waffles, so our educational goals and his dessert goals were both successfully met.

We took an Uber back to the campground so Dad could get on a call. Nolan and Nina spent plenty of time in the pool and playground, made new friends, and then played with our neighbors Daisy and Lily. They stayed up much later than bedtime, but after a full day of boats, fries, waffles, swimming, and friends, there was not much chance of a calm or punctual bedtime anyway. Nina chose the playground as her favorite part of the day, because Nina remains loyal to her brand.

Jabbeke to Zeeland

Before leaving Klein Strand, we packed up and crossed the street to spend the morning at the lake. The beach was great, and there were a couple of big water slides. Nolan was incredibly brave, going down by himself as well as with Mom and Dad. Nina was busy showing off her own new water skills, swimming independently and going under the water.

Watching both kids grow more confident in the water was the highlight for Mom and Dad. After a couple of hours, we packed up, ate lunch, filled up Lightning McQueen, and hit the road. Two hours later we crossed into the Netherlands for the first time and arrived in Zeeland. Our new campground, De Molenhoek, was in the little town of Kamperland, and our site was right next to the playground and pools. We could not have designed a more dangerous location for bedtime negotiations.

We set up camp around 4:00, and the kids immediately went swimming, played on the playground, and made more friends. We cooked dinner, after which they went straight back into the pool. It was a very good first evening in the Netherlands and an excellent start to our three-night stay.

De Molenhoek

After a week of castles, zoos, cities, borders, and long walking days, we were ready to stay put. Saturday was a full campground day with repeated trips to the playground, jumping pads, and swimming pools.

We got lunch and soft-serve ice cream at the restaurant, then cooked dinner back at camp.

The kids spent the day with their new friends, playing soccer and swimming. Nolan especially loved swimming with his “big friends” (more tall tween boys) and throwing each other into the water. Nina’s favorite part was—you already know this—the playground.

Dad caught up on some work and enjoyed watching Nolan and Nina play soccer with their friends. Mom’s favorite part was simply having a low-key day at the campsite with the family. Nobody visited a museum, climbed a castle, or walked through an enormous zoo. Lightning McQueen did not even have to cross a border. Sometimes the best travel days are the ones when the kids make friends, everyone gets an ice cream, and we barely go anywhere at all.

We crossed two borders this week, but the real journey involved playgrounds, water features, one very determined friendship with a German-speaking neighbor, and the B2 trail through the caves of Luxembourg. Lightning McQueen handled the countries; we mostly handled snacks.

One More Day at the Lake

We started the week with a lazy day at the lake, which felt very necessary after all of our moving around. We had fresh bread for breakfast, headed down to the water for a little swimming, and played with the dinosaurs. Eventually we wandered over to the lakeside bar for lunch, where Happy Meals also entered the equation. It was not exactly a refined European dining experience, but everyone ate, which is generally our minimum requirement these days.

Back at camp, Coons set up the hammock and Nolan began a much more important project: convincing Clara, the little girl next door, to come play. Clara only spoke German and Nolan only spoke English, but apparently funny faces and general five-year-old antics are universal. He spent a solid hour making her laugh before she finally came over to Lightning McQueen. Soon she, Nolan, and Nina were playing with all of the toys in the van like they had known each other forever. And if you’re wondering, yes we got permission to take this photo.

Watching the kids work around the language barrier was Dad’s favorite part of the day, and meeting Clara was Nolan’s. Nina voted for the playground, naturally. She was also feeling a little under the weather, so she spent much of the day taking it easy and snuggling with Mommy—which, not coincidentally, was Mommy’s favorite part. We made dinner at camp and crossed our fingers that a quiet day would have Nins feeling better in the morning.

Metz

Everyone woke up feeling pretty good, and Nolan and Nina immediately got in a little more playtime with Clara while Mom and Dad packed Lightning McQueen. When it was finally time to leave, the kids waved goodbye to their new friend. It was one of those very sweet campsite moments that almost makes you forget how much work it takes to pack an entire family back into a camper van. Almost.

Before heading to our Airbnb outside Metz, we stopped at a very cool indoor play place named Palomano. Nolan dressed up in firefighter gear, Nina flew an airplane, and both kids tried crêpes for the first time.

Unsurprisingly, they loved them. France has been doing a very effective job of expanding their diets, provided the new food involves bread, chocolate, sugar, or some combination of the three.

Once we reached the Airbnb, Dad settled in for work while the kids enjoyed a little television delighted to find there was one in the living room. Kourtney ordered an embarrassing amount of food from Uber Eats by accident which ended up hitting the spot for everyone for dinner and breakfast the next morning. The other major event of the evening was Nolan and Nina taking a shower by themselves for the first time. Mommy assisted and may have gotten a little wet in the process, but all were laughing and both children emerged clean, so we are counting it as a major parenting victory.

Nolan’s favorite part of the day was being a fireman, while Nina found the entire indoor playground to her liking. Mommy could not decide between the play place and the independent shower milestone. Dad chose the kids’ morning with Clara and their sweet goodbye, which officially made one little campsite friendship the highlight of two days in a row.

Luxembourg City

The next morning we packed up the Airbnb, filled Lightning McQueen with gas, which has been a feat all on its own, went grocery shopping, and picked up more propane. These are the glamorous behind-the-scenes details of crossing Europe in a camper van with two small children. Then we drove into Luxembourg, adding another new country to the family list.

Just over the border we stopped at Parc Merveilleux, which was part zoo, part playground, and part water attraction. In other words, it was designed specifically for Nolan and Nina. They fed goats and llamas, explored the playgrounds, and climbed some surprisingly daring bridges, ladders, towers, and other high features.

Dad’s favorite part was watching them try all of it, while both kids gave their standard and very dependable answer: playground. The playground even won over the adorable goats that they got to feed and pet.

We continued to Camping Bon Accueil just outside Luxembourg City, where the campground had—good news—another really nice playground. Nolan and Nina played while we made dinner, Dad took a few calls, everyone showered, and then the kids went back out to play some more. Mommy’s favorite part was joining them in a game of kitchen at the sandy campground park. At this point the children had explored Luxembourg almost exclusively through climbing structures, but they seemed very pleased with the country.

The following morning was another slow one. We stayed around the campground through lunch, then called an Uber and headed into the city to Parc de Merl. The park was huge and filled with all sorts of structures and water features. Nolan and Nina spent a long time watching the giant fish, turtles, and ducks in the pond before moving on to the playground.

Eventually we changed them into bathing suits and let them loose in the water features, where they happily stayed for ages.

Mom left a little early for a nail appointment—her very clear favorite part of the day—while Coons finished up at the park with the kids. The remaining three celebrated a successful outing with ice cream and then called an Uber back to the campsite. Dad cooked dinner, took a few more calls, and the kids closed out the evening at the campground playground. Nolan and Nina once again both chose the new playground as the best part of their day. The playgrounds really did keep getting better and more daring. Luxembourg had now been thoroughly tested and approved.

Echternach & Berdorf

We left Luxembourg City and pointed Lightning McQueen toward Berdorf, stopping along the way at the lake just outside Echternach.

There was a playground, obviously, and then we had a really good lunch at Pier 75. Afterward we continued to Camping Belle-Vue 2000 and checked in for the night.

The kids spent a ton of time at the campground playground, where Nina went on a zip line for the first time. She has spent this trip watching her big brother climb increasingly ambitious playground features, and she was clearly ready to add a little more danger to her own résumé. Pray for us.

Nolan, meanwhile, made another friend in another language. This time it was Numi, a very kind 13-year-old who spoke French. Nolan’s favorite part of the day was meeting his new friend and giving him a freeze pop. Between Clara and Numi, he was building a very international social circle using facial expressions, toys, and frozen sugar.

Mommy loved watching the kids conquer yet another huge tower, slide, and drawbridge. Dad’s favorite moments were Nolan making a friend and Nina trying the zip line. We cooked dinner, Coons handled some work calls, and we managed a slightly earlier bedtime because the next morning we planned to hike the B2 trail. For once, our primary activity would not involve a playground—although naturally there was one waiting at the end.

The B2 Trail

Dad had to wake all of the sleepyheads early the next morning. We collected our morning bread and drove to the trailhead for the B2 circuit out of Berdorf. It was cooler in the woods, and we were all together and away from everything else for a few hours, which made the hike Dad’s favorite part of the day.

Nolan led the way and turned the hike into an elaborate Journey-book-style quest. We had entered the journey and needed to find all of the crayons (sticks) to complete the puzzle. Nolan’s incredible imagination made the 3k trek a breeze and he walked the entire route himself.

Nina rode shotgun in the backpack on Coons like a true passenger princess. We took a few side adventures up the rocks and through caves. One passage became a little tight with Nina in the backpack, but the duo completed it. Somehow squeezing Coons and a small passenger through a Luxembourg cave was all part of the family bonding experience.

Mommy’s favorite part was the hike and watching Nolan create his game all the way through it. Afterward, the kids played at the playground while she made lunch. Nolan ultimately selected swinging side by side with Nina as his favorite part of the day, which was a very sweet choice after his heroic crayon quest.

Then it was time to leave Luxembourg. We drove about two hours into Belgium, stopping for gas –ugh– and groceries along the way, arriving at Camping Club Benelux in La Roche-en-Ardenne just in time to squeeze a pool sesh in before dinner. We were staying for three nights, so Lightning McQueen could finally remain parked for a little while. Nina promptly named swimming as the best part of her day despite lots of tears from both parties. Mom and Dad are thinking spending the winter in the heated pool at Sunday River and the beginning of summer in the Leblanc’s heated pool have made them a little bougie.  The playground was still waiting for us later that evening, because apparently a full hike and a swim did not use up all of their energy.

La Roche-en-Ardenne

On Saturday we walked from the campground into the beautiful town of La Roche-en-Ardenne. We explored the castle above town, climbing up with the kids before stopping for a nice lunch and making the walk back to camp.

Dad and Mom both chose the walk into town and the castle as highlights of the day, although Dad added the pool to his list as well. Nina agreed strongly with the pool portion. Nolan –after a day of archery, 13th century castle viewing, a shared pizza and pasta lunch– selected buying candies as the best part of his day. Honestly, we respect the clarity.

We finished the day back at the campground, with two more nights still ahead of us in Belgium. After a week of packing, borders, errands, work calls, campsites, and countless playground stops, it feels good to stay put for a moment. Lightning McQueen probably agrees.

Our final week in Paris involved an impressive amount of water: canals, ponds, pools, a lake, splash pads, rainstorms, and probably a few bath-time negotiations. It also involved several boats, many playgrounds, and one unexpected Parisian engagement.

Stalingrad and the Canal

We started Sunday at our Airbnb in Pantin and took the train to Stalingrad, where we found a new bakery. We loaded up on donuts, sandwiches, a salad for Mommy, and bread. Always bread. If there is one thing our family has mastered in Paris, it is making sure we are never more than a few feet from a baguette.

From there we rented a boat for two hours and drove it up and down the canal. The little electric motor did not have a lot of power and the boat was surprisingly tricky to steer, which made Coons feel slightly less like an experienced captain and slightly more like a dad trying not to hit the side of a canal. It was fun seeing parts of Paris we had already explored from a completely different angle.

On the way back, it started raining and we had to put up the boat’s cover. Nolan bravely stayed up front to hold down the awning even while he was getting wet. We passed the time using all of our finest sailing vocabulary, including “swab the poop deck.” Nolan later clarified that sailing was his favorite part of the day, “but when it was not raining. That was crazy.” Fair assessment, Bubby.

After docking, we played some checkers in the park and Mommy and Daddy bought cards for each other. Then we took the train back to a playground Nolan and Nina had previously visited with Miss Presh. They played for a long time and made some new friends before we returned home for dinner and a call with Yaya, whom we were all missing.

Nina’s favorite part of the day was eating dinner, proving once again that we could probably save a lot of money on activities and simply continue feeding her. She has quickly abandoned most of her American diet for a Parisian diet which consists mostly of pain du chocolat.

Luxembourg Gardens

On Monday morning we grabbed breakfast on the go from our favorite supermarket and took the train to Luxembourg Gardens. The park was beautiful, with flowers, statues, a very impressive building, and a large pond where we could rent little sailboats.

Nolan and Nina each got their own boat and a stick to push it into the water. The basic routine was to launch the boat, watch it sail across the pond, sprint to the other side, and push it back again. Dad helped manage the fleet while Mom enjoyed the flowers, statues, and Luxembourg castle. It was one of those rare children’s activities that was both very simple and genuinely lovely for everyone involved.

After sailing, we headed to a playground where Nolan and Nina played independently in the sandbox. Nina climbed a pretty tough ladder and slid down the slide, looking very proud of herself. Then they used their own money for rides on the merry-go-round. Nolan had a little jousting pole and did a great job catching the metal keys as he went around, while Nina was mostly thrilled to sit with a friend in a carriage, clapping along to a tune with her.

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We eventually returned to the apartment because Monday meant a big workday for Dad. The kids did a good job playing independently while Mommy cooked dinner, and later we ordered Vietnamese street food for the adults through Uber Eats. Nothing says glamorous Paris evening quite like working from an Airbnb while your children play nearby and someone delivers your dinner.

La Plage and Les Grandes Lacres

Tuesday was hot, so we got a late start and headed for La Plage, one of the beaches and pools Paris sets up every summer. We took the train, changed into our swimsuits, and spent the next two or three hours in the water.

Nolan and Nina made friends from Vancouver and Paris and played together for a long time, somehow navigating both English and French more naturally than most adults would.

Coons became Daddy Sea Monster and tried to stop the kids from getting past him in the pool. Nolan’s favorite part of the day was making friends and attempting to defeat the sea monster, while Nina reported that hers was “going in the wall, the pool.” We are not completely sure what that means, but she was happy about it.

After swimming, we visited a small playground where Nolan and Nina played with the attendants, then we got some delicious gelato.

From there we split up: Kourtney and Nolan went on a shopping adventure while Coons and Nina returned to the apartment, visited another small playground, and shopped for supplies for the next day’s lake outing. Kourtney especially enjoyed her one-on-one time with Nolan and watching him learn the value of saving his own money. We reunited for a salmon dinner at the apartment, bath time, and .FaceTime with Pa, Auntie Kristian, and  baby Arthur.

Wednesday was the hottest day we had experienced in Paris. Lightning McQueen’s thermometer claimed it reached 107 degrees at one point, so we escaped the city and took our first little day trip to Les Grandes Lacres. The huge complex had two sandy beaches, a splash pad, restaurants, and a volleyball court, but we spent most of our time swimming and playing in the sand.

Nolan  loved swimming and going underwater to dive for buried treasure. Nina also confirmed that we had gone to the beach, although dinner once again earned the official title of her favorite part of the day (this also may have something to do with the fact that we go through this exercise of discussing our favorite part of the day around the dinner table).

We moved over to the splash pad to rinse off the sand, where the kids loved watching others standing under the dumping bucket. Everyone was brave enough to try most of the water features, which was a great way to survive a day when even Lightning McQueen thought the temperature was getting a little ridiculous (113 inside Lightning McQueen).

On the way home we stopped at a camping accessory store and bought a new stove and gas bottle in preparation for our first weekend in the van. We returned to the apartment, ordered Uber Eats, and Coons worked through the evening while we started looking ahead to our final couple of days in Paris.

Rain, the Louvre, and a Paris Engagement

Thursday began early after a rough night of sleep for Mommy and the kids. Coons took Nolan and Nina on a morning errand adventure to buy diapers and treats. We tried some new donuts that nobody liked, then went to a hardware store for cooking gas and bought the wrong cylinder. Since the morning was going so well, we returned to our normal grocery store for the good donuts and good croissants, including a croissant for Mommy.

The rain changed our outdoor plans, so we spent three hours at an indoor play place. Nolan and Nina climbed through some very large structures, flew down the slides, and won candy and stuffies from arcade games.

Coons slipped across the street to the mall and found what we hoped was finally the correct gas canister. Preparing to cook in a camper van had somehow become a multi-day scavenger hunt.

Dad’s actual favorite part of the day was sorting out some confusion with our Airbnb booking and confirming that we could stay the extra night we needed. This was less exciting than candy and giant slides, but significantly more exciting than discovering your family of four has nowhere to sleep.

Back at the apartment, Nolan and Nina FaceTimed with Yaya. She read them a book, and then each of them read a book back to her. We made dinner and spent the rest of the evening doing laundry, cooking, shopping, and slowly getting everything ready for our Saturday departure.

On Friday we grabbed breakfast at the supermarket and took the train to the Louvre. Kourtney split off for some sightseeing while Coons brought the kids to the playground in the park.

Nolan quickly made a very good friend and informed us that he loved her and was going to marry her. We had only planned to visit a playground, but apparently Nolan had larger goals for his final day in Paris.

When Kourtney returned, we played a little longer and took some carousel rides. The kids also played an awful carnival game, but hopefully they learned something from the experience. Possibly that not every game positioned near a famous museum is a good financial decision.

That evening Miss Presh came over so Mom and Dad could have another date night. We went to a wine bar and then had a fantastic anniversary dinner at Les Ombres with a glass roof overlooking the Eiffel Tower.

It was a pretty wonderful way to end our time in Paris before returning to the apartment to finish packing for the next phase of the trip.

Lac de Medin

Saturday morning we packed up the apartment in Pantin and officially said goodbye to Paris. Around 10:00 we loaded everyone into Lightning McQueen and headed east toward Lac de Medin. The drive took a little over three hours with a few pit stops and some surprisingly nice rest stops along the way.

When we arrived, we set up camp for our first night in Lightning McQueen in Europe.

Kourtney had packed toys in the van for Nolan and Nina, and watching them discover everything for the first time was her favorite part of the day. All that planning and packing paid off in the form of two very excited little kids.

Once camp was ready, we walked down to the lake and swam for a while. Nolan declared the lake his favorite part of the day, and Nina said hers was controlling the dino toy that mom had packed. Then we returned to the campsite and cooked our first dinner outside in Europe.

After weeks of planning—and several days spent locating the correct gas canister—we were finally camping. Lightning McQueen was officially home, dinner was cooked outside, and our European van adventure had begun!