On Sundays on the Ile de la Cite, the daily flower market is taken over by feathered and furry creatures. There are colorful birds chirping, hamsters running on their wheels, and lots of wide-eyed kids hoping to take something home. This kind of activity is perfect for families: you can stroll at your own pace taking in the sights and sounds and when everyone has had enough you can move on to the next thing. Our kids loved it as we stopped to inspect every cage and check out all the activity in each booth.

We grabbed lunch on the Ile St. Louis and followed it up with a cone at one of the best ice cream spots in Paris, Berthillon. The ice cream is handmade on site and comes in lots of delicious, unusual flavors such as Earl Grey tea, salted butter caramel, and lavender.

Other sights nearby include Notre Dame and one of the most beautiful churches I've ever visited, Sainte-Chapelle. Ile St. Louis is still mostly residential and is a nice place to walk around and get a feel for the way real Parisians live without hordes of tourists around.