Search Results

Message is a diverse, supportive community of English-speaking parents living in and around Paris and Île-de-France On this Giving Tuesday would you consider making a donation to Message? We believe that every parent deserves support. Learn more about how your donation will help! Donate today Help Us Do More in 2026 ABOUT US WHAT WE OFFER BECOME A MEMBER CONTACT US Events, Classes & Get-togethers UPCOMING PUBLIC EVENT SPOTLIGHT: Holiday Drinks and Dinner Wed 10 Dec Paris See All BUY TICKETS Coffee Meet up at Tribu Cafe Thu 11 Dec Paris See All RSVP Winter Solstice Celebration Get Together 21 Dec 2025 DETAILS Monthly Book Club Get Together 25 Nov 2025 DETAILS Maternal Mental Health Drop In Get Together 17 Nov 2025 DETAILS MONTHLY MEMBERS ONLY EVENT SPOTLIGHT: Explore All Members Only Events Multiple Dates Coffee Meet-up - 15eme Fri 05 Dec More info MORE Coffee Meet Up at Lalla Coffee Tue 09 Dec More info MORE Holiday Drinks and Dinner Wed 10 Dec More info MORE Message Weekly Café Meet-up Thu 11 Dec More info MORE Load More MORE UPCOMING EVENTS: Ready to dive in? Become A Member Stay in the know - Subscribe to Our Newsletter SUBSCRIBE Thanks for subscribing! Friends of Message Show some Message love with a donation DONATE

Let's have fun and raise money for charity! Message is organizing a walk-a-thon on SUNDAY, June 29 at the Parc de St Cloud to raise funds for Serve the City Paris. The walk will cover a route of 5KM that will take us all over the beautiful Parc de St. Cloud. We will be meeting at the Grille de la Manufacture de Sevres 92210. About the Event Let's have fun and raise money for charity! Message is organizing a walk-a-thon on SUNDAY, June 29 at the Parc de St Cloud to raise funds for Serve the City Paris. The walk will cover a route of 5KM that will take us all over the beautiful Parc de St. Cloud. We will be meeting at the Grille de la Manufacture de Sevres 92210. The event is open to all, members and non-members and we encourage you to invite all your friends and family to join us! Please note that as the route takes place over 5KM over a hilly and varied terrain, the walk is best reserved for adults and older kids. Our younger kids are welcome to join us at the family gouter to celebrate the finish line! Not able to join the walk? You can still join us for the fun picnic and also donate to the cause! Simply let us know by registering for the picnic at the event below - Donate Now to our Walk the Parc for Serve the City Let's have fun and raise money for charity! Message is organizing a walk-a-thon on SUNDAY, June 29 at the Parc de St Cloud to raise funds for Serve the City Paris. The walk will cover a route of 5KM that will take us all over the beautiful Parc de St. Cloud. First name Last name Who is our beneficiary? We will be raising funds for Serve the City, a non-profit association focused on helping asylum seekers, refugees, the homeless and underprivileged foreigners in Paris. They are part of a global movement of international (English speaking) volunteers that show kindness and generosity in practical ways to help the people in cities, who are in need. Their funding is 100% based on donations from individuals, and corporations who donate by participating in our social impact workshops and volunteer activities. STC volunteers regularly distribute food and participate in soup kitchen programs. Email Donate in the name of Select an item (€) * Strolling Donor - €15 Walking Donor - €25 Jogging Donor - €50 Sprinter Donor - €100 Donate Thank you for your donation to Serve the City! Join the Event Want to donate a custom amount to the cause? Use the donation box below instead - Donate What You Wish First name* Last name* Email* Donation to...* Custom price* € Donated in the name of Donate

PRIVACY POLICY Message takes the protection of your data seriously. Our aim is to provide a personalized and valuable service whilst safeguarding our users’ privacy. Collecting some personal information is necessary if we are to satisfy the expectations and requirements of our users and we have set out below what we will do with your personal information. Visitors to Message website When someone visits the Message website, we use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behavior patterns. We do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site. This information is processed in a way that does not identify anyone. If we do want to collect personally identifiable information through our website, we will be up front about this. Security and Performance We use a third party service to help maintain the security and performance of our website. To deliver this service it processes the IP addresses of visitors to the site. Links to other websites This privacy notice does not cover the links within the Message site linking to other websites. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on the other websites you visit. Use of Cookies Message uses cookies to maintain and keep track of users’ preferences and authenticated sessions, to identify technical issues, user trends and effectiveness of campaigns, and to monitor and improve the overall performance. Disclosure of personal information We provide optional contact details via the website for the purposes of providing a service to existing members. We will never disclose personal details without the consent of the member. All Member Profiles are set by default to 'Public' - this means shared only with other current Message members, and NOT to the general public. Member Profiles (which consist of your name, optional profile picture, and Message Area) *must remain set to Public* in order to appear in the Member Database and remain a part of the association. Sharing other profile information with other members is entirely optional. Access to personal information & Right to erasure Individuals can find out if we hold any personal information by making a “subject access request” under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If we do hold information about you we will: • give you a description of it; • tell you why we are holding it; • tell you who it could be disclosed to; and • let you have a copy of the information in an intelligible form. Under the GDPR, members may also exercise their right to erase some or all of their personal data. Please make any request to access or delete personal information in writing via our email address vpinfotech@messageparis.org or by post to Message Paris, 28 rue Laure Diebold, Maison des Associations, Paris 75008. Identification R.N.A: W953001223 If at any time you feel that we have failed to meet these standards then please contact our President at president@messageparis.org .

Written by the Message Paris Volunteer Team Living in Paris as an expat means the holidays often involve a big trek home—whether by train or plane, those long travel days are made worthwhile by the treasures we bring back. These aren't your typical tourist souvenirs. These are the treats, finds, and uniquely Parisian gifts that our team actually buys for their own loved ones. Here's what we're packing in our suitcases this season. For the Food Lover: French Butter & Sel de Guérande Recommended by Meg, VP of Events For my relatives who love to cook, I always look forward to bringing back French butter and sel de Guérande (fleur de sel from the Brittany region). French butter is cultured and has a higher fat content than American butter, giving it that distinctive rich, tangy flavor that transforms everything from morning toast to holiday baking. You can find excellent butter at your local fromagerie, neighborhood grocery stores, or splurge at Le Grand Épicerie  at Bon Marché, who will vacuum seal your butter for free. Just make sure to keep it in the freezer before your trip so it stays cold during travel. Pair it with a small jar of sel de Guérande—those delicate salt crystals are a chef's secret weapon. Pro tip:  Bordier butter (the one with the wooden stamp) is the gold standard if you can find it! For Little Ones: French Children's Books Recommended by Amaris, VP of Information Technology For my various nieces and nephews who range from a few months old to 3 years old, I'm bringing back Ceci n'est pas un livre  (This is not a book) by French artist Jean Jullien. The English version is out of print, but the French version is still available at the famous children's bookstore Chantelivre  in the 6th arrondissement. I love this book because it encourages imagination—it's funny, full of possibilities, and celebrates play in the way only French children's books seem to do. Plus, it's by a celebrated French artist and unavailable in the States anymore, which makes it feel extra special. Even for non-French speakers, the visual storytelling is so strong that kids (and parents) will get it immediately. For Tea & Chocolate Lovers: A Classic French Pairing Recommended by Jun, Treasurer My go-to gift is always Mariage Frères tea  paired with dark chocolates from Patrick Roger  or Michel Cluizel . Mariage Frères has been blending tea in Paris since 1854, and their black tins with exotic blends like Marco Polo or Thé des Lords feel like little pieces of Parisian elegance. The tea salon experience in the Marais is iconic, but you can pick up tins at their boutiques throughout the city. Pair it with bean-to-bar chocolate from Patrick Roger (his sculptures are works of art) or Michel Cluizel's vintage chocolate bars for a sophisticated gift that any francophile will appreciate. It's always a treat—the kind of gift that turns an ordinary afternoon into something special. For the Art & Design Enthusiast: Watercolors & Parisian Decor Recommended by Amanda, VP of Membership For a unique and custom gift that captures the essence of Paris, I love Marin Montagut  in the Marais. This charming boutique features watercolor illustrations of Parisian scenes—think Jardin du Luxembourg, corner cafés, and iconic architecture—alongside curated home decor that feels both whimsical and sophisticated. Marin Montagut himself is an artist and interior designer, and his shop reflects his aesthetic: a celebration of Parisian beauty with a nostalgic twist. Everything is painted in his distinctive watercolor style, from prints and notebooks to decorative objects. During the holidays, they have a lovely selection of hand-painted ornaments that make perfect keepsakes. His work captures that ineffable Parisian charm—the kind you can't find anywhere else. The shop at 5 rue de Picardie feels like stepping into an artist's atelier, with every item telling a story about Paris past and present. For Stocking Stuffers: Mustard & Jam Recommended by Laura, Tech Lead I always make a pilgrimage to the Maille boutique  near Place de la Madeleine to pick up unique mustard gifts. Unlike the grocery store versions, the Maille shop offers exclusive flavors on tap—think black truffle, Chablis white wine, or cassis mustard—that you can't get anywhere else. They'll fill beautiful ceramic crocks or pump bottles for you, and the presentation alone makes it gift-worthy. Along with mustard, people always appreciate a Bonne Maman jam sampler set . You can find these at local grocery stores like Monoprix or Franprix, but the selection in France is far more extensive than what makes it to the States. Flavors like chestnut spread, fig jam, or wild blueberry feel indulgent and quintessentially French. More Paris Favorites Worth Exploring Chocolate, Bonbons & Sweet Treats La Mère de Famille  – Paris's oldest chocolatier (since 1761) offers gorgeous box sets filled with pralines, candied fruits, and traditional French confections. Adults and children alike will be enchanted. Jacques Genin  – For very indulgent caramels with unique flavors like salted butter, passion fruit, or yuzu. His pâtes de fruits are also extraordinary. La Maison du Chocolat  – Elegant, refined chocolate perfect for gifting. Pierre Hermé  – The macaron master. His seasonal flavors and beautiful boxes are iconic. Books, Prints & Art Artazart  – A design bookstore and concept shop along Canal Saint-Martin with tons of prints by local artists and an amazing selection of books on art, design, and architecture. Museum shops  – The Musée d'Orsay, Musée Rodin, and Palais de Tokyo all have excellent selections of art books and unique gifts. Shakespeare and Company  – The legendary English-language bookshop is always worth a visit. Pick up a book stamped with their iconic logo for any book lover. Paris-Themed Gifts & Made in Europe Messy Nessy's Shop  – Located in the 2nd arrondissement, this vintage-inspired boutique is the brick-and-mortar extension of the cult favorite blog Messy Nessy Chic. Find quirky Paris-themed gifts, vintage finds, and carefully curated items that celebrate the hidden side of Paris. It's like shopping in a secret cabinet of curiosities. Merci  – This iconic concept store in the Marais is a must-visit for anyone seeking beautiful, thoughtfully sourced homewares and gifts. From French linens and ceramics to design books and vintage furniture, everything here is curated with impeccable taste. The café and flower shop make it a perfect afternoon stop. Landline  – A concept store dedicated to European-made goods, Landline is perfect for hosts, gardeners, and anyone who appreciates quality craftsmanship. Think elegant garden tools, hand-thrown pottery, artisanal soaps, and linens—all sourced from small European makers. It's the antithesis of mass production. Astier de Villatte  – For truly special ceramics and home fragrances, this Parisian institution handcrafts each piece in their Paris atelier. Their white pottery with its characteristic imperfect glaze and their unique candle scents (like Grand Chalet or Bois d'Orage) are unmistakably French. Empreintes  – This concept store in the Marais showcases the work of contemporary French and European designers and artists. From ceramic vases and jewelry to prints and textiles, everything is handmade by independent creators. It's the perfect place to find one-of-a-kind gifts that support the local creative community. Monoprix Gourmet  – Don't overlook this French staple! The gourmet section of Monoprix offers beautifully packaged French pantry items at reasonable prices—think olive oils, tinned fish, biscuits, and chocolates that make excellent gifts without breaking the bank. Know someone navigating life in Paris? Gift them a Message Paris membership—access to a welcoming community of English-speaking families, events, resources, and the support that makes Paris feel like home. Visit HERE Final Thoughts The best Paris gifts aren't necessarily the most expensive or elaborate—they're the ones that capture a little piece of French life and bring it home. Whether it's butter that transforms your morning toast, a children's book that sparks imagination, or a tin of tea that makes an ordinary afternoon feel special, these are the gifts that remind us why we fell in love with Paris in the first place. What are your favorite gifts to bring back from Paris? Share your recommendations in the comments below!

What better way to close out the fall vacances than with costumes, candy, and a little autumn rain? On Saturday, November 2, nearly 300 children and their families joined us for our annual Halloween Trick-or-Treating event at our exciting new location near the Luxembourg Gardens. A New Chapter Begins This year marked a special milestone as we hosted the event at a new spot near the beloved Luxembourg Gardens. Our dedicated volunteers arrived bright and early at 9:30am to transform the space into a Halloween area, setting up trick-or-treating stations that opened right at 10am. Rain Can't Dampen Halloween Spirit Mother Nature had her own tricks up her sleeve, with on-and-off showers throughout the morning. But as anyone who's spent time with determined trick-or-treaters knows, a little rain is no match for the promise of bonbons! The children persevered beautifully, darting between stations with their treat bags, their costumes growing more colorful as the rain added a bit of drama. Two Hours of Halloween Magic From 10am to noon, the area buzzed with excitement. Princesses, superheroes, witches, and countless creative characters filled the playground, taking breaks from trick-or-treating to enjoy the playground and burn off some of that pre-candy energy. Thank You to Our Halloween Heroes A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers who made this event possible. Your early arrival and enthusiasm—rain or shine—created magical memories for hundreds of families. As the children head back to school this week, we hope the memories of this lovely Halloween morning will carry them through. Here's to resilient trick-or-treaters, and the community that makes these moments special! See you next year!

by Meg Gerner and Imelda The Message always has great activities even during the October break! This one was a fun storytime and art atelier. Just as you’re settled into the school routine and the dust has settled from the whirlwind that was the Rentrée in September, it’s time to take a break.  Every October, the kids have a two-week break called the Vacances de la Toussaint.  Now for families who spend the break in Paris, it can be a challenge finding fun activities and ways to occupy the kids.  So we thought, we’d do a short roundup of some activities we’ve tried and tested over the years.  Of course, your first port of call is as always, your Message calendar.  This year, we are celebrating Diwali, the Indian festival on October 25 and it is the perfect occasion to learn all about this festival that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and joy over sadness.  This year’s line-up includes Storytime for the kiddos, a Bollywood dance workshop and of course delicious Indian snacks!  Simply click on the link to secure your tickets to this wonderful cultural event. https://www.messageparis.org/event-details/diwali Our fabulous Trick or Treat event is likewise always during the vacation and that is one of our favorite events of the year!! This year, we have a new location. Wanna join and find out where we will be? https://www.messageparis.org/event-details/message-paris-spooktacular-trick-or-treat-2 If you are looking for more organized activities during the week, it’s a good idea to look for Vacation camps.  Here are a few places to check out: Vacation Camps Many schools will offer vacation “stages” or camps during the school break.  The stages generally will focus on a theme but will have a range of different activities during the day.  Some stages can start as young as 3 which makes this a great option for our preschoolers (or maternelle kids).  Additionally, some of the programs’ times are equivalent to a full day of school.  This is a great help to parents who still need to work during school vacation.  Some school camps we’ve tried include: -              First Steps Vacation Camps ( https://www.firststeps.fr/ ) – First Steps is a bilingual maternelle that offers a full day and half day bilingual camps for children from ages 3 to 9 years old.   During the camp, they propose baking/cooking, outside sports, arts and theme related activities.  The teachers are super sweet and kind and a great space for young children. -              Ecole Koenig Vacation Camp ( https://www.ecolekoenig.com/vacation-camps ) – Koenig is a music conservatory and a bilingual maternelle and primaire.  They offer a music oriented program which also includes activities in theatre and visual arts.  The camp is also bilingual and is for children ages 3 to 10 years old. -              Public Centre de Loisirs ( https://www.paris.fr/pages/centres-de-loisirs-2084 ) – Paris’ public school system opens up during vacations and allows students that are not registered in public schools to register for their vacation camps.  You can inquire and register at centres that will be open over the break (for the list check out the link above for more information).  These camps are open to kids from ages 3 to 14 years old and is only in French. It is also a good idea to check out your local private preschools for their vacation camp schedules. Activity Workshops Besides the camps organized by the schools, there are many other organizations that offer vacation camps around a specific theme (for example Disney musicals), sports (tennis is super popular) or activity (art or theatre).  For many of these camps, the age requirement tends to be for 5 years old and older.  As such it is always best to check each activity to see what the minimum age requirement is for the stage.  Here are some specific activity stages that we have tried: -              Paris University Club (PUC) ( https://puc.paris/stages-paris-universite-club ) – For those sporty kids or tons of energy to get out, you may want to consider PUC.  PUC is a sports club that offers stages in different sports including basketball, fencing, tennis, football, handball, and multisport just to name a few.  Some of the stages are offered for children as young as 4 years old.  Please refer to each sport to get the correct applicable age of the child.  The stages are conducted in French. -              Play-Well Teknologies ( https://play-well.fr/stages-lego-vacances-paris/ ) -  For the kids passionate about Lego this stage is for them! Play-well provides the lego, including motorized pieces, for them to create different themes each day. For example, one day the theme is magical creatures and they use the lego pieces to create their animals (my daughter created a dragon which could flap their wings using a motorized piece).  The animators help them to bring their creation to another level.  They can’t take their work home but the animators usually take a photo of it each day which they share with the parents.  The stage is French and is for children ages 6 to 12 years old.   -              Les Petits Atomes ( https://lespetitsatomes.com/  ) – For kids who love science, this stage helps them to explore.  Their stage program is based on experiment based learning where the kids will do different science experiments during the week.  Their stages are open for children ages 3 to 12 years old and have locations in Paris and Versailles.  The stage is done all in French. -              TechKids Academy ( https://www.techkidsacademy.com/stages-coding-enfants/ ) – For those kids obsessed with all things coding, TechKids is for them.  They offer coding classes in both English and French.  The type of classes offered include coding in Scratch, Python and Stencyl, as well as 2D and 3D art. They have locations in Paris 15eme, in St-Germain-en-Laye and in Levallois.  -              American Children’s Theatre (ACT) ( https://www.actparis.com/ ) – Now if your kids are passionate about singing, theatre and dance, ACT could be just for them.  They offer full day stages or half day stages all in English.  At the end of the week, the parents are invited to a show that highlights all the hard work the kids did during the vacation.  It is always great to see the kids blossom and perform confidently at the end of the week. -              Petite Foret Café- ( https://www.petiteforet.com/pages/stages-de-vacances ) has a great range of fun activities for the little ones during the break.  Their camps are for kids aged 3-8.  And parents have the option to do half-day, whole day or weekly.  Museums It might not be the most obvious thing to do, but the school vacations are a great time to visit the city’s different museums. Very often, they will organize a lot more kid friendly activities and even set up specific activities for them.  There are also more family oriented guided visits as well.  We have tried and loved the workshops at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs ( https://madparis.fr/ateliers-du-carrousel-vacances-scolaires ) and the Musee D’Orsay ( https://www.musee-orsay.fr/fr/agenda/visites-et-ateliers/vacances-orsay-automne-2025 ) also offers a great line-up of fun activities inspired by the art on display at the museum, all throughout the break.  These are just some of the activities that we have tried over the years but there are tons of other options out there.   The October break can be a great time for the family to travel.  However, if you are staying put, Paris remains a great city to explore and find new and interesting activities for the whole family.   Do you have other ideas to share? Comment on the post below and share with us your experiences and ideas!!