MARIE RIVET, FOUNDER MY NOMAD FAMILY, TOULOUSE
(By Charlotte Burgoyne)
For Marie Rivet, becoming a parent should not involve changing your way to travel. This French mom of two could not find any accommodations to fit her needs while travelling with her kids, so she decided to create her own house rental plateform: My Nomad Family. All the places listed on her site are designed for families. As a result, no need to bring your pack'n play, your stroller, or toys when going on holidays.
"At 34 years old, after working 10 years in finance I decided to create my own business. I had two kids, and realised that travelling with them was more complicated than it should be. The main problem I had was logistics! I had to bring so many things with me it was really hard so I came up with this idea of an airbnb for families." explains Marie.
It is from the sunny city of Toulouse in the southwest part of France that she is running her smart business. "It is a lovely city with an amazing car-freecity center, and lots of family-friendly spots." She shares below her favorite ones with us.
IN TOULOUSE WITH MARIE RIVET
Eating out with the kids. I love the Muséum d'histoire naturelle of Toulouse and particularly its restaurant: Moaï. They have a tasty lunch box for kids! The restaurant l'Emulation Nautique is also one of our favorite spot to eat with the kids. It's on an island so the view of the Garonne river is lovely and the atmosphere very relaxed.
Grabbing a snack with the kids. Eat up a banoffee at L'Autre Salon or a lemon tart at Benoit Pâtisseries... I can't pick a favorite, the kids are seriously addicted to both spots.
Having fun on a sunny day. In the summer we go to the beach of the Zaza Club in Torreilles. In the winter, we go skiing. There are many family-friendly ski towns around Toulouse.
Having fun on a rainy day. We stay at home together or invite friends over. It's a good reason to organise a nice meal.
Cultural activities with the kids. I love museum and cultural centers. In Toulouse, we have amazing museums such as the Musée d'art contemporain des abattoirs offering great exhibitions and a pretty view over the river Garonne; or the Musée des Augustins showcasing classical paintings. We also have great graffiti artists who exhibit their work at 50Cinq or the yearly Rose Béton cultural festival.
A peaceful place. Home. It's the most peaceful place to my eyes. I like my kids to entertain themselves at home and develop their creativity. I like them to turn their wood cubes into boats, cars or rocket ships. If they have too much energy we take out the soccer ball! I like this saying: "Life if a journey, enjoy the walk."
Pretty shops for the kids. Meric is a must for vintage wonders. The shop of the Muséum is great for manual activity gifts and Le Petit Souk is a paradise for decor items for kids' rooms.
A kid-friendly hotel in town. www.mynomadfamily.com of course!
A day trip around Toulouse. La cité de Carcassonne is an mind blowing medieval citadelle. I probably went there over 30 times but each one is different. The kids get to dress up with swords and helmets, and for them it is an amazing way to travel in time and learn about the era of the knights.
I also like walking around the Corbières region. There are impressive historical landmarks to explore such as: L'Abbaye de Lagrasse, or Saint-Pierre-des-Champs.
Your favorite family-friendly spot in the world... Berlin! It is an extremely welcoming city looking towards the futur. There is an incredible energy when you walk around and kids are really welcomed. Museums and galleries are well suited for families which is not always the case in big cities. I will never forget our meal at Sage, a restaurant nestled in a old silk factory; a must-try!