Jennifer Garner still treasures memories of a six-week European adventure with her children while Ben Affleck was filming in London. The trip gave the family time to explore beyond the town where he worked, with the help of Ina Garten.
The 54-year-old actress recalled the escapade during the November 4 episode of Happy Hour with Ina Gartenthanking her friend for a recommendation that became a favorite part of the trip.
Garten’s advice also came in handy years later, when Garner returned to Paris with her eldest daughter, Violet. This visit finally gave Violet a route she could follow on her own.
Her recollections come as she and Affleck separately described how they balance parenting and film work now that their children are older.
Garner took his children out of school for the Europe trip
Garner described Affleck’s production as a “Batman-ish” film without naming the film or specifying when the trip took place. Her work took them overseas, but she made way to several destinations, including Venice and Paris.
Their youngest child, Samuel, was four years old. Garner temporarily withdrew them from school to make the long journey possible.
“It was the last time I really took the kids out of school, but it was wonderful,” she said, according to PEOPLE.
She remembers that moving between cities was a particularly exciting introduction to travel for children. His account focused on these experiences rather than Affleck’s work on the film.
Ina Garten’s Seine recommendation has become a Parisian tradition
For the Paris portion of the trip, Garten suggested taking a boat along the Seine. Garner remembers sitting on the water’s edge as the city lights began to come on, watching the evening unfold from the river.
A gift from Garten also made an appearance in the family photos. Garner wrapped Samuel in a purple scarf the cookbook author had given him and sent him photos of the outing.
Children’s expressions remain a living part of memory. Garner remembers their smiles and thanks Garten for helping give them that feeling of adventure.
The excursion outlasted the original vacation: Garner said she now took a boat along the Seine every time she returned to Paris.
Violet then recreated an outing in Paris with her mother
On another trip, Garner accompanied Violet, who speaks French, to a study program in Paris. The two spent time together before the show, and Garner reached out to Garten when they found themselves near the chef’s apartment.
Garten guided them from a distance, suggesting places to eat and shop. They visited Barthélémy, the cheese shop, and La Grande Épicerie, the specialty food store, following recommendations throughout their journey through the city.
The outing also included a soufflé restaurant which has since closed its doors. Garner saved photos from that visit, remembering the opportunity to spend time only with his oldest child.
When Violet returns to Paris for a new period of study, she retraces the journey herself, revisiting the places she discovered with her mother.
Affleck and Garner discussed how they share parenthood today
Garner and Affleck married in 2005, announced their separation in 2015 and finalized their divorce in 2018. Their children are now Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14.
In an interview with Variety in October, Affleck described a routine in which children alternate weeks between their parents’ homes. He said he preferred to work in Los Angeles because he did not want to spend the rest of his years at home, although he recognized the privilege of being able to make that choice.
His appreciation for Garner was also evident during his Oct. 11 appearance on Sunday TODAY With Willie Geist. As Wealth of Geeks previously reported, Affleck joked that he considers himself about 75 percent as good a parent as Garner. Their children put his performance closer to 40 percent.
Garner also outlined the practical benefits of their partnership. In a July interview with Entertainment Weekly, she opened up about how Affleck’s support helped her accept The five-star weekend.
She initially turned down the series because the proposed filming in Nova Scotia would have kept her away for four months. The producers then arranged to shoot primarily in Los Angeles, with a month on Nantucket, where Garner could work while the children stayed with their father.
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