Gwyneth Paltrow Shares Heartwarming Childhood Memory About Her Father And Paris Trip

Instagram/@gwynethpaltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow dropped a nostalgic bomb on the world while recalling the intimate trip to Paris she shared with her late father, Bruce Paltrow. The Oscar-winning actress and Goop founder shared this heartwarming story on Instagram as part of a sort of treatise on travel and cultural experiences that have influenced her life. It was mentioned in an Instagram post that also acted as a promo for the Goop podcast, a trigger for many tearful ones.

Advertisement

In the video, Paltrow shared, “My dad took me to Paris when I was 10. It was meant to be just the two of us; no brothers and sisters; no distractions. Bruce was the best of the best of producers and directors in television-land and really wanted to create a magical memory for both me and him. We went to museums, ate French food (wine for breakfast-couldn’t say no!), and took in all the art vibes of the city. But what really tugged at my heartstrings was what happened nearly unbearably on the return flight to London. Bruce Paltrow turned to his daughter and said, ‘Do you know why I took you on this trip, just the two of us?’ Young Gwyneth said, ‘No,’ and he replied, ‘Because I wanted you to see Paris for the first time with a man who will always love you, no matter what.’”

Say it with me, internet: awwwww.

The comment section exploded instantanously. What a wonderful, loving, and proactive father. Heartbreakingly sweet,” wrote one member. Another said, “I cry every time I hear this story told.” Another comment came from a former flight attendant who recalled meeting Bruce Paltrow many years ago and watching him describe a magazine cover of Gwyneth and her mother, Blythe Danner, with pride and delight: “He was beaming!”

Perhaps the most moving comment was from a mother who wrote that Paltrow’s story motivated her family to squeeze in a trip to Paris despite financial hardship: “Your dad keeps giving,” she wrote, explaining how that event became a lifetime memory for her daughters. Another mother felt the same way, sharing that she’d told her son exactly that: that she would forever be the woman who loved him still.

Not all the comments were tearjerkers, of course. One commenter reflected, “That is the Bruciest Bruce I’ve ever heard,” referring to Paltrow’s father, who was known for his immense generosity and warmth toward others. Another commenter tried to ease the mood unsuccessfully: “I dare you not to cry,” but really, who had a chance?

Not a sappy throwback, Paltrow’s post stands firm as a testimony to how one part of travel helps in shaping identities. She reminisced about slow breakfasts in Italy, conversations in Spain that happened to be enhanced by wine, and sunsets along Indonesian beaches-Well, she says these experiences are really how she identifies herself today. Yet, that Paris story played a hit somewhere else entirely. Croissants and the Louvre? They were just the icing on the cake. That was a father’s love made operational in one trip.

Bruce Paltrow passed away back in 2002 because of complications from pneumonia and cancer, but it is clear that his memory very much lives on—not just in Gwyneth’s memory but in how she shares it with others. The post tugged on followers’ heartstrings and created waves in reflecting on their own ground travels and who made those places meaningful.

Advertisement

Yeah, if you needed an ugly-cry reason today, Gwyneth Paltrow just placed it on a silver platter for you. Now that your mind is racing with the thought of planning a Paris trip with that special person, there’s so much more to think about.