Jennifer Garner looks back fondly on an unforgettable family adventure from her marriage to Ben Affleck. The actress recently recalled taking their three children on a six-week European getaway while Affleck worked in London.
The trip gave Garner a chance to explore Paris and Venice with Violet, Fin, and Samuel. Years later, the memories still bring her joy, especially the tradition she started during that vacation.
Jennifer Garner recalls the European vacation with her and Ben Affleck’s children
Speaking with Ina Garten on her Happy Hour podcast, Garner remembered the trip. “When my kids were really little, I went to Paris,” she said. Affleck was shooting a “Batman-ish movie” in London, so Garner took the children out of school for six weeks. “It was the last time I really took kids out of school, but it was wonderful; it was incredible. It was so fun,” she recalled. The family also visited Venice, making the trip a memorable European adventure.
Garten helped make the Paris experience memorable, too. She suggested Garner explore the city by boat, an idea the actress continued embracing on later visits. “I’ve done it now, every time I go,” Garner said. She also thanked Garten for the suggestion, recalling the children’s excitement. “Every picture from that night, from that trip, the smile on my kids’ faces—it was such an adventure that you gave us.”
Garner and Affleck married in 2005 and separated in 2015. They finalized their divorce in 2018 but continued working together as co-parents. Their children, Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14, remained central to their relationship. Affleck recently offered his ex-wife particularly warm praise. During an October 11 appearance on Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist, he called Garner a “spectacular” mother. He admitted that her parenting often made him feel he fell short.
“I’m doing about 75 percent as good as your mom,” he joked about what he told their children. They apparently disagreed, suggesting he managed “Maybe 40 percent.” Affleck laughed that he was “maxing out. Woo, B+!” Still, he emphasized his gratitude for Garner. “I respect her,” he said, adding that mutual respect mattered most when co-parenting. Although their marriage ended, their shared commitment to their children has endured.
