Jennifer Garner has opened up about a cherished family trip to Europe during her marriage to Ben Affleck.
The “Alias” actress, 54, shared the memory during a recent episode of Ina Garten’s “Happy Hour” podcast, describing a six-week stay in France with her young children while Affleck, also 54, filmed a Batman project in London. Garner said she pulled Violet, now 20, Fin, now 17, and Samuel, now 14, out of school for the extended vacation.
“It was the last time I really took kids out of school, but it was wonderful. It was incredible. It was so fun,” Garner told the cooking guru. The family used the time to explore multiple cities, including Venice alongside Paris.
Garten’s influence shaped part of the journey. The “Barefoot Contessa” host had advised exploring Paris by boat, a suggestion Garner adopted so wholeheartedly that it became a lasting tradition. “I’ve done it now, every time I go,” the “Daredevil” actress explained. “Every picture from that night, from that trip, the smile on my kids’ faces—it was such an adventure that you gave us.”
The trip took place during a marriage that began in 2005, ended in separation in 2015, and concluded with a finalized divorce in 2018. Since then, both stars have spoken publicly about their post-split dynamic, with Affleck offering particularly candid assessments of their co-parenting arrangement.
On the October 11 episode of “Sunday Today with Willie Geist,” the Oscar winner described Garner as a “spectacular” mother before acknowledging his own perceived shortcomings. “It always makes me feel like I’m coming up a little short,” he admitted.
Affleck, 54, revealed the running joke he shares with his kids about his parenting performance. “I tell them I’m doing about 75 percent as good as your mom,” he said. “And they’re like, ‘Maybe 40 percent.’ I’m maxing out. Woo, B+!”
Despite the self-deprecating humor, Affleck expressed genuine appreciation for their ongoing partnership. “I respect her,” he shared. “I think the most important thing is having that mutual respect—being able to get along with that person,” He added that he felt “grateful” to co-parent with Garner.
The “Gone Girl” star also detailed their custody logistics during a recent interview. “I work hard, and then I go home and pick up the kids from school,” he told the outlet.
Garner and Affleck’s European vacation represented an early chapter in their family life, one that blended work commitments across continents with deliberate family time. The boat tradition that emerged from Garten’s advice has persisted through subsequent trips, preserving a tangible link to that period.
Affleck continues to balance his film career with active parenting duties under the shared arrangement.