General French News | Jolie-Pitts choose France as their destination

Monday, November, 29th at 14.01 by Deborah Bates

Angelina Jolie and partner Brad Pitt spent Thanksgiving in France, reports The Daily Mail, after swapping the famed American traditions for something more European.

Alongside their ever-expanding brood, which includes children Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Vivienne and Knox, the couple celebrated Pax's seventh birthday in style. The clan hired a river boat in Paris, named The Josephine, which took them for a twilight cruise along the River Seine, complete with balloons and a special cake.

A French retailer, Bonpoint Boutique, reported that Jolie relaxed with some shopping in the fashion-forward city, both for herself and her little girls - allegedly picking out 'black suede boots and a dress' for Zahara, and 'trousers and zebra-patterned boots' for Shiloh. The retailer said 'Angelina was great; she's patient, and a very hands-on mother, making certain everything fits.'

'Brad was very agreeable, absolutely polite and excellent with the girls,' a source told People Magazine. The pair are said to be combining the trip with press interviews for their respective upcoming film releases.

The couple are famed for their love of taking French holidays, and despite reports that Jolie is not too keen on Thanksgiving, Pitt told a reporter: 'I'm not really sure where we'll be for it, but we'll rummage up a turkey somewhere.' The family famously owns a £35 million château in France, providing a relaxing retreat and escape from the pressures of Hollywood.

The mansion has 35 bedrooms, a vineyard, moat, forest, swimming pool and acres of fields surrounding it, and is governed by the strict French privacy laws - definitely a deciding factor for the famous duo.