Meet Paris.
Paris - a favorite among travelers for many reasons. The street side cafes, croissants, chocolat, crepes, beautiful strolls, the Eiffel...just thinking about that place excites me.
I first went there on a Valentine's Day which felt like a dream and a few times since then - each trip having its own doses of beauty, delicious eats, simple moments, and new experiences, including a check off the bucket list of picnicking at the Eiffel during sunset (in the middle of summer when it's not freezing and the trees look like, well, trees).
Whether it's your first time or one of many, Paris is truly always a good idea. Read on for a few musts and faves from my previous visits (and check out more visuals in my photog tab)!
See & Do
Eiffel Tower - check it out from both sides (off the Trocadero Metro stop & at the Champ de Mars where you can have a picnic with wine and grub). At night, it sparkles every hour, on the hour. And if you're looking for a workout, get your steps in and climb up to score some views of the area.
Arc de Triomphe - start at this landmark on the western end of the Champs-Élysées, stroll down this beautiful avenue of various shops and restaurants until you get to The Big Wheel at Place de la Concorde. From there, you'll find yourself at the Jardin des Tuileries, just another stroll away to the Musée du Louvre.
Musée du Louvre, aka the Louvre Museum - as the world's largest art museum, it's no surprise that it's one of the coolest I've been to. Plus, the Mona Lisa.
Centre Pompidou - if you're in the mood for some modern art, stop by this marvel of a building, home to the National Museum of Modern Art.
Notre-Dame - a Catholic cathedral standing as a classic example of French Gothic architecture.
Sacre Coeur - located at the highest point in the city, the basilica offers a panorama view along with an uphill workout to get there. :)
Le mur des je t'aime - translated to the Wall of Love, this wall is located in the Jehan Rictus garden square just off of the Abbesses metro stop on the way to Sacre Coeur. We also enjoyed a restaurant nearby called Chez Toinette.
Montparnasse Tower 56th Floor Observation Deck - if you're looking for unparalleled views of all the landmarks in Paris, look no further than this modern skyscraper and its open-air rooftop.
Once you've gotten your fix of viewpoints, walking along the Seine going from bridge to bridge, like Pont Alexandre III, is a great way to take in the sights of the city, people watch, and simply enjoy the beautiful surroundings that make Paris what it is.
Craving some shopping with easy access to good eats? Make your way to the Saint Germain des Pres area.
Another shopping area is at and around Galeries Lafayette. Not only can you get a good dent of high end shopping on your wallet, but this is also a good place for souvenirs (top floor) complete with a rooftop lookout.
Crepes & a little more
Crepes - probably one of my favorite things to consume. For some great combos, try out:
La Creperie Bretonne (boiled apple - yum.)
And if you're looking to fulfill a quick craving, there are always the street vendors for simpler options.
Les Deux Magots - snag a seat outside while sipping on some hot chocolate (thanks to a travel buddy for the rec!).
Since I'm not well-versed in French, I'm also a fan of looking out for window stickers like the stamp of approval from TripAdvisor and stumbling into random delicious eats like Chez Toinette and Morry's Bagels.
If you're a macaron fan, Laduree is a classic (fun fact: McDonald's has pretty decent mararons to fulfill a quick craving, plus you can make your own orders on screens when you enter).
Though I haven't been on restaurant hunts in the past (perhaps that'll be a focus for the next visit ;) ), I do love a good ol' croque-monsieur.
Getting around
The metro makes getting around the whole area really convenient. I love the character with the different stations especially the one that runs by the Louvre and the one above that had a staircase of beautiful tile art, a new surprise at every level!
LeCab - for pre-booking and fixed pricing, a great cab or chauffeur service.
Stay
When I know I'm going to be in a city for the first time, that typically means I won't be spending too much time in my hotel and like to aim for nice but budget friendly spots (and since it's Paris, a spot with balcony windows and rooftop views). Two places that worked out great were:
Hôtel les Hauts de Passy - on the west side, in the middle of a cobblestone street complete with side cafes and various markets.
Hôtel Libertel Gare de l’Est - on the east side, near the Saint Germain des Pres area, Sacre Coeur, and easy access to CDG airport.
If you're looking for a more local experience, a friend has his place available on Airbnb - a cozy property near Sacre Coeur (plus, he's got lots of recommendations! Check out the patio view, top right.).
Tips
Unless you're fluent in French, some kind of translator app is certainly helpful. You'll often walk by storefront signs and menus that are only in French (hence my affinity with TripAdvisor marked spots).
On that note, some of their restaurant hours are different than what'd you'd typically expect coming from the U.S. so it's good to look those up prior to making the trip there.
As with any new country, read up on cultural expectations and mannerisms. And with any main tourist attraction, if you're not trying to pay a surcharge on mediocre eats, make sure you indulge in some deliciousness beforehand.
If you're a shopper, buying products that are locally made in France do offer better prices than you'd find in the U.S. (a few faves - Longchamp (especially at the aiport) and finding Caudalie products in pharmacies).
The city is a bit spread out so if you can plan your adventures by area or going from west to east or vice versa, rather than back and forth, it'll definitely save you some travel time. Also keep in mind that most main attractions tend to draw some kind of queue so build in cushion time into your schedule.
For more tourist-like activities, I like to check out Viator for them dealz.
Any recs of your own for the next time I can make it over? Comment below! A few spots already on my list (shout out to my Airbnb friend!) are:
Photos
Canon SL1, GoPro Hero 4, iPhone 7 Plus, and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V 18.2 MP Exmor R (thanks to my man for some of these pics before I even had my own cameras!)