A Magical Trip - Paris France
My trip to Paris was planned on a whim.
Turns out it was one of the best whims of my life!
Although I had never included Paris on my bucket list, when the opportunity came up to make a long weekend trip to this iconic European city, I said ‘Why not?”. But from the moment we arrived, I fell in LOVE!
After just a few days there, I could very seriously have seen myself ready to move there! I remember one night, riding home in a taxi along the river, I had my head resting on the window sill and the refreshing summer-night air kissing my face, I suddenly felt completely content. Like I was at my 0,0.
This city, along with Sedona, AZ are the only two places I’ve been that make me feel this unique sense of being totally enchanted by their essence.
Here’s my guide for traveling to Paris:
the food…
…oh the food. “Chef’s Kiss”
The BREAD is crispy on the outside, it makes that perfect crunch… and soft, mild flavored and fresh on the inside. Simply the best bread on our planet. The French know how to do bread!
Gourmet food should be on your itinerary at least once a day. Escargot, Cassoulet, Boef Bourrguignon, Crepes. Don’t be afraid to go out of your comfort zone. After all, when is a better time to try French food than in France!?
the art…
(and architecutre…) It’s abundant. Its varied. Its everywhere! From classical sculpture and paintings to modern, abstract art - you can find it all here….
The Louvre is, of course. the main art hub of Paris. Filled with paintings, famous and obscure, INCREDIBLE and I mean amazing sculpture and every style you can imagine, you’ll feel like your walking the pages of your textbook from your Art History class from college.
But, here’s my secret….
ART IS EVERYWHERE IN PARIS. From churches to architecture, coffees shops and public parks, and even floors, you can be equally wowed by the art inside the Louvre as the art all around you, everywhere you go!
the river…
…it calls to me. Most of the excitement of Paris happens within a few blocks of the Seine River. It really feels like the trunk of the city and all of the attractions are branches. Plus, if you’re ever lost, just find your way back to the river!
Take pictures on one of the 37 bridges that cross it - they are all gorgeous.
Stroll the river bank and shop for souvenirs.
Float down the river in a boat tour to see the city from the river.
This Parisian staple is the core of the city… and what a beautiful core it is!
the sights…
… there are no comparisons. The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, Notre Dame… its all as magnificent as you can possibly imagine! And you won’t want to miss any of it.
Of course the most iconic sight of the cityscape is the Eiffel Tower and I would do more than just look at it. Eat at one of the restaurants inside the Eiffel Tower, ride the unique elevator, or just lay in the gardens watching the changing lights of the tower at night, passing clouds or do some people watching!
Highly HIGHLY recommend the on-off bus tour for your time in Paris. Cabs can be found here and there but the tour bus is much cheaper and stops at all the main attractions.
the shopping…
… on Champs-Elysees - the most beautiful avenue in the world. Even if you’re not looking to spend a dime, you can still enjoy and appreciate the beauty of Champs-Elysees. (pronounced “Shomp El-ee-say”)
Shop the many stores including some luxury stores as well as more everyday items.
Pop into a theater for some culture and entertainment.
Cozy up in a Michellin Star restaurant or cafe for some evening sustenance and then dress your best to head to the many nightclubs on and round Champs-Elysees!
When I walked this street, I felt like I walked right out of Vogue magazine. Its posh, its gorgeous, its bustling and its soooo Paris!
the language…
… don’t worry, most of those letters are silent. Speaking French in Paris is not only fun, I’m a believer that speaking the local language shows the locals that you are interested in their culture and are therefore much nicer to you! Many Parisian tourists claim that the locals are rude but I experienced the complete opposite. I found French people to be warm, eccentric and so beautifully unique.
Bonjour… it means ‘good day’ but it is the basic greeting of everyone you’ll meet. Slur it, say it with a smile, say it to everone you meet.
(pronounced “bone-jure” NOT bonn-jure)
Bonsoir… same as above but means ‘good evening’. Reallly, you’ll keep saying Bonjour until its basically dark out. Then you switch to Bonsoir
(pronounced “bone-swa”).
Oui… “Oui, I WOULD like some water”, “Oui, I AM a tourist”…. Oui means Yes.
(pronounced“we”)
Au Revoir… goodbye, ciao, adios, see ya later. Again, most of those letters are silent, slur it together and you’re speaking french!
(pronounced like “oh-vwah”)
Merci… if you only want to learn one word, make it this one! Again, say it to EVERYONE. Throw in a ‘beaucoup’ to make it “Thank you very much!”
(pronounced “mare-SEE” or “mare-SEE bo coo” for thank you very much)
A few more important tips before you go…
Keep all of your belongings in front of you, avoid carrying valuables in backpacks and watch for pickpockets. Leave expensive jewelry and accessories at home, I do not recommend leaving valuables in your hotel.
Drink only bottled water if at all possible.
Don’t let pushy salespeople bully you into making any purchases you don’t want. They can be very persistent so stay strong and confident, give them a firm “No, merci” and then discontinue engaging with them promptly. You’ll recognize the situation I’m talking about easily and it won’t be much of a problem, but know how to handle it ahead of time.
In my opinion, the Mona Lisa room in the Louvre was kind of a disappointment but you may find it worthwhile. Therefore, I didn’t make note of it in the above tips. The Louvre felt like a complicated maze that everyone was trying to just get to the cheese (in this case, the Mona Lisa) and not enjoying all the beautiful artwork on the way. The room in which the painting hung was huge, crowded and very commercialized. It was like a group of cows being pushed toward the front to snap one hurried photo on a cell phone and then leave. The painting itself is quite small and cased in a glass housing for protection. If you want to admire this beautiful work of art, do so by looking at a photo of it.
I consider myself to be a brave eater. But there was one thing I just could not bring myself to try… Steak Tartar. I ordered it off a brunch menu and it was quite literally a patty of raw hamburger. It was a no for me but my travel companion ate it without issue.
Bring rain gear. It is often rainy in Paris.
Always carry a pack of tissues with you in case there is no toilet paper in the bathrooms.
I highly recommend the on-off bus tour for your time in Paris. Cabs can be found here and there but the tour bus is much cheaper and stops at all the main attractions.
