Paris, France!!! One of the most popular cities to visit in the world. Known for its history, architecture, arts, and of course, the city of romance, Paris is on many travelers bucket list.
↓ Check out this Travel Guide to Paris, France ↓
HOW TO GET THERE
The most popular method to arrive to Paris is by plane through the Charles de Gaulle Airport. The airport is located about a 45min car ride from the airport to the heart of the city center. There are also trains and buses that visitors can use to get to their destination. If you're traveling within Europe, the train network is highly robust and reliable when moving from one place to the next. The Gare du Nord is the most popular train station to arrive into. However, there are 6 train stations in Paris that travelers can venture between.
We took the train from Nice to Paris! Since we started within the country we felt it would be a great opportunity to see the countryside. Overall, we were really impressed with the train ride. There was free WiFi, clean restrooms, and a great snack bar. We did mess up and not pay attention to the seats that we booked and were assigned at random. For the most part people were pleasant and didn't say anything about us being in their seats, but as the train got full it was definitely a big no-no and ended up separating.
We took the train from Nice to Paris through Rail Europe. It was a pleasant ride!
WHERE TO STAY
This was the hardest question when we were planning our trip. Many people recommend the Le Marais neighborhood in the 4th arrondissement as it is known for its vibrant restaurant and night life scene. However, we opted to stay in the 7th arrondissement as it's easy to travel to many popular tourists locations. And, nearly anywhere you are you'll have a view of the Eiffel Tower. We chose to stay at Hotel La Bourdonnais - it's a boutique hotel located in the 7th arrondissement near the Eiffel Tower, a grocery store, and plenty of public transport. Using our Chase Sapphire travel credit card we were able to claim rewards and get our stay for free!
The view from our Hotel La Bourdonnais room - could not be beat!
TIPS FOR VISITING
Learn a couple key phrases such as greetings and manners prior to visiting. We noticed that our trying to speak French came across as a sign of respect and we were treated friendly.
Don't do too much - Paris is a relatively spaced out city with many historic and artistic spots. You can't fit it all in one trip, prioritize, be flexible and enjoy your time.
Eat the desserts and buy that croissant!
To get in to many sites and restaurants you'll need a pre-booking or reservation. Even if it requires a little bit of money, you will thank yourself when you're in massive crowds.
Book directly through the attractions if possible - it may be pricier, but there are many scammer pages out there.
ITINERARY
When mapping out Paris, we noted many of the major tourist stops were far away from each other. That said, we decided to try to tackle it like a big circle. In all reality, due to rain and long lines we had to be flexible, but we'd recommend jotting down and mapping out what you want to do and when.
Day 1: Explore the monuments of Paris
Notre Dame
Saint Chapelle
Louvre
Les Ombres
We started off the day by making our way from the 7th arrondissement to the 4th arrondissement. It was the furthest spot away so we thought we'd start off our day by going out far and then walking back. It was a 20min bus ride, or 45min walk. Because we were unfamiliar with the bus system (which it's wonderful, learn about it before visiting) we chose to walk. On our way we passed by Les Invalides and stopped for some pictures and to learn about the history. We got side tracked and started our day off at the Louvre.
When we arrived at the Louvre we were greeted by a long row of trees - later we learned these are apart of the Tuileries Garden. You can walk directly up through the walkways, or along the streets to reach the Louvre. The buildings are beautiful and built with precision and detail. Visitors will stand in line to enter through the pyramid. It is recommended to buy a pass with a set time frame for visiting to avoid a long wait, but lucky for us we were able to breeze right through the lines with the Paris Museum Pass. Sadly, once we got inside the alarms went off and we all had to quickly exit. Later we learned it was because there was a protestor that threw tomato soup on a Van Gough painting!
Outside the Louvre
After a swift exit, we headed to Notre Dame and Saint-Chapelle. Due to the fire that occurred on April 15, 2019 we were unable to get inside Notre Dame, but rather stood outside the gates peering in. Active reconstruction was in process and we were able to see the scaffolding and netting protecting the original structure. Although unable to get inside, or near, Notre Dame, visitors are able to see the classic French Gothic architecture and Gargoyles from afar. The reconstruction is slated to be completed in 2024.
Just past Notre Dame is Sainte-Chapelle, Saint-Chapelle is a Gothic style royal chapel that was apart of the homes of the Kings of France until the 14th century. Most known for its intricate stained glass windows, visitors should take note of the details of each window as they portray over 1,000 scenes from the Old and New Testament. The Paris Museum Pass will get you in the chapel, but there are other passes that you can purchase to bypass the entry line.
At this point, we learned that visitors were being let back into the Louvre, so we backtracked. When making your way around the Louvre there are audio guides you can purchase and wear to learn more about the history. Or, log into the free wifi and navigate the the Musée du Louvre official website and they have audio guides that you can read and follow along as you walk through the exhibits. Of course the famous Mona Lisa is at the Louvre, but don't bypass all of the other amazing works of art on the way. And, like any good tourist attraction, be prepared for mass chaos when you reach the Mona Lisa. We finished our trail and ultimately called it a day.
Left to right: Notre Dame, crowds around the Mona Lisa, all of the ceilings are pieces of art
After a quick nap and break, we headed to Les Ombres for a sunset dinner overlooking the Eiffel Tower. Les Ombres is a multi-course fine dining experience on the rooftop of the Musée du quai Branly. We chose to book a 7pm reservation to have views of the Eiffel Tower both during the daytime and nighttime. Starting at 8pm, the Eiffel Tower will light up every hour creating a sparkly illumination. Guests can choose from a pre-set 5, 6, or 7 course meal. We had to book this reservation months in advance as there's limited space and it books up quickly.
Dinner for 2 on the Les Ombres rooftop.
Day 2: Slow down and enjoy the restaurants and Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame
Arch de Triomphe
Champ de Elysse
Musee d'Orsay
31 Rue Cler
The next morning we woke up and grabbed a quick breakfast of croissants and coffee before heading to the Eiffel Tower. We bought tickets in advance to avoid the lines, but were still unable to get the lift tickets, so we had to make the climb to the second floor. The walk was strenuous, but not bad and took around 20 minutes. We didn't do too much research and were pleasantly surprised when we got to the second floor and saw there were places to grab a quick bite to eat, souvenir shop, and even bathrooms. There were chairs and swings that faced outward for visitors to sit and relax. Although there were a lot of people, it was still a very pleasant experience. We also felt going to the second floor was sufficient and weren't bummed we didn't go all the way to the top. All those great things to be said, we were also a little bummed because there was construction to both the Eiffel Tower and the lawns surrounding which inhibited us from doing some things.
Left to right: Climbing up the Eiffel Tower, the views from the top, the view of the lawn
After leaving the Eiffel Tower we headed to Arc de Triomphe via Uber. By this point we were ready to stop walking around and use our resources. The area around Arc de Triomphe was chaotic, I was really excited to get a great picture but the circle surrounding was a busy intersection. Many people were stopping in the middle of the road to get their photo taken with Arc de Triomphe in the background. To reach Arc de Triomphe, you had to cross the roadways and walk through a tunnel under the street. The Paris Museum Pass also gave visitors access to climb to the top. Read the rules in advance, they are particular about what you can actually bring with you if you climb to the top!
The street that links the Arc de Triomphe to the gardens outside the Louvre is called the Champ de Elysse. The Champ de Elysse is one of Paris's most iconic streets with luxury shopping, popular restaurants and perfectly manicured streets lining the way. For anyone looking to make a designer splurge purchase and take advantage of the tax incentives, the Champ de Elysse is the place to do it. After window shopping for many blocks we reached Laudrée where we treated ourselves to the most colorful macaroons.
Left to right: Inside the Arc de Triomphe stair case, outside the Arc de Triomphe, view from the top looking out to the Champ de Elysse
To wrap out the tourist part of our day, we ended at what quickly became our favorite spot - the Musee d'Orsay. Originally a railway station, the Musée d'Orsay features art from world renown artists like Van Gough and Monet, this museum is a must see. It's not as popular as other sites in Paris which is also a bonus. However, you should be aware the entry lines are quite long and having the Paris Museum Pass saved us nearly an hour of waiting in an entry line.
After an exhausting day of walking around we stopped at a restaurant on 31 Rue Cler to grab some good food and wine and sit like a Parisian facing outward to watch the city-goers.
31 Rue Cler lined with markets and restaurants
Day 3: Take a tour of the Palace of Versailles
Pont de l'Alma tunnel
Palace of Versailles
From the 7th arrondissement where our hotel was, it was about a 10min car ride to reach the train station . On the way, we passed Pont de l'Alma tunnel where Princess Diana was tragically killed. At this location is the Flame of Liberty, a site where visitors can pay their respects to the late Princess Diana.
The Flame of Liberty in honor of the late Princess Diana
About an hour outside of Paris is the Palace of Versailles. We purchased our tickets through GetYourGuide and bought the entry ticket with the garden pass - which we highly recommend. The Palace of Versailles was the home of King Louis XIII, King Louis XIV, King Louis XV, and King Louis XVI, and of course the famous Marie Antionette. We took a guided tour of the Palace, which we were hesitant at first, but strongly recommend looking back as it provided great clarity and context as to history of each location. Some highlights of the tour were Marie Antoinette's room, the desk where Treaty of Versailles was signed, and the Hall of Mirrors.
Upon completing the tour, we rented a golf cart and drove around The Gardens. Spanning nearly 2,000 acres, these massive gardens were created under King Louis XIV directive. They are an elaborate display of garden work with crisp lines and pathways to explore. The Gardens have been revitalized throughout the years, and the golf cart comes equipped with an audio tour to explain the history while driving around.
Left to Right: Inside the Palace of Versailles, the pathways of The Gardens, overlooking the Labyrinth
After a quick stop at the local McDonalds, we took the train back to Paris to wrap up our trip with one last view of the Eiffel Tower before heading home to the U.S.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
Overall, we really enjoyed our time in Paris! The history, food, and architecture was unmatched. The Eiffel Tower was being repainted for the 2024 Olympics and the grounds redone which meant a lot of construction, so that was a bummer. We knew it'd be chaotic coming in, but weren't so prepared for what it'd feel like once we were there and were bummed to not get our dream peaceful picnic on the Eiffel Tower lawns. Finally, just remember you can do a few things, but you can't do everything. Really think through what are the "must do's" and the "want to do's" when you plan your trip. If you try to do everything, it'll become stressful! Give yourself some leeway there and enjoy your vacation.
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