Ahh, Paris. At the risk of being too cliché, Paris is a lovely city, perhaps the loveliest. This is one of those places, that by virtue of the movies or history, has been romanticized into the soul of American culture and is therefore a must visit in a lifetime. I visited here first while backpacking in college, then have been back as young adult three or four more times for work. This is one of those destinations that could never get tiresome and I get equally excited each time I go.

Even on quick trips I have made a personal commitment, that I must go see the Eiffel Tower each time. It is fun to view in different light, in different seasons and from different vantage points. As cheesy of an icon as it is, it always has my attention. Paris is a city you must walk. Rain or shine, just let yourself get lost in the winding streets. Around each turn is another cathedral or landmark and beautiful stretch of shops and cafes to spend quality time in.

While I’ve made many visits to Paris, I’ve yet to author a proper blog post about this destination. So consider this post more of a compilation than a snapshot of one visit. It is crafted upon many experiences, since I have enjoyed many of the city’s attractions over the years in bite size doses. This is a city with a lot of area and depth and can be visited and enjoyed in an entirely new ways at different stages in life, with different budgets. with different company or with fresh eyes.

EXPERIENCE

Well, Paris hardly requires an introduction. This must be one of the most famous tourist cities in the world and for multitudes of wonderful reasons. I will start with one of my favorite parts of this city, the museums! Though I have not explored them in the depth they deserve or require, I have been fortunate to have had a taste of some of the remarkable settings and collections that reside in the Parisian art world. The Louvre is of course the most notable, housing the infamous Mona Lisa. This attraction is almost humorous in how horrible of an experience it is to view, but one of those things many feel the need to do. This museum could fill days in your itinerary, but if you don’t have that at least make time to visit the exterior which is iconic in its own right. My personal favorites are the Musée Rodin and Musée d’Orsay. The museums are another reason to fall in love with Paris and return year after year.

As I mentioned earlier, the Eiffel Tower is a classic and must do while here. Strolling around the park if the weather is nice is worth an afternoon or picnic. Hitting the various angles to photograph and view the icon in both day and night is also a nice thing to do while in Paris. There are carousals and many vendors lining the attraction which give it a touristy but celebratory feel. To view the Eiffel Tower from above, visit to the Montparnasse Tower. In fact you can see views of the entire city from above from their 54^thfloor viewing deck. On a clear day you can see the Eiffel Tower nicely and many of the major monuments of Paris. Another great spot for views is the roof of Printemps Haussmann, though I have not had a chance to go.

Then there are all the classic stops. I love a visit to Notre Dame coupled with the Seine at Sunset. This is a beautiful area in the heart of the city and a great jumping off point to explore the city by foot. One of my favorite spots in the city is the Catherdeal, Sacure Coure. This is in the Montemare Neighborhood which is also fantastic to walk and soak in the pastel architecture and amazing shops.  While in this neighborhood, the le Maison Rose House is a famous spot to snap a photo, a restaurant with rose colored exterior. La Maris is a wonderful area for shopping as well and a great place to get lost for hours wandering. 

If you’re looking to break from the crowds, I’d recommend a stroll through Rue Cremiuex. This is a colorful one part of town and fun for snapping some pretty summery photos. The Arc du Triumph is a classic stop for a quick peak and historical reflection. Other crowd loved tourist stops I have not yet had a chance to check out properly include Saint-Chapelle, Petit Palis and Palais Garnier. If you have time in the evening, catch a show at the Moulin Rouge or Madam Arthur’s for an evening of classic French entertainment. I look forward to continuing my list of Paris experiences in future visits. 

STAY

On my most recent visit in January of 2019, I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in la Republica Square. The location of this hotel was really convenient to my work obligations as well as to great dining and shopping options. I felt a bit far however from the tourist attractions here. The hotel itself is very outdated but the larger suites are suitable and provide a decent amount of space.

On other visits to Paris I have stayed in hostels and various hotels, none of which were particularly notable. If I were to go back again on a personal trip, I would eagerly seek out some of the fabulous Airbnb rental options or check out Hotel Emile, Hotel Paradis, Hotel Henriette, Le Citizen or Hotel Pariculier. 

EAT

It’s no secret that another main reason to visit France and Paris in particular, is to eat. And that I did. This is an aspect of travel that improves with age, budget and appreciation of things other than finding the coolest bar or cheapest crepe while back packing in college. For daytime eats this visit I had a wonderful mid-day acai bowl at Wild and the Moon. This organic eatery has a beautiful aesthetic in their fresh pressed juice packaging and interior. They have delicious soups and vegetable-based bowls. I’d love to come back here to taste more of the menu.

During a snowstorm, I ducked in for lunch between work meetings, at le Gay Lussac, which I cannot recommend because of the poor service, though I did enjoy the curry mussels and classic French Onion Soup. Other breakfast and daytime spots I’d love to hit are Holybelly, Hardware Societe, and les Philosophes for their legendary beef tartare and soups. I also would love to catch a croissant at Circus. On mornings before research, we stopped at a very nearby, classic French bakery called Aux Peches Normands. This place was more charming that delicious in my opinion, but not bad if you’re in the neighborhood.

Dinner favorites on this trip included pizza and cocktails at the wonderful Ober Mamma. I love this place and would be eager to check out the many other restaurants in their group on a future visit, particularly East Mamma. On this trip I ate near my hotel at Mon Coco out of convenience. While the interior was insanely charming, I found the poke only okay and would recommend this spot for a drink and dessert only. The lemon tart as exquisite! We had a wonderful team dinner at La Marine near the Canal, which was very lovely. A noteable menu item here was a mushroom truffle cream with egg in it. During my week here I also aimed to hit Septime, Buvette (since I love the New York installment so much), Candelaria Taqueria for the best tacos in Paris, Au Passage, Mizon for Isreali food, Clamato for oysters, Ellsworth, L’Ami Jean and Les Papilles. Café Le Brebant was a pretty and charming quick stop for a glass or wine or oysters.

I, like most visitors, absolutely love cafe culture in Paris and stopped for cappuccinos at two note-worthy spots this trip. One was Fragments which also made a wonderful avocado toast, one of the best I’ve ever had. The other was Terres de Cafe near the Eiffel Tower which was a super charming and cozy spot to warm up after an evening of shooting the lit attraction in January. While there are countless, gorgeous coffee shops to visit in Paris, a few others I hope to one day try include Telescope, Loustic, Neighbours, Ob-la-Di and Boot Café.