Paris, Paris… You were so good to me…
And this post is the evidence!
I put together here a few of the many things I did there… Only to make me want so bad to go back…
Miss it so much…
Ready to experience Paris with me?
Shall we?
A friend of mine recommended I bought the Carte Musée et Monuments, a pass that can be used in 65 museums and monuments around the city. You can buy a 2, 4 or 6-day pass! I had too little time, so it wasn’t worth it. But if you’re interested, all things concerning the pass can be found HERE!
It’s tempting to be able to go in and out of the museums as you like, right? To be able to break the Louvre program into smaller visits, for example, so it’s less exhausting. Not to mention not needing to be in line to buy tickets. (#drama)
Anyway, I’ll try it on my next time (with more time on my hands, I hope)!
But I’ll leave Louvre for the next item. Let’s focus on the other many museums Paris can offer:
Musée d’Orsay: I think it’s my favorite in Paris. The main impressionist pieces are there. A sea of Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse, Renoir, Degas… A must-go!
Not to mention the place is beautiful… Full of people on the outside, some musicians playing on the sidewalk… Delightful.
Pompidou: I’ve read they host more tourists than the Eiffel tower. It’s worth seeing just for the beauty of the façade. Makes for incredible pictures and it’s a go-to for architecture lovers. Oh, there’s a restaurant called Georges on the top floor (I haven’t been there, but I mentioned it here!), which has the most amazing view.
Musée Rodin: All the main Rodin pieces are there, some of them in a beautiful garden outdoors. So, so gorgeous. And you can even see a room dedicated to pieces by Camille Claudel and some Monet paintings, all from Rodin’s personal collection.
Grand Palais: It’s a convention center, but there are always great exhibitions! Just check the program!
THE ONES I MISSED:
Picasso Museum which was closed for restoration. Reopens on 10/25. Palais de Tokyo, which is only contemporary art, super cool. And Musée de l’Orangerie, at the Tulleries Garden, right behind the Louvre.
If there’s a garden and a museum in the same place, I’ll be there!
One of those mandatory activities. Thought of Paris? Thought of Louvre. Thought of the Monalisa. On the way to the museum there’s the beautiful Pont des Arts. I just love that bridge. Couples go there to seal their love with lockers. There are so many lockers that some pieces by the side of the bridge are loosening up. They even had to put some wood blocks to hold it. Too bad!
Now the mandatory tourist attraction: walk around the bridge (if your significant other is with you, bring your lockers! Nothing more romantic than coming back years later with the same person and look for the locker!) and then Louvre to the cultural activities. Take your time. Be patient. If you have the unlimited pass, I even recommend you split into more days, because, I don’t know about you, but I kind of zone out after a while… Anyway, two mandatory spots!
Another super instagram-friendly postcard!
I LOVE walking around that place… In fact, I love the tower. Just can’t get used to it, you know? By foot or by cab, in the morning, afternoon or evening, every time I see it I fall for it. When I’m back, the camera roll is always filled with photos and videos of the tower.
And I really enjoy grabbing some wine with some friends, lay a towel on the lawn and chill out while watching the sunset. Just love it!
I never got to the top, ‘cause the line is a total bummer. But it’s probably worth it, right?
Maybe some day…
This is for the shopping addicts! My go-to schedule is the Grand Palais (when there’s an exhibit I want to see), then I walk Champs Elysées (it’s an avenue full of tourists and endless shops) until the Arch of Triumph. I stop for lunch at L’Entrecôte on the way. And that’s it!
Just be prepared to run into a bunch of tourists!
It’s the largest public park in Paris. Think of a huge, gorgeous garden, all decorated with an even more gorgeous collection of statues. Breathtaking! Great for picnic and sunset too!
I didn’t make it this time… It was my last-day program but some things came up and I ended up missing it.
Too bad!
Montmartre is my favorite spot in Paris! I simply love it! Charming little streets in a pretty bohemian borough, full of local restaurants, street vendors and artists drawing caricatures at every corner.
I usually walk by Sacré-Cœur (Basílica of the Sacred Heart) before, to thank for life, take some pictures of the view (it’s really gorgeous! A bunch of people on the steps and a guy who’s always there performing his little show with a soccer ball, which is awesome!) and then go up to the little streets.
Walk around, have dinner, eat a crêpe, have some wine!
So good… Wanna go back so bad!
One of the oldest gothic cathedrals in France, according to Mr. Google! Surrounded by the River Seine, another great opportunity to thank for being able to travel to such a special place!
Not to mention it’s so, so beautiful…
Also, there’s a Shakespeare and Company close by. The first English bookstore in Paris. Hemingway, Fitzgerald, amongst other writers used to go there, where several events took place! Worth the visit!
Also, walk around the area – there’s so much to see!
I say it’s their Soho. Thousands of shops, cafés, restaurants… So just walk around. Get lost amid the streets. There is a bunch of art galleries around as well. Vintage shops. And cool people. It’s definitely where the cool people are. So take a whole day to see the Marais and enjoy!
Same here! Walk, walk and walk. I guess it’s a less cool, fancier Marais? Paris people please correct me if I’m wrong. I don’t know, I just have that feeling. But that’s it: wander around the streets and find your favorite corners!
I LOVED this park! Didn’t know it. Lots of little caves around, some (mini) waterfalls even! It’s not huge… It’s actually cozy, you know? The sports crowd running around, some (few) tourists, since it’s not a cliché, more of a cool crowd. No group trip, you know? And there’s Rosa Bonheur for happy hour by the park. Amazing!
I guess that’s what Paris is all about: finding your favorite spots.
I mean, it’s all beautiful, super photogenic, looking like a movie location. People are always elegant. Makes you feel like it’s all planned to the tiniest details. You just have to set your daily program and always spare some hours to discover the surroundings. Stuff that’s not obvious. That no one mentioned. But that made some sense to you and you felt like trying. So you can create your own list! Of the good things you experienced and feel like sharing!
I hope that by reading this you can enjoy at least a small bit of what I enjoyed there…
Special moments!
And let’s go on exchanging information through the comment section! I want to hear from those who followed the tips, if you thought it was worth it (I LOVE when you write from somewhere around the world telling you’ve been following my tips! Just love it! I’m so happy!), also if you have anything else to share, make yourself at home! Just leave a comment.
That way, the small list gets bigger and we can have Paris in our hands when we’re there…
That’s the idea!
