The week I was fortunate enough to spend in Paris often feels like one long, beautiful blur. But sifting through all of my photos from the trip suddenly seemed to bring all of the details back in perfect clarity…
With cities as iconic as Paris, I sometimes find it overwhelming as a visitor to judge how best to spend your limited time. For your first trip – I say, don’t skip the major tourist points. Millions from all over the world flock to the Louvre every year for good reason. So see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night and the magnificent stained glass inside the Notre Dame. As far as food goes, the fine cuisine and delicacies are endless. But a personal favorite from the trip? Authentic street crepes. They’re cheap, fast, and so much more delicious than their New York City hot dog vendor equivalent. Grab one on the go while you walk along the Seine’s famous bridges. You’re going to want to be fully charged for all of the shopping you will be doing. The great thing about Paris is the incredible range of shopping that’s available. My advice is to start at the top. Walk the Champs Elysee. See Chanel in it’s native habitat. Go to the incredible department stores (Galeries Lafayette is pictured above, and even if you don’t buy a thing is worth the trip). And then, see the other side of Parisian shopping. Roam a flea market or sift through vintage clothing in the chic neighborhood of Marais. And when you can’t see or eat or shop for another thing, go to sleep in your own private Parisian apartment. Rentals (if chosen right) are as affordable as the big hotels and completely reliable. Even if you get something small, you’re getting an authentic feel of the city – with the added bonus of being able to pick up fresh ingredients at the local market and cook a meal or two on your own (which will save precious pennies for more shopping).
There’s a million more things to see and do in Paris, but c’est la vie. Enjoy what you can in the time you can, and feel incredibly lucky, as I do, to have had a chance to visit the city of La Ville-Lumiere (the City of Light).
In Order Below: Sacre Coeur in Montmartre, Notre Dame, the Louvre, bridge over the Seine & the Eiffel Tower
