Paris - the City of Love
The saying actually has a lot more meaning and significance to it after visiting the city and seeing it with my own eyes. And while no, I didn’t meet the love of my life while sitting at the many cafés and bistros I found myself at throughout the week, the city as a whole has a very romantic and intimate feel about it.
That being said, it’s certainly a much faster pace than Amsterdam and also requires much more planning to get everywhere you want when comparing the two cities together. Honestly, the layout of Paris itself reminded me a lot of DC. Oddly placed streets, monuments in random parts of town, a mixture of residential to business areas.
The hostel I stayed at this time around was also very nice. Nicer than the one in Amsterdam, in fact. Instead of being in a room with twelve other people, it was only four. Plus there was a free breakfast included (score), and our room had a balcony attached where you could look outside to the street below. The name of the place was literally “Perfect Hostel.” I paid $25 a night – a deal for a hostel in the heart of Paris.
So while Paris was a bit more exhausting than Amsterdam and while I didn’t get to everything I wanted, I still caught that Parisian fever. For any of you who are fans of amazing wine, picturesque architecture, and who wish to see a part of the world that’s not to be missed on any European trip, put it on your list.
Day 1
I took a bus from Amsterdam to Paris Saturday night. And while I didn’t get the greatest sleep (who does when your seat only reclines three inches), it saved me on an entire night I would’ve otherwise spent on a hostel and also left another day free to explore both Amsterdam and Paris.
I got into the city on Sunday morning around 6AM. I had met someone on the bus who had already been to the city earlier in the week who was flying out of Paris back home for Algeria that evening and had an entire day free. So instead of waiting at the airport all day, he took me on a tour of the places he had already seen himself earlier in the week.
First on the list – Notre Dame – Quite possibly one of the prettiest cathedrals I’ve seen – and the list is only growing. When seeing it for the first time, I think what made it stand out even more was the sun rising directly behind it as we came around the corner. The fact that it was free to get in made the deal even sweeter. And while we left before their church services started that morning, you can still attend them if ever visiting.
Louvre – So I didn’t actually go into the Louvre. Honestly, I didn’t go into any of the museums throughout the week because I’m cheap and didn’t want to spend the money. But if museums are your thing, there’s a pass you can get for all of the Paris museums that’s at a discounted price. That being said, I’m more of a wanderer anyway, so it was fun to walk around all of the buildings and monuments from the outside and soak them in that way instead.
Eiffel Tower – My Paris bucket list screamed for joy when I crossed this one off. Honestly one of the neater things I’ve seen in life so far, being a monument all of us always see in pictures, but for me, never have in person. Of note, this is one of those monuments you should try to see at night, as well. Much like the monuments in DC, it’s stunning when lit up. And if going to the top of it is something you’ve got on your bucket lists, prices run €20 to get you there. Although if you want a view of Paris that’s equally as stunning and at no cost, Sacre-Coeur is where it’s at.
Sacre-Coeur – Sitting up on the top of a hill in the Montmartre district, this church gives you INCREDIBLE panoramic views of the city. You can pack your lunch (or a beer or bottle of wine instead #liquidlunch) and settle down on the steps to soak in the sights. If you’ve got a significant other, this would be the perfect spot to bring them.
Montmartre – My absolute favorite part of this trip, hands down and without a doubt. If you want an experience as French as it gets, this is the place to go.
It’s in a part of town very close to Sacre-Coeur where the streets are the intimate, stone-paved ones you always see in pictures with ivy clinging to the buildings that line them. The restaurants are equally amazing. To be honest, I went to this part of town two of the three nights for dinner, as it never disappointed. There are neat little shops, more crêperies and bakeries than you count, and wine shops. Lots and lots of wine shops. It’s too bad I’m not checking my bag on the way home, otherwise I probably would have packed it with wine instead. On second thought, maybe it’s a good thing.
This is also a very romantic place to visit, especially if you go in the evening closer to dusk. If you bring your bae, I expect a bottle of French-made wine as repayment of my suggestion.
Day 2
This was a true “wanderings” day. I went out for breakfast with one of the guys who was staying in the same room as me in the hostel. He was from Poland and had wanted to go to a coffee shop not far from where we were staying that was filmed in one of the scenes of Moulin Rouge. Having never seen the movie (I know, GASP), I went with him anyway.
After that, I honestly wasn’t sure what I wanted to do the rest of the day. The problem (and total first world problem, at that) is that there’s so much to do in Paris that it can be hard to know where to start. And for someone like me who’s watching their wallet, it can likewise be hard to find cheap things to do in addition to that. I had planned to go to Versailles the next day and to have a chill day after that, but really had no interest in going to any of the museums or revisiting the monuments I had already seen.
So instead I packed my bag for the day with some stuff to make sandwiches for lunch (I resolved to pack lunches instead of eating out to save $$$), and set off around the city. For the most part I stuck to mainly the eastern and southern parts of the city. I tried to use my Google Maps app as little as possible throughout the day, really trying to give myself a day to wander the city to see what I could find. The only thing I used for direction were the signposts the periodically popped up pointing in the direction of the nearest attractions or landmarks.
Luxembourg Gardens – One of my bigger regrets from the Paris leg of my trip is that I didn’t go on a tour, because while I saw a lot of beautiful buildings and monuments throughout the city, I didn’t really know what they were. So I “oohed and ahh’d” without really knowing what I was “ooh-ing and ahh-ing” over.
Oh well.
That being said, Luxembourg Gardens is the one place I visited that day that I know the actual name of. Mainly because there was a sign on the front of it in big bold letters saying, “Luxembourg Gardens.” Regardless, it was a beautiful public garden where lots of people were laid out, enjoying the sun. If you’d like a change of pace when in the city, it’s a place I’d check out for a nice to place to eat lunch.
Overall, not having a set plan from the start of the day made the entire day one of the more fun ones I had in the city. Walking around and seeing the bistros and cafes at every corner, people riding their motorbikes to work, and buildings with architecture that screamed, “PARIS,” I feel like this was a day where I got the chance to see the true side of the city.
Day 3
To be honest, by this point in the trip I had been going non-stop for nearly five days straight and was a little worn out. I think I realized it on Monday night when I was ready for bed by 8PM. My bunkmates no doubt thought I was a grandpa. Oh well.
So I decided to sleep in that day and set a fairly simply game plan. Coffee. Versailles. Happy hour.
And while all of that seems like it wouldn’t take up much of the day, travelling to Versailles takes about three hours total, both directions combined. So I set off for the Palace around 10:30 that morning, boarded the train, and battled for a place in the lengthy line outside the Palace.
And even though getting there was a bit of a pain (as was waiting the line) it was TOTALLY worth it.
Like, 100%.
Chateau de Versailles – Looking back, I wish I would’ve grabbed one of the handheld audio guides that were handed out at the beginning of the tour, because I still don’t really know much about the palace. My eleventh grade European History class hasn’t stuck with me much.
Regardless, the palace was absolutely incredible. Even breath-taking at times. The intricacies of the design, the stone and woodwork, the beautiful hand-painted ceilings. It’s a place I would go back to see again and something I would absolutely recommend doing if ever in Paris.
Just don’t let the long line to get in scare you away.
Cafés and Brasseries – This is the part of the post where I talk about – once again – drinking far too much coffee when in Paris. It was so easy to do, though. Parisians are known for always sitting outside of cafés with their espresso coffee in hand, watching as the world moves past them. So I took it upon myself to join them. It was a hard job, let me tell you. I finished Life of Pi (would definitely recommend reading), wrote a few more blog posts, edited some photos. I think its been one of the best parts of the trip so far the ability I’ve had to just stop in a café or brasserie for an hour or two at a time and have a glass of coffee with no set time table to be worried about.
Don’t forget, traveling isn’t meant to be something that totally exhausts you and stresses you out. It’s something you’re meant to enjoy. And while there are a million things to see and do in each place that you travel to, you have to accept that you’re just not going to get to everything. So grab a cuppa joe instead and take an hour to yourself.
You deserve it.
So here’s to London, the next leg of the trip.
I have no doubt it’ll be filled with as much coffee as the last two.
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Cost breakdown (in US dollars):
Hostel – $69.61 (Perfect Hostel and Hotel)
Travel from Amsterdam – $52.69
Food – $121
Excursions – $19.36 (Palace of Versailles)
Metro – $10
PARIS TOTAL: $276.66
Cafés and Brasseries – This is the part of the post where I talk about – once again – drinking far too much coffee when in Paris. It was so easy to do, though. Parisians are known for always sitting outside of cafés with their espresso coffee in hand, watching as the world moves past them. So I took it upon myself to join them. It was a hard job, let me tell you. I finished Life of Pi (would definitely recommend reading), wrote a few more blog posts, edited some photos. I think its been one of the best parts of the trip so far the ability I’ve had to just stop in a café or brasserie for an hour or two at a time and have a glass of coffee with no set time table to be worried about.Don’t forget, traveling isn’t meant to be something that totally exhausts you and stresses you out. It’s something you’re meant to enjoy. And while there are a million things to see and do in each place that you travel to, you have to accept that you’re just not going to get to everything. So grab a cuppa joe instead and take an hour to yourself.You deserve it.So here’s to London, the next leg of this whirlwind trip.I have no doubt it’ll be filled with as much coffee as the last two.-------Paris Cost breakdown (in US $$$):Hostel – $69.61 (Perfect Hostel and Hotel)Travel from Amsterdam – $52.69Food – $121Excursions – $19.36 (Palace of Versailles)Metro – $10PARIS TOTAL: $276.66