Paris: the city of love, fashion and the wine and cheese combination. In August, I visited the most beautiful city in the world for the 3rd time with my boyfriend. I adore Paris and everything about it, from the couture fashion stores to the cultural art galleries. I wanted to share my time in the city with you all so I thought I'd compose a guide to Paris to help those who are considering or are visiting Paris in the future.
Where To Stay
We stayed 5 nights in the Relais Saint Charles hotel, situated just a 10 minute walk from the Eiffel Tower and just a few metro stops away from the Champs Elysees. The hotel was located amazingly, right next to Dupleix metro station. There were also a number of boulangeries and restaurants nearby. The hotel was 3* but decorated beautifully and more than we expected for the price.
What To Eat
Being a vegetarian, eating in Paris was quite difficult for me as they don't quite grasp the idea of not eating meat so it limited my options, although I did manage to find some tasty things. Cheesy pasta was a must.
France is known for its cheese so what better to do than buy a cheese board to immerse yourself into the Parisienne culture. Not going to lie, I devoured this. French cheeses are the nicest I've ever tasted and 100000x better than British cheeses. So, if you get the chance to go to Paris, try the cheese!! Don't forget the wine to wash it down, too.
Boulangeries (bakeries in English) are to be found on every street. Each morning, I liked to start the day with a pan au chocolat, a croissant and some orange juice. Pastries are very cheap in Paris, unlike anything else so bag yourself as many as possible.
Of course, me and John chose to go to the Champs Elysees on the hottest day of our holiday, where it reached 32 degrees celsius. We were dying for something cold and refreshing so we stopped off at the Hagen Daaz Cafe. THIS IS A WARNING... the treats may look tempting, but the prices are not. These simple desserts were ridiculously expensive. Tasty, but not not tasty enough to be worth it.
What To See and Do
Galeries Lafayette/Printemps: The Harrods of Paris. The gorgeous department store boasts concessions from Saint Laurent to Chloé. Definitely worth a visit if you want to do a spot of shopping or if it's a rainy day.
Chanel, Rue Cambon: The original Chanel store. This store is a heritage site for lovers of la mode. It's the store in which Coco Chanel lived herself.
Champs Élysées/Arc de Triomphe: if you want a wider range of shopping choices including high street stores such as Sephora and Abercrombie and Fitch, then the Champs Élysées is the area for you. The street stretches on forever until finally reaching the Arc de Triomphe, one of Paris's most popular attractions.
Musée de L'orangerie: home to Monet's Waterlilies. Very large waterlilies in fact.
Palais Galiera: I visited the Palais when the Jeanne Lanvin exhibition was taking place. It was very outstanding and beautiful. Exhibitions are showcased here all year round so check on the website to see what's on when you're there.
Le Louvre: probably the most famous art gallery in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa and famous for its glass pyramid architecture. It was great to see such famous artwork, however, be prepared to be squashed by angry tourists trying to get to the front of the crowds.
The Seine: take a boat trip or just a stroll along the river Seine. Perhaps place a lock on one of the many bridges. I'd definitely recommend a Seine boat tour at night, as the lights are beautiful and you can get a view of the illuminated Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower: this is also something to visit at night. We went at about 10pm when it was completely pitch black so we could see the lit up city below us. Of course, we went to the top floor but it was quite scary to say the least. On the hour in the dark hours, the Eiffel Tower sparkles. Not something to be missed.
Montemarte/Sacre Coeur: many famous artists and writers live in the area of Montmarte. It's a dainty little town full of markets and cute café's. Salvador Dali's exhibition is also here which is amazing to visit and see the sculpture recreations of his work. After walking through Montmartre, you'll reach Sacre Coeur. This area is high rise and looks out over miles and miles of Paris. They're very romantic areas to visit and me and John placed a love lock here as it was so lovely.
DISNEYLAND: and of course, leaving the best until last. Disneyland is a definite must when in Paris, whether you're 3, 18 or 90. Disneyland is situated about an hour away from central Paris but the RER (which is double decker and super cool) takes you straight there for around €7.50. It was the most fun day in Paris and definitely not one to forget. I wish we could have stayed there forever because it was just so amazing and I've never been so happy.
I hope you all enjoyed this post and I hope that I've inspired you to visit Paris! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave a comment below!
Jordan x
