Boujour tout le monde!
If you read my previous posts, you might have been expecting a post on Singapore. (I promise that it's coming!) Then you must be quite surprised that this post is about Paris. I got quite inspired preparing a Paris travel guide for some peep, so I thought I could share it with y'all. So here is a little detour to the kingdom of romance, Paris. Hope you'll enjoy!
p.s. Okay so what warrants me to write this post and offer you advice besides that I'm so worldly and wise? (JK but am I?)
All of the places that I will mention and the things that I recommend to do are experienced first-hand by me, approximately 3 years ago, when I spent a little short of a month in France. While I am still in no way an expert in everything Parisienne but this is a select personal guide towards having a great time in Paris. I'm going to break it down into the following four parts to give you just enough info for a somewhat true Parisienne experience:
Geography overview with some general tips
Sightseeing & Activities
Dining
Some useful french phrases
So if you are intrigued, dive in with me right away! If you are short on time and just want to get a tested itinerary, just scroll to the last section(click) of the blog for one.
I. Geo and Tips
Before we get started on the touristy part of the guide, I want to give you a brief intro to the geography and some tips for getting around.
1. Geography 101
Geography of France:
As you already know, Paris is the capital of France, which is a major country in the Southern part of Europe. As you can see in the map, France is adjacent to many countries by land or sea. This makes it a great transit point for many places in Europe, and even North Africa. Thus, travel onwards from Paris to somewhere else is an option once you've served your time in Paris.
Geography of Paris:
As for Paris itself, it is located in the North of France. The city is divided by La Seine (the Seine River) into Right Bank / La Rive Droite (River North) and Left Bank /La Rive Gauche (River South). There are plenty to do both on both the north and the south side of the river, but there might be more in Right Bank since it is slightly larger in area than Left Bank.
Arrondissements?
There is no way that you would not hear the word 'arrondissement' if you were in Paris. So what are arrondissements?
They are essentially administrative districts in Paris, kinda assembling the different districts in New York, i.e. Brooklyn, Upper Manhattan, and Lower Manhattan etc.. There are 20 such districts in Paris and all of them are assigned numbers, i.e. 1st arrondissement (arr.), 2nd arr., etc.. The arrs with lower numbers are located closer to La Seine and the center of Paris.
As a tourist, you just need to remember which arrondissement is the place you want to visit in. This is going to help you with navigating yourself quite a bit. To help you with just that, I will list out the arrs for each of the place that I recommend visiting.
2. Tips for Getting Around
Transportation:
Public transit is superb in Paris so you don't need to worry about getting around much. But let me rephrase: Public transit is superb in Paris, before the last metro passed. Most of the metros stop service after midnight, unless there are some special events happening like Fête de la Musique. This also applies to finding restaurants that are open after midnight. It'll be particularly difficult so plan ahead.
So if you are going to stay out till late, just forget about going back by metro and opt for Uber or Taxi instead. And yes Uber is offered in Paris! Or even better, if your lodging is in some central area, just walk! Paris is quite a walkable city.
For any other time when the metro is in service, you can consider downloading this wonderful app that plans your metro route for you:
Since we are on the topic of apps, there is one more app that can amplify your experience in Paris: Paris Bouge (click). It lists out the shows, exhibits, and other fun activities for a fun Soirées à Paris.
WiFi, no WiFi?
Oh there is one more thing, before the fun part of the guide. There is little WiFi coverage in Paris, at least when I was there. This means that in order to get around, you may want to either plan ahead, or get a good data plan. WiFi can be found in the ubiquitous Cafes on the streets of Paris but don't count on it.
II. Sightseeing & Activities
Ooh la la, here is the fun part!
There is so much to do and so much to see in Paris (and places near Paris)! I can say with some certainty that you would not get bored for a month in Paris. However, if you only have a couple of days there, you can still get the most of your experience by visiting some signature places.
Sightseeing
Here are some places that made lasting impressions on me and I highly recommend to you. I will break them down by Landmarks, Museums, and Gardens.
1. Landmarks
1st Arr.
Pont Alexandre III
This is nothing but a bridge. Yet the intricacy of the design of this particular bridge is out of this world. So if you are in the 1st Arr., you may as well give it a visit.
4th Arr.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris
This is the landmark that needs no introduction. Here is the Notre-Dame Cathedral in night and day.
7th Arr.
Tour Eiffel
Another landmark that needs no introduction.
You can't help but taking tons of pictures of Tour Eiffel, from all different viewpoints, when you are in Paris. I've only shown you maybe a quarter of a quarter of mine. Here is another one taken from the top of Centre Pompidou, which I'll introduce later.
8th Arr.
Arc de Triomphe
Well, can you believe that there is another landmark that needs no introduction? There is surprisingly little space left for you to stand still and appreciate the Arch since it is in the middle of a busy street. So don't expect yourself to spend too much time here, unless you want to go on the observatory deck inside the Arch.
Champs-Élysées
The is the avenue that connects to Arc de Triomphe. This is also the one place that I was too occupied to take any pictures. How come? Well this place is a shopping heaven and I was way too busy getting my dose of Parisienne shopping.
That being said, Champs-Élysées is a great place for you to shop around. It is an avenue that is filled with individual shops, ranging from fashion to tea shops. Most of the shops are designer brands so be prepared to make some damage.
2. Museums
1st Arr.
Louvre
Needs no introduction. It has a massive collection. So prepare to spend a whole day here if you like museums.
4th Arr.
Centre Pompidou
This is the very first modern art museum that kindled my interest in modern art, and I detested modern art before visiting here. So I would say that this is a must go for modern art fans.
Moreover, the structure of the museum itself is really modern. The clear glass surface bares the metal structure that constructs the building. Such a style vastly contrasts with the old and sophisticated French architecture style.
(I've forgotten to take a picture, ofc...)
7th Arr.
Musée d'Orsay
I don't remember anything in particular from here but I remembered it being enjoyable. Plus, it's on the way to Tour Eiffel so why not take a quick culture detour and give it a visit?
(Here is a painting that is potentially from Musée d'Orsay, but also potentially from Petit Palais. My memory failed me.)
8th Arr.
Grand Palais & Petit Palais
These are two individual museums that are quite close to each other. I remembered Petit Palais being more old-fashioned than Grand Palais, which hosts many exhibits, modern included.
Personally I adored Petit Palais, partially because it hosts Degas' art, which I absolutely adored.
Versailles
Versailles is actually outside of Paris so it is not in any of the arrondissements. This palace is so famous that I don't think it needs any introduction either. Essentially it used to be a royal palace and has been restored over time to exemplify the "glories of France".
The palace is massive so prepare to spend a whole day here to see both the inside and the gorgeous garden.
If Versailles does not marvel you, I don't know what will.
3. Gardens
1st Arr.
Jardin des Tuileries
You're not gonna miss it since it's surrounding Musée Louvre. On a sunny day you'll see people sun bathing and pinicing here.
6th Arr.
Le Jardin du Luxembourg
This is at a relatively quite area in Paris. Thus it gives this garden some unique peacefulness. This is a great place for you to wander around and contemplate. This place is quite sizable so you'll have plenty of time to think of the meaning of life there.
There are many more gardens that I didn't mention here, not because they are not marvelous, but simply because I forgot their names. But don't despair. It is interesting that many museums are surrounded by gardens so you will see your fair share of gardens.
Activities
I've only experienced summer in Paris so I can't say much about winter activities. Though I've heard that Christmas in Paris is quite festive.
Summer in Paris is popping. It is filled with sunshine and music.
Music
If you are fortunate enough to visit during June, you'll find yourself in the midst of Fête de la Musique (the Music Festival). It is a day of musical feast as tons of artists of all genres perform on the street all day and parts of night, for free.
It's nothing like Coachella or any similar music festival. Fête de la Musique are supported by local artists, and when I say all genres I actually meant all sorts of genres. So you can get exposed to jazz, rap, classic, world music and more on the streets of Paris. How nice!
Bastille Day
Bastille Day (July 14) is commemorated by the French as the turning point of the French Revolution. Thus there are all sorts of festivities on this day, similar to any national day around the world.
Soirée (Night Life)
How is Paris Paris without its night life? The infamous Moulin Rouge, and the jazzy bars alluded to in the movie La La Land are both representative of the night scene in Paris. Especially considering how cheap wine can be in France, there is no excuse not to grab a glass and have a good time. I'll leave the bars to visit to your discretion.
III. Dining
Ooh la la, what an exciting topic for Paris! There are les escagorts (snails), foie gras (duck liver), and la boulangerie (bakery). Many cafes in Saint-Germain-des-Prés in 6th Arr. serve them. You should absolutely get your fix of those gourmets, but what I really want to mention here are crepes and macaroons.
Les Crêpes
Crepes in Paris are second to none. I know that there are many crepe places around the world now, but nothing beats having some Parisienne crepes, especially the ones near Tour Eiffel. The crepe carts are so touristy and expensive there but it is just so Parisienne. Alright, I acknowledge that there are many much better crepe places in Paris, but the Nutella Crepe sold by the carts near Tour Eiffel is simply magical.
Macaroons
The fun fact is that macaroons are actually originated in Italy, not France. However, this does not affect people's love towards macaroons in Paris. There are two French bakeries that are known for their macaroons, according to me: Ladurée and Pierre Hermé.
Ladurée is the quintessential macaroon bakery and has earned itself a spot in Champs-Élysée (the shopping heaven I mentioned earlier). Actually Ladurée has become so popular that it has extended itself into a high-end restaurant.
However, after a taste test, I have to report that Pierre Hermé has the best macaroon that I've ever had in my life and I will not likely touch any macaroon not from there.
Give both of them a taste test and let me know what you think!
IV. Parlez-vous français?
To enable you to have an enjoyable time in Paris, it is recommended that you know at least some basic French. Here is some basic French to help you get around. A little Boujour can go a long way. ;)
Boujour! - Hello
Au revoir! - Goodbye
Salut! - Less formal version of hello or goodbye.
Enchanté(e). - Nice to meet you.
Je veux les macaroons (or any other food). - I want to get some macaroons.
Merci. - Thank you.
De rien. - No problem (following thank you)
S'îl vous plait. - Excuse me / Please
Où sont les toilettes? - Where is the toilet?
Désolé(e). - I'm sorry.
Gentil! - Nice! (A hip way of saying so.)
Je t'aime. - I love you. (Who knows when this might be useful.)
What's more? As a data geek like me, I've made an Excel sheet for some friends visiting Paris. If you are interested to see the full list, please click here. I've listed a couple of examples in the sheet as well.
Oh I forgot to mention that I went to Paris for language school so there is some truth to what I listed here. Give them a try!
So here you have it friends, my Paris travel guide for you.
If you have a tight schedule, here is my condensed itinerary for you to hit all the right spots:
Grand Palais &/or Petit Palais - Arc de Triomphe - Champs-Élysée - Macaroons!
Pont Alexandre III - Louvre - Jardin des Tuileries - Picnic along La Seine - Soirée!
Centre Pompidou - Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris - Musée d'Orsay - Tour Eiffel - Crêpes!
Versailles!
Hope you'll enjoy Paris as much as I did if you end up visiting! À bientôt!
(EZ when she was 21.)