Hi everyone! I’m Casey from Land of Marvels and I am so excited to be here with you guys today! I am a passionate traveler and love jetting off to exotic destinations with my husband, exploring near and far and finding the best the world has to offer. I’ve seen a lot of places but I keep coming back to an all time favorite: Paris. The city is just so incredible and such a unique spot in this world we call home, it also happens to be a huge tourist destination and a place many dream of going, so when you book that ticket to the French capitol (now or in the future) here are 20 not to miss things to see and do on your trip to the fabulous city that is Paris!
1. Eat croissants for breakfast…every day you’re there. They seriously are as good as you imagine. Believe me, once you get home and have a croissant at Starbucks again you’ll be telling them they really can’t call those croissants at all, once you’ve had the real thing.
2. Wander. I know Paris is big and there is so much to do and see… but wandering really is the best way to do it here. Have a general direction you’re headed, then put the map away and just wander. You won’t believe the hidden gems this city has to offer.
3. Don’t forget the back of Notre Dame. You’ll no doubt stop by and see the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, but while the front of the church is always swarming with tourists, most people don’t even check out the back. For me, it’s one of my favorite spots in the city, the gorgeous buttresses of the cathedral showing off, the little park square with benches to take it all in… don’t forget to swing around the back when you visit this famous monument.
4. Forget the river boat cruises and wander the banks of the Seine. A lot of people, first timers especially, take one of the river boat cruises in Paris to see more of the city. I’ve done it once and believe me, it’s overpriced, crowded and not worth it. Instead start at the Eiffel Tower and meander your way through the center of Paris along the Seine River. There are paths the whole way and you’ll see even more of the city and the atmosphere.
5. Speaking of the Eiffel Tower…expect lots of people but you have to see it. My husband and I have a tradition when we go to Paris, each time, our first stop is the Eiffel Tower for sentimental reasons. You see, growing up, I visited Paris a lot as a kid and all throughout my teenage and college years I had such a love affair with Paris, I had Eiffel Tower figurines all over and everything Paris, so when I finally went back as an adult, it meant so much for me to see it again. Now, we drop off our bags wherever we’re staying and head first to this great monument. My favorite view of it is from the Trocadero across the Seine.
6. Eat, wander, eat wander, repeat. One of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon in Paris is to stop at Ladurée, have a cafe au lait and some macarons (my favorite are chocolate), then wander some more, then stop again for lunch at a café, then wander some more, then stop again for a mid-afternoon crepe, then wander some more. The Paris café culture is so wonderful that you can’t help but stop at every cute one you come across… it’s the perfect way to really get to know a neighborhood.
7. Carve out some time to go shopping. Paris has some of the best shopping in the world, from Zara’s on almost every corner (my fave) to the fabulous Galeries Lafayette department store, I love spending a few hours on every trip to Paris just indulging myself in a little shopping.
8. Don’t miss eating at the St. Regis Cafe. I’m telling you, this one you HAVE TO DO in Paris. This adorable little restaurant on the Île St. Louis is not only greatly designed and in a convenient spot (right next to Notre Dame), it also has the best chicken paillard I’ve ever tasted in my life. I’m telling you, I dream about this meal all year round.
9. Speaking of the Île St. Louis, don’t miss wandering this area. One of the oldest areas in Paris, the little streets on this island in the middle of the Seine take you back in time.
10. Rent an apartment. One of the things I would highly recommend is renting an apartment. We have one we love on the Île St. Louis, complete with wooden beams in the ceiling and old plaster walls. Opening your windows to the Paris skyline is a magical feeing!
11. Or if you are more suited to hotels… I’ve got just the one! For our first few trips to Paris, we stayed in hotels and our favorite is the Hotel Le Notre Dame, directly across the street from the church, the views from the rooms are seriously unbeatable.
12. Don’t forget Paris’ parks. Paris has some of the most beautiful city parks in the world; my 2 favorites are the Jardin du Luxembourg on the Left Bank and the Tuileries on the Right… don’t miss an afternoon stroll through both of them.
13. Do the Louvre, but don’t expect to see it all. While the Louvre is a landmark and is beautiful inside and out, it’s also gigantic. Don’t expect to see it all, so wander through for a couple hours and then call it a day. I much prefer the Musée d’Orsay for an art museum, easier to see more and doesn’t take so much time.
14. Figure out which bank is more you. Over my many trips to the city, I’m more drawn to the artsy Left Bank of Paris, filled with the likes of the Eiffel Tower, St. Germain, and most of the literary cafes that drew people like Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald back in the 20’s. But some are more drawn to the Right Bank, the more chic, ornate parts of Paris filled with the famous Opera House and the Louvre. It’s a fun part of your trip to Paris, figuring out which bank is more you!
15. For views all over Paris, head to the Tour Montparnasse. Now to be honest, it’s kind of a trek to get here from central Paris, still easy on the Metro, just takes about 20 minutes (where as everything else is basically 5-10 on the metro). But the views… they are oh so worth it. Panoramic views over the whole city are best captured at sunset here.
16. Get up at dawn. One of our favorite things to do in Paris is to get up early, throw on some leggings and wander the city streets in Paris at dawn. Not only is it great light for photos (my husband is a photographer, so we’re up early a lot!) but the city is breathtaking with no one around, the morning light filtering through. On our last trip there, we wandered the streets of the Île St. Louis near our apartment, watching as the garbage collectors took a break from work and had a shot of espresso at the only open cafe before getting back to work (only in Paris right?). We wandered the banks of the Seine as the sun came up and the dawn colors flooded the sky…for a special moment in Paris, get up and watch the sunrise.
17. Don’t miss Versailles. The famous Versailles Palace is only about 30 minutes outside of Paris by train. Don’t miss it on your trip, but plan a pretty full afternoon here. Wander the gardens, take in Marie Antoniette’s Petit Trianon and take in the Hall of Mirrors. It’s worth it.
18. See Montmartre at sunset. While not my favorite area of Paris, Montmartre is often popular with tourists. This old hilltop section of the city is home to the famous Moulin Rouge and the Sacre Coeur church with views over Paris. My favorite is to make it up Sacre Coeur at sunset for the views, then wander the cobblestone streets for a cafe for dinner.
19. Use the metro or walk. As to how to get to all these fantastic places we’re talking about, Paris’ metro is one of the best in the world. It’s inexpensive, clean and fast. You can get pretty much anywhere in the city on the metro and between that and walking, you don’t need to use cabs. Taxis in Paris can be really expensive and they’ll spot a tourist a mile away. So use the metro or walk… that’s the best option.
20. Let yourself be Parisian. A lot of people when visiting Paris get too wrapped up in seeing everything and leave totally overwhelmed without even seeing a lot of the city. My advice after numerous trips to Paris would be to just relax, take it all in, be as the Parisians are; try to see the city as the locals would.
I have a special place in my heart for the French capitol and with all the cliches in the world related to Paris, I assure you, the city is worth every moment and won’t disappoint! If you’re interested further in booking your own trip to Paris, I have written other posts on the city on tips for a better trip to Paris, why France is so special and exactly what you need to see in Paris. Au Revoir and bon voyage!
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Thanks so much Casey for the awesome tips! If you are looking for some great travel tips and beautiful pictures head over to Casey’s blog now!