I just returned from my first trip to Paris. Overall, it was a lovely trip that was jam-packed with fun and adventure despite the rainy weather.
What I Assumed About Paris Before I Left
- Beware of pickpockets everywhere.
- Dress like a fashionista so you don't stand out as a tourist.
- Plan to eat like Julia Child at every meal.
- Don't miss the iconic Paris landmarks: Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame.
- Prepare to speak French.
- Paris is a large city and, like any large city in the world, you need to be aware of your surroundings; however, not once did I feel unsafe or uneasy about being pickpocketed. Granted, compared to most of the skinny French people, I look like a linebacker for the Chicago Bears so maybe I just didn't come across as an easy target!
- I painstakingly hand-packed a carefully curated wardrobe that consisted of black, more black, and some white and gray thrown in. I also intentionally purchased a new pair of Veja (French) sneakers and packed a pair of black booties. Needless to say, other than the de rigueur trench coat (a necessity with the rainy weather) I packed, anything I would have worn would have been fine. Because you know what, NOBODY CARES!
- We had some lovely meals, but nothing that would have screamed traditional French meal. Admittedly, I probably had a croissant everyday (think an alternate to toast), and the galettes and crepes were delicious! Other than that, I actually had Italian food twice, salads, soup, or sandwiches.
- Hindsight is always 20/20, so I would probably structure my time differently *if* I had a do-over. More on that later.
- Everywhere we went--from a small bistro, to the hotel, to a coffee shop, to an elevator--we were immediately greeted with a warm "Bon Jour." We also encountered individuals who spoke English at nearly every place we visited, so language was never a barrier. This made me reflect on the often terrible service we receive in the US and the lack of educational requirements to teach all school children a second language. I have attempted to learn both French and Spanish as an adult and failed, but some of my nephews have been in Spanish immersion classes since kindergarten and are fluent. We need to do better.
Eiffel Tower
2/10 - Save your money/time and skip the ascent to the top. Highly overrated unless you like being sandwiched into a 5'x5' elevator with 25 strangers for a 2 minute ride, only to then be sandwiched into a small observation deck with about 300 other people at the same. It was so rainy/cloudy the day we were there you could barely see the ground anyway. Take your requisite Eiffel Tower pics from the ground. The overselling of food, drinks, and souvenirs made me think I was at the Magic Kingdom for a minute.
The Louvre
0/10 (caveat - unless you are *really* into art history or are an artist looking for inspiration - of which I am neither) We had tickets for a 10 am entrance and got to the 'Carousel' entrance to the Louvre at about 9:05 am. Note: All the online information recommends using the Carousel entrance to avoid the long lines at the 'Pyramid' entrance. Granted, our line was probably a bit shorter but it still took a full 90 minutes before we passed through security (one magnetometer for, oh, 3,000 people!) and actually enter the museum. By this time, I was already tired of standing on concrete, sick of all the humanity, and my undiagnosed ADHD was kicking in. Would not recommend unless the caveat noted above applies to you. We did see Lisa, however, and I amused myself in the Italian Sculpture section.
Notre Dame
10/10 - Highly Recommend. I got my church on despite being a fallen Catholic! I wasn't sure what they were saying, so I just said the "Our Father" in English when they got to that part. The cathedral is very beautiful, and we are so lucky they were able to restore it after the devastating fire in 2020.
Seine River Cruise
10/10 - Highly Recommend. We did this the first day we arrived to get fresh air and get our bearings after the overnight flight. It was a nice relaxing way to see some of the major attractions without having to expend our depleting energy. How did I miss that France has its own Statue of Liberty? I thought they only gave us one...
Macaron Baking Class
10/10 - Highly Recommend. We had so much fun doing this class. They also offered croissant and eclair baking classes. Our instructor was a lovely young woman.
Other Favorites
Street Cafes
10/10 - Highly Recommend. I loved loved loved visiting little cafes for coffee or beverages. Probably my favorite part of the trip...wandering the streets and popping in these little places. Don't miss this experience!
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| Sheltie Alert!! |
The Metro
10/10 - Highly Recommend. Fast and easy to use. Download the Bonjour RATP app for the Paris Metro. You can get literally anywhere using the metro. A day pass is only about $14 (individual rides are about $3).
Crazy Horse
10/10 - Highly Recommend. Le Crazy Horse de Paris is a Parisian cabaret and strip club known for its stage shows performed by nude female dancers and for the diverse range of magic and variety "turns" between each nude show and the next. This isn't your seedy strip club...it was very artistic and tasteful. The singer who performed between acts was excellent. She had me with her opening number "At Last" by Etta James.
Paris is everything I hoped it would be. Happy to check this one off the bucket list. Thanks to Marsha for the inspiration to go. Tres bon! Au revoir!
