How To Take Paris By Storm

My junior year of college, I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Paris for a semester. Ever since I returned, people have been constantly asking me for suggestions on where to go, where to eat, what to do, etc. SO, instead of writing novels to my friends via text or Facebook, I thought I’d sum it up in one post.

 

Eiffel Tower//Champ de Mars

Of course you want to explore the lesser known parts of Paris, but a trip to the city of lights isn’t complete without gawking at the iconic Parisian structure. And I don’t blame you – I lived in the city for five months and still never got over the beauty of it sparkling against the night sky as the clock struck the hour. The best way to take in La Tour Eiffel and all its glory is to set up camp on the Champ de Mars. Do as the [Parisians] do, and grab cheese, wine and baguettes and you’ve got yourself a peaceful picnic in Paris.

Trocadéro

On the last night of my family’s visit, I dragged them here. My parents and my sister were exhausted, but I couldn’t let them leave Paris without seeing this view. I wouldn’t even tell them where we were going because I wanted them to be as blown away as I was on my fourth night in this breathtaking city. My dad insisted we take a taxi, so it would be quicker, but I was adamant about taking the métro to the Trocadéro stop on ligne 9. You get off the métro and follow the signs to the Eiffel Tower (okay, so that gave my surprise away a little). You come up from underground and you could literally be anywhere in the city. There’s a roundabout to your right, a building to the left and straight ahead is a man selling touristy knick-knacks out of a cart. (BTW, I’m writing this over a year after I returned from Paris, that’s how much of an impact this one spot in this massive city made on me). You walk past the building on the left and voilà! You’re left with the most dazzling view of the Eiffel Tower. The Champ de Mars is great for so many reasons, but you nearly get a neck cramp while gazing up at a 90 degree angle to take in the Tower in its entirety. Trocadéro is across the street from the Tour Eiffel and on a higher ground, so you get the perfect view. THIS is the spot to take the perfect Paris picture. I lived in the City of Lights for six months, and seeing the Eiffel Tower’s lights twinkle never failed to stop me in my tracks.

Arc de Triomphe

Here’s my unpopular opinion: New York City is overrated. I lived an hour outside of the city for 18 years and I never really understood the appeal of it. I thought moving to New York after graduation was so cliché and I wanted no part in it. During the summer, it’s way too hot and sticky. During the winter, it’s frigid and an hour after it snows, the taxis turn a winter wonderland into a slushy brown nightmare. Everyone is rude and cranky and it smells like pee, like all the time. *Rant over.* I feel like Paris is the New York of Europe, in terms of its size, popularity and the occasional rudeness of its residents. However, I never felt that Paris was overrated. Every time I walked or Ubered past the Arc de Triomphe, I couldn’t help but stop and stare and appreciate its beauty. Going to the top of the Arc de Triomphe is DEFINITELY worth the money (and the energy). Honestly, I prefer climbing the Arc more than the Eiffel Tower. It’s cool to be so high above the city in the Eiffel Tower, but, in my opinion, you don’t have the best view because the Tower isn’t in it. The view from the Arc de Triomphe is unreal. You have the Champs Elysées stretched out in front of you, the Louvre and Jardin des Tuileries at the end of it and the Eiffel Tower to the right. 10/10 would recommend.

Tour Montparnasse

Speaking of incredible views, Tour Montparnasse is a must-see. The Parisians hate this building and I can see why. It has more of an American big-city vibe than a cultural European one. This skyscraper completely clashes with the iconic architecture of Paris, but man does it give you a great view. Go up to the 56th floor and you’ll find yourself confronted with a panoramic view of the city. Go up the steps to the roof and you can find literally every inch of the city from the Jardin du Luxembourg to Montmartre.

Champs Elysées

There is so much to do on the Champs-Elysées, you could easily kill an entire day here. And if your trip allots you the time, I definitely recommend. Get your credit card ready because this famous street has some of the best shopping in the city. Although when my friends and I came here, we spent most of our time at H&M and Zara #BallinOnABudget. If you’re feeling like spending some real coins though, you have Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and Longchamp, just to name a few. I actually did purchase a Longchamp here because it makes way more sense to buy a French product while in France than to pay for the shipping. Also, it was way less in euros than it would have been in dollars #winning.

 

Ladurée

After you’ve shopped till you dropped on the Champs, head to Ladurée for some tea and macarons. Don’t get overwhelmed by the extensive menu of desserts and drinks, you simply cannot go wrong with anything here. Make sure to check out the bathrooms here, they’re incredible.

Le Louvre

It’s time to hit the museums. Obviously the most famous of the Paris museums is the Louvre. I’m not kidding when I say that you can get lost in this place (mostly because I did). The first time I went to Paris I heard that if you wanted to see every single piece of artwork in the Louvre, you would have to go every day from open to close for three months. Just think about that. But most likely you’re going to make a beeline for Winged Victory and the Mona Lisa – and yes, she is as small as they say she is. While wandering through all the artwork, or while sitting in the Jardin des Tuileries outside, I’d always think about the history of the building. During the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were forced out of Versailles into the Louvre, which at the time was a palace, to be closer to their starving subjects. I’m not a history buff, but I still found that story to be fascinating.

Closed on Tuesdays

 

Musée d’Orsay

This is my favorite museum in Paris. Across the Seine from the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay is smaller, yet still so iconic. Here you will find tons of paintings from Monet and literally hundreds of other artistic greats. This is where you’ll find that giant clock you’ve probably seen all over Instagram. To make the museums of Paris (and many other European cities) less overwhelming, I highly recommend downloading Rick Steve’s app. He gives an audio guide for museums, churches and many other famous places, so you actually know what you’re looking at. Just get ready for the dad jokes.

Closed on Mondays

Musée de l’Orangerie

One of the lesser known museums of this historic city, the Musée de l’Orangerie should not be overlooked. It’s small, but it’s incredible. This is where you will find giant oval-shaped rooms full of Monet’s giant water lily paintings. As if someone understood how mesmerizing his paintings are, there are benches facing all four walls, so you can sit for hours and take it all in.

Closed on Tuesdays

Catacombs

Not for the faint of heart, the Catacombs are downright creepy. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the cemeteries of Paris were overflowing (gross) and they needed somewhere to put the bodies that were falling into the streets (double gross). Naturally, they threw them in underground tunnels that stretch for miles below the city now known as the Catacombs. During the Revolution, the body count only grew. Eventually, the Catacombs became some sort of hang out spot, and people would socialize down here (count me out). Today, they have turned a small portion of the Catacombs into a morbid museum of sorts and you can wander through the tunnel of bones and skulls stacked from floor to ceiling. A majority of the Catacombs are blocked to the public and security guards block the entrance to the dark, forbidden tunnels. But since they do stretch under a large portion of Paris, there are entrances to the blocked off portions. It is completely illegal and I do not recommend, but I just find this fascinating: certain manholes around the city lead to the non-touristic parts of the Catacombs and there are stories of people today paying a visit to the Parisians of centuries ago.

Notre Dame

Notre Dame holds a special place in my heart. Of all the iconic Paris monuments, this one was closest to my apartment in the 13th arrondissement and I would jog past it along the Seine. The inside is truly mesmerizing and the history of how it was built is incredible given the lack of technology they had in the 1800s. My favorite memory of Notre Dame was on Palm Sunday, a week before Easter. It overlapped with my family’s visit and given that I was raised Catholic, I thought it would be cool to go to the Palm Sunday service at one of the most renowned churches in the world. Naturally the mass was in French and my parents were completely lost, but it was still such a once in a lifetime experience.

Versailles

Take an afternoon to voyage just outside of Paris to the Roi du Soleil’s former home. I’m fortunate enough to have been able to visit Versailles four times in my life and I can definitely say that the spring or summer is the best time to go. Although it is way more crowded, being able to walk through the lengthy gardens with the gold fountains shooting water out of turtles’ mouths, fish swimming in the ponds and classical music playing from the speakers hidden in the bushes makes it all worth it. I visited Versailles at the beginning of my semester abroad with my friends in my program, and the grounds were muddy and cold. Plan to spend at least half a day here and get here as early as possible – the lines can get crazy long, especially during tourist season. Both the palace and grounds are huge and you want to allot yourself plenty of time to soak in all of Versailles’ grandeur.

Closed on Mondays

Sacré-Coeur 

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations because I’ve saved the best for last. Sacré-Coeur is hands-down my favorite spot in the city. It can be seen from so many different spots in the city and is known as the church on the hill. On the outskirts of Paris in Montmartre sits this gorgeous, massive white church that stands out from the rest of Paris’ architecture. This is my favorite monument for so many reasons. Not only is it vastly different from the rest of what you’ll find in Paris, but the neighborhood it’s in is also so fun. Known for being home to artists, Montmartre gives off a much more casual and hipster vibe than the rest of the city known for luxury and haute couture. Even the locals love this spot and will come with friends to hang out on the hill below the church.

Writing this post has made me so nostalgic for the city I was lucky enough to call home for six months. I’m so glad I’m able to share my knowledge on Paris with you all and if you’re able to go there all I can say is take in every second – there’s something magical about this city and it’ll capture your heart forever. Paris, tu me manques.