Anybody who knows me, knows that I absolutely adore Paris. It has to be one of the most magical cities in the world. It is full of love, and romance, and beautiful architecture, and delicious desserts – what’s not to love? I was lucky enough to visit Paris on my trip to Europe recently. Partly business, partly personal. I really had an incredible time (as always), and made some great business contacts with great wedding suppliers. But I also enjoyed my personal time where I got to explore this magical city of lights. Here are my 5 bests from my last Paris trip:
1) Best Area To Stay: Montparnasse
I absolutely LOVE staying here. It has to be one of the best areas. I stayed in a Hotel on Rue Delambre, and it was great because if I walked left down to the corner of my street there was the metro station Edgar Quinet which had line 6, and if I walked right up to the other corner of my street there was the metro station Vavin which had line 4. I generally used Vavin more often as this line took me out towards most of the places I visited such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, St Michel, and many more. The street was nice and quiet but as I got to each corner the roads were bustling with lots of very romantic French cafes – the area was so full of life. Because the area is more of a residential area, I didn’t have the hassle of trying to get through a million pestering tourists (yes, I know that I am one of them). It also had lots of bakeries, patisseries, cheese and wine shops, laundries, pharmacies, and every little shop you could really ever need while on your trip.
2) Best French Restaurant: La Plage and Café Panis
This is a hard decision, because the French love their food and are absolutely amazing at cooking, so I am going to have to split this between two stunning restaurants. I will start with the fancier restaurant – La Plage. This was an incredible experience. Based on the Seine River, I got to enjoy French champagne and the most amazing tuna tartar I have ever had (okay, the only tuna tar tar I have ever had) and some iconic French dishes such as Froi Gras which is definitely a try once and only once kind of dish to me. This restaurant is definitely pricey, but it is worth it for the experience. The second restaurant I would recommend is Café Panis which is also based near the Seine River but by the Notre Dame side of the city. This was stunning – having a glass of wine and eating the most incredible salmon risotto I could imagine while watching the sun go down and having the amazing view of the incredible Notre Dame. What more could a girl want?
3) Best Park: Jardin Du Luxembourg
This is by far the most beautiful park I have ever been in. It was really close to where I was staying, and so on my way to almost everything I would make an excuse to come walk through this garden. It is so enormous and beautiful and well-kept. I loved getting a small pastry or French baguette and coming to just sit and relax in awe of the beauty of these gardens. It is definitely worth a visit, or ten.
4) Best Site: The Eiffel Tower
This may sound like a very cliché answer, but it is cliché for a reason. There is honestly nothing more magical then coming to the Eiffel Tower at dusk and watching it light up the whole of Paris. The best way to view the Eiffel Tower for me, was to take the metro to Trocadero and get off there. I would walk up to the Palais de Chaillot and first admire the view from there. Then I would walk down to the Eiffel Tower and get an incredibly delicious Nutella Crepe from the vender at the bottom by the carousel. These nights were so magical to me. Sometimes they would be playing music and you would see an entire group of people dancing under the full moon with the Eiffel Tower in the background. It was just like a romantic movie scene, except so real in every way.
5) Best Museum: Palace Of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles is such a large, extravagant place full of so much French history. I absolutely loved it. The opulence of the architecture is enough, but once you get inside to all of the beautiful rooms and furniture and chandeliers – it leaves you speechless. I took the train from Gare Montparnasse to Versaille and the ticket only cost me 7 Euros each way, and then entrance to the palace and gardens was 18 Euros. It was worth every cent. It still amazes me the incredible detail that every single room, every single building stone, every single tile in this palace has. The detail was so intricate and ornate. You definitely need to spend an entire day here – or two if you can!
I absolutely loved my trip, and my business in this magnificent city went off without a glitch. I am so excited to come back here and to work here. Till next time!
- Kelly