Paris, the city of love and a ridiculous amount of pastries (I stan!). Our scheduled 48-hour trip regrettably turned into 36-hours after rescheduling and then missing the train from London to Paris. It’s easy to see why people fall in love with Paris and frequent often, the city is such a vibe!
If you prefer video content, check out my Instagram story highlights for a video recap.
Best Hotel Locations in Paris
Paris is fairly small compared to other cities. However, location during a short trip is important. Paris is divided into burroughs i.e., arrondissement in French. The three most prominent arrondissement are the 1st, 7th, and 8th, where the Louvre, Eiffel tower, and Arc de Triomphe are located, respectively.
The first thing you should consider is which tourist attraction you want to be closest to; for me that came down to the Arc de Triomphe. The 8th arrondissement is home to the luxury shopping street Champs-Elysées and Arc de Triomphe. My hotel was a 5-minute walk from both sites and a 15-minute drive from the Eiffel tower. It was a great location and I highly recommend! If you want a more local and budget friendly location, check out the Montparnasse (14th arrondissement) and Latin Quarter (5th arrondissement) areas.
Cost & Transportation
Similar to London, I found Paris to be semi-expensive and comparable to American prices as it relates to dining and hotels. Shopping however was less expensive than America, especially for European brands like Zara. I found Uber to be the easiest mode of transportation and inexpensive! Paris also has a reliable train system.
Paris Tourist Attractions
I highly recommend getting the Paris Go City Pass for hitting the main tourist attractions. It’s cost effective and covers all the main attractions and has some nice additions, such as a wine tasting near the Louvre, a hot air balloon ride, and the perfume workshop I did and loved!
Attractions I visited:
- Champs-Élysées (famous luxury shopping street)
- Eiffel Tower (I didn’t bother climbing it)
- Arc de Triomphe (definitely worth climbing for the best views of Paris)
- Louvre Museum
- Perfume mini workshop by Fragonard
Attractions I didn’t have time for but recommend:
- Versailles Palace (duh!)
- Catacombs
- Tour Montparnasse (best view of Paris for sunset)
- Milan Rouge
Tips for visiting the Eiffel Tower and Best Location for Photos
The Eiffel Tower is just as beautiful in person as you imagine. It’s so dreamy! When can see the Eiffel Tower from many different places, most famously the garden right in front of it, the plaza a block away (best for viewing the light show at night), strolling the left riverbank, and many of the side streets.
The garden/park is best for having an iconic picnic, but the left riverbank and side streets (228 Rue De L Universite 75007 Paris – go early to avoid crowds) are best for a photo op. If you want to catch the Eiffel tower light show, it starts at sundown and sparkles for 5 minutes at the top of every hour until 1 AM – plan accordingly!
Tips for Visiting the Louvre and Getting a Picture with the Mona Lisa
Visiting the Louvre to see the Mona Lisa is a fight for your life! But if you’re strategic about it, you can both enjoy the museum and get your picture with little Ms. Mona. Get tickets in the early afternoon (reservation required) and enjoy all the exhibits in the museum, then later, around 4:30-5 PM when they start preparing to close the museum, head towards the Mona Lisa room. Hang around that room until you see the crowd in line slowly lessen. Stay as long as you can in that room until closing time, and once there are a handful of people left, get as close to the painting as you can and snap your shot! Or respectfully ask one of the workers to allow you to get close to the painting for a picture, with less people around they’re inclined to let you.
Paris Restaurants & Nightlife
Nightlife in Paris during the month of August month, especially towards the end, is nearly non-existent. I learned that many locals go away on holiday during those weeks, so the city tends to be really quiet. After experiencing London nightlife, I was very bored in Paris LOL. I also learned that nightlife mainly consists of local house parties, so you need to be well connected to truly experience it.
The food scene on the other hand, WOW! I was in truffle and pastry heaven. The food is incredible. Below are some recommendations.
- Breakfast at Café Louise
- Bistro Marbeuf for crepes
- Pink Mamma Paris (make a reservation as soon as you book a flight to Paris!)
- Perruche Paris (incredible rooftop vibes and food!)
- Gumbo Yaya (soul food)
- Nelson’s (very cool vibes)
- Cafe Marly Louvre Paris for breakfast right in front of the Louvre
- Dior Cafe for coffee when exploring Champs-Elysées
- Macaron heaven: Pierre Hermé, Ladurée * and Carette
- Restaurant Le Coq
