Bonjour!
Known as “La Ville Lumiere,” or “The City of Lights,” I honestly cannot speak highly enough of this beautiful city. I started my one week solo backpacking adventure in Paris and explored the city to my heart’s content for just over two days. In all honesty, I probably could have stayed in only Paris for the entirety of my trip. Saying goodbye to Paris was difficult, but I knew I would regret not making it to Brussels or Amsterdam while I was abroad.
Regarding the logistics of my time in Paris, I stayed at St. Christopher’s Gare du Nord hostel. Although it was further from the center of the city than I was hoping, it was across the street from the Metro station, which made it very easy for me to quickly get around. I also decided to get the Paris Pass for admission into all the museums and monuments while I was there because it was cheaper than buying each ticket individually. It also included a Metro ticket, which was especially handy and very convenient. Walking was still my favorite way to get around the city, for I loved strolling around and seeing where my curiosity took me. However, the Metro was great when my destination was further away or I was in a time crunch. One last note before I delve into everything I saw in Paris is that I did not put a ton of thought into researching each of my meals. My top priority was catching all of the sights. Often times, I would just go off of restaurant recommendations made by locals or pop into a place that was busy. Even though I didn’t research the top places to eat, I had some of the best food and wine of my life, so I’m not entirely sure you can go wrong. Some of my favorite restaurants and brasseries were Le Wilson Trocadero, La Maison Bleue, and Le Sancerre, but a foodie would have a more curated list of where to eat.
I started my first full day in Paris by visiting the gorgeous Notre Dame cathedral. It is absolutely breathtaking and larger than life. We don’t really have churches like this in America. The closest thing I can compare it to would be St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Manhattan, but even then, I don’t feel like they quite compare. Notre Dame was a lot larger than I was expecting, and I felt rather small under the vaulted ceilings. However, I fell in love with the stained glass in the rose windows. It was absolutely beautiful.
My next stop was the Musée d’Orsay. It was my first art museum of the trip. It may not be as notorious as the Louvre, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It primarily houses impressionist and post-impressionist artwork, including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, and Van Gough. Although I have been to plenty of museums in my life, it is always a surreal feeling to stand in front of the original art instead of looking at pictures or recreations online. This museum also used to be a train station, and you can almost imagine the platforms while you’re standing on the ground floor.
One of my favorite places in Paris was the Eiffel Tower. It sounds corny that I loved it so much, but it didn’t become an icon by happenstance. Also known as the “Iron Lady,” the Eiffel Tower is just as grand and impressive as you might think. It stands tall above the city, visible from far away, often peaking through the streets from afar. The wrought-iron lattice work is far more impressive from close up than you might expect. I got a great picture right at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. It’s currently the wallpaper on my phone.
I thought that this was going to be the end of my day, so I started walking back to my hostel. Then, I stumbled upon the Opera House. The Palais Garnier got its name because it is as grand as a palace. Having been to Versailles, I can certainly confirm it’s grandiose, palatial style. I’ve never been to an opera, but now I definitely want to. I loved walking through the halls as a tourist, but I think it would be even better to be there all dolled up in a midi-length dress and heels for a performance. This little detour was the perfect end to my first day in Paris.
I spent my second day with a day-trip to Versailles. Visiting the Sun King’s palace was at the top of my Paris bucket list. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get there, but I decided to take the train. The train was a very easy way to get to Versailles, and I highly recommend it. Your hostel or hotel will be able to provide you with directions on how to get there, but Google Maps also does a fantastic job. Upon my arrival at the palace, I was taken aback by its radiance. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, even though I have studied the palace countless times in history and art history classes. The tour of the palace is self-guided, so you can go at your own pace. I kept thinking the tour was nearly over, then we would turn a corner and find a whole new area of the palace to see. Although the Hall of Mirrors was easily my favorite part of the palace, be sure to head to the gardens after your tour for a lovely walk. My visit to Versailles was especially fun because I wound up making a friend in line while I was waiting to get into the palace! He was another student and solo traveler, but he goes to school in Munich. His name is Peter, and we wound up spending most of the day together.
After Versailles, Peter and I went our separate ways because he went to check out Invalides and I headed to the Louvre. I visited a lot of museums on this trip, and I’ve been to plenty in the US. However, the Louvre just might be my favorite museum of them all. The museum is so large that you could easily spend days exploring what lies around each and every corner. Not only did I get a picture with the famous Mona Lisa herself, but I also caught sight of many artworks from some of the art history classes I’ve taken over the years! I regret not spending more time here, but the museum is so large that I never could have covered everything.
Peter and I met up again in the evening to head to Sacre Coeur. Europe really is filled with the most gorgeous churches and cathedrals because yet again, I was blown away with how beautiful it was. It reminded me of the National Basilica in Washington DC, but the best part of Sacre Coeur wasn’t even the building itself. It’s located at the highest point in the city, so you can see Paris all lit up from the steps of the basilica. I even got to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle! Scare Coeur is located in Montmartre, a very charming part of the city. It was quiet at night aside from the quaint restaurants.
My last day in Paris was a half day because I also had plans to take the train to Brussels in the afternoon. To celebrate the end of my time in Paris, I decided I wanted to do a little shopping and walk down the Champs-Elysées. The Champs-Elysées is a great street adjacent to the Arc de Triomphe. Famous for its shopping and restaurants, there are plenty of stores to walk through. I even found a great little dress and blazer to take back with me to LA. I can’t wait to wear them in the spring!
Before I came to Paris, I honestly had mixed thoughts on whether or not I thought I would like it. I knew some people who had visited and loved it, and others who didn’t share those same favorable opinions. However, it was my favorite city from my trip. I could easily come back again and again and still have new things to do. The charm of the city truly is as magical and as fairytale-esque as it seems. Before you know it, you’re sipping on coffee at brasseries, nibbling on croissants, and enjoying wine in the evening just like all the locals, and you’ll wonder how you got so Parisian so quickly. I cannot wait for my next visit to Paris because I am sure I will be back.
xx
Emily
