Paris, Here We Come!!
Pinch me, because that’s the only way I’m waking up from this dream. I am still in disbelief that Nate and I went to Paris this past October. My best friend and I have talked about Paris for years. Although, she has been several times, this was my first time going to this beautiful city. But trust it most definitely won’t be my last.
Paris was simply a dream come true. It was everything that I thought that it would be. It was very charming with beautiful buildings everywhere. There was literally something to see and experience no matter where you turned.
Our 3 full days in Paris was jammed packed, because I was determined to see as much of this city as I possibly could. As first timers in Paris, we had to visit all the essential places. I was eager to see and experience all of the places I had heard or read about.
We left on a Saturday but because of the travel distance and the 7 hour time difference, we didn’t make it to Paris until early Sunday morning. We stayed in a hotel about 20 minutes outside of Paris which wasn’t bad at all. However, I wish we had actually stayed in Paris to eliminate some of the Uber expenses. Once we got into Paris, we literally stayed there all day taking it all in.
Once we got settled in our room, I allowed Nate to take a nap and I went outside to walk around. The last thing I wanted to do was sleep. Baby, I was in Paris. He called me once he woke up. and we made plans to head over to Paris.
Our first stop was Eiffel Tower. I was in awe of seeing it in person, but knew I had to come back at night to see it lit up. We decided to do that on our last night in Paris by taking a night time River Cruise. It was simply breathtakingly beautiful. On our way to the Eiffel Tower, we got to see the Arc de Triomphe. I mean just to be able to see these places in person and to experience them is just a whole different level.
We also went to see the infamous Moulin Rouge during the day and at night. I have wanted to see this place in person ever since the Lady Marmalade video. We also ate croissants and drank hot chocolate at Cafe de Flore which did not disappoint. Cafe de Flore is one of the oldest coffeehouses in Paris. So if you are a coffee drinker or love croissants, I suggest checking it out. We went to Mariana Ibrahim Gallery, but they were closed for an installation, but maybe next time. Even though, we didn’t get to go inside, I would still recommend going on your visit.
As we walked through the charming neighborhood of Montmatre, we stopped to see Maison Rose Restaurant. While walking, we stopped in various cute and quaint shops on our way to see some of the other essential places. Montmatre is loved because of its artistic heritage which you can easily see as you stroll through the town. This neighborhood is one to visit by tourist and residents alike. It has a village feel with steep, winding, cobbled streets. There is so much to see just in this space alone. You could easily spend a day here. We perused a couple vintage shops that were super nice. I mean what is there not to love about vintage shopping in Paris. Everything is just better.
We visited the Louvre Museum, and we went right to see the Mona Lisa painting. I had already heard that it was a small painting, so don’t be surprised. Therefore, I was already anticipating the size of the painting, but nothing compares with being able to finally see this piece in person. The museum is huge, so we decided to just walk around and see the art on our on. We spent a couple of hours just walking around and taking in the massive artwork, and the intricate details. On your first trip to Paris, this is a must visit if you are into history and art.
There were so many beautiful floral arrangements outside of various stores and restaurants. I had to stop and take pictures of some of them. After leaving the Louvre Museum we walked around the corner to the Colonnes de Buren located in Palais Royal. This is a fun art installation created by French artist Daniel Buren in 1985-1986. I love anything that is different and artistic in nature. This was super fun to walk on these various columns, and of course take pics. My orange tights popped so well against the black and cream columns. We also got to tour the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris Cathedral which was another beautiful site to take in.
Hubs and I went to do a little retail therapy in Champs Ulysses. I may have picked up a designer item or two. More on that later. My friend Kim of KP Fusion just so happen to also be in Paris at the same time, so we linked up at the Louis Vuitton store and hung out for a little bit. Kim has been to Paris before and has a blog post about her first experience. You should check it out.
One of the last tasks that I wanted to accomplish while in Paris is to have pictures taken by none other that Pix by SMH. When I say the pictures and videos that she captured are everything. It was so worth it to take time out to get these pictures captured. She recommended that we take pictures in very Parisian spaces, so we chose Louvre Pyramid and Colonnes de Buren. We met up at the Centre of the Place Vendome where I also took pictures in front of some of the most beautiful designer Parisian doors. While walking to the various places, she gave us some history of Paris, and some places we must check out next time we visit. All of this was an experience all its own.
Paris was such an easy city to get around. Depending on where you stay, you can easily walk around to places, but of course there are public transportation as well. In our short time, we were able to knock everything off my must do list. However, there is so so much more to Paris that we didn’t get to experience. Next time, I/we will try to stay longer to be able to experience even more of this beautiful city.
Just know that Nate and I had the best time in Paris, and we didn’t want to leave. Trips like this just motivates me to continue to live, continue to travel, and continue to have these types of experiences. We left Paris inspired and looking forward to what our next adventure would bring. London here we come.
Thank you for following along and please stay tune for more!!