A Dream Trip

I believe most young girls in America have a place they dream to visit one day. For me, this place was and always has been, Paris. I remember being young and saying I would have my honeymoon in the city of love. Recently, my childhood dreams came true, I traveled to Paris (sans the honeymoon part). 

            As I have learned about myself being abroad thus far, I often do not become excited for trips until I am on the plane heading somewhere. Part of me fears something will go wrong and somehow, I will not be able to complete my trip. However, once I arrive at my destination the feelings hit me all at once. This time, being in Paris, I couldn’t help but feel incredibly grateful. 

            In truth, the weekend was a whirlwind. We gazed with amazement, ate delicious food, walked until our feet hurt, and marveled at the brilliance of the Paris metro. I have never had a place live up to my expectations perfectly and even exceed them. From the Eiffel Tower to the Arc de Triomphe and even the Palais Garnier, I was speechless through it all. 

            After struggling to travel from the far away Paris Beauvais airport (note to self always fly into the Charles de Gaulle airport) we checked into our hostel and embarked to the Notre Dame and Latin quarter. As the Notre Dame is still under reconstruction (due to reopen in December 2024) we stared in awe from the outside and contemplated just how much work had to be done because of one candle! We went to a famous bookshop, Shakespeare and Co., and of course had to purchase some books. We walked through the Latin quarter and eventually settled into Lex Duex Palais where I ate the greatest French onion soup. 

            The following days were filled with endless sights, delicious eats, and the creation of many memories. Here are the places I believe are a MUST visit when in Paris.

1. The Eiffel Tower: While obvious, give yourself time to admire the tower. It is truly one of those monuments that does not disappoint. It is extra special if you catch it sparkle every night staring at 9pm for the first five minutes of every hour. 
2. The Louvre: Whether you’re an art lover or not it is a must do in Paris, but the amount of time spent inside is entirely up to you. 
3. The Palais Garnier: This is the opera house in Paris which boasts some of the most beautiful interior and is not too expensive to enter. The theater was closed the day we visited, but the room adorned in gold was worth the price. 
4. The Notre Dame: Even the outside of the cathedral was impressive, though sadly the renovation will not be done till December 2024. In the future make sure to see the inside as well!

5. The Arc De Triumph: Though I do not believe it is necessary to climb to the top of this monument you should cross underneath the street to see the architecture close up and look at the monument for the tomb of the unknown soldier. 

   
   Inside the Palais Garnier 

Places you can visit if you have the time: 

1. 
   View from the garden inside the Petit Palais 

   Petit Palais: This palace turned museum is free to enter and has some rotating museum exhibits. The garden in the middle of palace is beautiful, but if you do not have the time the inside is not a must see. 

2. Bibliotheque Nationale de France – Richelieu: This is the national library of France, for the book worms like me it is a stunning library worth the short stop. For those not drawn to literature the stunning reading room will not be as jaw dropping to you. 
3. Jardin des Tuileries and Jardin du Luxembourg – While I am sure both gardens are stunning during peak season, our fall visit left us with limited views within the gardens. They are great places to stop and have a seat, if need be, but there is no need to set aside a large amount of time for these. 

Places we did not visit but hope to in the future: 

1. Palace of Versailles: The palace sits outside of the city center so plan a good part of a day to visit here if it is high on your list. 
2. Pantheon: We gazed at the Pantheon from outside but taking the time to see the collections inside is great for those who love history (like myself). 
3. The Sainte-Chapelle: A beautiful chapel near the Notre Dame worth a short visit to see the beautiful stained glass. 
4. The Catacombs: These take you underground to view various skeletal arraignments from the 1800s. Though this may not be the best place for someone who scares easily, there is a rich history within it. 
5. Some other places worth walking by and seeing are the Pont des Arts bridge and the Place de la Bastille. 
6. A Seine River Boat Tour: I find doing one tour during a trip is a good way to hit some of the major landmarks within a city. The boat tour was a fun spin on a common city tour (when most are usually done on a bus) but is not a necessity if time does not permit. 

Going into Paris I was quite confused how people can spend so much time buying designer goods within the city. However, walking through the streets it became quite clear to me after seeing different designer stores on every corner. The most shopping we did was at a vintage street fair/flea market which changes location every week. I highly recommend doing research to find these markets throughout the city if you enjoy wandering through them. 

I had a friend tell me when it comes to food in Paris you really cannot go wrong. She could not have been more correct because every place we ate was delicious! While the internet will provide you with the most popular, tourist places this will lead you to spending a long time just waiting to get into the restaurant. For example, I had found a well rated restaurant for dinner and we made our way there only to the see the restaurant completely filled and people waiting outside. Already starving we stumbled into a little restaurant a few places down and had the greatest time. Our waiter consistently made us laugh, the duck confit was the best I’ve ever had, and the prices were low too! So, if you’re ever near the Relais Madeleine definitely stop in for a bite to eat. 

Being about a week removed from my trip to Paris I still feel someone needs to pinch me to remind me it was real. My phone’s camera roll is overflowing with pictures, and I still feel incredibly blessed to have visited. For now, I will reminisce with my pictures and videos hoping I will see it all again in person one day. 

This was just the first trip for the months to come so stay tuned for more recaps!