Paris! You stole my heart!

There were SO many places to visit but in 4 days, there’s only so much you can cover. So, here are a few things I did, places I visited, what I liked and what I didn’t like (there really wasn’t much here!).

I went to Paris at the end of June, so 3/4 days turned out to be rainy (Boo!), but it was still such a great trip!

Sunset at the Eiffel Tower:

This is truly a magical sight to see. At 10pm when the sun went down, the Eiffel tower lit up like the stars in all of its glory. If you can find a spot on champ de mars (the field across from the tower) it’s the perfect spot for a night picnic, and what’s best about it is that you can enjoy a bottle of your favorite wine while enjoying the sight! At 10.30pm, the Tower sparkled - it really did! The spectacular sight lasts for a few minutes and really makes it all worthwhile!

Café au Lait at Café Marly (opposite the Louvre):

For all you fellow coffee lovers out there, this is a really cute place to just sit and enjoy the view all while sipping on your fav hot beverage! They do have a breakfast/brunch menu, but to be completely honest, it wasn’t amazing and neither were the prices-don’t get me wrong, I’m one of those people that will pay the $$ if it means I get to indulge in a delicious morning meal (I’d pick brunch over dinner ANY day!), but this place just didn’t do it for me with their minimal list of options. Nevertheless, the coffee was good and if I were to go back, I’d absolutely go and grab another one there just because where else would you get courtside tickets to the most famous glass pyramid in the world?!

Love Locks on Pont des Arts—uh no, Pont Neuf:

So, when I looked up ‘lovelocks in Paris’-the results directed me to Pont Des Arts Bridge but once we walked there, we realized that the bridge rails had been converted to glass. Probably because they weren’t able to support the weight of the 1625438742508475843565673 lovelocks locked on! Despite no locks, the bridge is still such a landmark-definitely not a disappointment! Once we walked across the bridge and headed up the Seine River, we quickly came across Pont Neuf –of which, a small portion had been converted to house the metal rails that once stood on Pont Des Art-with all the lovelocks! You could easily bring your own lock or purchase one off the street vendors for about 5 euros and lock it up in the name of you and your loved one <3  

Breathtaking view of the City from Arc De Triomphe:

If you’re looking for a view of the city within the city, don’t go ANY further because THIS is your spot. I know everyone says that going up the Eiffel Tower is a must, but between the two, if I were to choose-I’d pick this one. Why? Well, because the Eiffel Tower will be IN your view, that’s why silly! The stair climb wasn’t totally crazy (there’s no elevator) and if you are lucky enough to get a bright sunny day while you’re there, well then you’ve hit the jackpot! I’m not complaining too much though-because even though it was rainy and gloomy-the view was clear and the city still looked amazing!

Walk through the Latin Quarter:

Think of tiny cozy streets and alleyways with shops and restaurants EVERYWHERE. That was the Latin Quarter. Here, we found the best crepes, the best ice cream and hell, even some delicious shawarma! And, if you’re looking for souvenirs to buy-look no further! Actually, I doubt you’d miss the 100's of little souvenir shops everywhere! I think this was one of the more crowded touristy spots; it had a hustle and bustle feel with so many restaurants and eateries-a must go!

Have some world famous Macarons at Laduree:

Indulge in some Macaron luxury at Laduree on Champs Elysees. And it’s not just the name or the vibes of the store itself-it’s also the delicious Macarons! Definitely one of the best I’ve had, even my fiancé who isn’t too fond of them couldn’t help but have a few!

Sunset at Montparnesse Tower:

I’ve already told you how amazing the Eiffel Tower looked at sunset, but when you take the Eiffel Tower and put it against the backdrop of the rest of the city—it’s even more beautiful! Which is what you get at the Montparnesse Tower- a 360 view of the city from great heights. From here, we saw the Eiffel tower all lit up, the Sacre Coeur in the distance and everything else that gives you a magical city vibe! I highly recommend this!!

Walk through the Le Palais Royal:

As stunning as Le Palais Royal was, the gardens were even more majestic-or at least I seemed to think so! We actually just stumbled upon it as we walked around in search of a café I had on my list - Café Kitsune. Once past the main area, we walked right into the garden space, which was beyond beautiful and so well kept. If we weren’t on a time crunch, we would’ve stopped to sit and just take it all in for hours, perhaps with my favourite book about a love story in Paris-because this really was the place for that! The café I had on my list was actually right there, in the midst of the greens. If you’re around the area I insist that you stop by for a delicious latte and just take it all in.

Walk aimlessly through the Parisian streets and explore:

There really isn’t more I can elaborate on here, just walk around and discover the charming streets of Paris! The stunning architecture, the street side cafes, the crepe carts and the delicious bakeries!

Breathe in the sight from Trocadero:

The sight was breathtaking, up until it started pouring cats and dogs! Actually, I lie, even in the rain the sight was amazing and it was totally worth getting soaked over. If you make it there early enough to grab some breakfast then head to Carette, a café across from Trocadero.  The breakfast was really good, and if you’re feeling like something sweet, my sister in law loved the hot chocolate and would absolutely recommend it! We were of course back the very next day, the sun was shining and no rain in sight! 

Of course, apart from the all the above, we did all the other typical tourist first timer things like the hop on hop off, go up the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sacré-Coeur in Montmartre, visit the Louvre and take a selfie with the Mona Lisa! We opted to buy the Paris Pass because it seemed like the better deal since my group and I hadn’t been before, but very quickly we realized that paying the hefty price of the pass was probably not worth it if we weren’t visiting all the museums it offers access to.

I had a whole list of Cafes to visit while I was in Paris, but every corner of every street had a different café so I really didn’t have to go far to look for a delicious cup of coffee! Here a few that I did visit, which I’d highly recommend:

1.     Caféotheque
2.     Odette
3.     Laduree
4.     Café Kitsune
5.     Café Marly (for the coffee and the view)

I was sad to be leaving and wished I had more time in Paris, but I got a glimpse of the city and can’t wait for my next trip back! They say Paris is the city of lights, but I say Paris is the city of lights, sights, architecture, cafes and delicious food--OH and love <3 

What were some of the things you liked that you would recommend for my next trip back?! 

xo