Paris is by far my favorite city ever! My husband and I finally got to travel to France last May in 2016. Paris has always been on my list since I studied French for 8 years and I’m pretty much fluent in the language. Although I’m super shy about speaking French, I can definitely communicate with others in the language if that is my only choice! We visited Paris for 7 days and it was such a memorable trip. Although we didn’t have the best weather and experienced one of the worst floods in Paris, (boats couldn’t even go on The Seine River!) we didn’t let that stop us from having fun.
If you’re thinking of visiting Paris, I highly recommend it! Here are my ten reasons why Paris is always a good idea.
1- The Food and Wine
Everything is delicious there. From the daily made-from-scratch croissants, to sandwiches on baguettes, mussels and fries, etc. your options are endless! All the food is so high quality and fresh and not processed. A lot of the restaurants work with local farms nearby to get the freshest of ingredients for their dishes. If you’re feeling fancy, Paris has 70 Michelin starred restaurants with ten of them being 3 star restaurants. Also, you can never go wrong with the wine options. Even the cheapest wine on the menu is amazing. It’s totally normal to order a bottle of wine with lunch and enjoy it on the patio in a tiny bistro table.
2- Easy to Get Around
Whether it’s walking, grabbing an uber or taking the train to a nearby city- it’s so easy to get round in Paris. We stayed in the Opera district when we last visited and we were so close to everything. We walked everywhere and only took uber to and from the airport. We totally felt like locals when we walked around everywhere and we discovered so many little areas. The train is also a great option to get around to cities nearby! We visited Champagne Country for the day and had no issue with the trains. It took us under 45 minutes to get there!
3- The Culture
This is mostly what I fell in love with in Paris! I just love the European lifestyle and specifically the French culture. I love how food is just a central part of their culture, can you blame me? Food brings friends and families together. French people really take their time during meals and just enjoy the moment and those who are eating with them as well. Whenever you go to a restaurant there, you are never rushed by your server and it’s such a different experience. I feel like in the US we are always on the go and it’s such a change being able to sit down for a long time at a meal and have a great conversation or just eat by yourself and people watch and be able to enjoy and appreciate your surroundings.
4- The Monuments and Landmarks
I mean…. there’s just so much to see here! Spending a full day in Le Louvre museum and roaming the endless halls and floors to find the Mona Lisa amongst other amazing works of art is unexplainable! Obviously, there’s the Eiffel Tower which is on the top of everyone’s list. Notre Dame Cathedral, Centre Pompidou, The Catacombs, Champs Elysees, Arc De Triomphe, Chateau Versailles, the gardens- there’s literally something at every corner and it’s breathtaking. It’s so amazing seeing everything in person that you have seen online or in books and movies. Seven days in Paris is definitely not enough but we got to see a majority of the landmarks.
5- The Fashion and Stores
Need I say more? It’s so fun to people watch and see what all the locals are wearing and are always up to date with the latest fashion trends. Paris has such an influence in the fashion industry and everyone has their own unique style. Paris also has the best of the best stores and selections even stuff that you would never find in the US. While it’s not high end, Zara is probably my favorite store in Paris. The selection is amazing and it’s so overwhelming to see all the fabulous clothes. It makes you want to bring and empty suitcase and bring it back home with all your fashion finds in the City of Lights.
Sharing some of my favorite pictures from our trip below. What are must see places that I should add for my visit this fall?
We stayed at the Lyric hotel and highly recommend it if you’re looking for a place!
