My wife and I, for our birthdays, decided to spend a fabulous week in Paris, France. We had been there one other time but didn’t have time to see all of the sites. A week is probably still not enough time, but we saw many of the sites, explored the city streets, ate and drank way too much, and just enjoyed spending another vacation with each other.
The many sites of Paris, France
Paris is a must-see on anyone’s bucket list. We had heard that people weren’t friendly, but found just the opposite to be true. Everyone we spoke with was accommodating and kind. Paris is a tourist city, so be prepared for long lines and many people. Even in late October, we still had to wait to get into some of the favorite places, such as Notre-Dame (photos 2 & 3) and the Louvre (image 4). It would be best if you also wandered off the main streets in areas like St-Germain & the Left Bank. It’s in these areas where you’ll find beautiful places to see, shop, and eat or grab a glass of wine.
Arriving at the airport
We arrived at the Charles de Gaulle airport at 7:30 am. If you take a cab, it will be around 50 Euro or, we found a bus, the Roissy bus that will take you from the airport to near the Opera building. It only makes one spot, but you can either take a cab or walk if your hotel is not far. It’s only 10 Euro each and took about 45 minutes on a Sunday morning. We then walked the 4 to 5 blocks to the hotel.
Where to stay in Paris
When choosing a hotel, be sure to read the reviews on the hotel website and other travel sites. We have stayed at the Park Hyatt Vendome, a bit pricey but charming and upscale. However, this time we stayed at the Westin Paris Vendome, and it was an excellent hotel for a third of the price. And it’s minutes from many of the sites and all within walking distance. The staff was great, and the room, although small by U.S. standards, was excellent. We find we’re not in the room much anyway. We had a balcony and 12-14 foot ceilings, so the room didn’t feel small.
We walked everywhere, and even though we ate a lot of delicious food and drank lots of fantastic wine, we never gained weight. If you can, I would recommend walking as you see much more of the city than taking a cab. Make sure you have good walking shoes, or you’ll be stopping to rest a lot.
A great tip to save you time
We bought a museum pass, which I would highly recommend. It allows you to skip most lines at places, such as Notre-Dame, The Louvre, the Orangerie museum, and more. Otherwise, you’ll have to stand in lengthy lines to enter and buy tickets. You can purchase multi-day passes. Another pass you may want is a hop-on, hop-off boat that will take you to many of the sites and will give you a different view of the city from the perspective of being on the river. You can hop on and off as many times during the day from morning to night. It’s how we saw the Eiffel Tower (photo 1) all lit up at night.
Eating in our hotel room.
We did find a grocery store that had great wine, bread, cheese, and meats. One evening we ate in our room as we wanted something other than rich food. It was a good change of pace. Next time we go to France, we will spend the time in some of the smaller cities, towns, and the countryside as we have heard the food is better than in Paris.
There are many boutique shops in all areas of the city, from souvenirs to fabulous wine to trendy clothing, and more. There’s also a multi-level mall located not too far from the hotel. If you’re looking to spend some time shopping out the elements, then this may be an option for you. Your concierge should be able to guide you in the right direction.
I’ll post more, especially on our day trip to Versailles. It’s a short train ride, but a must-see if you have an extra day and want to travel outside of Paris.
If you have been to Paris, post your favorite places to see and go. Or even places to stay, eat or grab a glass of wine.
