Paris is ALWAYS a Good Idea!

There is a saying that a great trip can set you down a path that doesn’t end when you return.

I’ve said it in almost every blog post over the last eight-ish weeks… but in case you missed it, we absolutely LOVED Paris! So much so, that Cody and I are already planning another trip back. I just have to find a few more of those sacred vacation days and we’ll be good to go… 😉

Our time in Paris was short, and with SO many beautiful locations to explore, we had to get comfortable with the fact that our first trip would give us only a small glimpse of the City of Light. In the end, we decided to explore a few of the highlights and save the other amazing locations for a return trip (because in this case, there will MOST DEFINITELY be a return trip); 🙂 and after six days of exploring The Louvre, Chateau de Versailles, Trocadero, the Eiffel Tower, the Latin Quarter, and more, we left with tired legs, full bellies, and hearts bursting with gratitude for our European adventure.

And because this post marks my last in this series, I wanted to take a moment to recap some of our favorite moments and look ahead to map out a bit of our return trip. (Who’s coming with us?!)

LODGING

One of the most important aspects in planning a Paris getaway is deciding where to stay. Paris is comprised of 20 different arrondisements (neighborhoods) which spiral out from île de la Cité (Island in the Seine). Each neighborhood is unique and different from the next, and while there is no “wrong” neighborhood to call home, your personality will jive with some districts over others, and in the end, this will have a huge impact on your overall experience.

Initially, we narrowed it down to three locations in the middle of Paris (the fifth, sixth, and 15th arrondisements). We liked the appeal of these districts — cafe’s, bars, nightlife, history — and after days of browsing different boutique hotels, we found a perfect hotel which just happened to be in an amazing, centralized location. It was a three-minute walk to St. Sulpice, a ten-minute walk to the Louvre and Notre Dame, and an 8-minute car ride over to the Eiffel Tower — no matter where we wanted to go, we were never too far from the action.

ACTIVITIES

1. Musée du Louvre
   We explored the vast Denon wing, however, there is still another wing to get lost in, ahem, I mean, explore. And while we are there, I’m sure we’ll take the opportunity visit a few of our favorite pieces from our first go-around.
   
2. Tour Eiffel
   Because, it’s Paris! Any trip to Paris would not be complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower; a picnic in the park and an up-close view while it sparkles at night is an absolute must. I don’t know if I’ll ever get sick of visiting this beautiful spot. 
   
   
3. Museé d’Orsay
   We passed this museum almost every day, however, we decided to save this spectacular site for our next trip because we didn’t want to get burnt out on museums. I am looking forward to spending a day in this impressionist world.
4. Champs-Elysées
   We did a lot of window shopping during our time in Paris, however, we skipped the most famous Rue of them all. Maybe that’s a good thing considering we came in under budget on this trip. 🙂 I guess that means I’ll start saving some pennies for next time.
5. A Seine River Tour
   I had a few friends recommend a dinner tour along the Seine, however, we simply ran out of time. As someone who takes every opportunity to live the “boat-life,” this is definitely on our to-do list for our next visit.
   

Transportation

Before our trip, I read that Paris is a walkable city, and I found this statement to be entirely accurate. Combined with the metro, bus system, bike share program, taxi’s, and uber’s, renting a car is not necessary. Besides, the more you walk, the more macarons you get to eat. Just sayin’ 🙂

The Crime

Sadly, there are quite a few tourist scams in Paris, and before we left I did a little research on the different scams in order to be aware of our surroundings. To be honest, reading those horror stories made me feel a little on edge leading up to our trip; however, at the end of the day, I reminded myself that Paris was like ANY other large city and we needed to be alert no matter where we travel. If you’re headed to Paris, I recommend reading up on the scams in order to be AWARE of your surroundings, but don’t let those stories damper your feelings for this incredible city.

Go. Eat. Drink. Explore. and have the time of your life!

Help me out friends! What other locations and experiences should I add to our next trip to Paris?

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Merci, Paris, for such an incredible experience. I am forever grateful.