7 Key Pieces To Know For Your Paris TIme Trip
Time in Paris conjures up l’amour, la Tour Eiffel, la cathédrale de Notre Dame, le Musée du Louvre, and strolling hand-n-hand on the love lock bridge.
{But leave your love-lock at home. Just like love can get heavy sometimes, the Pont Des Arts walking bridge was being weighed down by all the locks. Locks were removed to preserve the walking bridge.}
No fretting about that - you’re on Paris time, and there’s so much more to see!
If you’re a fan of Emily in Paris, saunter your way over to the 5th arrondissement {le Quartier Latin} to see where Emily, Camille, and Gabriel hang out in the restaurant in season 1. Emily Cooper’s apartment is on Google Maps now, too, so stop by!
I tune in for the haute couture (and to hear the French accents).
Why not start with Paris fashion…
1/ Paris Time = Paris Style
Packing for your time in Paris is one of the easiest trips YOU’LL EVER PACK FOR, because French girl style is simple, chic, and timeless {not to mention - they love the effortless look}
Dressing like the French also helps you blend in and avoid announcing, “I’m a tourist!”
Pack basic + comfortable in colors of black, beige, white, and navy, plus a cute pair of flats
Crossbody bag instead of a backpack {keep close to your person + within your line of sight to avoid pick-pockets}
{More Paris haute couture coming in Thursday post –Paris Packing List::10 things to pack & 3 to leave home}
2/ Don’t book a hotel outside Paris
It’s costly + time-consuming to come into the city each day. If you’re traveling to experience Paris, stay in Paris.
Try using Booking.com to find great hotels that fit into your budget instead of scouring the internet on your own. Reading the ratings + recommendations of others who’ve traveled there makes this step much easier.
Staying in the city lets you be a part of all the unexpected excitement.
Our last trip to Paris, we doubled up on the excitement factor with Bastille Day {July 14th} + France’s victory in the Soccer World Cup {July 15, 2018}.
SHAZAM!
To be standing outside a local café as the match ended, brought volcano eruptions of cheers with exploding chaos of flying French flags, hooting, screaming, and naked runners wearing only the French flag. 😮
“See” the views you might miss if you stay outside the city?
3/ Explore All Ways of Dining in Paris
Instead of purchasing the breakfast option in-hotel, take a morning walk to a local café for an espresso and croissant
Immerse yourself {and your tastebuds} by walking the Parisian open air markets {le marché} that feature foods from all around France. Walk and buy from local traders/farmers to try foods you’ll never taste in the States
I still dream about the apricots we bought-n-ate on our walk to the Louvre Museum {un-for-gett-able}
Order a carafe of wine for dinner instead of a bottle. Pick a house flavor unique to the restaurant - it’s the less expensive option
There’s the caveat of ordering a carafe over a bottle for all my Sommelier-level friends that have their list of French wines to sample while traveling. {The Bordeaux reds of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc wines; the Burgundy (or Bourgogne) in French wine country with a legacy of Pinot Noir reds, white Chardonnays, and of course, the champagne from Champagne!}
Service charges are added into your bill {10-15%} with the words “service compris” on the bottom of the check. {Feel free to tip additional for exceptional service.}
Step off the main roads to skip the tourist restaurants - France is home to rich, fine dining.
4/ A Paris Pass For Touring
True, this is the “touristy” thing to do, but you are a tourist.
Walking the love lock bridge, strolling by all the vendors along the River Seine, sitting for a picnic in the park, annnnnd…the Paris Pass is the perfect way to tour Paris for the first time.
On our first trip to Paris, we arranged the museum times and Big Bus pass through the Paris Pass, and it made scheduling our day much easier.
{…except the day World Cup Soccer team returned home🤦🏽♀️ If that happens again, walk everywhere or make that your Chāteau De Versailles tour day.}
The Louvre Museum:: Schedule early in the morning during peak travel months {especially if you want an up-close view of the Mona Lisa. She makes for a BIG presence, but she’s a small piece}
Scenic Boat Tour:: The views of land from the Seine are gorgeous {try for a sunset time}
Eiffel Tower:: Book early and book quickly if it’s on your must-see list
Hop On Hop Off Bus:: Yes, a tourist cliché, but the reason I love these tours is because of the sit-n-relax quick tour of any city. {I push them in my Barcelona post too}. I’ll always suggest the bus first so you can see the city in a glance and pick the places you want to explore at length.
These bus tours are the real life version of a quick phone-scroll to see where to go
Veer off the main path:: Leave time in your trip to explore the “real life” in any city. This is how you fall in love with a place on vacation + see it like a local. One of my favorite pieces to traveling the world!
5/ Learn Key French Phrases
The second time I went to Paris it was in the middle of a three country tour {London, Paris, Barcelona} and by the end I was mixing my Spanish phrases with my French, and babbling English in-between, because ya know, Chapter 50 memory, lack of sleep, and on-the-fly chatter}.
The ol’ adage of the French hating on Americans may be true, but you can butter them up if you’re trying to speak their language {and those decadent French bakers know their butter}
At the very least… “Bonjour” before 5pm and “Bonsoir” after 5pm as you enter any store, hotel, or restaurant.
Oui – Yes || Non – No
Merci – Thank you
Pardon – Excuse me
Simple eater like my E: Je voudrais - I would like (“I would like a ham and cheese sandwich” - “Je voudrais un croque-monsieur”)
When passing someone on the street, or if you want to get off the metro when someone’s standing in front of the door, you’ll hear Parisians say “pardon” instead of “excuse-moi”. Say this and you’ll sound like a Parisian instead of a tourist.
Asking for tap water in a restaurant: “Une carafe d’eau, s’il vous plait“. It’s pronounced… “Oon carafe (rhymes with giraffe) doh”. Vous is the formal “you” - if you were asking your friend, you’d say “s’il te plait”! {it’s safe to drink tap water in France.}
Be with the people you’re with and try to converse in French.
6/ DON’T FORGET your voltage converters or adapterS for electronics
The standard voltage in France is 230v {versus the US at 120v} with a frequency of 50Hz. A TypeE adapter will support both grounded and ungrounded devices.
You can’t use your electronics without a voltage converter. If you don’t have one, this all-in-one for your travels is compact and easy.
Before you travel anywhere, be sure to get The Ultimate Travel Checklist and be a part of the Chapter 50 Digest
7/ See Stunning Views from the Air • Land • Water
The best views from above are from l’Arc De Triomphe {day and sunset views} and the Towers of Notre Dame Cathedral {currently closed due to the 2019 fire}
Eiffel Tower too, but the first two have more space, less crowds AND you can’t get the Eiffel tower in your photo if you’re standing at the top if it.
If you want a photo of the skyline with the Eiffel Tower in all its glory, visit la Tour Montparnasse! Along with being the only skyscraper in Paris, it gives you the chance to look over the Parisian skyline with the added bonus of including the Eiffel Tower in your photos!
A boat cruise on the Seine with a breeze through your hair and those gorgeous water views
For land, cross over the Seine and back again on all the bridges. See the book and art vendors, farmer markets, or step into a park.
in a Rush?
– Quick Tips –
Avoid visiting Paris in August {many locals take their vacation, and lots of shops close}
Learn basic French words {see the list above}
Step off the tourist track and explore everyday Paris {less crowds too}
Drinking wine in public is legal {picnic in the park with your favorite French wine}
Walking is the best way to explore the city {cute + comfortable walking shoes is a must} Or hop on/off bus + metro for sitting a spell.
Sweatpants, yoga pants, and active wear is a NO-NO-NOOOO
Tips are included in your restaurant bill
It’s okay to ignore forceful English speakers approaching you on the street to take surveys, sign petitions, or wrap bracelets on you to force you to buy.
Restaurants with photos in multiple languages cater to tourists and may have mediocre cuisine instead of rich, decadent French dishes
You’re on Paris time; relax, drink it in –literally– don’t rush
My favorite part of our time in Paris was the walking and sitting at cafés, watching the locals pass by after our day of sites {and the fashions –my oh my the fashions– but that’s in the next Chapter 50 blog post}.
More European Trips Related to Paris Time::
What is your favorite part of a trip?
{really, I’m curious}
pin for later
Hey There!
Click in if you’re searching for A Glimpse of Good in Chapter 50.
It gets a bit quirky, a little sassy, fairly real + a bunch of FUN!
Your first act was practice. Let’s fill our second act with
sparkle & dance
{because who doesn’t love to dance!}
💖Andrea
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