16 reasons why you should stop what you're doing and go to Paris
If you want the best brunch of your life, Holybelly is an absolute MUST, zero exceptions. This Brooklyn and Melbourne-esque eatery drips in charm, serving food that melts in your mouth. Literally. You’ll want to get in line early (and there will be one all day long). All parties needing to be present for seating. As if I haven’t said enough about the food, their music playlist consists of happy throwbacks that will have you swaying while chewing. My only regret is not finding this place earlier in my trip as I’d have returned every morning. It’s the perfect place to start your day, happy and full-bellied.
Try the daily special or, as a failsafe, go with the SAVOURY STACK (eggs & pancakes) and thank me later. For the health nut or food sensitive, there are wonderful gluten free and vegan options.
2. LADURÉE (Macaroons)
“You have to eat Laduree while in Paris”, says my super-foodie travel mate, Leah. Three macaroons later (pistachio, lemon, & caramel) I wish I would have opted for a box! Stroll the famous Avenue des Champs-Elysees (#14 below) and pop inside this location for something sweet. Grab a table on their patio and indulge in your dessert(s) while feeling super Parisian. Don't have a sweet tooth? Try it anyway!
3. L’AS DU FALAFEL (Falafel)
For the best Falafel of your life, go to L'As du Falafel, located in the Marais Jewish district (where you could spend an entire day just tasting food and popping into boutiques). Order this (massive) pita, knowing you’ll likely be wearing part of it for the rest of the day. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
4. La Droguerie (Crepes)
Located steps away from L’as du Falafel, you’ll smell these crepes upon rounding this quaint street corner. Jump in line and watch yours being custom-made (through the service window). Try the nutella & banana!
5. Hank Pizza (Vegan Pizza)
While many scoff at vegan and gluten free options (as I once did), the Hanks franchise is brilliant, delicious, affordable, and good for the booty. Get the combo. You won’t realize you’re eating healthy pizza. They also have a killer website.
6. Caoua Coffee Shop (Breakfast)
This is the perfect little local corner spot to sit outside and enjoy your morning caffeine fix, people watch, and enjoy amazing hummus and avocado toast.
7. Wild and the Moon (breakfast)
This place caught my eye because I’m a sucker for beautifully designed things, which is what the building, decor, menu, and the food are. It offers great latte’s, organic food, and fresh juices to nourish your body before a long day of walking.
AND NOW FOR THE ADVENTURE:
8. Sandemans Free Walking Tours
As I wrote in my previous article, free walking tours are the first activity I do in foreign cities, because they’re great and you get the “CliffsNotes” version of their history. After completing this tour in Paris I took 3 other tours run by the same company. All were excellent, informative, and I made new friends with whom I later explored the city.
9. Musee du Louvre & the Mona Lisa
While everyone knows of the Louvre because of a small 30×21 inch painting that was once stolen, the reason you must go is because there’s no other place like it on earth. Even if you’re not a fan of museums or viewing the best art in the world, simply entering the grounds will take your breath away.
Outside: You’ll want to visit the grounds more than once, at different times for each visit. The perfect lighting for photos (sans photobombing from other tourists) is right before dusk. If you're lucky, you'll enjoy a musician playing into the sunset and feel like you're in the DaVinci code.
Inside: I spent an entire day strolling through Napolean’s once-apartment, staring at DaVinci’s masterpieces, fighting my way through the hordes to see the Mona Lisa, and meandering down the Egyptian, Greek, and Roman wings wondering how someone could carve anything out of a piece of stone. You can buy tickets online or at the door for 15 euro.
Fun fact: Leonardo Da Vinci only painted 20 works of art in his career, and 6 of them reside here, including the dear Mona.
10. Eiffel Tower
To experience the inside of this Paris icon, you need to book tickets ahead of time. You also need to visit it more than once.
Eiffel by Day: Book your tour ticket(s) for the daytime for better views of the city. (I did it by night and it's too dark to see much of the city). My recommendation: Take the elevator up and then take the steps down so as to not miss the first floor (which the elevator skips).
Eiffel by Night: Walk through the security lines and stand directly underneath the tower. Glance up at her underbelly and marvel at the beauty of the complex interconnection of 18,000 pieces of iron, originally built to last for only 20 years. 130 years later tour Eiffel is still the top tourist attraction in Paris. Afterwards, grab a bottle of wine and sit along the Champs de Mars riverfront to watch the tower lights twinkles for five minutes every hour on the hour between sundown and 1 a.m.
11. Notre dame
My favorite 360 degree views of Paris were from inside the towers atop Notre Dame Cathedral. Download the “DuckTheLine” app to hold your place in line, then simply show up for your allotted time slot. From the side entrance you’ll be guided upstairs where you'll buy your ticket and start your 387-step climb to the top. If you’re lucky, the bells will chime while you’re up there and you’ll be transported to another century, feeling as one with the gargoyles and like an extra in the "Hunchback". Afterwards go inside the Cathedral. At night there are some epic street performers right outside of the entrance.
12. SEINE
The river Seine runs through the city of Paris. Take a long stroll along it's banks, using the numerous historical bridges to cross from one side to the other, and consider taking a river cruise at night to see the Eiffel's twinkling lights. Along the banks you’ll see locals sipping wine with friends.
13. The Palace of Versailles
During Summer, the best day(s) to visit Versailles are Saturday and Sunday, as these are the only days the fountains are turned on and you can see the gardens in full glory. Pay for a tour (Sandemans, getyourguide.com, etc) and go early in the morning, because if you walk around the grounds alone you’ll likely get lost. After the garden tour go inside to marvel at the famous Hall of Mirrors, which is dripping in gold.
14. Champs-Élysées
The Avenue des Champs-Elysees is most famously known for it's endless shopping and people watching. Walk from the Palace de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe, popping in and out of some of your favorite high-end stores–Louis Vuitton, Longchamp, Maje, etc. If you're into high-end goods, it's a good idea to buy them here as foreigners visiting France are granted tax rebates!!)
15. Arc de triumph
This iconic Parisian memorial, commissioned by Napolean to honor those who fought and died during the French Revolution (and featured in countless movies) is a really beautiful structure to walk underneath and then climb inside (for 8 euros). Go during the day for an amazing view of the Eiffel Tower.
16. Paris Metro
Having lived in NYC for 10 years now, I can attest to the quality of this public transportation system. It's clean, efficient, and some stations are custom designed! I highly recommend taking it to save time and money.
Spending a week in Paris made realize I needed another month to even scratch the surface. My next visit will include The SACRE COEUR, MUSEE D’ORSAY, MOULIN ROUGE, and much more. I’ll continue to add to this list!
