Before I left for Paris I researched both the city and the country to find what to do here. For countless hours I read blogs and watched vlogs on youtube showing places to see and things to do in and around Paris. Here is my list:
1. Climb the Eiffel Tower: I mean seriously? How can I not?
2. Spend and afternoon at Shakespeare and Company: a well known English bookstore that has been visited by famous authors like, Earnest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. (I may or may not have spent more than one afternoon AND I may or may not have an obsession)
3. Visit the Louvre- This museum has one of the best collections of artworks in the world.
4. Go to the top of the Arc de Triumph: The views are spectacular and one of the view places where you get a view of Paris with the Eiffel Tower
5. Visit the Pablo Picasso Museum: He is one of my favorite Cubist artists and he lived in Paris for most of his life.
6. Go to the top of Sacré- Cœur and wander through Montmartre: The arts district of Paris where Picasso, Monet, and Pizarro used to hang out. In the heart of the district, there is a beautiful basilica with views of the city.
7. Visit Notre Dame and climb to the top: A beautiful gothic church in the center of Paris. (I really just wanted to see if Quasimodo was still there)
8. Visit Sainte- Chapelle Church: The stain glass windows are breathtaking, so made sure you go on a sunny day.
9. Discover a secret restaurant
10. Visit Musee D’Orsay: A museum with one of best collections of impressionism in the world.
11. Stroll through Tuileries Garden
12. Day Trip to Palace of Versailles: The famous Châteaux that Louis XIV built that has amazing gardens and The Hall of Mirrors.
13. Try escargot: It was sorta slimy but I covered it in butter so I mostly tasted that. But when in France right?
14. Day Trip to Mont Saint Michel: A monastery that is sometimes completely surrounded by water when there is high tides. The place is a holy spot with an Abby at the top of the island.
15. Visit the Catacombs: Who wouldn’t want to hundreds of year old bones and creepy heads under the streets of Paris.
16. Day Trip to go Champagne Tasting
17. Read in Jardin du Luxembourg
18. Walk along Champs- Elysees
19. Try macaroons from Ladurée: It’s a must do for anyone coming to this amazing city
20. Climb the Palais Garnier staircase
21. Spend an afternoon in Le Marais
22. Design my own perfume in Maison Guerlain
23. Eat a crêpe: The Nutella ones have been my favorite, although a “jambon et fromage” (ham and cheese) savory crêpes are good too.
24. Drink the hot chocolate at Angelina: I have gone 4 times and had to stand in line BUT it was sooooo worth it. Best hot chocolate I’ve ever had, try the egg croissant- also amazing.
25. Climb the Montparnasse Tower: Beautiful views of Paris at night.
26. Day trip to Disneyland Paris: I wanted an excuse to be a kid for a day.
27. Visit the love lock bridge
There is my list of everything I hope to accomplish in France before I leave on May 15th!
Happy travels, Cynthia