It’s been just over a decade since the first time I stepped foot in Paris. At 12 years old, the most exciting thing about the trip was climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower before racing my friends down hundreds of steps to the ground. I remember shopping for trinkets at the street markets, trying escargot (snails) for the first time, and wandering the tourist-filled streets in awe of the architecture.
These fond memories fueled my excitement to return to the city, and I can say that I had just as much fun this time as I did the last.
Table of Contents
Trip Overview
How I Got There
I live in southwest London, so it was easy to grab a quick plane out of Gatwick Airport straight to Paris. It was my first time flying out of Gatwick, but I found it really easy to maneuver through the airport. I’ll definitely be flying out of there again.
I landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), which is in the northeastern outskirts of Paris. They have a train straight from the airport into the heart of Paris (with several stops on the way). It was very easy to navigate with a simple ticket purchase at the airport and a hop on the train.
I was also lucky enough to catch the sunset during my flight!
Where I Stayed
I am a solo traveller so 9/10 times I stay in hostels – this trip was no different.
Hilariously, my hostel was called Oops Hostel in the Latin Quarter of Paris. This is found in the 13th arrondissement, also known as the Gobelins region.
I really enjoyed my stay here. The hostel was nice, the area felt safe, and it was beautiful with lots of little shops everywhere! It was also really easy to get to. I landed in Paris late at night and had no issues getting from CDG to Oops Hostel even at midnight.
What I Did
I packed a lot into 2.5 days in the city. I admit, I did just about all of the touristy activities so that next time I go, I can focus on exploring the local culture. I saw…
- Eiffel Tower
- Olympic Rings
- Place de la Concorde
- Notre-Dame
- The Seine
- Jardin du Luxembourg
- Pantheon
- Esplanade Joseph-Wresinski
- Arc de Triomphe
One thing that I didn’t get to do was revisit the Louvre as there wasn’t enough time. It’s absolutely on my list for my next trip to Paris!
Helpful Suggestions
Language Prep
Paris is such an international city and everywhere is very English-friendly! However, it is always recommended to learn a few basic words for wherever you are visiting a foreign country. Not only is it useful for basic conversation during your travels, but it shows respect for the culture and language.
It always takes me 1-2 days to get into the habit of using the vocabulary I prepared, so don’t worry if it takes you a bit of time too.
These are some words that I made sure I knew before going:
- Hello/good morning = Bonjour
- Good evening = Bonsoir
- Please = S’il vous plaît
- Thank you = Merci
- Bill/Check (such as for a meal) = L’addition
- Credit card = Carte de crédit
- Cash = Espèces
What to Pack
- Wear comfortable shoes! Paris is a huge city, which is wonderful, but that inevitably means you’ll be walking a lot. So whatever you wear, make sure you have walking shoes!
- Bring sunscreen/sun cream! If travelling in the summer, Paris can get quite a lot of sun. Yes, I did get a slight sunburn while there.
- Comfort > fashion! Despite being one of the popular fashion capitals of Europe, the average person does not dress like a fashion guru. Everyone is dressed nicely, but casually. You don’t need to be a walking Vogue advertisement just to wander about the city…unless you want to, in which case go for it!!
- Bring a book! If you’re a reader (or love a kindle) Paris has so many absolutely lovely gardens to relax and read in! The image below is me reading in the Luxembourg Gardens
Food
Honestly I didn’t have a single bad meal while I was there. While most of my food consisted of various pastries and sandwiches (I’m a huge cafe girlie), I had a few larger dinners as well that were fantastic.
- Larger meals included:
- Duck Confit
- Goat Cheese Salad
- Beef tartare
- Smaller meals/snacks:
- Cappuccino (every day)
- Croissant/Pain au chocolat (every day)
- Boulangerie sandwiches of various types
- Macarons of various types
Final Notes
I absolutely loved Paris! It is a beautiful city that keeps to its historical architectural style. Everyone I met was so kind and helpful, and they made me feel very welcome.
The food/coffee was fantastic, the views were amazing, and there was so much to do.
I have a few things on my list for next time in addition to the Louvre. I’d like to go to Sainte-Chapelle, a few more of the museums, and explore a bit more of the outskirts of the city – more of the local areas.
Another trip to France on my list is to skip Paris entirely and explore other cities like Bordeaux, Lyon, and Marseille, as well as the countryside…but that’s a topic for another time 🙂
Leave a comment