After five years away, going back to Paris was not only inevitable but also much needed. I always feel strangely at home in the bustling heart of France, surrounded by history, fashion and food.
OK, let’s be honest. It is mainly about food for me. Especially cheese.
This time, I took my mum with me as she had always wanted to go and my step father is not keen on walking about on holiday. My aunt also tagged along, making it a real family affair.
Bus Tours Are Great Starters
Whereever I go, I tend to first take a bus tour as an easy way to get a sense of what a city has to offer. Mum was looking forward to seeing what Paris has to look at and so we stepped onto a Tootbus near the Louvre and hopped off near the Arc de Triomphe.
We were going to walk up the steps to the roof but the wind was very strong and the queue was enormous. Plus we were feeling a bit hungry by then.
So we went for some very tasty omelettes at a nearby restaurant, where I also tried a really thirst-quenching strawberry milkshake with plenty of whipped cream. The waiter was incredibly helpful and, as with most places in Paris, they had the items written in English as well as French.
We then popped back on the bus and took in the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero before heading to the shops. I found a large UniQlo which was rammed with people. There must have been a hundred people entering the door every minute. It was great to snap up a new red jumper and some affordable but stylish socks.
In The Evening
My Mum was intrigued by Montmarte and so we got an Uber to the bottom of the Funicular. For a few Euros we were able to ascend the steep hill to the Sacre Couer. The famous church was brilliantly illuminated and the view from the hill across the whole city was wonderful.
After a walk around, we finished off eating near the Moulin Rouge and then got an Uber back to Citi Bergere. It was a lovely first evening and great way to begin the holiday.
And Finally
I would certainly recommend taking a bus tour of Paris to familiarise yourself with the most famous sights. This allowed us to plan the next few days and, because we bought a 48 hour bus pass, we could use it again the next day.
I would love to hear about your experiences of Paris in the comments. Thank you for taking the time to read my travel post. For another of my travel posts, check out Basel – A Hidden Gem.
Continuing my articles about places I have visited without needing to fly, here is a post about staying in beautiful Paris. Paris is a city that I have been to many times. Originally I caught the ferry from Dover to Calais and these days I get there by train.
Travelling by EuroStar is very efficient from London and Paris’ Gare du Nord station is just two hours and fifteen minutes away. I usually find myself in the buffet carriage throughout this journey, often during the twenty minutes that the train spends whizzing through the tunnel, deep under the English Channel.
Paris is magical to me because it is filled with wonderful memories. I took a group of close friends there for a special birthday and have also been there to celebrate New Year before.
Here is my list of five reasons why you should take a trip to the enchanting city of Paris:
1) History
France is a country which used to have a royal family but now has a president instead. Paris has many leftovers from its regal past, including such beautiful buildings as the Palace of Versailles.
On the day that I went there it was incredibly busy and we were on a bus tour so I opted to look around the magnificent gardens rather than spend time inside the building. The gardens were expansive, packed with fascinating fountains, statues and floral displays. Of course the palace is not only a previous seat of kings and queens but also the venue where they agreed a settlement at the end of the First World War (The Treaty of Versailles 1919).
2) Tours
As soon as I got to Paris I wanted to do a bus tour of the city and take in some of the incredible views. Open top buses are brilliant because you get great pictures (when the weather is good) and can pop some earphones on and listen to an audio tour at the same time.
I believe the bus tours Paris provides move around four quadrants of the city and I recall covering most of the important sights such as the Arch de Triumph, Notre Dame and The Louvre.
There are also plenty of boat tours daily which leave from various sites around the city. I have done a boat trip almost every time that I went to Paris and learned something new every time.
Notre Dame Cathedral before the tragic fire. (Reasons to visit Paris)
3) The Eiffel Tower
This incredible structure is what most people associate with Paris. Standing 324 metres high, the cast iron marvel first opened in March 1889 to the public. It is layered like a wedding cake in tiers and you can choose how high you want to go.
Last time I took the endless stairs to the first level and then caught the lift the rest of the way to the top. As well as being an excellent viewing platform for the whole city, there is a sense of achievement when you reach the top, able to reflect upon the historical significance of this landmark.
4) Disneyland Paris
It would be wrong of me to mention the French Capital without a reference to the nearby Disney resort. Having never been to any Disney parks before, I was so happy to visit this one on a cold February day. It was full of magic and intrigue and left me wanting to come back for more.
Me, absolutely frozen but totally enjoying Disneyland.The stunning fireworks and light show. ((Disneyland Paris)
My favourite part of our brief visit to Disney was the amazing firework display at the end of the evening. Somehow the Disney imagineers manage to create a series of video projections that celebrate Disney movies from throughout the ages, all inter-spliced with colourful fireworks and set to a rousing Disney score.
You can find some incredible Eurostar Disney deals on the DisneyLand Paris website. There are always opportunities to go straight to Disney by Eurostar, which is an option I might take in future as I certainly want to spend lots more time there.
5) Museum
Paris is a wonderful setting in which to enjoy some fascinating museums. Going to the Louvre is a must-do activity but remember that it is always closed on a Tuesday. Such an expansive place is hard to explore in just one session.
The one picture that everyone wants to see. (Reasons to visit Paris)
Having viewed the Mona Lisa portrait and many other delightful paintings and statues, I also had a lovely time taking in the incredible architecture.
Another brilliant museum is the Musee D’Orsay which has collections of paintings including those by Monet and Renoir. It also has a variety of sculptures and furniture from different historic periods.
The Musee D’Orsay (affordable and educational)
I feel as though I could talk about Paris all day long. In fact I may end up following this article with a future one about some of the lovely features that I have yet to mention. Here is another article that I wrote about a visit by train to Luxembourg which also involved changing trains in Paris.
I hated saying goodbye to Disneyland Paris.
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