Paris, France

Sidewalk Cafe - Paris, France

Notre-Dame Cathedral 
- Paris, France

Louvre Museum from Arcade Ferris Wheel
- Paris, France

Lunch - Paris, France

Parade for Carnaval Tropical de Paris 
- Paris, France

Artsy Place di Tertre in Montmartre 
- Paris, France

Eiffel Tower Lit at Night - Paris, France

So French! - Paris, France

Paris, France (6/30-7/5/2011 & 5/14-16/2024) – Paris! Let’s say it again, Paris, possibly the most beautiful and romantic city in the world! 

 

My wife, Pat, says, “Falling in love in Paris all over again” - Paris must be good because all she had is me. 

We stayed with our friend Tom in a large apartment in the up-and-coming Bastille area surrounded by classic French cafes and stores. With a bit of walking and using the comprehensive metro system, we could visit all of Paris within minutes. We also stayed in Paris' Left Bank Latin Quarter - see below.

Besides visiting the famous sights reviewed below, we had a chance to ‘live’ Paris enjoying breakfasts of coffee and croissants purchased fresh each morning at the corner shop, stopping for drinks and lunch and people watching at outside cafes, buying dinner at the Sunday Marche Bastille open market, and having lunch in the small picturesque winding streets of the Latin Quarter. If you can during your visit to Paris, plan a few extra days to just enjoy doing this.

We also wandered the famous Champs Elysees and the neighboring parks, the Arc de Triomphe viewing the lively parade for Carnaval Tropical de Paris, strolling along the Seine River and streets of Paris at night, taking a boat ride along the Seine River, going to the Paris’ summer arcade where we rode the ferris wheel for wonderful views of Paris, watching the performers at the Pompidou and young lovers be affectionate everywhere in the city, and seeing the interesting exhibit of medals of European orders.

place di Tertre - Montmartre

A highlight has our visit to Paris was visiting Montmartre (the center of Paris’ golden age in the 1880’s) and its gleaming white Basilique du Sacre-Coeur. At Montmartre, having lunch at an outside café on artsy place di Tertre (see photo), we probably sat where Picasso told Dali that melted watches would never catch on.

Place de la Contrescarpe

The Left Bank's St-Germain-des-Pres is the traditional and still fashionable hub of the cafe scene. A great day trip is out to Versailles that housed the most flamboyant royal court since ancient Rome.

Beautiful Versailles

Versailles was home to the French monarchy at the height of its glory. The century-long heyday lasted from 1682, when Louis XIV brought his court of more than 6,000 to Versailles from Paris, until 1789, when he and his queen, Marie Antoinette, were notified that an angry mob was headed their way. With 700 rooms and famous 225-arce park with formal gardens, Versailles will leave a lasting impression on you.

We love this quote about Paris: "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then whenever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast." - Ernest Hemingway

Famous Eiffel Tower - Paris, France

Some information about Paris... Paris is truly one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world, filled with history and remaining influential in the areas of culture, art, fashion, food, and design. Located in the north or France on the Seine River, Paris is one of the largest cities in the world with 2.2 million people living in the dense central city and almost 12 million people living in the metropolitan area.

Left Bank Latin Quarter - Paris, France

A large part of Paris is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Paris has the second highest number of Michelin-restaurants in the world (after Tokyo) and contains numerous iconic landmarks that are the world's most visited tourist sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, Moulin Rouge, Lido, etc. with 45 million tourists annually.

Take a Break While in Paris

Do what the French do… Stop and take a seat at an outdoor cafe, relax, have a drink or coffee, and do some people watching. So much fun. Be aware that restaurant servers are efficient but not chatty in France - they are not being unfriendly. You must ask for the check and servers do not expect a tip.

Boat Ride Along the Seine River

Be sure to call you credit card providers and inform them of your travel dates and to update the security to be accepted internationally. Getting some Euros at an ATM is helpful. Although credits cards are widely accepted, be aware they take only cash Euros at the markets and some other places. Sometimes you need to use ‘Etats-Unis’ for United States when logging into the internet.

It is nice to use some Essential French Words:
- Bonjour – Hello
- Merci -Thank You
- Au revoir – Goodbye
- Oui / Non – Yes / No
- S’il vous plaît – Pease
- Excusez-moi – Excuse Me
- Parlez-vous anglais? - Do you speak English?
- L’addition, s'il vous plaît – The bill, please

 

Hotel des Grandes Courtyard

We enjoyed our stay at the Hotel des Grandes Escole is a charming oasis in Paris’ busy Left Bank - just a 15 minutes walk to Notre Dame. It’s feels like real Paris was years ago. Sitting in their private courtyard filled with plants and waking up to birds chirping is a wonderful retreat - you leave the hustle and bustle behind (see photo). 

 

Map Left Bank Latin Quarter Paris

Very nice restaurants are located just a block away from the Hotel des Grandes in the Place de la Contrescarpe and Rue Monffetard with inside or Paris-style outdoor cafe seating. They are wonderful for people watching for lunch, dinner, or enjoying a a drink after a day of exploring Paris. The rooms have modern bathrooms and are decorated in a French style. The staff is very helpful and willing to spend time helping you map out your adventures and how to get there. Metro stops are just minutes away to use Paris’ excellent subway system taking you to all the attractions. The bed was very comfortable and the bathtub is wonderful for a soak after a day of exploring. The made-to-order breakfast is very nice and you can seat outside in the courtyard if the weather is nice. Not having a TV is wonderful… restaurants and cafes stay open late so go out and enjoy life like the Parisians do.

We loved our visit to Paris!

Please see our other travel posts on beautiful France (click on these links):

Aix-en-Provence, France

Loire Valley, France

Mont Saint Michel & Saint Malo, France

Strasbourg - Alsace, France

Alsace Wine Villages, France

Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux Wine Country, Saint Emilion, Paulliac, & Cognac, France 

Burgundy & Cote d'Or Wine Country, France 

Chablis, Dijon, & Vezelay, France

Champagne Route, France

Reims (Champagne Capital), France

 

 

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