Throwback Thursday!
On the same trip as my London 2016 post, we also went to Paris, France. This post will be a little different in that I actually did plan a Paris trip for a couple. So not only will I be giving story on what I've done, I'll also be giving recommendations on what else there is to do and see!
My journey to Paris began on the high speed train through the Chunnel (Channel Tunnel). This connects England to mainland Europe. The image below shows the path taken between the two cities.
When we arrived in Pairs, one of the first sights to greet us was the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 to honor his military victories.
Note: There was an event being held the week we were there, leading to several Korean flags (can you see them in the picture below? What a coincidence.) being hung along the Champs-Élysées. The Champs-Élysées is a street that runs between the Place de la Concorde and the Place Charles de Gaulle, where the Arc de Triomphe is located.
Another sight we saw soon after arriving in Paris was the iconic, the famous, the Eiffel Tower! While the first picture I was able to snag was arguably trash, it was an exciting moment non-the-less. More pictures of the Tower to come later in this post.
While it's been so long, and the pictures are all out of order in my camera, I've forgotten the exact order of events while in Paris, I'm going to do my best to re-create the trip I took. I'm sure that any order would work for planning purposes.
I'm just going to start off with our day trip to the Palace of Versailles. The Palace of Versailles has a history that dates back to the 17th century. It was originally a hunting lodge built by Louis XIII in 1624 and was the primary residence of French kings from Louis XIV to Louis XV. Easily reachable from Paris, simply jump on the subway system and take a 40-60 minute train ride that spits you out almost directly in front of the palace. This is certainly a must see attraction while in the city, and I recommend planning to spend a good portion of your day there. To avoid the worst of the crowds, visiting on a Wed, Thurs, or Fri morning is advised.
Perhaps the most famous things to see while at Versailles is the Hall of Mirrors, Grand Trianon, and the Royal Chapel (only available through guided tour).
The Hall of Mirrors is a beautiful space filled with chandeliers, gilded sculptures, oil paintings, and arched mirrors. The hall was built to symbolize the power of the French king and to demonstrate France's achievements in politics, economics, and art. There are plenty of traffic within the palace leading you here, so it's hard to miss.
Another must see is the gardens of Versailles (Parc de Versailles). Mazes of hedges trimmed absolutely perfectly and accented with statues and fountains make this place an absolute work of art. And it stretches on for acres. A large portion within it, Le Grande Trianon, I don't think my family even walked to see, as it's hidden deeper in the hedge forest and I have no picture recollection of it. But it is certainly a must see.
Be sure to pack your sunscreen if going in the middle of the day, as it's likely the hedges and trees won't protect you with the sun directly above.
Another famous building we got to see (before it was almost burned to the ground in 2019, destroying much of the roof/ceilings) was the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Notre-Dame de Paris is one of the world's oldest and most well-known cathedrals. It is set to re-open this year (2024) after extensive re-construction.
There are several other churches within the city and the doors are almost always open to visitors. Stopping by for a quick peek can result in breathtaking architecture, paintings, and statues. Some famous ones to see are Notre-Dame de Paris, Saint-Sulpice Church, La Sainte-Chapelle – St. Louis’s Chapel, Montmartre Basilica in Paris, L’église de la Madeleine, and Cathedral Basilica of Saint-Denis.
Another unique find is the Pantheon Paris and it's Crypt. For all the history buffs out there, many many famous people are buried here including, but not limited to, Marie Curie, Victor Hugo, Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Alexandre Dumas, Joseph-Louis Lagrange, and Louis Braille. While the Pantheon is a bit of a walk from Notre-Dame, it could easily be done in the same day.
It's time for my Eiffel Tower photo dump. The Eiffel Tower is on the other side of the city from Notre Dame but is easy to get to with public transportation. The views from the top are stunning on a good day. When we went, there were decorations for the UFEA European Football Championship (soccer). Something to note is the Seine River Tour departs from near the Eiffel Tower, so planning to do that while visiting the tower is advised. Having a City Pass can help you easily access this activity. More to come on the City Pass later in this blog post.
Moving on from the Eiffel Tower, below are some pictures of the Musée du Louvre (Louvre Museum). Stroll through the Tuileries Garden on your way to the iconic entrance. Unfortunately, due to extreme flooding in summer of 2016, we were unable to enter the Louvre. I will be returning eventually to catch a glimpse of the Mona Lisa! Other famous paintings include The Raft of the Medusa, The Wedding at Cana, and The Winged Victory of Samothrace.
A quick aside, who would have known that French cemeteries buried above ground?
Would this really be a Paris post if I didn't mention the food at all? Foods I HIGHLY recommend having while in Paris include:
Croque Monsieur
Crepes
Ratatouille
Quiche Lorraine
Souffle
Baguette
Macaron
Pain au Chocolate
French Onion Soup
Croissant
Some other foods that are uniquely French include: Steak Frites, Beef Bourguignon, Bouillabaisse, Escargot, and Steak Tartare.
Of course, for all you 21+ people out there (younger if you're European), French wines are famous world wide. Famous regions include Burgundy, Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne (known for its sparkling white wines), Rhone Valley, Alsace, Langeudoc-Roussillon, and Beaujolais. Be sure to have a glass (or several!) of wine. Les Caves de Louvre offer tours and tastings in a 1700's wine cellar! Just be sure not to do this before going to the catacombs, as alcohol purchased at the cellar would not be allowed down there, even in bags.
Below are some pictures of a famous ice cream stop that I would recommend, especially on a hot summer afternoon, a crepe maker (it was delicious), and my first time having alcohol - French wine (it was dry and definitely not my preference).
A bonus picture for you - found in a souvenir shop by the Eiffel Tower:
At the end of our Paris adventure, we returned to London, England to quite the surprise! Our lost luggage was waiting for us at our hotel.
And now, before I wrap up this post, some bonus content and recommendations. As I said at the beginning of this post, I helped plan a trip for a couple to go to Paris and they did some additional things since they had more time in the city/country than we did in 2016. Exact details of the trip will be in a Paris, France travel itinerary to be added to the website sometime when I finally get around to it. But in the mean time, enjoy the bonus recommendations below.
I would highly recommend getting a City Pass to explore Paris. With it, you can gain access to many of the top sights. Depending on which type of City Pass you get (which company) there may be different activities included.
I would recommend grouping the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower then Seine River Tour into one day/afternoon. Another day can be the Musee D'Orsay, Sainte-Chapelle, Conciergerie, and Notre Dame, then a Paris Catacombs tour. The Paris Catacombs is an extensive underground system of bones - the remains of more than six million people.
I would group Montmatre including Sacre Coeur Tour, Musee Cluny, and the Pantheon together. Of course you'll need most of a day for Versailles Palace. Depending on your love for art, a full or half day at the Louvre. Unlike a lot of museums, the Louvre closes at 6pm and on Fridays, 9:45pm. Don't forget to go into The Caves de Louvre for some wine tastings!
If you have an extended amount of time in Paris and are looking for some bonus things to see, there is the Chateau de Chantilly, Chateau de Pierrefonds, and Abbaye Royale de Chaalis. The first is located on the subway line, but the second two might be best grouped together with Uber rides.
Additionally, a day trip to Mont-Saint-Michel I would recommend. In the year 708, the archangel Michael appeared in a dream-vision to Saint Aubert, bishop of Avranches, and asked him to build a sanctuary in his name. For centuries, it was one of Europe's major pilgrimage destinations. This holy island is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Looking for evening entertainment? How about a Moulin Rouge Dinner Show? Moulin Rouge is a cabaret in Paris. There are several tours and ticket sites to purchase your tickets from.
That about wraps it up for this Throwback Thursday. Thank you all for reading. And as always ~ Wishing all the Wanderlust ~
-Maddie
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