Paris, the city of lights, the city of love, and for me, my favorite city that I have traveled to. The city is split into 20 neighborhoods or arrondissements, and each part of the city had something unique to offer, but each part was still connected to the rest seamlessly. Of all the cities I traveled to during my stay, Paris was the one I visited the most, and therefore, the one I can tell the most about.
Arrondissement 1 - Louvre
The First District is called the Louvre district, which contains the world-famous museum, as well as other famous museums like Musee d'Orsay. The outside of the Louvre is beautiful, where you can see the detailed architecture of three of the halls, as well as the world-famous glass pyramids by I.M. Pei! You can enter through the pyramids, but those lines are usually very long, the shorter line is through the carousel, which is located under the museum, and that entrance is across the street near an arch. If you are really sneaky, you can follow a tour group into the designated line for large groups, which saves a bunch of time.
Also, don't worry about buying tickets ahead of time, they’re plenty of desks and kiosks to buy your tickets from once you are inside. Also, if you are under 18 or a student studying abroad, you get in free!
The museum is of course the home of the world famous Mona Lisa, but the museum has plenty of other treasure troves, such as an amazing Egyptian exhibit, Greek statues, and famous works by Gericault, Delacroix, Caravaggio, and many more!
Another famous museum I went to was Musee d'Orsay, which has a grand impressionism exhibit, as well as famous pieces of artwork by Van Gogh
It is a much smaller museum, but you can actually explore most of in 4 hours, as is well worth it if you are an art/mumuseum-goer
Arrondissement 4 - Hôtel-de-Ville
This area of Paris is where the famous “Lock Bridge” used to be before all the locks were removed (so the bridge would not collapse because of the weight). While they added glass panes to this bridge to prevent people from adding locks, you can find plenty of other bridges where you and the love of your life can lock your lock and then litter your key in the river. Another famous bridge to visit is Pont Alexandre III (Adele’s Music video for “Someone like you” was filmed here.) It is an ornate bridge covered in golden statues and many other figures, and has a great view of the river, city, and makes for a great picture with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
For many of the Riverboat Tours, you will be crossing Pont Neuf to arrive at the smaller sliver of Île de la Cité (Island of Paris). For Riverboat tours, those can be ordered online ahead of time, where you can choose what type of tour you want, from a quick scenic one, to the small yacht experience where you can eat and party all night. Be sure to arrive 30-45 min before the boat leaves, as many of these people require you to be there ahead of time, or you will not be able to board.
Finally, along with some other churches, on this island is the famous Notre Dame of Paris, where the entrance is free, and you can where Quasimodo fell in love with Esmeralda. The inside of the church is grand and ornate. Additionally, for a small fee, you can buy candles that you can buy to light before you pray, or go visit the collection of treasures and deceased priest (if you ever wanted to see the femur of Saint Vincent of Saragossa)
Arrondissements 7 - Palais-Bourbon
In this district is none other than the famous Eiffel Tower. Right before the lights come on (around 6 pm), and when they go off (near 1 am) the tower sparkles for a few minutes, which is a spectacle. For viewing the tower, they’re two places that are best. The first is by the Jardins du Trocadéro, where you can sit by the beautiful Fountains of Warsaw and view the tower from across the river. The other place is behind the tower near the Paris Military School, where there is plenty of green grass to sit on to have a picnic. And don’t worry if you forgot to bring drinks, there will be plenty of people who will be selling cold beer, wine, and champagne.
To get to the top of the tower is a bit harder than just viewing it. If you are planning on going to Paris in more than 2 months from now, go ahead and buy your tickets now, as reserved tickets usually fill up more than 2 months ahead of time. Otherwise, you will have to wait in line, which can take 1-3 hours depending on the time of day, weather, and time of year. Two different elevators take you up, one takes you to the main platform in the middle, which in my opinion gives the best view of the city, and then another one which takes you to the very top where you can see all of Paris and more. Currently, the prices for the tower are up to 17€, and despite the wait, it is well worth it, just be sure to make it one of the first things you do the day you go.
Arrondissement 8 - Élysée
The Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets in Paris, for both its historical value and its amenities. The street has been the sight of countless military parades since Napoleon's time. Some infamous moments include the time when the Nazi’s marched down it during WWII, but also grand moments when the American and French armies marched to reclaim France in that same war. Today, the French military marches there yearly on Bastille Day, and it is the last leg of the race for the Tour de France.
The street is also incredibly famous for its beauty and shopping. For those who love to explore, shop, and eat, this part of Paris is for you. The entire street is filled with luxurious and affordable name brands, exotic type shops for cars and jewelry, and plenty of places to get delicious food.
Finally, here you will find the Arc De Triomphe, which in my opinion, shows one of the best views of Paris from the top. Accessed by going under the round-about the surrounds the monument, you buy your tickets (free for students again!) and then ascent the 284 steps (no elevator) to get to the top. From there you can see almost all of Paris, from the business sector to the Louvre, to the Eiffel Tower to Sacre Coeur.
Arrondissement 14 - Observatoire
In the south part of the city, the most notable landmark, or really belowland-mark, is the Catacombs. For only a few Euros, you can descend over 200 steps to view an entire network of hundreds of thousands of human bones that make countless tunnels underground. It truly humbling and awe-inspiring site. Also, don’t try to take any of the bones, they check the bags at the end.
Arrondissement 18 - Butte-Montmartre
My favorite place to stay while I was in Paris, Montmartre is full of culture, architecture, and great food. One of the main tourist attractions is the famous church of Sacré-Cœur. At the top of the hill of the section of the city (lots of steps, by the way, I would recommend taking the trolley up) you can see much of Paris and then get a chance to view both the inside and outside of the church.
Another section of Montmartre is called “Little Africa” or Goutte d'Or (Drop of Gold) because of the area is almost 100% African, with African businesses, markets, and great restaurants. For those of you who want to have a little bit of taste of African culture while you are in Paris, this is the place to be!
Finally, this district has the Moulin Rouge and the red light district, for those of you who enjoy… a different type of fun.
Getting Around
As far as navigating around Paris, it couldn’t be easier. If you are flying into Charles De Gaulle or Orly, you can take the trains to the train station Gare to Nord for 10 euros. Also, Ubers and Taxis have a flat rate to the center at around 40-45 Euros, which may be more convenient/same price depending on your group size. For getting around Paris, the metro system is incredibly efficient, starting as early as 5:30 in the morning, and closing a little after 1:00 am. The best way to navigate is to use Google Maps, which gives the exact trains needed and the times that they run (which is very frequently). If you are not looking to do that, you can always use Uber or Taxis, most of them speak English as well! (Sorry, you won’t see a surprise Shaq since there is no Lyft in Paris).
As far as places to stay, Paris is great for hostels and Airbnb, which is what I used when I spent my nights in the city. Both the hostels I stayed at were party hostels, so the bar and club they had stayed lit, and the rooms were clean and spacious (for a hostel anyway). Additionally, the three AirBNBs I had were all great (one isn't available anymore), so I have included the links to those as well to check them out.
Hostels:
St. Christophers (I stayed at both locations in Paris, the canal location was my favorite): https://www.st-christophers.co.uk/paris-hostels
AirBNBs:
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9348592
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/11370428
If you have any questions about what I said, or how you can better scheme your way around Paris, please ask away in the comments below. Be sure to follow for the next adventure, London!
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