TWA Hotel, JFK Airport, NYC
Read moreParis, France
by Melissa TerrisWhether you think of it as the city of lights or the city of love, a getaway to Paris, France is always a good idea! This return trip to Paris has been on my agenda for about 3 years pre-pandemic. It was initially a birthday gift to my niece that never took place, due to the numerous lock downs and restrictions. Now that things have eased up, we were able to take a flight. France still has Covid guidelines in place for arrival based on vaccination status, however regardless of your status you would still be able to visit.
We took an overnight flight into the city, which I would recommend because they are 6 hours ahead of the US. Therefore, if you’re able to sleep on the flight, once you arrive the jet lag won’t be as difficult to deal with. I decided to take a taxi from Charles de Gaulle airport to the city center due to numerous bags and small children, but public transportation is definitely doable and highly suggested if traveling light. I used public transportation on my first visit to Paris 6 years ago and highly recommend it for the cost saving benefits.
I decided on a hotel near the iconic Eiffel Tower as this was a place of interest for us, however if you’re interested in other tourist attractions this location will make you reliant on public transportation or you'll have to do a lot of walking. Our hotel was about a 5-10 minute walk to the Eiffel Tower, but before heading there, I was hungry and a crepe with Nutella was the best snack after a long flight. After that we proceeded to the ‘Iron Lady’. She was as beautiful as I remembered. My niece was amazed! She read a lot about it prior to arriving in Paris, so to see it in person was awesome.
Paris was hotter than usual; 106 Fahrenheit on a couple of days, so we had to keep hydrated and find different ways to cool off, however that didn’t stop us from exploring. The next day I wanted to have a nice breakfast and I saw a lot of good reviews and posts about ‘Sunday in Soho’, a restaurant in the 2nd Arrondissement of the city (Paris has 20 Arrondissements which are districts - for reference we stayed in the 15th Arrondissement but found our way to the 2nd to make sure we had a taste of the delicious breakfast served at ‘Sunday in Soho’). I ordered the Sunday pancakes which were fluffy and topped with fresh fruits and a side of maple syrup. If you happen to be in the neighborhood and you want a nice brunch or breakfast then I’d highly recommend ‘Sunday in Soho’.
After breakfast we decided to walk off some of that food with retail therapy and made our way over to Galleries Lafayette, which is a fabulous department store located in the 9th Arrondissement. You’ll find all the high end department stores, souvenir shops and restaurants there. If you make your way to the rooftop terrace you can see amazing views of the city, and it’s free to go up to the terrace.
As time began to tick away, I remembered we had a tour of Paris to attend. This tour was different from the usual tour companies that I use, such as hop on hop off tour. This company was Retro Tour Paris. You are taken on the tour in a retro style side car (complete with retro style helmet) to the major tourist attractions of Paris. You’ll drive down the Champs-Élysées, pass the Arc de Triomphe, and circle around the Eiffel Tower. It was a unique and unforgettable way to see Paris!
Later that day I scheduled an audio-guided tour of the catacombs. The catacombs is an ossuary that holds more than 6 million remains. The experience was interesting and slightly creepy but definitely worth a visit, as it is a unique experience. Fun fact, on Halloween of 2015 a mother and son spent one terrifying night in the catacombs as a part of an AirBnB experience!
A visit to Paris isn’t complete without a visit to Versailles. The Palace of Versailles was the former residence of royalty and is located about 12 miles outside of Paris. Getting to the palace is pretty easy using the Paris transportation system, however since it’s outside of the city center the fare is slightly higher than an average metro ticket depending on how you decide to get there. Upon arrival you can see golden gates and gold architectural details throughout the palace. The palace is filled with opulence and indulgence. The must see things of the palace include the beautiful garden, and the hall of mirrors.
The Louvre museum was also a necessary stop, the Mona Lisa was a popular site for most visitors. The crowd was large but it moved pretty quickly. Another popular piece was the Winged Victory of Samothrace and Venus de milo. I would recommend having a plan on which pieces you’d like to see prior to your visit to manage your time wisely. The Louvre has thousands of pieces so it can be overwhelming if you don’t have a plan.
Another way to visit some of the best tourist destinations is by boat, we also included a river cruise on our trip in order to have a different perspective and it was lovely. Being on the water was relaxing and cool. You’re able to get away from all the noise and traffic - highly recommended!
Lastly, Paris is known for some unique cuisines such as foie gras (duck or goose liver), frog legs, and escargot (snails). I told myself prior to this trip I’d try at least one of these delicacies. Can you guess which one I tried?
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