Paris isn’t called the City of Love for nothing. There are so many beautiful things about the city if you look in the right places. But not everyone seems to have a love affair with the city. In fact, I have had many people tell me they HATE it!! It’s too loud, it’s too crowded, it’s too dirty. It’s a huge city with a population of over 2 million people, so I can see how this may be true. But I think it’s one of the most beautiful, vibrant, and interesting places to visit. The food is amazing. The architecture is fantastic. And, if you try to speak even just a little bit of French, the people are usually friendly! Paris is the first place I ever travelled to outside of Canada, so it will always be special to me. I want to convince everyone that Paris is worth a look around! Here are 10 things to do around the city that will let you fall in love with Paris, both touristy and not so much!
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Explore the Montmartre District
Located in the 18th arrondissement, this is my favourite area of the city! It maintains its former small village charm: narrow alleys, cobblestone streets, and cafes aplenty. You could spend a whole day doting around this area and not be bored. This is a very popular area of the city, and there is some infrastructure to assist in getting around, including a gondola that will bring you up the steep incline the area is on. The metro stop that services this area is also iconic, with a carousel just outside of it.
Visit Sacre Coeur
Also found in the Montmartre area, this church has the most amazing view of the city. In my opinion, it beats the Eiffel Tower because it includes the Eiffel Tower! The steps leading up to the church are a perfect way to watch the sunset. There will be lots of people there, and people trying to sell souvenirs and drinks, but it is still a definite must in the city. You are free to go inside the church as well from 6:00am – 10:30pm every day of the year, but it is a practicing church, so remain quiet and respectful.
Spend the afternoon in a cafe
Cafe culture in Paris is second to none, and there are several very famous ones for one reason or another. I really believe you can pick any one, sit outside or in the window, and people watch all day. But I always like to figure out if famous is worth it, so here are a few well-known ones and how they became so:
Le Procope (13 Rue de l’Ancienne Comédie, 6th arrondissement): this is the oldest café in Paris. This cafe has been around so long, coffee wasn’t even popular in Paris yet! It had many famous patrons you may have heard of, such as Napoleon, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Voltaire. Nowadays you must also order food in order to secure a place in this cafe though.
Les Deux Magots (6 Place Saint-Germain des Prés, 6th arrondissement): Widely considered the most famous cafe in Paris, you may have even seen it in pictures or on TV, and many consider it the best. Like many Parisian cafes, the list of famous guests is long, this one includes Hemmingway, Picasso, James Joyce, and Gertrude Stein.
Finally, one I have also dined at: Le Consulat (18 Rue Norvins, 18th arrondissement). A friend once brought me here, and it was not until afterward that I noticed it’s in quite a lot of pictures of Paris! I tried to go again on my last visit, but it closed quite early. Another hang out of Parisian artists such as Picasso, Van Gogh, and Monet. This cafe is considered one of the cutest, but it’s also very easy to photograph because it sits on a fork in the road. I had the croque madame, and it was delicious!
Seine River Cruise
Visit any tour group website, and you will see there are a ton of different types of cruises. Basic sightseeing for about an hour, ones to add champagne, ones with a full meal. I think they are all going to be enjoyable, allow your budget and enjoyment of sightseeing this way choose which is best for you. I wouldn’t do one too late in the evening, it will be dark and harder to see things. It sounds romantic, but unless you have already done a lot of sightseeing, I think it’s a better idea to go in the daylight.
For a budget-friendly option, I would choose something like this
And for a splurge trip, I would choose this
Palace of Versailles
A former residence of the French Royals in the 1600s and 1700s, this palace has been restored to much of its believed former opulence. It’s now a really great and interesting museum, and worth the trip and a tour, in my opinion. Its most famous room is the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to symbolize the end of WWI. The gardens around the property are beautifully maintained, and you can walk through them. It’s a little ways outside of the city but worth the trip.
Claude Monet’s Gardens
Another item that is a little ways out of the city, in Giverny to be exact, is Claude Monet’s home and gardens. If you like the artist’s work, art history, or even just flowers and gardening, it’s definitely worth the trip. I did this as part of a day tour, and it was so lovely. The paintings are such an accurate replica of the gardens and pond, it’s stunning. If you don’t want to take a tour, it is an easy trip in less than an hour by train as well.
Bois de Vincennes
This is the largest public park in Paris, and there is a lot to do here. Boasting a zoo, botanical gardens, an arboretum, and 4 lakes, it is a fantastic way to get some space and fresh air without leaving the city. It’s very large, several times larger than Central Park in NYC. You could spend an entire day exploring, but I think 1-3 hours is enough.
Eiffel Tower at night
Did you know that the Eiffel Tower sparkles at night? And if you did know that, did you know it’s not always sparkling? The tower is lit from dusk until 11:45 pm every day, but it only sparkles for 5 minutes at the beginning of each hour. Make sure that if you want to get some lovely photos, you aren’t too close. Some of the best viewpoints are: Place du Trocadero, Champs De Mars, Montparnasse Tower, and along the Seine. If you are too close at the hour, you may be able to get some cool and unique photos, though!
Île Saint-Louis
A few years ago, I met up with a friend in Paris, and while I was staying in a hostel, he had rented this really cool AirBnb on Île Saint-Louis. I had no idea that there was a second island in the Seine besides the one Notre Dame Cathedral (Île de la Cité) is on, and it was so interesting to be over here. It feels so different to the main parts of the city. If you’re into architecture, you will really love it. I haven’t tried it personally, but there is a really neat-looking brunch spot there as well called Wonderland Brunchy that is sure to make your Instagram followers wish they were there! It’s right at the end of the Pont de la Tournelle.
Food Tour of Le Marais
There is no shortage of organized food tours you can take around this area, or you can just hit the pavement and let your heart and hunger guide you around! Some recommendations would be Big Love, Miznon, Au Petite Versailles (1 Rue Tiron), Man’ouché, and/or Robert et Louise. While walking around this area, you may notice many doors have little faces above them. These are called mascarons and were originally believed to keep evil spirits away. You can also find the former homes of Victor Hugo and Nicolas Flamel (made famous this century from Harry Potter!).
Special mention: Moulin Rouge
This is one of the most popular things to do in Paris, and like many popular things, it’s easy to label it as touristy and skip. I did my first 2 times in Paris. On my most recent trip there, I decided to check it out, and it was actually really enjoyable! The theatre is stunning, that alone was worth it to me. But the show was really good too! It helps that the champagne is flowing during the whole thing, but each act is very cool. It tells a story, but without speaking much French, it was hard to follow. However, there is a lot of acrobatics, and it’s a bit like a mini Cirque du Soleil in that sense. It did seem a bit long, but we had a great time. Tickets aren’t cheap, so maybe let your budget decide!
Extra Special Mention: Disneyland Paris
As a massive Disney fan, I actually went here for the first time by myself! I’ve been back with my husband as well. Disneyland Paris was rebranded from Euro Disney in 1994 because it was suffering from low attendance. Since then, the park has been a success. The coolest part of this park, compared to the other locations around the world, is that this park’s castle has a dragon! There are officially 2 parks in Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Parc and Walt Disney Studios Park. Both are worth seeing and if you are willing to spend the whole day, both can be done in one day. If you can really only see one, choose Disneyland Parc as there is more to do there. It’s a pretty busy place, though, and I would recommend visiting on a weekday whenever possible. It’s an easy train ride directly from Paris. I’d be happy to share more information on just this in a separate post sometime. However, my favourite Disney resource will always be Disney Tourist Blog and if you are planning a trip to any Disney Park, check them out.
How to get around
Like with any big city, there are multiple ways to get around. My favourite is always underground, and Paris has the Metro for that! The city is broken into 5 different zones, and the prices can be different depending on which one you are travelling to. Depending on where you are travelling, how often you are travelling, and which zones you are travelling to, it may be best to buy a single ticket, a 10 ride pass, or for 2€ you can buy a Navigo Card and load it with passes. That sounds confusing, but basically if you are going to take 5 or less trips, just pay per use. If you will be using transit, including buses and trams, it’s likely better to have the card. You can buy a full-day pass as well if you are going to be using it a lot in a short time. I like the Metro, it’s very convenient, it’s fast, and you never have to wait long for one. We used Uber twice later at night and waited forever for a car to show up both times.
Sometimes it’s quite nice to walk, especially in a city as beautiful as Paris. If you map your destinations really well, this is a great option, but Paris is very sprawled, so I would expect you’ll need to use some kind of transportation while there.
One of the fun things about the Metro is there are some stations that are attractions themselves! Such as Abbesses in Montmartre which was designed by Hectar Guimard in the Art Nouveau style of his time, and is also the deepest station. Louvre-Rivoli is one of the oldest stations and has replicas of statues you can find in the Louvre Museum. Arts et Metiers is really funky and pays homage to author Jules Verne with a neat submarine, steampunk style to it. And finally, Pont Neuf is decorated with lots of money because the Paris Mint is very nearby.
Where to stay
Hostel
Budget
Le Regent Montmartre by Hiphophostels, 37 Boulevard Rochechouart, Paris, France
This hostel has a great location, it’s close to Gare du Nord, Metro stops (50m away is the closest one), and it is between Pigalle and Montmartre. A bed in a dorm will be about $43 CAD per night, and private rooms are also available.
Bougie
Generator Paris, 9-11 Place du Colonel Fabien, Paris, France
This hostel has an onsite restaurant and bar, which elevates it a bit. It is also fairly close to a metro stop, about 900m. A dorm here will cost about $70-80 CAD per night, and there are private rooms available. This hostel is in the 10th arrondissement.
Hotel
Budget
In the $200-250 CAD per night range, (which is budget for Paris) ibis has many property locations around the city. All are decently priced and located. This one is where I would stay; Ibis Styles Paris Montmartre Nord, 77 Rue Du Ruisseau, 18th – Sacre Coeur – Montmartre, Paris, France, 75018
Perfectly located in Montmartre, you are close to so many amazing attractions, and in my favourite neighbourhood. The metro is close by, and the rooms are modern and well-equipped (albeit small). The next time I am in Paris, I would definitely book here.
We stayed at the Novotel Paris Porte Versailles, which was a great hotel for $300 CAD per night, but a little off the beaten path attraction-wise. The breakfast was great, and I did enjoy our stay there though.
Bougie
Shangri-La Paris, 10, avenue d’Iéna, Paris 75116 France
Coming in at just over $3000 CAD per night, this hotel is the creme-de-la-creme in the city. Boasting amazing views of the Eiffel Tower, this hotel is more of a destination than just a place to stay. One of the two in-house restaurants has a Michelin star, and it’s in an amazing location. This blog would really have to take off for me to afford a night here, but if you have the budget, it’s an amazing hotel. But, there is one even more lux;
Ritz Paris, 10 Avenue D’Iéna, 16th arr., 75016 Paris, France
With the cheapest room being $3200 CAD per night, this is ranked one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. Suites are named after prominent people, with Coco Chanel being one, and there is an in-house bar named after Ernest Hemmingway. This hotel has been adjacent to many historic events, such as being the last place Princess Diana dined before her tragic death. This would be an absolute splurge for most people, but you can’t argue that it exudes history, opulence, and luxury.
With every trip I take to Paris, I find more ways it is special. Have you been to this amazing city? Leave me a comment with your favourite parts, hidden gems or not!
Jess xx
