Louvre is said in one breath right after “I was in Paris and … “. It’s totally fine, patterns are human second nature, me included, but today I’m going to tell you about Paris outside of the pattern! I invite you to my, subjectively, best itinerary for visiting the capital of France!
1) Live near Montmartre! Ocrepes, how it makes everything so easy! I lived 20 minutes away from this part of Paris, I paid pennies and I could take a walk not only to Sacre Coeur but also to the Tuilleries Gardens. The prices here are very pleasant, especially off the season, and the area itself is full of small cafes, bakeries…
PROTIP: when choosing accommodation in Paris, pay attention to the district! It is better to pay extra and live, for example, near Montmartre, where you can walk to 80% of the places that are worthy of attention, than to overpay and spend on the subway. It’s no deal. Ah. And skip some “extra hotels in the 19th dictrict.” My dears, it’s as if you want to visit King’s Landing but stayed in Winterfell. Following this thought, don’t loose your head and stay closer :d
2) Go for the best croissant in Paris!
The one awarded with a medal and titles! The French take food seriously, so every year the mayor of Paris chooses the best croissant. This is a HUGE distinction for a given boulangerie: prestige in the culinary world and a guarantee of queues from the day of winning until … another year and another contest! This year (2022) this title was won by the boulangerie Carton so I also stood in line behind the crowd of Parisians for the famous croissant. He was outstanding! Just like the one I ate the day before in a random bakery in Montmartre. Well, the French know how to food. Anyway, play “I’m the food critic” and try the croissant of the year!
3) Go to the most beautiful cafe in Paris!
It’s… a Starbucks on Boulevard des Capucines 3. It looks like it’s been moved from a royal castle! Although coffee is a bit more expensive there than in other places in this chain – the crowds are also bigger – it’s something that I recommend putting on your to-do list!
4) Right after your coffee, stop by for a fresh baguette and try not to eat it all when going to the Tuilleries Gardens!
I love this place! Parisians reading newspapers, children playing by the fountain, couples walking slowly and chatty French grandmothers. Regardless of the season, this place is the epitome of French la vie est belle.
5) Be amazed by the symmetry of Paris from a bird’s eye view! Viewpoints in the city that I highly recommend are the Arc de Triomphe (admission fee) and the roof of the Lafayette Gallery (free).
PROTIP: entry to the Arc de Triomphe is free when you are under 25 and every first Sunday of the month from January 1 to March 31 and from November 1 to December 31 – updates always pop up on the page of individual places, it’s always worth checking if nothing has changed 🙂
6) Find out what you don’t need in your life while walking along the Champs Elysees!
Seeing the prices and splendor of individual boutiques, a person comes to the happy conclusion that he does not need much in life :d Shoes worth a house? Is the dress embroidered with Swarovski crystals? Such a walk is a feast for the eyes and a great inspiration (luxury shop windows are sometimes mini spectacles with moving objects!)
The second, equally stunning embodiment of French tinsel is the aforementioned Galeries Lafayette. This interior tho! Even if you are not interested in fashion, someone here has done a great interior design job!
7) Time for your own TOTALLY FRENCH CINEMA experience! Treat yourself to sessions in a photo booth for a dizzying amount of 4/5 euros! Old school, with curtains and black and white photos. It is located in Montmartre, on Rue des Trois Freres 53. If you want to bring a souvenir from Paris, spare yourself postcards or key chains, treat yourself to a session in a photo booth!
psst! A little advice from a lover of details, before your flight to Paris, add a beret to your luggage, even the cheapest one from a secondhand for a few cents! Photo from the French booth wearing a beret? Ocrepes, I can’t picture it better!
8) Speaking of Montmartre… find out what happiness tastes like and go for crepes with Nutella,
The best ones are near Sacre Coeur and you can easily find them. Follow the smell of chocolate :d
Recommendation: the variant with Biscoff flavored cream is a culinary orgasm!
9) Walking around Montmartre is a great idea at any time. While in the evening it is teeming with life, is fabulously lit and tempts with different flavors at every corner, during the day it captivates with music played in the street, painters with easels set up and elderly men playing chess with full concentration. Je taime, Montmartre!
10) Walk along the Seine! I can’t imagine you not walking even for a few minutes along the most beautiful and most often filmed river in the history of cinematography! Regardless of the weather, feel the atmosphere of the city and take a leisurely stroll along the Seine. Whether sun, rain or snow, Paris captivates!
11) Spectacle – the Eiffel Tower at night!
There are certainly many, many more things to do in Paris, places to admire, but this is my proposal implemented during my last stay in the French capital. I came back in love with the city, I hope you will love Paris with my little guide too.
12) Play being a city photographers and try to capture the everyday Parisian life.
Reading a newspaper in a cafe, buying baguettes in a small bakery, hurriedly walking to a destination known only to them, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette or reading a book while waiting for the green light on the lanes. I don’t know what it is, but Parisians do each of these activities as if they were in a movie.
12) Play city photographers and try to capture the everyday life of Parisians: reading a newspaper in a cafe, buying baguettes in a small bakery, hurriedly walking to a destination known only to them, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette or reading a book while waiting for the green light on the lanes. I don’t know what it is, but Parisians do each of these activities as if they were in a movie.
DISCLAIMER: Why don’t I mention going to the Louvre or the Eiffel Tower? I am of the opinion that visiting the city is not ticking points off the Trip Advisor list. If you’ve always dreamed of climbing the Eiffel Tower, do it! Is the Louvre on your bucket list? Ocrepes, go there! But don’t do it just because these places are said to be “must see” places in Paris. My posts are supposed to be an inspiration for you, but also to show that you don’t have to leave a fortune every time to be able to feel the atmosphere of a given place.
Let me know whether you would like to add something! We are the society of explorers, let’s help each other explore in the best possible way! Au revoir!
