I’ve always heard mixed opinions on the capital; flirtatious, passionate, chic, garlic'y, smokey, crime-filled, dirty. So this trip put everything straight for me. Paris has it all. It has the crime, and it’s dirty areas, just like every other city. And yeah, it does have an underworld too. But it is also beautiful. Delicate Hausmann balconies, historic avenues, beauty, architecture, and of course, passion.
These words may be your first thoughts when you think Paris. But you’re probably lying. What we really think about, is Disney. DISNEY. Don’t worry - spoiler alert, we will get there too.
WHY GO: For all those keywords above (DISNEY.) FOR HOW LONG: Weekend city break
WHAT'S MY BUDGET: Mid-range/London type prices
GETTING AROUND: Metro all the way! (Except when it’s lovely to walk)
LANGUAGE: Sexy francais… (But you'll get by fine if you’re a Brit!)
For starters, getting to Paris was a whole lot easier than I’d ever given it credit for. If you haven’t got the Eurostar before, prepare to have your mind BLOWN. Shit, it is cool. Rock up to St. Pancras like you’re getting a train. (disclaimer: not just like you’re getting a train, that’s what we did and boy, we were lucky to make it in time! Be that smart adult and get there with some time to kill.) Book your seats in advance, and settle in! I really recommend what we did. Get an early one, you can always nap on the way. If you were as pumped as I was about the Eurostar, be prepared. It’s about to get even better with new destinations coming all the time - CUE AMSTERDAM POST!
Stepping off the eurostar into Paris is a surreal and blissful feeling. It’s different to getting off a plane. You get off, and you’ve arrived in the city centre. Paris is split up into twenty arrondissements (you definitely read that with an accent…). They are essentially the districts of the city. Each area is talked about by Parisians, by its number, and often written by its Roman numeral.
First stop, we got rid of our luggage. We stayed at Eugene En Ville, which was great, I totally recommend. You’ve probably noticed, I get sick of bog standard chain hotels. This place was much more of a boutique hotel, with a small number of rooms and tonnes of charisma. Paris has such awesome transport links, and this place is in the perfect location to take advantage of them. It's in the 9th arr. bordering into the 2nd, so was perfect for getting around, nearby to several metro stations and even walking distance from the Eurostar.
Once we were in, first thoughts (obvs) is how the HECK do we get to Disney. It isn't quite as easy as the rest of the journey so far, plus every Tom, Dick and Harry had a different route, so to make it easy - just do this:
Jump on your nearest metro train, to get to the RER A - (RER is the French, Regional Express Network - basically a commuter train which gets you quickly out of the city centre) If you stay at the same hotel as we did, you can actually walk to Auber station, and pick up the RER A from there (it’s the red line). 15 stops, and 42 minutes later, you’re getting off at the Gare de Marne la Vallée Chessy stop - VOILA, DISNEY BABY!
Plan your time here well; you've got 2 parks, and one day. Run around, soak it all in, take advantage of the FastPass, and make sure you go on Hyper Space Mountain! For tips on how to get round it all swiftly and successfully, then we've also got another post which will do you wonders. Disney’s light show had always been a bucket lister for me too. But yahknowwhat... I'm sorry folks, it unfortunately wasn't really worth the stress of working out your last train back. It's like the sun goes down, the sugar highs diminish, and all the hyped up kids (not us…) turn into crazy little gremlins and unless you've hitched up to get THEEEEE best spot in town, I'd get your head around getting back.
Paris is one of those cities you can just walk around for days. I strongly recommend getting up at a decent hour so that you can have a true Parisian breakfast in a cafe and watch the world go by. You'll feel like you’re part of a postcard.
Once you're fuelled up, if you’re up for a walk, and if I know you at all, which I think I do… then this is THE route for you. (I've even gone and put all the directions in italics for you, in case you don't need them. I know, I'm a good egg.)
1- With postcards in mind, you've got to make sure you see the Eiffel from all the best angles right?! I strongly suggest starting at Rue Saint-Dominique, in the heart of the 7th arrondissement.
Just get the metro to La Tour Maubourg or Invalides, whichever is most convenient, and it's a narrow Parisian street that fulfills the stereotype you're after but WHAM, with the grand ol’ Eiffel at the end!
1b- That's right, a B point. I had to do that, as I was worried you'd skip by this bit and it is crucial I tell you! Rue Saint-Dominque is about to double up for you! It's also the home of, Aux Merveilleux de Fred. No questions, just step inside this fiiiiiiine-ass patisserie. My favourite French treat is a tarte-aux-fraises, so if you’re unsure what to get, follow my lead… (For chocolate lovers, the mocha will blow your mind.) But don't eat it just yet… A teeny bit more of a stroll towards that huge towering landmark, (still in the 7th)
2- Champ de Mars! Find a spot, settle in with your snacks and go all googly eyed at that Eiffel. Personally, I've never been up to the top. I'd rather find viewpoints elsewhere so I can look at it, but if you're going up, now’s your time!
Walk up towards the River Seine, and you'll see the next spot connecting the 15th and 16th arrondissements.
3- Now you've got all up close and personal, you can go and soak in my favourite view of it. It's another doubler spot too. If you're a Leonardo fan, and who isn't, then BAAAAAAM, you're walking on my favourite part of Inception!! I know… I know…
It's Pont de Bir-Hakeim. Enjoy.
15 mins walk through the 16th arrondissement, along the Rue Benjamin Franklin.
4- One more Eiffel one… If you've gone this far, you may as well complete it, with probably the most iconic viewpoint. Head to Trocadero, it's a nice walk from Pont de Bir-Hakeim, and you get to see all the selfie stick mayhem, which is worth watching in itself.
Next stop is a twenty minute walk along the Avenue Kléber to the 8th arrondissement. You can always metro this bit on line 6 from Troadero to Charles de Gaulle - Étoile in 5 mins, or if you walk there's plenty of cafe fuelling stations.
5- Arc de Triomphe, another one you'll see a mile off! I think this is a super special landmark, and I imagine going up this one at sunset would be pretty magical. But on this occasion, we had more walking to do!
Just turn around if you haven't spotted it already!
4 - Down the Champs-Élysées! Now before you get to this point, make sure you're fully hydrated, fed, shopped etc. You don't want to get stuck in these shops, unless you've got a few $$$ in your pocket!
Now you're going to walk ALL the way to the centre of it all… The 1st arrondissement. You can obvs metro on line 1, or you've got a half hour walk past the spenny shops (you'd only be cheating yourself.)
5 - Some of those metro stations are blaaaady beautiful aren't they?! (Not judging, but you def metro’d that one). I'm not actually an art buff, so I confess, I've never found the Mona Lisa. (Gulp, soz.). But enjoy The Louvre, the building is worth the trip alone.
Only a wee five minute walk towards the water this time
6 - Something I've always been excited about seeing is the Lovelock Bridge… aka Pont Des Arts. However, we'd need to jump in our time machines. They've only gone and cut the ruddy locks off haven't they! This picture is all that's left! If you were after for some romance, check out this post, it'll make up for it. Fo’sho’.
Now you've crossed the bridge, stick to the river and walk on for another fifteen mins.
7 - I know you're getting tired now, but you've gotsssss to go find the hunchback! TO THE NOTRE DAME. The gothic architecture couldn't help but feel out of place against the romance all around, but boy it's grand. There's a mammoth queue to get in, so be prepared if that's your thing.
Soz, I know you're probably achey by now, but grab a coffee as the last 40 minute walk is worth the destination; if you don't think so, I'll eat my hat. You coooould jump on metro line 1 again to Paris Gare de Lyon in 12th arrondissement, and it will take you ten minutes, or, you can cross over the Seine again, and stick to the river all the way to the 12th.
8 - I've saved this next favourite for the end. This feels worlds away from the Notre Dame. Welcome to the Parisian Notting Hill. Nestled inside the 12th arrondissement, is Rue Crémieux, and it feels like another city, all over again. The colourful houses are so utopic, living here feels like the fairytale ending.
This little break was packed with the typical sight-sees, as well as a couple off the beaten track. But it all ended in my favourite way, stomach and heart full, with achy feet.
Have you got a trip to Paris booked? Let us know if there's something else you'd like to do on your trip, and Pocket Rockets can create an itinerary just for you.
There's some more on this post about Paris, but in the meantime… Suggestions of where to go next please?!
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