When my husband said he had to travel to Paris for work, it was kind of a no brainer to tag along:) It was a bit last minute, but I crammed as much Paris research in as possible before we left, and I’m pretty proud of my itinerary! It was a marvelous trip, filled with the perfect mix of exploring the city on my own while he was working, and exploring together when he was free. Pure magic! In case it helps, I wanted to share that I did purchase a Paris guide from Anna Kloots that was an extremely helpful starting point! Linking that in case you’d like it too. She’s an American content creator who’s lived in Paris for the past five years, so she knows a thing or two:)
I honestly wasn’t sure if I’d share a blog post with you all, seeing as how I never got around to sharing one after our trip to Italy in 2022, but I received a lot of requests! And honestly, looking back, I wish I would’ve blogged our Italy trip because I’d love a good way to look back on it with detailed memory, besides photos and video clips. Does anyone ever really remember the names of all the restaurants and stores they hit on vacation? I don’t! And I want to, so I decided this time to document. Definitely check out a map of Paris and get to know each arrondissement (neighborhood). It’ll be easier to plan what’ s near each other so you aren’t zig-zagging across the city!
Day one…
- Eiffel Tower! (7th arrondissement) We chose to take the elevator all the way to the top. FYI, the top floor has a shield/glass surrounding the ledge, so it’s best to take photos/video from your first stop, halfway up! (Just my opinion- I don’t love taking photos through a window due to dirty glass or reflections.)
2. Noir for coffee. (multiple locations)
3. Arc de Triomphe! (8th arrondissement) We didn’t go inside or go to the top- just viewed it from the street and then browsed some stores on the Champs-Elysées.
4. Marin Montagut! (6th arrondissement) This was my absolute favorite shop we went in! Truly special pieces and unique souvenirs. This is where I found what I call my “Mr. Rogers puppet” in the window!
5. La Parisienne! (multiple locations) The absolute best baguette we’ve ever had in our lives! It was fresh out of the oven- warm and delicious. Make sure you ask for “une baguette traditional.” That guarantees you’re getting an authentic baguette made with only four ingredients: water, flour, salt and yeast. There was a sign on the door that said they won first prize in 2016.
6. Luxembourg Gardens! (6th arrondissement) One of my favorite stops of the whole trip. Just a beautiful place filled with gorgeous landscaping and people relaxing and hanging out.
7. Perraudin for dinner. It was just one of those places we walked into unplanned because it was nearby. It was certainly charming on the inside, but the food wasn’t noteworthy.
Day Two…
- Café de Flore! (6th arrondissement) This was a big one on everyone’s list to try. I absolutely loved it, but also want to share that this would probably be a better lunch spot than breakfast. If you’re someone like me who wants pancakes/waffles, they don’t have that!
2. Notre Dame! (4th arrondissement)
3. Shakespeare & Co! (5th arrondissement) This is a famous bookstore. Absolutely loved going inside- just know they’re very serious about their rule of not taking any photos. I thought I’d sneak a quick one and got reprimanded. Lol
4. Pantheon (5th arrondissement)
5. Headed to Le Marais- a fun neighborhood in the 3rd/4th arrondissement. Plan to just browse the shops in this area. Here are just a few I visited. (Not shown, but honorable mention goes to Sezane and a store called Merci). But first, I had Arabica for coffee…
6. Place Des Vosges (3rd/4th arrondissement)
7. Maison De Victor Hugo (4th arrondissement)- a magical place filled with design inspo and eye candy.
8. Lunch at Maison Sauvage (6th arrondissement)- total “House of Hackney” vibes. This place was so cute! I grabbed a quick burger and fries. It was empty during the day and totally packed at night.
Here it is at night (we just happened to pass it again!)
9. Messy Nessy’s Cabinet! (5th arrondissement) My second favorite store! This was filled with brilliant curiosities. I left with an antique Parisienne door-knocker and some bottled up water from the Seine River.
9. Fleux (4th arrondissement)- this was a great store! There were three on the same street in Le Marais! I would almost equate this to a French Crate & Barrel (but cooler). It’s a modern store with different versions of it on the same street- one’s a home store, one is more of a kids’ store, one is more souvenir-focused. It’s modern and stylish- I loved it! I found a painting for our living room, and we also found gifts for our parents and kids here.
10. Dinner at Hotel National Des Arts Et Metiers. (3rd arrondissement) Highly recommend! Modern aesthetic and good food. They also have a rooftop with a view, but it was too cold that evening so they didn’t have it open! (No worries, we got an even better rooftop view on Day 4! Keep reading!)
11. Maison Proust for drinks! (3rd arrondissement) Hands down the prettiest place we went to! Stunning, classic French design. Lots of velvet, moody lighting, and books. Say no more!
Day Three…
- Christian Dior Museum. (8th arrondissement) Stunning! Heads up- I didn’t get tickets ahead of time, so I arrived 30 minutes before they opened and there was still a line. Worth it? Depends on how much you enjoy fashion. I thought it was beautiful! But there’s soooo much to see in Paris. If this isn’t something you’d get a kick out of, skip it!
2. Musée Jacquemart André (8th arrondissement)- another beautiful museum for anyone who can appreciate historical interiors!
3. Ralph’s for lunch! (6th arrondissement) I know- so many local places I could’ve chosen, but I love visiting different Ralph Lauren locations. This was so lovely! I had a yummy chicken caesar salad, and the butter for the bread was SO delicious!
4. Gallerie Vero-Dodat. (1st arrondissement) One of the many lovely passages in Paris!
5. Galerie Vivienne. (2nd arrondissement) Another passage, and this one led to a special, old bookstore, where I found some old prints!
6. Bibliotheque National de France-Richelieu. (2nd arrondissement) JAW-DROPPING! Favorite library I visited!
7. Palais Royal (1st arrondissement)- this is where the black and white striped columns are. Right next to the Louvre!
8. The Louvre! (1st arrondissement) We went in the evening on a Wednesday (it’s open later on Wednesdays and Fridays! Definitely less crowded. Mona Lisa hack: go back to see her before closing time and you’ll be able to take a selfie with her with no one else around!
9. Zapi for dinner. (1st arrondissement) This place wasn’t on my list, but we had an amazing pizza with spicy honey on it! One of our favorite meals!
Day Four…
- Passy Brocante. (16th arrondissement) This is an antique store and I arrived when they were suppose to open, but the door was locked. I popped my head into a neighboring store to inquire, and someone there told me it’s owned by an old man who “opens it with the wind.” Lol. In other words, you never really know the hours. Bummer! Sharing it anyway just in case you get lucky!
2. La Bibliotheque Mazarine (6th arrondissement)
3. Rodin Museum! (7th arrondissement) This honestly might be my favorite museum in Paris. The grounds are incredible!
4. Stopped for a croissant from La Maison D’Isabelle. (5th arrondissement)
5. Musee D’Orsay. (7th arrondissement) Thrilled to find some VanGogh pieces here!
6. La Tour D’Argent. (5th arrondissement) We came here for drinks on the rooftop! Heads up- the cocktails here were $30! But no regrets- the view was amazing, so you’re kind of paying for the experience. Also, odd thing to add, but they brought the most amazing olives I’ve ever had to our table.
7. Yoom for dinner. (9th arrondissement) This wasn’t anything special, but we were craving Asian food and this was nearby! Sometimes you have to not stress about the “it” places on your list and just go with convenience!
8. Seine River cruise! This is an absolute must. I don’t think you should do everything on my list or any other list you find, to be honest. BUT- you should definitely do this. It’s under 20 euros and a great way to see the city! We did one at 10:30pm (the last one they offered) and seeing everything lit up was such a treat. We used the company Bateaux Parisiens.
Day Five…
- Palace of Versailles. You need to plan ahead for this! We didn’t, and after taking public transportation here (around 45 minutes away from the city), there were no tickets available during the time that we arrived. This was fine with me since I saw it back in college, but if you’re coming for the first time, definitely buy a timed ticket ahead of time! We paid around 30 euros (for both of us) to tour the gardens. Which is honestly one of the best parts! Absolutely beautiful.
2. Le Bon Georges for lunch! This was on a lot of lists. Apparently Margo Robby ate here. Lol. I loved it! Had the best deviled eggs I’ve ever had and a divine glass of red wine.
3. I found Belly’s apartment from The Summer I Turned Pretty. Lol! Couldn’t resist. This is in Montmartre (18th arrondissement)
4. Halle Saint-Pierre. (18th arrondissement) This honestly looked much grander online, to be honest. But I never regret visiting a bookstore.
5. Leave room for spontaneity! Remember the American woman in Paris I was telling you about at the beginning of this post? She hosts monthly meet-ups for women to meet other women in the city, and I just happened to be in town during this month’s! My husband grabbed a drink down the street while I attended from 5-6:30. It was lovely, at a gorgeous flower shop called L’Arrosoir. I was a bit frazzled when I arrived. Both my curling iron and my steamer stopped working. I wasn’t feeling the most confident and I knew absolutely no one, but let this be a lesson to just show up anyway! Everyone was so kind. No one really knew anyone, so we all just joined random conversations and were welcomed with open arms. I wish I could attend more!
6. Ended the night at La Crème de Paris. ((5th arrondissement). Had waffles with Nutella and strawberries and an iced latte 🙂
Exploring…
Make sure you leave time to just wander and explore the city! Here’s a batch of random photos just taken on walks from point A to point B:
What I wore…
I walked over 20k steps a day- comfort is key! I mostly wore my Adidas Sambas, but tried to elevate each outfit with either a pretty scarf or just a stylish jacket, at least. Listed everything I packed, below! If I didn’t link it, that means it’s old and no longer available!
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Salut!