Paris was the second stop on our European tour. We caught the Eurostar (train) from London to Paris. It was maybe a 2-hour ride. In case you didn’t know Paris is in a different time zone from London. An hour difference.
Excitement filled my body as we got off the train to explore the new city of Paris. Here are some of the places my friend and I went and some of the things we did. Hopefully it will give you an idea of some things to do in Paris.
1. Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a must see in Paris! When we got off the subway, this is the first landmark we saw. The tower is the world’s tallest man-made building. Fun fact, it’s a popular destination for New Years Eve and Bastile Day in Paris. You should definitely visit the site at night.
2. Louvre Museum
Here is the home of the infamous painting of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci. The Louvre Museum is also considered to be the world’s greatest art museum. Fun fact, Beyoncé and Jay-Z shot the video for “Apesh*t” here.
3. Louvre Pyramid
The largest pyramid (slide 1) serves as the main entrance into the Louvre Museum. The Louvre Pyramid’s composition is of glass and metal. All together there’s a total of 4 pyramids on the site.
4. Arc De Triumph
Arc De Triumph is a monument for those who sacrificed their lives in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. As you can see it’s pretty popular!
5. Seine River
The Seine River is the second longest river in Paris. It is in the vicinity of major attractions like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and The Louvre. There are affordable cruises along the river for sightseeing and dinner.
6. Notre Dame Cathedral
This year the Notre Dame Cathedral caught on fire and destroyed several dated valuable artwork and furniture. However, the structure didn’t burn to the ground. It’s currently under reconstruction. Did you know that Notre Dame means “Our Lady” in French?
7. Shopping- La Valle Village
City Shopping- The designer stores are located in various parts of the city. The items will be costly. Here I learned that if there’s no price tag and if you have to inquire on the price, that basically means you can’t afford it. I know I can’t afford Balenciaga, but I wanted to say I tried on a pair of those shoes. I asked the clerk for the shiny silver boot (see pic), but there was none in my size. Oh and it didn’t have a price tag either.
Outlet Shopping Out- La Valle Village is outside of the city and near Disneyland. Yes, they have a Disneyland! Here you will find high-end luxury brands like Givenchy, Burberry, Balenciaga, Christian Lacroix, Jimmy Choo, and Valentino. Even with the deep discounts, these brands weren’t in my budget. Now there were affordable brands at the outlet that I’m familiar with like Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Coach, and Guess. Also in walking distance beside the outlet is a large mall and restaurants.
Trip to the Outlet
We arrived to the Paris outlet via taxi. My friend and I caught a nap on the way there. When we were ready to pay and exit the car, the driver tried to scam us stating he couldn’t accept credit cards. We weren’t having it. After my friend paid the driver in USD, we abruptly left the taxi. Immediately these thoughts ran through my mind. I was like, we’re gonna have to find some Black people generous enough to let us ride back to the city with them. Plus, if this guy wants to act up, we are around other people if he decides he wants to chase us.
Thinking back on that, I don’t remember seeing any other Black people at the outlet other than the ones who were working. Let me tell you, the situation had already worked itself out! At the outlet I read that there was a shuttle available. Turns out, the shuttle was just $15 to go back to the city. Way cheaper than the taxi. Listen, this was not your ordinary shuttle, but a luxurious, clean bus. Just so you know, if you’re in Paris and want to go to the outlet, this shuttle conducts pick ups and drop offs at The Louvre.
8. Try The Foods
We ate at Cafe George V for breakfast and the Le Relais de L’Entrecote for dinner. Le Relais is highly recommended per websites I’ve seen. Breakfast consisted of croissants, salad, orange juice, omelet, and hot tea. I don’t recall seeing pancakes or waffles on the menu. This was a filling meal. Dinner was steak and frites, which is popular in Paris. Frites are French fries. The steak sauce is a secret sauce. The food was good. Our server dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt, black skirt, and white half apron uniform gave refills of the steak and frites. I think I had 3 rounds.
Paris is also known for macaroons and hot chocolate. My friend was impressed with the hotels hot chocolate. We went to Angelina’s for macaroons, although they are known for their hot chocolate. I read that Laduree had the best macaroons. Turns out my friend and I prefer Angelina’s macaroons over Laduree. If you’ve never had a macaroon, I’ll describe them as Moon Pie shaped, with soft cream filling, and soft colorful outside covering, unlike the Moon Pie.
9. Lock Bridge
I’ve heard about coming to Paris and putting your love lock on the bridge. Well, when we got there I Googled and lo and behold, they haven’t been doing that for at least 5 years. Anyway, we came across the Passerelle Debilly Bridge which crosses over the Seine River and it had locks in it. I was satisfied with seeing that.
10. Moulin Rouge
Moulin Rouge is a cabaret initially known for its seductive dance and means “red mill” in French. Do you see the red mill on the building? I recall hearing about Moulin Rouge in the 1975 song, “Lady Marmelade” by Labelle in my pre-teen years. I loved the beat. One day after finally learning the words I rushed to my mama to share my ability to speak French. Her response was, “Don’t say that!!” Then as an adult the song was remade, and made very popular when the American Moulin Rouge movie starring Nicole Kidman came out. Today, Moulin Rouge is a popular tourist attraction.
