What’s not to love about Paris? Prestige architecture, luxurious fashion, divine dishes and lots of history make this city pretty easy to fall in love with. I’ve only been twice but it has quickly made it’s way up my list of favorite destinations. Here I share my to-do’s of this amazing city:
First things first, food. People who know me know that the first thing I think of when planning a vacation is what I’m going to eat. As long as my meals are planned, everything else falls into place. As for Paris, that is just what happens.
I like to start everyday with a cup of tea and a croissant because where else do you have an excuse to eat buttery carbs every morning, and don’t forget the raspberry jam (my fave combo). If you are more in the mood for breakfast/brunch dishes, Laduree is your place. Their raspberry rose French toast, perfectly scrambled eggs and eggs Benedict is perfection. For lunch I LOVE L’avenue. L’avenue is your typical corner French lunch spot but high end. Great salads, fresh fish and to balance I recommend getting an order of their thin crunchy fries. Another great alternative for on the go is a ham and cheese baguette from a local bakery. Could you get anymore classic French?
When 5pm or 6pm rolls around, I am ready for a snack and my choice is usually macaroons or a crepe. Carette is a cute patisserie that is walking distance from the Eiffel Tower with amazing macaroons, croissants and pastries galore. Everything is so fresh and decadent. Also close by, I know it might seem odd, but my favorite crepes are the ones just from the stands by the Eiffel tour. Traditional yet convenient and quick. Cafe de Flore is another one of my all-time-favorite cafes. Perfect corner spot to enjoy a cocktail, some chips and strawberries with whipped cream.
As for dinner, there are many different options for whatever mood you are feeling. For traditional French food, Cafe D’eux is the best little bistro. The red and white checkered table cloths accompany the menu of steak and frites, whole roasted chicken and homemade chocolate mousse. For a very fancy but very tasty dinner, I highly recommend Le Cinq in the Four Seasons George V hotel. I am not usually a fan of the multi course restaurants and all the fufu, however, this is my exception. It was so good that we all scraped all of the 10 plates clean. Expensive but worth it in my opinion. For a more casual option, Ferdi is home to the best burger in the world. Models and celebrities from all over the world come just for their burger. I am not even a huge red meat fan, let alone a burger fan but we had to split another one after all eating one ourselves. You may be taken aback when they won’t let you substitute or remove anything but trust me, it is made perfectly. And if you still have room after your burger(s) and fries, many opt for the Nutella waffle or churros with chocolate dipping sauce to top it all off.
Ok enough about food, I am getting hungry just thinking about it. You can’t go Paris and not go to a museum. The Louvre is a must even if you’re not a museum person like me. You have to go to say that you’ve seen the Mona Lisa in person, get some cute pics outside and really appreciate the way we AC in the US, LOL. Another less touristy photo shoot spot is Rue Cremieux. Known as the “most colorful street”, every house is a different, vibrant color which makes for various photo options. The Eiffel Tower is not even a question so I won’t discuss that. After you do the things you have to do, you can do the things you want to do, like shop. Almost every high end brand has a storefront in Paris. Rue Montaigne, Galleries Lafayette and ***zara street*** are some of my favorite areas and Balenciaga, Gucci, Chloe, Sandro and Chanel are among my favorite shops.
Another big upside to Paris is that you’re surrounded by gorgeous pre-war buildings and statues at all times. I learned on my last visit that the reason that Paris is so unique in it’s old architecture is that they surrendered to Hitler in WWII before he could bomb the city.
After reading this, I hope that you have a desire to visit this amazing city if you haven’t already. Or if you have, that you want to go back and explore some more. Once you go you’ll want to go again and again and again. What else is to love more than the City of Love itself?
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