Hey lovely readers,
I’m trying to get more into a habit of blogging because it’s something I really love doing. If you are reading, please drop me a message on Facebook or Instagram to let me know what you think of my writing.
This week I’ve decided to tell you my top 8 things to do in the magical Paris!
I’ve been to Paris several times, with my most recent visit being my absolute favourite! The reason why it was my favourite can only be described as having a romantic adventure with as I call him ‘the French Prince’ (he’s not really a prince) but more about him in a future blog post. For now, I give you my Paris top 8:
◦ Eiffel Tower – The first thing on everyone’s list needs to be the Eiffel Tower. There’s lots of people at the main photo spots around the city so be sure to get there as the sun rises if you don’t want crowds of people in your photo. Going up the Eiffel Tower I needed to use the lift because of my fibromyalgia but the queues were over 2 hours long and the queues for the stairs weren’t much shorter either. I went to Paris early November so I can imagine the queues are even busier in the summer or around Christmas.
◦ The Louvre – admittedly I didn’t go inside but I so wish I had. It’s open every day apart from Tuesdays and tickets are €17 when purchased online. There are a range of skip the line options on getyourguide.co.uk. 2 hours is the recommended time it takes to see everything in the Louvre, but I’d probably take longer so I could fully take it all in. Taking photos outside the Louvre again, you’ll end up with lots of strangers in your photos if you go during the day, so I recommend going early morning if you want the place (almost) to yourself.
◦ The Notre Dame – as I approached the Notre Dame from a side street, I felt my pace slow down as I marvelled in awe of this magnificent building. Even with the building works surrounding the Notre Dame it doesn’t take away from its glory and sheer beauty. It looked bigger in real life than how I imagined it to be. I didn’t go inside but somehow being in its presence was enough.
◦ The Moulin Rouge – a ticket at this show is not to be missed. It really was the most bonkers insanely wonderful cabaret show I’ve ever experienced, and I doubt very much will ever be topped. The night I went to the Moulin Rough I was like a kid at Christmas so excited to be there and believe me the Moulin Rouge does not disappoint! Tickets start at roughly €88 so whilst pricey it is something not to be missed.
◦ The Opera – I’d never seen an opera before, so I figured where better to start than in one of the most elegant romantic cities in the world. We watched the Der Fliegende Hollander which was a German opera with English and French subtitles. It was a story set on a ship off the Norwegian coast. Admittedly if I hadn’t read a synopsis of the opera and we didn’t have subtitles I would have struggled to follow it but as I had an idea of what was going on I really enjoyed it and you also get that smug cultured feeling as you walk out.
◦ Square Louise-Michel – If you need a break from all the sightseeing head to Square Louise-Michel. It’s a beautiful green space to relax and watch the world go by. You can also head up to the Sacre Coeur church at the top where you get breath taking views of the city. There’s also the cutest merry-go-round if you want to indulge your inner child.
◦ Hop on hop off bus – Do a hop on hop off bus tour. These are available right outside the Eiffel Tower and the whole bus tour in one loop takes about 2 hours, depending on traffic. It costs roughly €35 euros per person for the hop on hop off bus but it’s definitely worth it. You get to see all the main sights of Paris. Remember to bring a warm jacket and umbrella if you go in winter.
◦ Bouillon Chartier – For cheap and cheerful food I would recommend the Bouillon Chartier. With a 4-star rating on trip advisor you can expect a range of typical French foods at affordable prices. It opened in 1986 and with its soaring ceilings and mirrored walls it makes for a dazzling dining experience.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post. Let me know if you think I’ve missed anything off my Paris top 8.
Edwina xxx
