La vie est Belle: Seeing Paris for the First Time

In January my husband and I took our first trip to Europe. While there we had the opportunity to visit three countries, London, Belgium, and France. All three countries were unique and offered an unforgettable experience.

Our journey in France was in the fabulous city of Paris. Paris is known for being one of the most beautiful places in the world, and that it is. From the cafes to famous landmarks, there is no place in the world like Paris.

Traveling to Paris give quotes like “Travel makes you a storyteller,” true meaning.

ACTIVITIES WHILE IN PARIS

Our first attraction was the Lourve Museum - home of the Mona Lisa portrait. Walking through the Louvre palace to the pyramid is an experience within itself. The palace creates a dramatic and magical feeling as you walk to the main entrance.

However, due to public strikes we could only enjoy this beauty from outside. That is a common issue in Paris, they are always on strike. Before traveling to Paris, make sure you do your research. Strikes not only affect attractions, but public transportation as well. Also do not think you can rely on Parisians for help. While we were there, they were unaware of the impact of strikes. Anyways, I digress...this only means we will have to travel back to Paris, and I am down for that!

Let’s get into the Eiffel tower. From movies to pictures, you know the tower is a big monument. It is not until you see it in person that you understand its magnitude - the tower is huge! You can literally see it from any part of Paris. We were amazed by the ability of mankind to create a structure that is still standing with less advanced technology than today’s.

For the best photos at the Eiffel Tower, I would suggest waking up before sunrise. We were able to get many good shots without people in the background. For great shots, hiring a photographer would be another option.

Two delicacies we had to try in Paris were the macaroons and crepes. For macaroons we strode down to La Durée. La Durée was super cute with many different desserts and an ideal location for afternoon tea. The chocolate macaroon was our fav!

Crepes are typically served during breakfast or as a dessert. However, in Paris you can have them at any time or way. We discovered a contemporary crepe restaurant called Crêperie Contemporaine 142, and had the Thurien specialty. The chicken was cooked in a tandoori cream and it was A-MA-Zing!

The highlight of the trip was the city tour. It was not your typical walking or bus tour, it was an ATV tour. I am always looking for unique and dope experiences, so I knew this would be one for the books! I mean, how many people do you know have ridden an ATV in Paris? Plus the tour was at night and Paris is BEAUTIFUL at night! Some of the places on the tour included the Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Arc de Triomphe, Place Vendôme, and Place du Trocadéro.

WHAT WE LOVED ABOUT PARIS

Monuments, Museums, and Tours. There are countless activities to do while in Paris. Some of the top sites include Notre Dame, Disneyland Paris, Sacre Cœur, the Versailles Palace, the Louvre Museum, Centre Pompidou, and the Musée d'Orsay. We literally just touched the surface. However, this was an experience we will never forget.
Paris is a Walkable City. We averaged more ten miles a day on our trip. The public transportation was one of the things we loved about Paris. This allowed us to explore many of the Arrondissement in Paris. Our hotel was in the 7th Arrondissement, close to the Eiffel Tower and metro 6 (always stay near a metro station). The metro 6 also has one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower. Other popular attractions in the 7th Arrondissement are the Hotel Des Invalides, Champs de Mars and Musée d’Orsay.
The Building Architecture. The building architecture stood out the most to us. As soon as we arrived to the city, it felt like we were in a movie. We were amazed by the details of each structure and how they were built without the technology we have today.