Top tips for visiting Paris for the first time.
Galleries Lafayette rooftop views. Instant cool factor.
Photo credit: Julie Howe
How to see the best of Paris in a week.
A week, of course, is not long enough, but that’s your fault for not planning to live here. What were you thinking?!
Walk around the Marais. That’s the 4th arrondissement. Charmant! Duck into Melodies Graphiques at 10 Rue du Pont Louis-Philippe for pretty pens and paper.
Hang out on the islands in the middle of the city. The one island has Notre Dame cathedral and the other claims to have invented ice cream at a café there called Bertillon. These are between the right bank of the Seine (top of river on maps) and the left bank of the Seine (bottom of river on maps.)
Go to Shakespeare and Company and buy my books. *shameless plug* Get them stamped with the official bookstore stamp and put them in the official bookstore tote.
Disclosure: I wasn’t really reading, just looking bookish for your sake.
4. Walk around the corner to visit Messy Nessy’s Cabinet… this is a blogger who opened a fine little shop full of quirky souvenirs for the traveler-in-the-know. Find it at 19 Rue de Bièvre. She sells bottles of Seine water. Turns green in the sun. True fact!
5. Walk over to the Pantheon. No need to go in. You don’t have that kind of time, but the church beside it has the steps from Midnight in Paris.
On the steps made famous in Midnight in Paris.
Photo credit: Kristin Lau
5. From there you can zigzag around the back to Rue Mouffetard. The café at the intersection of rue Mouffetard and Rue de l’Arbalète is where I spied Christophe who was working in the shop across the street. We lived at the bottom of rue Mouffetard by the fountain. Some loaf called Hemingway lived at the top of rue Mouffetard at 74 rue du Cardinal Lemoine.
Janice and Christophe unboxing Paris Letters before unboxing was cool.
Photo credit: Kristin Lau
6. TournBride restaurant a few paces up the street at 104 rue Mouffetard is my hang out and a nice place for lunch. Great for people watching.
7. Get yourself an Angelina hot chocolate on rue de Rivoli no matter how hot is might be outside. Get it to go from the counter at the front of the restaurant as you will have an absolute bird at the prices inside the restaurant. Plus you can walk it half a block to WHSmith to peruse books whilst sipping hot chocolate. Very Main Character energy. WHSmith is at 248 Rue de Rivoli while Angelina is at 226 Rue de Rivoli. See? Side by each.
8. When you order a beer in a café, a demi is a small beer. Otherwise they will bring you a giant beer. Then you will have to spend your precious time 20 minutes after you leave in search of a restroom.
9. Eiffel Tower. If you must go up to fulfill some dream, go for it, but Paris looks best when you can see the tower, which you can’t while you’re on it.
10. Best view of Paris is from the roof of Galleries Lafayette. And it’s free. Take the escalator all the way up, then the stairs. You’ll think you’re entering some restricted area. You’re not. Keep going up the stairs to the roof. Voila! You are welcome.
The author with offspring who is unamused with the rooftop of the Galleries Lafayette.
Photo credit: Krzysztof Lik
11. Take the Métro… Paris’ subway system. Don’t be a hero. You’ll be walking plenty.
12. Keep your wallet safe. Zip up and hide the goods. Thieves are ferocious. If someone asks you to sign a petition, it’s a pickpocket scam. Be wary of anyone that strikes up a conversation at a major tourist site. They are usually thieves.
13. If your life won’t feel complete without going to behold the Mona Lisa, then go to the Louvre but also check out the Egypt wing and the Napoleon apartments.
14. DO NOT GO TO VERSAILLES EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU TO GO. You don’t have time and how many fancy chairs and beds does one need to see in this life? And like I said, you didn’t give yourself enough time in Paris. Just let it go. Or don’t listen to me, then go, then tell me later I was right. Because I’m right. Versailles is a week TWO activity and you only booked one week. Tsk tsk. French school teacher finger wag at you!
15. Muses D’Orsay is worth it as is the Petit Palais. Both beautiful and not exhausting.
16. Jardin du Luxembourg is best in October but also excellent for shade in the summer. If you don’t go there and rest in one of the many green chairs, you will hurt my feelings.
17. But of all this, wandering is where you’ll find the most treasures. The best arrondissements are 4, 5, 6 for strolling. They all hug the river. Bon voyage!
Aw she got in the mood eventually. Seven years later.
Photo credit: Krzysztof Lik
