Our Summer Vacation in Europe (Part 2): Paris

I’m finally sharing more about our summer vacation in Europe — specifically the Paris leg — something I’d originally planned to do months ago.  But life threw me some wrenches this past fall, and I had to put some things on hold. However, this is the time of year that many of us start thinking about summer plans, so perhaps it’s good timing to share a little travel inspo!

As I said in my post about Barcelona, the first part of that trip, this really is just a recap. It’s in no way an expert guide to exploring Paris; I’m just sharing highlights of our trip that may offer some tips and insight to help others with their own travel planning.

We decided to include Paris in this trip because we just really wanted to go.  Three of us had already been there — Owen a couple of years before with his school French program, and Levi and I a few times, though it had been about 20 years.  And Sasha was intrigued because…well, it’s Paris!

Friends who has been with us  in Barcelona also traveled to Paris, and it was fun to be there with them.  We stayed four days and nights and filled them all up with sightseeing, exploring, eating, wandering, shopping…  and we probably barely scratched the surface and could easily have spent many, many more days in the City of Light.

Here’s the recap of it all…

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

We flew to Paris from Barcelona on Vueling, which flies to cities all over Europe (as well as Africa, Asia, and the Middle East).  It was an easy 1.5-hour flight, and I think we picked it for the timing and low cost. We took a taxi from the airport to our Airbnb, then got around Paris by Metro, taxi, and foot.  We walked a lot — I logged about 30k steps a day — because the weather was gorgeous, and we just wanted to see and experience as much of the city as we could.  We took Metro when we were trying to save time and because it’s kind of an adventure.  It’s a very impressive system, easy to figure out when you take a good look at the map and get the hang of how the stations work, plus it’s fantastic for people watching and getting a peek into everyday Parisian life.

 

WHERE WE STAYED

We stayed at a lovely Airbnb located right across from Place de la République in the 11th arrondissement (toward the NE), but right at the edge of the 3rd.  We chose it for a few reasons:
1) We had searched for places in the Marais, a lively, central area, and the listing came up
2)  Our friends were staying a couple of blocks away, and we wanted to be close
3) The space looked perfect for us, and it had great reviews
4) It had air conditioning, which we really wanted in case of a heatwave, though it turned out we didn’t really need it.   However, my mom had been to Paris almost exactly one year before us when there was a heatwave, and she said AC was essential.

The apartment was located on the third floor of a building, with a Metro stop  literally steps from the entrance. Our balcony faced the Place de la République and offered fantastic views of it.  This was especially interesting because we arrived amid protests against the far-right political party which had just surged ahead in the elections.  We could watch the action in the plaza right from our balcony.  Luckily, the apartment had good windows, so noise was not an issue while we slept.

While our place wasn’t right in the Marais as we had originally wanted, the 11th turned out to be a great location.  It’s vibrant and bustling, with a lot of dining options within easy walking distance, as well as grocery stores and other shops. And we probably wouldn’t have explored that area had we not been staying there.  It was also a short walk from the heart of the Marais.

 

WHAT WE DID

Day 1
Our four days consisted of many typical tourist experiences with plenty of wandering and eating and shopping in between.  After taking in the above-mentioned protests by our Airbnb, we headed to the famous L’as du Fallafel in the Marais for a late lunch (as delicious as it was when Levi and I first went in 2003), then walked around the area for awhile, mostly spotting stores that we wanted to return to later for more thorough browsing.

On our first evening, our group of eight agreed a visit to Paris’ most iconic sight was in order. Even though many of us had seen and been up the Eiffel Tower, we were all excited to get that first view. I mean, when in Paris, right?  We took the Metro to a stop right across the river from the structure, then made our way there on foot.  Walking down a long block, we came to a spot between buildings where we could see the tower lit up in all its glory, and it really was breathtaking, especially as it sparkled when the lights began to twinkle.  And seeing the Olympic rings just a few weeks ahead of the Summer Games made it even more special.  (Yes, I’ll have some wine with my cheesiness.)  We didn’t have tickets to go up the tower, since they sell out online months in advance, BUT our friend inquired about walk-ups, and we were able to go later — more on that below!  That first night, though, we just took a bunch of photos, grabbed dinner nearby, walked around, then taxied back to our Airbnb.

Day 2
We started in Montmarte — took Metro to a nearby stop then walked up to the Sacre Coeur — to see the striking white church atop the hill,  take in sweeping views of Paris from that point, and walk around the lively area full of artists, cafes and shops, and lots of other tourists.  We got crepes from the window at Au Petit Creux and enjoyed them as we wandered the streets.  [Side note: The first time I ever visited Paris when I was 24, I stayed in a hostel in Montmarte, right at the bottom of the hill, so the area always has a certain sentimentality for me… though back then, the crowds weren’t nearly as big as they are now.  It’s wild to see how much it’s changed.]

From there, we made our way toward the Tuileries Garden.  It was a gorgeous day, and we all just wanted to soak in the sun and street scenes rather than zip through underground or in a taxi.  We walked and walked until we arrived at the Louvre.  (We didn’t have tickets — again, late on that, but several of us had already been), but we started there for our walk through the Tuileries.  Parts of it were closed off in preparation for the Olympics, but we made our way down until we arrived at Champs-Élysées, where we found a nice brasserie, Le Montaigne, for a late lunch and drinks.  After that, we strolled the famous avenue, popping into stores and doing a little shopping, until we reached the Arc de Triumph. You can actually go in and up the Arc, but we were short on time, so just snapped a selfie before catching a taxi back to our place.

One of the highlights of our time in Paris was a dinner out with friends, both those who were traveling with us and other DC friends, one of them French, who overlapped with us in the city for a night.  They were staying with family in Paris and invited us to join them at a restaurant their family has been frequenting for decades.  It was nice but not fancy, and we felt like we were getting a true local experience. The menu included dishes that were simple but classic — steak, duck confit, chicken liver, cheese for dessert — and it was all delicious. Plus, the service and atmosphere were très bon.  It was just adults; the kids (all teens, two of them 18 at the time) went out to dinner on their own in the Latin Quarter.  A really great Parisian night out for everyone!

 

Day 3
We packed a lot in on our third day (me, especially, since I wake up much earlier than the rest of my family and explored on my own before meeting up with them later). I started with a walk to and around Marché couvert les Enfants Rouges, Paris’ oldest food market dating back to 1615, though I was so early it was still setting up. We ended up going back later in the day to browse the stalls and stop for a snack.

 

From there, I headed to the Seine and stopped to browse the bouquinistes and other souvenir vendors before making my way to Notre Dame. The cathedral was still under reconstruction after the fire, but it was very close to reopening, and there was a short trail of displays with information about the historic site and restoration.  It’s now open to the public and definitely worth a visit (I had been years ago on previous trips).

After that I made my way to Luxembourg Gardens, wandering through the Latin Quarter and Saint Germaine on the way.  The park is one of my favorite spots in Paris with chairs and tables all around the grounds encouraging people to sit and relax, children “sailing” boats in the fountains, the beautifully groomed plants and flowers, the area of super tall hedges, the many statues and sculptures. There’s so much to explore and enjoy within its 60+ acres,

I finally met up with everyone else at The Catacombs. Levi and I had toured it before, and we knew our kids would be intrigued  (we were right…our friends enjoyed it, too), so we had made sure to secure tickets in advance. The extensive maze of tunnels below the city contain and display human bones — the walls and structures within are actually made from stacks of tibias, ulnas, skulls, and more!

In the 18th century when overcrowded cemeteries became a public health issue,  grave contents (ie, bones) were transferred to quarries below ground. The site contains remains of millions of people, including some notable Parisians.  Something that stuck with me was a display at the end of the tour with a quote from one of the first visitors to The Catacombs when it opened to the public: “Here, all distinctions of sex, wealth, and rank have finally disappeared.”   Read more about the history of it here.

Later on, after lunch and roaming around, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower and lined up for a walk-in visit.  It was only a short wait to get in to the area to buy tickets, and then we literally walked right up to the ticket counter and bought admission to go up.  We opted to walk up to the second level — you can only walk that far, then take an elevator to the top — because we thought it would be cool to take the stairs and because you can also stop on the first level. If you’re up for a little workout, I recommend walking up!  It offers a unique perspective of and from the Eiffel Tower, and you still get the elevator experience from the second level.

Of course, the views from the top were absolutely spectacular.  And while it was a bit crowded, that didn’t deter from the experience.  See details for both walk-up and elevator options here. I should also note that while we were able to get tickets day-of, I don’t know if it is always that easy.

As luck would have it, that evening France was playing Portugal in the Euro Cup.  The kids met up with friends who were also traveling in Paris to watch the match, while the four adults went out to dinner  — and watched the match, too!  It was on everywhere, and places were packed with people viewing it together, some even crowded on the streets outside.  Needless to say, it was so exciting when  France won the match on PK’s!  Everyone was celebrating in the streets, and it was so fun to be in that moment.  Here’s a glimpse:

 

Day 4

Our family spent most of the final full day on our own.  I started with an early stroll around the Marais, which is such a lovely area full of cafes and shops, and it was nice to walk around while it was all still waking up.

Later, we all walked across the city, seeing sights like the Paris Opera House and browsing around Galeries Lafayette, a huge shopping area.  We ended up splitting up, and Levi and Owen went to see Napoleon’s Tomb while Sasha and I headed to Saint Germaine.  She and I stopped in the famous Barthélemy fromagerie, and I spent more money on cheese than I ever have in my life (but we thoroughly enjoyed it at our third Euro destination) .  Then we went to Deyrolle, which I’d been intrigued by ever since I heard about it many years ago (I think on Anthony Bourdain’s show).  It looks like a shop, but calls itself a “scientific and educational institution,” with rooms full of taxidermied animals, cabinets displaying relics from nature, and lots of nature-inspired art.  I snapped a pic before realizing photography was not allowed.

That evening, our whole crew enjoyed one last steak frites meal together. The next morning our friends took the Chunnel to London, and we caught a flight to our next destination — which I’ll be posting about soon!

 

TIPS & INSIGHTS

1)  I generally recommend getting tickets in advance for major attractions.  While we were able to get them day-of for the Eiffel Tower, that is not necessarily a guarantee.  And we definitely needed advance tickets for The Catacombs.
2) Be prepared for crowds in summer. There were a lot of tourists pretty much everywhere we went.  It didn’t detract from our time there, but if you don’t like crowds, Paris in summer might not be for you.
3) Weather in Paris varies that time of year (early July).  Temps ranged from 50’s at night to high 70’s during the day when we were there, and it was wonderful.  However, my mother was there exactly one year before when they soared to nearly 100°.
4) There are a bunch of museums in Paris that offer free admission every day, the first Sunday of the month, and for visitors under 26. See a list of them.
5) I didn’t take advantage as well as I should have, but you can get great skin care products that aren’t available in the U.S. in Paris pharmacies. Apparently, sunscreens are especially good because they are higher quality — they have been tested more and use better ingredients.

Do you have any recommendations and tips for traveling in Paris? Feel free to share in the comments!

MORE SCENES FROM PARIS

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