We are back from France and it's taken me far too long to chronicle our trip. It sounds cliche but it's actually quite true- it's hard to take a bad picture in the city of lights or frankly anywhere in France. I've actually not edited one of these pictures! However, sorting through all these great pictures has taken me nearly a month. So without further adieu, here are some of the highlights of our time in Paris. I've hopefully got another post on Provence coming too!
We started our trip in Paris, and with only a couple of days in the city we tried our best to see as much of everything we could. That being said, we didn't get to so many of my favorite spots and we hardly slept the 3 days we were there. It was hardly enjoying the French way of life. All fun but also hurried.
The Luxembourg gardens were incredibly gorgeous. The trees were turning color but the sun was still warm enough to sit outside and the flowers were still in bloom. Always one of my favorite places to visit, this time did not disappoint.
Thankfully, we did sit and enjoy the park and try to slow down for a minute with a glass of Cotes de Provence. If there is anything more French to me it's sitting at a small table outside enjoying a cafe or a glass of wine with no agenda ahead.
This was my Dad's first trip to France and thus we wanted to give him the grand tour of Paris. All the usual must sees- Notre Dame, Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Montmarte, the Seine River, the Louvre, Sacré-Cœur, Le Marais, the Latin Quarter, St. Germain, Galleries Lafayette, on and on the list goes. You get the idea that it's impossible to see everything in 3 days.
One of our first stops after checking into our airbnb and enjoying our first French meal was Notre Dame. The crowds were light and we got to spend time inside. I always love observing those who actually come to pray and light a candle vs just gawk at the architecture.
We crossed the Île de la Cité and made our way to St. Germain to check out some of our favorite streets. As always in France, the outside is the most popular place to sit. I will always love little cafe tables and bistro chairs.
We didn't time our trip to Paris to coincide with fashion week but that's exactly what happened. We didn't have time to catch any shoes, but we did go to Louis Vuitton and Colette- before it closes for good!
We basically ran through Galleries Lafayette before closing. With over 9 floors and the atrium it takes time and unfortunately we didn't get to see any of it. Galleries also has rooftop deck with an incredible 360 view of the city that we didn't get to do. Bummer!
This time we stayed in the 1st arrondissement. Our Airbnb was nicely located for access to most everything. The only draw back was that is might of been too nicely located. With so many restaurants and bars right under our windows, there was singing, yelling, and just fun partying go on all night long. Sleep was difficult.
We had some really good meals in Paris and some just alright meals. Maybe it's that our expectations are always high? One thing that didn't disappoint was the cheese. This time around we made sure to order the cheese course (at almost every meal) and it was heavenly!
Escargot and Foie Gras
Cheese instead of dessert
These are the exception to my no bad pictures in France. I love French handwriting on a menu chalkboard. I wish I had taken the time to take better pictures!
That's a wrap on this Paris trip. Stay tuned for an upcoming post on Provence!
