I don’t keep a travel bucketlist. I read books, magazines, and lots of online stuff and discover some place that catches my attention, and I start planning my next trip. There are a few places though that lingers in my mind but have never got around to turning into a holiday plan. Paris might very well be one of those, perhaps I have always reserved it for a romantic trip.

One January day, as I was planning my trip to San Francisco, I chanced upon the fares to Paris in Emirates’ website. Lo and behold it was almost half as expensive as the return tickets to San Fo.

In ten months, I found myself in the City of Love. Dreams do come true!

Autumn must be my favourite season and for a lot of different reasons! For one, I get to witness an outburst of my favourite colors – red, yellow, and orange. Sweet!

As I prefer my holidays free and easy, I did not book any tour activities prior to my arrival in Paris and only planned the day’s itinerary on the day itself. Free and lazy too.

We stayed at Hotel Champs Elysées Friedland at Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré – a stone’s throw from the famed Arc de Triomphe. You can walk to The Louvre and Eiffel Tower as well from this area. Of course, that requires a bit of effort but what better way to get to know a city anyway, right?

I highly recommend this hotel especially for first-timers. The rooms are big and the mini-bar is refilled for free. I also like the free tea, coffee, and sweets (ok anything free) available in the tea room just right next to the lobby. They also have transparent umbrellas you can borrow when it’s rainy, or sunny, or days you could use some props for your photos hehe. Most importantly, the service here is impeccable!

Champs-Élysées is a haven for shopaholics and foodies alike with its endless row of designer shops and fancy restaurants. Be prepared though to stash some cash when dining here, one meal could set you back at at least €30 for a two-course lunch. We dined at the Leon de Bruxelles branch here twice. I believe it is one of the more affordable restaurants in the area and also, I am obsessed with their mussels. But anywhere you go, there’s no bad food in Paris. Only ones that put a hole in your pocket. Hehe.

Understanding the train network in Paris had been a challenge. Or so I say so I have an excuse to take the tour buses. It was the first time I rode the hop on, hop off bus in all of my years of travelling. Yes, it is expensive and one of the tell-tale signs that you are tourist, but it is a practical option for visitors pressed with time. It allows you to cover more ground and it also includes audio commentaries (available in many languages!).

The Eiffel Tower is indeed a magnificent work of hand and it’s especially beautiful when illuminated. I’m a bright lights, big city kind of girl and seeing the Iron Lady for the first time all lit up in golden lights brings out the child in me. The light show happens from sundown at the beginning of each hour and lasts for five minutes.

Trocadero is one of the more popular spots to view the Eiffel Tower.

Do you know that the Eiffel Tower was built to commemorate the centennial of the French revolution but it was not intended to be a permanent structure, and the French were not as enthusiastic about it either? Today, this monument is the most recognisable symbol of France and receives more visitors than any other paid attraction in the world.

Another Paris’ favourite is The Louvre, the largest and one of the finest museums in the world. I dedicated a full day for touring it but even this is only sufficient to soak in the highlights. We were there early enough to beat the queues and see The Mona Lisa without the herds of tourists dying to take a selfie with her. I suggest to everyone visiting to get their tickets in advance (online) to save time.

Fancy some Gothic architecture? A few minutes down the road from Louvre is the Notre Dame Cathedral. This great cathedral is indeed very beautiful and every detail is just fascinating to look at. Go early especially if you intend to visit the church. Luckily, we were one of the firsts to get there so we did not have to queue. But as we were leaving, there was already a long line of people wanting to go inside.

A walk further and up on a hill takes you to Pantheon. This building was originally built as a church but was later on converted into a mausoleum. Now, it serves as a burial place for distinguished Frenchmen which includes the likes of Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Voltaire. Interestingly, the building’s facade is modelled after the Roman Pantheon but do not confuse, the history and purpose of these two structures are very different.

 We did a lot of walking (and eating too). Indeed, no one does breakfast better than the French. Usually, a Parisian breakfast includes a hot chocolate (or coffee) and croissant (lots of it), and sometimes a salad and fruit juice on the side. We always order omelette and sausages on top of this. Because we are big eaters. Bon appetit!

Paris is a very tourist friendly city and I can see now why it is many people’s favourite. What’s not to like about it? The French are also one of the sweetest people I have met, always ready with a Bonjour and Merci, and even Ni hao. Oh yes, it’s not just once I have been greeted with this phrase. Haha!

Aaaah, I can’t wait to be back!!

xoxo