If you haven’t read One Day In Paris yet, make sure to check it out as well (it was my first night in Europe on my exchange and it was magical). This post is about my third time in Paris (second while on exchange). It was grey, rainy, and a little less magical … but who can complain about Paris?! Check out some recommendations I discovered on this trip. 

Stay

I was lucky that the friend I travelled with knew someone with an apartment – an extremely nice one at that. Though I can’t recommend you to stay at that apartment, I can recommend staying in Saint Sulpice. If I ever move to Paris, that’s the neighbourhood I’d want to live in. It’s youthful, trendy, safe, and not touristy. In terms of location, it’s close to the Notre Dame. Of course, for your first time going to Paris, it’s probably best to stick by the touristy attractions like Champs-Élysées, since that’s what you’ll want to see.

  

See/Do

Top of the Notre Dame: has the best view of the city in my opinion – plus the cardio of walking up the tower stairs is good for you! Make sure to go early to avoid the lines. If you couldn’t tell from the gargoyle, the header image for this post was taken from there.

Galeries Lafayette: this department store is throughout France, but in the main one is where you will witness the stunning architecture. Potentially even better is the accessible rooftop! We were lucky to stumble upon the rooftop because the view of the city from there was breathtaking. As you can probably tell, I’m a sucker for city views.

 

Shakespeare and Company: I love Shakespeare and British culture, so I felt a bit starstruck from this shop – plus I was dying for an english book. Studying abroad in Grenoble, the english book selection is extremely limited! This shop is right by the Notre Dame, so if you are already there, check it out!

Pont des Arts: is the love lock bridge! It was a bit underwhelming because there were wooden boards up – to block people from adding more locks the bridge. The photo I took was not on the actual bridge part. As you probably know, it won’t be there for much longer so check it out while you can!

Pont Alexandre III: another beautiful bridge to walk along! You’ll probably recognize this one.

Luxembourg Gardens: Paris has loads of lovely gardens. This is one that you should definitely visit – rated #9 of things to do in Paris on TripAdvisor. If it’s nice weather, bring a book and have a picnic!

Le Marais: This area reminded me of SoHo in NYC. Lots of great trendy shops to browse.

Musee D’Orsay: As I’ve said before, I’m not a big fan of museums without a guided tour, but Musee D’Orsay was an exception. It’s worth noting that museum entries are free on the first Sunday of the month – a perk we took advantage of! For your first time in Paris, the Louvre may be a better option since it’s more famous – but that museum is HUGE, so book a tour. Since I’d already been in the Louvre, I just stopped by for the touristy pyramid pic – and yes, I failed at it.

 

Eat

Laduree: Go and treat yourself to the famous macarons! I went to the one off the Champs-Élysées. The macarons are DELICIOUS and everyone on Instagram will be jealous ;)

Paul: is my main man – aka a food chain. I went to Paul multiple times throughout France. As simple as it sounds, the ham and cheese sandwich never let me down! It’s quality food and an affordable option for lunch!

Crepes: The best crepe I had in France was by the Eiffel Tower. You can see how much loved it (image below). Get the Nutella and strawberry one!

 

Nightlife

Mix Club: Go here on a Thursday for their Erasmus night. Basically, you get to meet a lot of international students. It’s a fun setting and super social. Make sure to go early because the entry line gets massive!!

That wraps up another travel recommendations post! Have you been to Paris? What’s your favourite thing to do there?