My First Trip to Paris
If you’re going to be sad about entering the real world, you might as well be sad in Paris!
I took my first trip to Paris with my sister right after graduating college. Paris has always been my dream city, and I was not disappointed! I document various potential first-time Parisian activities below. Though these are very touristy activities, they were perfect for a first time experience!
Laudurée was our first stop, and was definitely several notches above the stores in Los Angeles. We went to the location in the Champs-Élysées, a short walk from our Airbnb. We sat in the beautiful dining room pictured above, and ordered champagne and macarons. Definitely a nice dining experience, but you can also just stop by and pick up a box of macarons from the wide selection!
We went to the infamous Cafe de Flore for breakfast the next morning, and after experiencing it I truly understood the hype. Our waiter looked like he could have been a celebrity or model, and everything was delicious. I normally do not like hot coffee, but the hot cappuccino was probably the best I will ever have. It is a fabulous people watching spot, and you can find people having a solo moment enjoying their morning. You will want to wave down your waiter when you are ready for the check, as it is not French custom to bring it without being asked (they do not want you to feel rushed).
Next we visited The Louvre, which had so many stunning art pieces. As you may have seen in TikTok videos, the room with the Mona Lisa is usually extremely crowded and the piece is a bit underwhelming. It is quite small and stored in a glass casing box.
The Palace of Versailles was truly a majestic experience, and you will definitely get your steps in walking around the grounds! There are several great photo opportunities here, so make sure to bring your camera! The Hall of Mirrors is truly stunning, it is my dream to have that many chandeliers in my home. There is an Angelina located inside the palace, if you are looking to stop for a treat at a popular tea room.
The Musée d'Orsay was my favorite museum of them all. I would not be so bold to say I have a particular eye for art, but I thought the pieces here were especially beautiful. It was also smaller than the other ones we visited, so it felt more intimate. Don’t forget to take a picture with the famous clock!
We spent a full day taking the train to Épernay to tour a couple champagne houses. The town was so cute, and all of the champagne houses had stunning architecture. We had a private tour at Pol Roger, which was a top notch experience. We got to see every step of the champagne making process, had a one on one tasting, and even riddled bottles ourselves. The Moet and Chandon tour was a slightly less personalized experience but still fun, with a video shown in the beginning, group cave tour, and champagne toast. I definitely recommend this as a daytime experience!
The Arc de Triomphe is a must see monument, and has an incredible view of the Paris skyline and Eiffel Tower. It is located at the west end of Champs-Élysées. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you will need to climb up a long winding staircase to get to the top. I laugh thinking back that I wanted a baguette as a prop in my pictures, so climbed up all those stairs carrying my prized baguette. I included a picture of a sculpture inside the moment that I found funny and could probably be memed in so many different ways.
Did you think I forgot about the one and only Eiffel Tower? We went to the entrance of the actual base of the tower, which may have been a little too close to capture the full monument. However, it was pretty amazing to be right underneath it, and see the detailing of the architecture. I recommend a viewing spot a bit further away for photos.
Last but not least, the love lock bridge was a must see. After all, we were in ‘The City of Love’. My sister and I bought a lock from someone selling them on the bridge and commemorated our amazing trip together. The Seine river makes for a perfect backdrop, and looks stunning day and night.
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