Why You Should Book a Flight to Paris Tomorrow

By Aliye Hargett

When I was growing up, I would often spend a few weeks of the summer with my grandparents in Michigan.  During these stays, my grandparents loved to play music on their record player, and one artist in particular was my grandmother’s favorite: Edith Piaf.  I was snuggled up to my grandmother with a cup of tea when I first started dreaming of Paris, the sounds of Edith Piaf’s “La Vie en Rose” wafting through the living room.  She explained to me how magical the city was and how she hoped I would experience it someday too. Years later, I have come to love the city just as much as my grandmother and have discovered a few tricks and tips to make the most out of a trip to the City of Lights. 

Where to Stay 

            Paris is made up of twenty arrondissements.  Each one is a unique pocket of culture and history, and my favorite is the fashionable Marais district. Also known as the fourth arrondissement, the Marais is the perfect mix of a classic Parisian neighborhood with all the assets of a bustling young community.  It boasts a booming food scene, pre-revolutionary architecture, and shopping of all kinds from Moncler to local boutiques.  Its proximity to metro line one, also known as the yellow line, allows you to get anywhere in the city with ease.  If getting your steps in is more your style, the Marais is not more than a fifteen-minute walk from some of the most idyllic locations in Paris such as the Latin Quarter on the left bank, Saint-Chappelle, Place des Vosges, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. The Marais is also home to the BHV Marais, a six-story indoor shopping bazaar, which is the perfect destination for a stormy Paris afternoon. 

The Basics:

·     Stay in a neighborhood near a major metro line! It will make getting around the city a lot easier.  

·     Buy a pack of 10 metro tickets instead of individual tickets- it is much cheaper this way!

·     Explore your neighborhood on foot and take an afternoon to get lost.

Where to Eat

            French cuisine is famous in the culinary world, and while some people believe it is a spiritual experience to dine on escargot, pâté, and foie gras in a café with the sounds of Paris filling their heads, I am not one of them. I do, however, have a slight obsession with the classic French dish sole meunière.  The first time I took a bite of this mild fish, crisped in a brown butter and lemon sauce in the Côte d’Azur, I was transformed. I made it a mission on my trip to Paris last May to find the perfect sole meunière, and I found it. Steps away from the Louvre Museum is “Le Royal” in the first arrondissement; their sole meunière was perfectly prepared, and if you’re wanting to try a classic French dish that doesn’t involve snails or raw meat, this is your place.  

While the perfect breakfast for me in Paris is a nutella crêpe with strawberries, one of my favorite places for a lazy morning brunch is Holybelly 5 near La République.  Their farm-to-table and home-made everything approach is what makes their pancakes so fluffy, their chai tea lattes so addicting, and their hash browns disappear after a minute on the table.  This restaurant even impressed my “Can I just have a normal eggs and bacon kind of breakfast?” dad, so I’m sure you’ll love it just as much as I do. Sleepyheads beware! I have seen the line for this place wrap around the building, so either go later knowing you’ll get some extra time to socialize while waiting to be seated, or wake up a little early to get first in line!  I’m someone who likes to enjoy the ambiance when I eat, and Holybelly’s retro-chic décor is nothing short of the perfect set for a boomerang. You can thank me later. 

Restaurant Honorable Mentions: 

·     Fuxia: amazing pasta and a neighborhood feel.

·     Suan Thai: get your Thai fix in Paris. 10/10 would recommend the red curry 

·     Le Central: the perfect place to people watch with a delicious cocktail 

What to do:

            One of the things I love the most about Paris is how easy it is to explore on foot and at your own pace. My favorite days there have been spent exploring the neighborhood where I am staying.  This is how I happened upon Place des Vosges. This idyllic park in the Marais is the oldest square in all of Paris. With one fountain at each corner of the square, the lush green space is the perfect spot for a quiet break from sightseeing, best enjoyed with a crepe, a book, and good company.  

The pastry chefs in Paris are world-renowned, and while I love visiting the boulangeries for a fresh croissant, I thought it would be amazing to learn how to make one myself.  La Cuisine Paris offers a variety of cooking classes taught by local pastry chefs. I took the Croissant and Breakfast Pastry class, and it was one of my favorite parts of my trip last May.  After making the dough and forming the different pastries, we enjoyed our creations with some coffee and tea, which was the perfect end to our class. Making croissant pastry is tedious work, but learning how to make the Parisian staple from scratch allowed me to bring a little piece of Paris home with me.  

            While Sacré-Cœur and Notre Dame are sights every one who travels to Paris should see, I think Sainte-Chapelle is one of the most beautiful places you can visit while there.  The upper level’s floor to ceiling stained glass windows are breathtaking, and the colors in the glass reflect onto the floor when the light hits them, making it look like there are jewels embedded in the ground.  It is a must-see for sure! 

            There are so many places to see in Paris that it is easy to be overwhelmed! Pick a few places that you are sure you want to see before you get there, so you can commit to fitting them in your schedule.  I think one of the biggest mistakes you can make when going to Paris is missing out on what you are experiencing in the moment when trying to ensure that you fit everything in. Don’t do this! There truly is beauty in every corner, so don’t rush from place to place. If you’re a morning person- and if you’re not you’ll want to be for this view- commit to waking up a little early to get off the metro line 6 or 9 at the stop “Trocadéro.” At around eight in the morning, the platform at Place du Trocadéro is completely empty, so grab a café au lait and a croissant and stroll around to see the most breathtaking, uninterrupted view of the Eiffel Tower in all of Paris. 

Sightseeing Dos and Don’ts: 

·     DO: Pretend you’re a royal while you get lost in the Versailles gardens and walk across the bridge that overlooks the water lilies that inspired Monet’s most famous painting all in one day with the “City Wonders” Versailles Palace and Claude Monet home and garden tour.

·     DO: Bring a cute, cross-body bag that zips, and beware of pickpockets in busy areas, especially the metro!

·     DON’T: Grab water from the front of the nearest Monoprix if you get thirsty after a long day of sightseeing! There are always bigger bottles of water near the back of the store for locals for half the price of the small ones near the front.

·     DON’T: Taxi everywhere! Use the metro system if somewhere is too far to walk. Not only is it a lot cheaper than taking a taxi, it is super easy to navigate with the “transit” direction function on iPhone or Google Maps. 

When traveling to Paris, don’t be too afraid to be a tourist! Be nice to everyone you meet and try to say bonjour in the best French accent you can muster. The French will be more likely to help you if you are kind and show that you are really trying. It’s fun to act like a Parisian and stroll along the Seine, so don’t be afraid to do things that are “basic” while in Paris. Go to the Louvre Museum, walk along the winding streets while tearing pieces off a baguette, eat enough éclairs to make your stomach hurt, and wear a silk neck scarf if that’s what helps you take this magical city in. Because if having a picnic with a view of the Eiffel Tower with fancy cheese, crackers, and a glass jar of Nutella isn’t the definition of joie de vivre, I don’t know what is.