Since then, a few others have asked me to send them my list of things to do in Paris. I've made few changes after spending another month there this summer, and I offer it here as a way to, yet again, remember and relive my experiences.
There is enough in Paris to keep a traveler occupied for fifty years, but here are the few experiences I found to be most valuable and memorable, if you're only there for a week or so.
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I spent most of my time in the Notre Dame/Saint Michel area, and further south on the Left Bank, between Rue Saint Jacques/Mouffetard, and Luxembourg Garden areas. It’s a lovely little neighborhood, and one of the oldest in Paris.
Activities
Some/No Cost:
Picnics – My favorite thing to do in Paris is buy a baguette, some cheese, and a bottle of wine, and picnic somewhere beautiful with a group of friends. The best places are the Champs de Mars (the park by the Eiffel tower), the Quai Saint Bernard, and the quais by Notre Dame. When I look back, those times were more fun than a visit to any famous tourist site.
Luxembourg Garden – Luxembourg metro stop. This is where Hemingway used to walk through on his way to Gertrude Stein’s house. It has gorgeous fountains and lots of green space.
Walks along the Seine – I loved walking by the river with no particular destination:
There are street vendors all along the river near the Notre Dame. Some fun souvenirs for pretty cheap, and it’s fun to walk by and look at it all.
I recommend walking from Notre Dame along the Left bank (by the Saint Michel fountain) to the “Lovers’ bridge” or “Pont de Beaux Arts,” which was the first pedestrian-only bridge in Paris. It is famous because couples will buy a lock, write their names on it, lock it onto the bridge, and then throw the key into the river, sealing their love forever (until the city of Paris replaces the metal panels every few months...). After you cross Lovers’ bridge, walk around the Louvre pyramid and into the Jardins de Tuileries. After a nice long walk through the beautiful garden, you’ll come to the Place du Condorde, where Anne Hathaway threw her blackberry into one of the ornate fountains in Devil Wears Prada. If you keep walking, you’ll walk right up the Champs Elysses to the Arc de Triomphe. This is a long walk, but you'll go by plenty of cafes to rest and have a glass of wine.
Monmartre – Blanche or Pigalle metro stops. This is the artsy district of Paris. Sacre Coeur basilica is one of my favorite places in Paris and it lends incredible views of the city. The area is great for wandering: Moulin Rouge, Pigalle, and really fun restaurants and cafes. It's a hill-y area, so wear walking shoes!
Le Marais – This is an area on the Right bank that used to be known as the Jewish quarter, but is becoming a really hip and popular section of the city. Known for their Sunday brunch here, it is divine. There are also some great falafel places around there, too. Place de Vosges is the lovely, shaded plaza where Victor Hugo lived.
Notre Dame – The line is usually long but the inside is absolutely beautiful. If you don't want to wait in line, though, walk around to the back, sit on a bench and admire the architecture.
Cost
Some/No Cost:
Picnics – My favorite thing to do in Paris is buy a baguette, some cheese, and a bottle of wine, and picnic somewhere beautiful with a group of friends. The best places are the Champs de Mars (the park by the Eiffel tower), the Quai Saint Bernard, and the quais by Notre Dame. When I look back, those times were more fun than a visit to any famous tourist site.
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| Notre Dame Cathedral |
Luxembourg Garden – Luxembourg metro stop. This is where Hemingway used to walk through on his way to Gertrude Stein’s house. It has gorgeous fountains and lots of green space.
Walks along the Seine – I loved walking by the river with no particular destination:
There are street vendors all along the river near the Notre Dame. Some fun souvenirs for pretty cheap, and it’s fun to walk by and look at it all.
I recommend walking from Notre Dame along the Left bank (by the Saint Michel fountain) to the “Lovers’ bridge” or “Pont de Beaux Arts,” which was the first pedestrian-only bridge in Paris. It is famous because couples will buy a lock, write their names on it, lock it onto the bridge, and then throw the key into the river, sealing their love forever (until the city of Paris replaces the metal panels every few months...). After you cross Lovers’ bridge, walk around the Louvre pyramid and into the Jardins de Tuileries. After a nice long walk through the beautiful garden, you’ll come to the Place du Condorde, where Anne Hathaway threw her blackberry into one of the ornate fountains in Devil Wears Prada. If you keep walking, you’ll walk right up the Champs Elysses to the Arc de Triomphe. This is a long walk, but you'll go by plenty of cafes to rest and have a glass of wine.
Monmartre – Blanche or Pigalle metro stops. This is the artsy district of Paris. Sacre Coeur basilica is one of my favorite places in Paris and it lends incredible views of the city. The area is great for wandering: Moulin Rouge, Pigalle, and really fun restaurants and cafes. It's a hill-y area, so wear walking shoes!
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| Sacre Coeur Basilica |
Notre Dame – The line is usually long but the inside is absolutely beautiful. If you don't want to wait in line, though, walk around to the back, sit on a bench and admire the architecture.
Cost
Museums & Sites –
Next up, Part 2: Food and Drink!
- The Louvre is pretty, but overwhelming. As a first timer, it's definitely something to see, but I don't feel the need to go again...
- Musee d’Orsay is worth the 9-euro entry fee. You’ll find Renoir, Degas, Monet, and other very moving impressionists works.
- L’Orangerie – “The Orange Grove,” Napoleon built this place because he wanted fresh-squeezed orange juice every morning. Monet’s Water Lillies are here, as well as other Impressionist artists like Picasso and Renoir. Very cool and not too expensive, 9 euro or around there.
- Rodin museum and gardens – “The Thinker” is here, and many other sculptures and works. On a pleasant day, the gardens are a wonderful place to have a picnic.
- Versailles – If you have an empty half- to full-day, I recommend going out to Versailles. The palace and gardens are overwhelmingly gorgeous, and the town itself is very charming. Tickets to see the palace run about 21 euros, plus the 45-minute train to get out there.
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| Inside Musee d'Orsay |
Next up, Part 2: Food and Drink!
