PARIS, FRANCE
Growing up my grandfather would share stories of his past adventures, the how’s and why’s of his relocation to Australia. Paris was always a city highly spoken about, from the culture to the cuisine. And ever since, all I have ever wanted to do was walk in his footsteps - see, smell and witness everything he spoke about.
The first-ever visit would be via Eurostar, how lucky these Europeans are to be able to visit two major cities without jumping onto a plane. Ill be honest, our first experience on the streets of Paris, once we arrived, was “how chaotic” the streets were - people everywhere, yelling and screaming. It wasn’t the city I heard of…..
After a little research and asking a few friends we made on our trip - we were advised that people flock the station to “welcome” new tourists - good advice for future visitors, don’t judge the city the first few seconds post-Eurotrail!
I managed to find a beautiful apartment in Trocadero, seconds away from the Eiffel Tower - a perfect location to the most iconic structure man-made. I remember driving towards our apartment, witnessing the top of the tower in the distance, watching it get closer and closer as we zig zagged through the small Parisian streets - every bump on every corner, every civilian dodged to make our way. The best part about traveling to certain places is when you come face to face with that object, location or just being in the moment after months or years of dreaming. The Eiffel Tower will do this to you.
Being based seconds away from the Tower, it was a little bit of a walk to the Louvre and many other spots, but being a European city - we had plenty of options, the Metro Train was safe and easy to use. Plenty of electric scooters for you to jump on and off, just make sure to use them at their best - highly recommend getting up early and riding the streets when no one is around! high speed ahead
Louvre? yep, get there early - don’t queue behind hours of people only wanting one thing, yep its Mona Lisa! don’t wait, get up early and enjoy the city and the museum early on.
Monmarte, a hub for art - formerly known to home greats such as Dali and Picasso. A beautiful part of the city, and a great spot to enjoy a scenic view of the entire city. Don’t forget to check out the PIGALLE BASKETBALL COURT!!!
We did visit Paris pre-Notre Dame fires, but at the time it was during its minor repairs - the crowds were easy to avoid but it was almost the same as witnessing “Big Ben” - covered in scaffolding and workers. It was sad to hear what happened but again, the city is beautiful in many ways.
Don’t over plan Paris, once you arrive you will understand that the best way to learn about a culture is to dive right into it - you will need to know a little bit of French as some food stands and cafes do not speak English, again when you travel anywhere on our planet - remember to “Respect” the culture you visit.
-CAFES/EATS-
CAFE KITSUNE; NO MATTER what city you visit, always make sure to check if they have a Kitsune. Paris HQ is located a little walk away from the Louvre, pre museum latte and fox biscuit is a must! > https://www.instagram.com/cafekitsune
Mokus Paris; Pizza in Paris? Buffalo Wings? modern sports bar - by far the best selection of food and drinks, a hub for the hip and most of all the best spot for a post tourist adventure feed. > https://www.instagram.com/mokusparis/
BLEU OLIVE; Located between the Eiffel Tower and Louvre, the Bleu Olive is Parisian in many ways - you will need to know some form of french as ordering may be difficult > https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/1018680042/
Bouillion Pigalle; I miss this place a little too much, we tried our first Garlic Snales here. Just click on their website to see how amazing this place is > https://www.instagram.com/bouillonpigalle/
Big Mamma; Just eat all the food! that’s it - that’s about it > https://www.instagram.com/bigmamma.uk/
-THE PHOTO SPOTS-
Now these are not the only spots in Paris, but these were my favourite spots. It also depends on the time of year you want to visit, can you imagine the streets of Paris covered in Snow
Now there are many spots that I wish we had time to visit, for example being a busy time of year we missed out on viewing the city from both the Triumph and the Tower - which is now on our bucket list for 2.0
If you’re a fan of street photoraphy, people watching or just enjoying the city move at a past space - do visit the Chich Quarter right next to the Triumph. Also known as the 8th Arr, this region is all about fashion and food.
Anywhere along the Siene, watch as both sides of Paris tell a story
The Siene once again offeres views of the entire Paris, early morning strolls by the river side can open up many other points of view - witnessing other angles of the Tower.
As mentioned before, Monmarte does offer a wide view - watch as the city moves in all directions
