Travel Guide: Paris, France Pt. 1
Bonjour Paris! Laurel, Julia, and I headed to Paris during our last free weekend in London! This quick trip was well spent. We made sure to see all of the famous Parisian sites in the short amount of time we had in this city. Because we did so much in Paris, I have decided to split this Travel Guide into two posts. Stay tuned for a second post consisting of Air B&B information and tips for travelling in France. Similar to our Edinburgh and Dublin weekend, this was a jam-packed, exhausting couple of days; however, I would not have wanted to spend them any other way!
How we spent our first day in Paris:
1. The Louvre
The famous Louvre glass pyramid!
Julia, Laurel, and I outside of the Louvre
As you can see in these pictures, it was absolutely gorgeous outside! It was nice and warm with no clouds in the sky. We could not have asked for better weather. You may remember this jumpsuit from my Striped C(oo)lotte Jumper post back in March. I love the loose fit and lightweight material. This jumpsuit is very easy to travel with and easy to mix and match with many different accessories (similar here, here, and here). At night I added my vegan leather maroon jacket from Zara, which I bought about a year ago so I have linked some similar ones here, here, and here. I am also wearing my Tory Burch Miller Sandals and my Tory Burch Cat Eye Sunglasses (similar here).
Julia's and my selfie with the Mona Lisa! This painting has the largest crowd of people surrounding her! You have to wrestle your way to the front to snap a quick picture.
The halls of the Louvre are absolutely beautiful. The walls and ceilings are painted gold and have gorgeous paintings down each hallway. When you visit the Louvre make sure to look up, because the artwork is not only hanging on the walls, but up above your head.
When visiting Paris you need to set aside some time to visit the fantastic museums they have around the city. If you want to visit any of the museums I would suggest buying your tickets online ahead of time to save hours that would be spent waiting in line! Other than the Louvre, there is also the Musée d'Orsay and the Musée de l'Orangerie, just to name a few.
2. Walk Through the Tuileries Garden
Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel - this arch stands in the Place du Carrousel which is situated between the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden
Don't miss the Eiffel Tower in the background!
The Tuileries Gardens is a beautiful area located next to the Louvre museum where people can enjoy the beautiful weather.
3. Walk along the Seine River
A walk along the Seine River is a great way to spend your day in Paris! We followed along this river from the Louvre all the way to the Eiffel Tower. If we had more time in Paris I would also have loved to take a Seine River boat cruise. When I visited Paris in high school we took a beautiful boat cruise along the Seine at night where you have a great view of the Eiffel Tower lit up!
4. Walk through the beautiful streets of Paris
I love the Parisian architecture. Every building is absolutely beautiful and picture perfect. Before we headed to the Eiffel Tower, we stopped at Cafe le Dome (pictured above) for a quick bite to eat and a refreshing drink.
5. Eiffel Tower during the day
The details on the Eiffel Tower are spectacular
After an exhausting day of walking around the city of Paris and exploring the Louvre museum, we decided to take a break and relax in the Parc du Champ de Mars, which is located just north of the Eiffel Tower. This beautiful grassy area is the perfect place to lay down and take in the view of the Eiffel Tower. If you know me, then you know I am a huge napper. I did not pass up the opportunity to take a quick snooze under the Eiffel Tower. The picture above is the view I had when I woke up from my nap (*insert heart eyes emoji*).
The Parc du Champ de Mars is the perfect place to relax for a little while. Many people are walking around selling bottles of wine and champagne, and there is the cutest little crepe stand nearby!
6. Dinner near the Eiffel Tower
After relaxing in the Parc du Champ de Mars for a few hours we decided it was time to grab some dinner. We did not want to go to far from the Eiffel Tower so we could stay to see it light up at sunset; therefore, we found the cutest restaurant just around the corner. Ribe was absolutely delicious and in a great location! I ordered a great pasta, and we all shared the crème brûlée for dessert.
7. Return to the Eiffel Tower at night for the lights
This is one of my favorite pictures from Paris!
The Eiffel Tower lights up every night at sunset (which was 10 PM when we visited!!) During the first five minutes of every hour, on the hour, the Eiffel Tower sparkles, which is a site you definitely don't want to miss while in Paris. Our first day in Paris was perfect, and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night was magical!
Stay tuned for part 2 of my Paris Travel Guide!
Complete Outfit Details:
Sandals: Tory Burch
Similar Sunglasses: Tory Burch