Paris City Break: The City of Lights and Love

I visited Paris for the first time in 2016. I was on my way to Montreal, with a connecting flight in Paris. I decided to extend my layover to 5 days and visit my childhood friend Sophie. I got a glimpse of the city from actual Parisians, while also exploring some of the city’s most notable attractions. My plan was to enjoy Paris slowly, the French way, without packing too many activities into my itinerary. After all, Paris is the world’s most-visited tourist destinations with endless things to see and I had already known that 5 days would only be a sampler.

Paris, the capital of France, is a city of about 8 million residents is divided into 20 sub-sectors or arrondisements. Arriving at Charles de Gaule Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. On previous layovers in Paris, I had to stop at Paris’ second airport, Orly. From Charles de Gaule, it was a 40 Euro taxi ride to my hotel. Alternatively, there are express train and bus services from both airports to the city, but they are not very convenient, especially considering further changes to get to the final destination. As I was flying onwards to Canada, I had 2 suitcases, so taxis had to be my mode of transport.

I stayed at the Les Jardins du Marais in the Le Marias district of the 11th Arrondisement. The hotel had a cozy inner garden and my room was large and comfortable, which is very rare by Paris standards. It was the second week of January, right after the holiday season, so I managed to get a great deal on my room. The only downside to visiting in the winter is that it can get very cold and rainy in Paris around that time.

The best thing about staying in Le Marais is that it’s a mixed commercial-residential area. It has the feel of a village within the city. All morning action in France happens around boulangeries or bakeries, and there is no shortage of great places for coffee, freshly-baked croissants and dessert for breakfast at Le Marais. Traditionally a Jewish neighborhood, there are also lots of middle eastern and Falafel places for a quick snack when on-the go. Otherwise, meals are long and elaborate in Paris. Even during lunchtime, it is not uncommon to see office workers extending their break and enjoying a full course meal with wine. The French like to slow down and socialize with family and colleagues over lunch. This may seem like a shock to many who are used to speedy meals in the modern corporate world, but when in France, enjoy the art of slow living and savoring every bite of your meal.

The main highlights in Le Marais include Place de Vosges, the oldest public square in Paris. The royal square was constructed back in 1605, and the red brick facades over white arches leading to a massive central garden. There’s a fountain adorning the garden and it is one of the few historic squares in Paris where visitors are allowed to sit on the grass in the company of friends while enjoying a glass of wine. France is the world’s leading wine exporter, you can get a good quality bottle from a corner store for as little as 5 Euros.

While at Place de Vosges, you can visit the Victor Hugo house. The celebrated French writer from the 19th century penned literary classics such as Les Miserables and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Inside the museum, you can see the original furniture from when the writer lived there. Hugo was also a politician who was exiled from France three times during his lifetime. To this day, he is revered as one of the most important literary and social figures in France. When he died in 1885, his funeral was attended by 2 million people, the largest in French history.

Le Marais also within walking distance from Centre Pompidou, which houses Europe’s largest collection of modern and contemporary art.  The building’s exterior is polarizing. Some love it and other hate it. The design is based on an ‘inside-out’ principle, where the structural elements and plumbing comprise the building façade. To go up to the museum, you have to take an escalator within an enclosed tube-like structure. There is also a rooftop restaurant that features some of the best views of Paris.

There is no shortage of shopping in Le Marias. The neighborhood has a mix of boutique shops and larger retailers such as the iconic BHV department store. While most tourist associate shopping in Paris with the upscale Champs Elysees, it is in more hidden spots around Paris where you can find unique and quality items for much better prices.

One cannot not be enchanted by the beauty of Paris. While the whole city may seem like a giant open-air museum, there are also many things that are overrated and fall into the ‘tourist trap’ category. Those include queuing for hours to go up the Eiffel Tower in a crammed elevator and the hordes of tourists going to the Louvre museum just to take a picture of the Mona Lisa painting. I didn’t get to go the Louvre, which is notorious for its long lines and overwhelming size. I did, however, visit the nearby Museé d’Orsay, which houses impressionist masterpieces from renowned French painters such as Augustine Renoir, Claude Monet and Eduard Manet, to a few months to explore all of them.

 I was lucky to have local friends to guide me through the best ways to enjoy their city beyond the tourist guidebooks. We got to enjoy our meals at spots frequented by the locals. French cuisine varies by region, but you can eat all types of French and international food in Paris. The most quintessentially French food is escargot, or cooked snails, enjoyed with butter and a glass of wine. French onion soup, topped with melted cheese, is a go-to meal for cold Paris winter nights, and many meat cuts are also cooked in wine.

When going to a French restaurant it is important to be mindful of when they serve lunch and dinner, as they empty out in the hours in between and reservations must be made for dinner. In between-meals, a charcuterie board is enjoyed as a snack or a whole meal. Nothing beats French cheese, especially when paired with cold cuts and cured ham. There is no tipping culture in France, but the level of service is still very professional.

Contrary to common stereotypes of people in Paris being rude, stuck-up and holding an anti-tourist and anti-American sentiment, I found the Parisians to be very polite and friendly. My French is not super-advanced and some locals where happy to help me out in English for directions. As one would expect from any capital city, the locals are more reserved that in the smaller cities and Paris does not represent France as a whole.

The Paris Metro is a reliable and easy way to get around the city. It is impossible to miss the elegant green metro gate columns at the entrance of Paris’ 308 metro stations. While the 16 different lines may look intimidating, they are made for convenience as you are never more than 500 meters away from a metro station while in Paris. Instead of taking the hop-on hop-off bus, we rented a car for a day and I got to get a view of the city from the window, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Opera Building and the Seine River.

One of my absolute favorite neighborhoods in Paris is Montmartre. Many people might recognize this hilly neighborhood from the 2001 romantic comedy Amelie. On top of the Sacré-Coeur Mountain, Montmartre is the definition of Parisian charm and romance. It can be reached by metro or a funicular. Despite its central location, the neighborhood feels stuck in time and maintains a village-like feel – albeit one full of tourists posing for selfies. It inspired many artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Picasso and Renoir. Being there, you can feel the joei-de-vivre spirit captured by Renoir in his paintings.

When in Montmartre, there are many street artists selling their walk on the café-lined sidewalks. You can enjoy a coffee or a wine while having your portrait painted as the perfect souvenir from Paris. There are many iconic places to visit in Montmartre, including Basilica with its elegant self-cleaning white marble exterior and the Montmartre cemetery, with many smaller gems scattered around the hilly neighborhood. There is no modern construction in Montmartre, and its architectural makeup has been virtually untouched for centuries.

The red-lights Pigalle district is at the foothills of Montmartre and the Sacré-Coeur Mountain. Pigalle’s main landmark is the Moulin Rouge cabaret. Shows cost upwards of 90 Euros for the most basic tickets and can reach 400 Euros for VIP seating and dinner, but some third-party travel sites offer tickets at discounted rates. Beyond the Moulin Rouge, Pigalle is known for its adult entertainment venues and sex shops. The area can be a bit sleazy, and I wouldn’t recommend solo travelers to visit at night. Otherwise, Paris feels quite safe. Regular safety precautions are recommended, but as with many big European cities, pickpockets and theft are very common.

Another charming area that I enjoyed visiting was the bohemian Latin Quarter, located between the 5th and 6th arrondisement. Known for the prestigious Sorbonne University, the Latin Quarter is a student district with a youthful energy. It is called the Latin Quarter for its academic connection, with the language of instruction historically being held in the scientific Latin Language.

 For those with an extra day to spare, there is a train that heads from Paris to Versailles. I didn’t get the chance to travel there and take in the beauty of the world’s most famous summer palace. While Paris is a vibrant city full of arts and creativity, fashion, gastronomy and culture, many of France’s other treasures lie outside the borders of its capital city. For those visiting France for a few weeks, its railway system connects the country’s major cities and travel onwards outside the country’s borders within a span of just a few short hours.

Paris, France Pros:

·      Full of history and culture

·      Architectural beauty

·      Variety of food and shopping

·      Outstanding tourist infrastructure

Paris, France Cons:

·      Too many tourists in some places

·      Can be a pricey destination for some