Paris

Paris is one of our favourite cities in the world. We visited on a shoestring budget meaning we made the most of every second!

Getting the coach from London Victoria overnight to Paris is cheap, relatively comfortable and doesn’t take too long. We arrived at Charles de Gaulle at around 7am and promptly trekked across the city via the metro to our Ibis hotel on the other side. While out hotel was on the outskirts, it meant we made the most of the metro ticket to the centre and spent 12+ hours there each day.

We had 3 full days in Paris and while that was enough to visit all the major attractions, we could easily have spent a further 5 days exploring! When planning a trip, I would recommend making daily itineraries to determine how long you will need.

First stop – The Louvre. Now this is a place we could have spent days exploring, but sadly only had a few hours. At the time of visiting, we were university students which meant free entry, so don’t forget your student cards! 

The museum itself is absolutely stunning inside and it is huge. There is just so much to see, and all of it is picturesque and makes you feel very intelligent!

Following this, we swiftly headed over to a boulangerie to sample some macarons. You have to try the hazelnut flavour!

We then went on to the Pont Des Arts to do the (old) traditional thing of securing a love lock to the bridge. 

We wandered along the Seine, picked up some baguettes and cheese and headed to the Jardin du Luxembourg to eat our lunch. This is a relaxing and beautiful park to have a walk and soak up some of the quieter parts of this lively city.

You must visit the Champs Elysees, if not for the shops, then for the true metropolitan feel of the city. It is very modern, a la mode and bustling with life.

The Notre Dame is another beautiful building, but a place we never got to see inside as we simply didn’t have time to queue! If you want to go in I would recommend visiting early in the morning or allowing enough time to queue.

One of our final stops was the Sacre Coeur. I had been told before going to Paris that this was a stunning spot, but nothing quite prepared me for its size and beauty. You aren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but it is simply breathtaking. The view across the city from the steps outside is equally as beautiful. 

A place not to miss, if simply for its uniqueness, is Galeries Lafayette – a very beautiful department store filled with equally beautiful things. There is food, high end designer clothing, and everything you could ever need, all situated under one gorgeous glass roof with balconies and a theatrical feel.

If you visit, be sure to head to the roof where you can see all the way across the city to the Eiffel Tower!

Of course, we also visited the Eiffel Tower and decided to walk up the 669 steps to save some money! Having walked literally across the city (to avoid metro prices), our feet were already tired. By the time we walked back down, our legs were shaking. Fortunately, there are some lovely water fountains in the courtyard below the tower where we dipped our feet and enjoyed our final few moments in Paris.