Europe Week: Paris Edition

Bonjour Readers! This week I’ll be writing about Paris, otherwise known as the city of love. There are infinite possibilities of what to do in this amazing city, so I’ll just be recommending what I found to be most enjoyable during my trip, as well as some ideas from my friends who have also visited. As soon as you make it into the city, you’ll be completely transported into another era. The architecture alone is enough of a reason to make the trip, not to mention the food, art, and all-around culture. I will say, visiting a foreign non-English speaking country can be a bit daunting, but it should not be a reason not to visit. See my other blog post before making your journey for some tips when traveling to these countries.

TRANSPORTATION

So, you’re obviously going to have to fly to Paris, but the good news is, Paris is one of the cheapest cities to fly to in Europe! You’ll be flying into the largest airport in France, Charles de Gaulle Airport. I’m not going to lie, the flight is long, and the cheapest ones are going to involve at least one layover. In total, you’ll be looking at 8-10 hours up in the air. Peak season to visit Paris is during the summer months, so flights will be between $800 and $1000, but if you have the ability to visit pretty much any other time of the year you can score a round trip ticket for under $400.

LODGING

Your cheapest option is going to be hostels, and because Paris gets so many young people they are actually really nice. A lot of them have some pretty decent amendities, such as free breakfast and wifi, as well as communal living rooms, kitchens, and even laundry units. You can pick how many people you want to sleep with, as well as with what gender. Here’s a short list of the hostels I’d recommend, all of which are $30-$40 in price a night:

• Caulaincourt Montmartre
• Pariscoree
• Mary’s Hostel
• Generaor Paris

If you have a larger budget and want to stay in a hotel, here are some nice ones close to city center:

• Hotel 34B
• Hotel Malte
• Hotel Magda Champs Elysees

FOOD

You really can’t go wrong eating at any restaurant in Paris, and don’t worry, you won’t have any trouble finding any. You can’t walk a block without running into a great café or a delicious gelato stand! Here are a couple suggestions to get you started:

• Les Deux Magots
• Café de la Paix
• Au Petit Tonneau
• Paris-Brest at Chez Michel
• Le Select (Boasts past customers F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Picasso to name a few!)
• Café de Flore
• Fouquet’s

ACTIVITIES

 

Besides just walking around the city taking in all the beauty it has to offer, here are some places you won’t want to miss:

• Musee d’Orsay
• Notre Dame
• Sainte-Chapelle
• The Louvre
• Musee de l’Organgerie
• Luxembourg Gardens
• Eiffel Tower
• Montmartre
• Palace of Versailles – a quick train ride away, called RER, and will only cost you about seven euros round trip (NOTE: make sure to go early in the morning so you don’t have to wait in line for hours to get into the palace)