Paris ~ Love at First Sight

A few days in Paris, France, are enough to take your breath away. I grew up reading book after book about France, the royal family, and the history of this artistic and extravagant country. From reading about the exploits of the Count of Monte Cristo and the carriage rides of his acquaintances in the Champs de Elysee, to delving into historical fiction accounts of the young life of Marie Antoinette, I had many ideas already absorbed in my mind of what Paris would be like. However, a few days in the city gave me a fresh perspective, righted some wrong impressions, and placed a new picture in my mind of this gorgeous city and the people who live there.

I visited many places during my few days in Paris and had many unique experiences, and several stuck in my memory really well and have given me a wonderful image of Paris in my mind to remember forever. Here were my highlights in this grand city.

1. Visiting the Palais Garnier - the famous opera house featured in The Phantom of the Opera

   This book and film fill me with excitement, and getting to tour the actual site featured in this fictional tale was an amazing experience for me. It was very similar to what I had pictured in my mind, but much bigger and grander than I could have expected!

2. Walking up to the golden gates of Versailles

   I have been enamored of the story of Marie Antoinette from a young age, and Versailles was even bigger than I could have expected, just like the Palais Garnier. Actually, this was one of the things that amazed me about Paris - each exciting place we visited was more immense than I had originally thought! The grounds of Versailles were gorgeous, and we strolled around Petit Trianon and the many huge fountains and vast lawns.

3. Eating crepes at a neighborhood cafe

   Near our Airbnb apartment, we found a hole-in-the-wall café where all the seats and tables were crammed close together and spilling out onto the sidewalk. They made amazing crepes that had us taking slow bites with our eyes closed. Even though we were only in the city for a few days, we went back twice to eat at this same café. Finding small, local cafés away from all the rush of the touristy areas is a wonderful experience.

4. Taking pictures with a view of the Eiffel Tower

   It's such an iconic landmark, who can help it? I loved trying to take jumping pictures in front of this once-hated, now-loved structure (I was in a jumping-pictures phase of life).

Paris may feel like a cliché place to visit when you have a few days free, but it is really gorgeous and does give off the romantic vibe that everyone is always talking about. From the architecture to the historical landmarks, from the food to the art, this city was love at first sight. Remember to look for a cute Airbnb apartment in order to stay close to museums and landmarks, and don't forget to wander down the side streets to find unique cafés to eat at. Enjoy!

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