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Writer's pictureDani Sauter

PARIS JE T'AIME

Oh, Paris. Since I left Paris in November I have daydreamed about it every day. Paris to me is like a great love that I can never get over- constantly thinking of them, trying to figure out how to see them next, reflecting on our time together, all while pulling at my heartstrings. The thought of Paris brings me life. It gives me energy and ambition, as I strive now to live like a Parisian. Paris is beauty. It is the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen and I try to find this beauty in other things, but nothing is as beautiful as Paris. Paris is chic. Paris knows how to dress, accessorize, and decorate like no other, setting the trend for fashion and décor around the entire world. Paris is charming. Its charm lies within cafes and patisseries and people watching, and a tear forms in my eye as I write this, with a broken heart aching to be in its charming, vibrant city streets again.

My love for Paris is shared with many other people. It's hard to visit The City of Love and leave without leaving a piece of your own heart there. The city is filled with beauty, wonder, culture, light, and love and should be experienced by everyone. My husband and I's recent trip to Paris was a whirlwind- trying to pack in as many things we could in 3 short days, but it was a magical experience that we will remember the rest of our lives nonetheless. I’m excited to share the highlights of our trip with you, including some tips and tactics I picked up while there. I hope this post convinces you to experience the magic of Paris sooner rather than later.

Where to Stay

We stayed at the adorable Hotel La Parizienne in Montparnasse. The hotel was everything we could have asked for- friendly English speaking staff, clean, comfortable, affordable, and in a great location. In addition, the hotel has a resident artist and her fun, whimisical art is all throughout the hotel, including in the rooms! It added great character! I even got to meet the artist, Marta Fonfara, on our last day in Paris which was a great treat. I brought some of her art back with me as well as a souvenir.

The location for La Parizienne is perfect- close to tons of restaurants, shopping, grocery store and pharmacies, the train station, and metro. The hotel itself is very charming and while its comfortable, the rooms are very small- but hey, thats Paris! That said, the room decor is stunning and the beds were like a cloud! They do have a small elevator for luggage, which is a huge plus. We truly had a lovely stay at Hotel La Parizienne and I highly recommend as its a perfect place to stay in Paris!

Our room at Hotel La Parizienne

Hotel entrance

With artist, Marta Fonfara

Marta Fonfara artwork in the hotel

Paris Highlights and Things To Do 1. The Eiffel Tower- it goes without saying. Visit the Eiffel Tower by Trocadero Fountains for a breathtaking view. Go at night to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle every hour. When we went the tower was lit as the Paris flag for the recent Paris attacks.

2. Palace of Versailles. Versailles housed the Kings and Queens of France and is now a museum dedicated to French history. The palace is opulence and decadence at its best and is amazing beyond belief! The Hall of Mirrors I think may be my favorite place in this world (that I've seen).

Hall of Mirrors, Palace of Versailles

Gardens of Versailles

3. Catacombs de Paris. The most eerie, yet beautiful thing I have ever seen is the Catacombs de Paris, an underground tomb where the remains of about 6 million humans lay.

4. Paris Walking Tour through Paris Greeters. Paris Greeters is a non-profit organization that offers free walking tours of the city. We went on a tour through the Latin Quarter and it was really nice to see things we would not have otherwise known were there and not in tour books. While the tours are free, they do accept donations if you are happy with your tour.

5. Tour Montparnasse. While it’s definitely touristy, it is worth the trip and cost to go to the top of the building to see the best aerial views of the city.

Foggy view from Tour Montparnasse

6. DRINK CAPPUCCINOS. I sometimes had 3 a day! They’re delicious and just not the same at home.

7. Sit outside at a café and people watch. My favorite was famous Café de Flore right along Boulevard Saint-Germain.

8. Go to the Galeries Lafayette and shop til you drop. The roof is also open during the day and offers unblocked aerial views of the city- for free!

Galeries Lafayette Christmas Display

9. Window shop along the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré then hit the Av. des Champs-Élysées for more shopping and stop in the Sephora flagship store.

10. Walk around Saint-Germain, the Latin Quarter to the Notre Dame, and take a boat cruise on the River Seine. We didn't get to take the boat tour this trip, but I did the tour my first trip to Paris as a teenager and it’s still a great, vivid memory.

Parisian Chic and What to Wear 1. Layer, layer, layer! As I said above, the weather is unpredictable so wear layers and pack that umbrella! 2. Every chic woman I saw (which was pretty much any woman I saw) was in booties. I saw barely any women in tall boots! 3. Black skinny pants are all the rage. They also go with everything- so bring them! 4. Embrace the natural face. Parisian women wear minimal face makeup unless they are dressing up for an occasion. 5. Fashion sneakers are super on trend, especially Nikes and Adidas Stan Smith, Superstar, or High Tops. 6. Bring accessories to switch up your looks- scarves, gloves, and hats go a long way!

Outfit details:

Day 1: I paired faux leather leggings from LOFT with a white sheer lace top from Forever 21 and Sam Edelman booties to be comfortable while exploring the city! I topped this look with a robe coat from Banana Republic and faux fur stole from Anthropologie for layers in the cool weather.

Day 2: I felt inspired since we were visiting Versailles, so I opted for a dressier look of a black sweater dress from The Limited with gray tights and Sam Edelman booties, and added my vintage Hermes scarf. To finish the look, I wore a black jacket cape from LOFT with lilac elbow gloves from The Limited.

Day 3: Since we were exploring the catacombs this day, I had been saving this angel wing shirt I bought from Rotita online. With the backdrop of the skulls, I thought the angel wings would make a statement. I paired the shirt with black skinny pants from LOFT, Adidas NEO Raleigh High Top sneaks, and my robe jacket and lace print scarf from Express.

Day 4: Since we were traveling to Switzerland this day, I re-wore my faux leather leggings from LOFT, topped with a gray v-neck sweater from Express, LOFT cape jacket, ALDO Accessories hat, and Adidas NEO Raleigh High Top sneaks to be comfortable on the train.

Food & Drink The food and drinks in Paris are ah-may-zing. Especially the cappuccinos- I had one every day, sometimes even 2-3 times because they were so good. And the bread...my goodness don't even get me started on the bread! I definitely indulged on the bread since they give it to you with every meal, and some restaurants also give spicy mustard with it and the two together are just heaven. In all seriousness though, my husband and I treated ourselves to everything and anything and didn't feel guilty about it one bit since we were walking numerous miles a day, and were on vacation! Below is a highlight of the best places we ate, drank, and were merry.

Typical steak frites

Plateau à fromage

La Jacobine My friend, Chloe, of My Life Living Abroad, took us here and it was fantastic! It’s a traditional French brasserie and the food was delicious! They also have some of the best hot chocolate in the city!

La Jacobine Cappuccino

La Jacobine ham crepe

La Jacobine Hot Chocolate

Le Francois Coppee My favorite cappuccino was from this restaurant! Our food was very good and the staff was friendly. It had the feel of a very local spot, and I didn't see any other tourists while we were there.

Cappuccino and ham and cheese omelette

Café de Flore While we didn’t eat here, I wish we had. We found Café de Flore while we were killing time before meeting our Paris Greeter Tour Guide. We only had a few drinks, but I saw the food and I had wished we hadn’t already eaten because it looked awesome! Definitely visit this busy café, sit on the patio, and take in all the people watching with some wine and food.

Cafe de Flore drinks and people watching

La Marquise We ventured to La Marquise one evening for a night cap and ended up staying until past last call taking shots with the waiters!! Not even joking! This place was a highlight of our trip. The staff was amazing and speaks some English, so we were able to communicate between their English and my Rick Steve’s French dictionary. We returned for dinner the following night and the food was fantastic! The cantal cheese is definitely worth ordering- I couldn’t get over how good it was! Also the Cuvee Roumery Chateau des Ferrages wine was very good and affordable. I had the steak frites and my husband had the swordfish. We were very satisfied with the meal and even exchanged contact information with the waiters as they became our new friends!

Cantal cheese at La Marquise

Chateau des Ferrages wine

La Marquise swordfish

La Marquise steak

Paris tips en général

1. You will walk ALOT in Paris. Comfortable shoes that you have broken in prior to your travels are a must. Seriously- my husband and I walked over 20,000 steps in one day according to our phones. 2. The rumor of attempting to speak French to make Parisians like you is very true. In efforts to be a good visitor in their country, I attempted to speak French (no matter how bad I sounded), to everyone. Memorize the key greeting phrases and restaurant phrases- how to ask for a table, order a meal, and ask for the check. Trust me- knowing these phrases went a long way and was appreciated. I bought the Rick Steve's French Dictionary and it was a great pocket guide. 3. Wander. Paris is absolutely gorgeous- something as simple as walking down a street can be an experience in itself due to the architecture and people watching. 4. Paris has a metro- use it! It is a cheap and effective way to travel around the city. 5. Do some research of the lay of the land before you go. For instance, look at Google maps, figure out where the main streets and landmarks are so you have some key identifiers if you get turned around (which is very possible). 6. Carry an umbrella. The weather can be unpredictable, so carry an umbrella in your purse at all times. 7. Uber is available in Paris. We used it a few times and it worked exactly the same and cost was reasonable.

I hope you have enjoyed this Parisian post and if you are planning to visit, feel free to contact me for any questions! Also check out My Life Living Abroad blog run by my friend and fellow blogger, Chloe, for more fun ideas and things to do!

Outside of La Jacobine with friend Chloe, blogger of My Life Living Abroad

XOXO

Blonde in the District


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