Paris was my first European love much to the horror of some of those in my family. After I came back from my two week trip to Europe in 2007 Paris was without a doubt my favorite city that I visited. Going up the Eiffel Tower, which yes, is tall, but not nearly as terrifyingly tall as I thought, seeing the Mona Lisa at the Louvre, taking a boat ride down the Seine, going in Notre Dame, and eating delicioius crepes were fist-time experiences that can only truly be enjoyed for all their worth during the first visit. When I went back in 2010 I found the lines of the Eiffel Tower overwhelming and I couldn't wait to get down and the visit to Montmarte didn't have the same first-love appeal as it did, but this time I was able to take pictures of the Mona Lisa, eat crepes with my best friends, and get stranded, all ingredients for a great travel experience and story. So here is the best (and worst) of Paris.
Get to the Eiffel Tower early...or late.
No matter what time it is there will be a line. Last summer when we went to go on the Eiffel Tower it ended in disaster. We went in the evening around five or so and I decided to take the elevators while Jill and Jackie would take the stairs and we would meet at the top. I get in the (first) extremely long line to get my ticket and as I approach what do I see above the ticket booth? A flashing sign that said they were only letting people up to the second level because there was too much congestion. There was no way I was buying a ticket to just the second level so I went and sat on a bench for nearly two hours, expecting Jill and Jackie to realize that people could no longer go to the top. When it started getting dark and the light show went off and they still hadn't shown up I realized that I needed to get back to the hostel before it got too dark. Too bad Jill had the city map and I had no idea where the nearest metro was, but thankfully we all reunited hours later at the hostel.
We went back the next day and I had my chance to go up again, but it's not nearly as exciting going up by yourself and the lines are so confusing that you're not really sure if you are standing in line for the elevator or . Your best bet is to get to the Eiffel Tower very early in the morning or later in the evening. They were giving out tickets for the next day when I couldn't go to the top, so if that's the case you'll have your ticket for the next day and get to stand in one of the shorter lines. And who doesn't like short lines?
Another thing that people should do is see the Eiffel Tower light up at night. It goes off the first time as it's getting dark so head across a bridge and take it in the sparkling lights.
Indulge in desserts.
You are in Paris, known for the obvious Eiffel Tower, Louvre, and Arc de Triomphe, but also its endless numbers of cafes and the best dessert ever: crepes. So make sure you save room for those eclairs because no eclair or crepe will ever taste as good as it does in France. I've had crepes in Mexico, the U.S., and other places throughout Europe and they never live up to the deliciousness of one in France. My personal favorite: bananas and nutella.
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| Crepes by the Eiffel Tower. How perfect is that? |
The metro will be crowded. Always.
Paris is huge and it's almost necessary to take the metro to get from one part of the city to the another and it's almost a guarantee that it will be packed. I mean so packed that people are pushed against the doors and people still try and get on when clearly not even a small child could. I have never seen the metro in Paris be even remotely empty where you can pick where you want to sit, although yes, there are times when you will find a seat. The metro is a great way to get around in any city because it's relatively cheap, especially compared to a taxi, and easy to navigate once you know what you are looking for, but be prepared to feel like a cramped sardine and maybe receive a dirty look or two.
Louvre 101
One would think that because the Louvre is one of the most popular museums in the world (thanks Mona Lisa and Leonardo da Vinci) that it would have long lines like the Eiffel Tower, but this is false! The main entrance is through the big glass pyramid where you take escalators down into it, but there are at least two other entrances even though I've never had a problem going through the main one. During at least one evening during the week the entrance price will be cheaper and museums generally are less crowded in the evenings anyway. The museum itself is huge so a map will probably come in handy, but there are signs that point in the direction of the most famous pieces. Yes, there will be a swarm of people around the Mona Lisa, but you don't need to stand on your tip toes and crane your neck to take a gander at it. You'll see it, gaze at it for a minute or two, snap a picture and move on. Easy as that.
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| Outside the Louvre |
Explore Montmartre.
If you've ever seen the French film Amelie (and I assume many haven't) there's a scene where the main character Amelie is in Montmartre by the carousel and one can see the Sacre Coeur, a white church with onion domes that looks like it should be in Moscow, not Paris. You can find street vendors selling their art, artists painting on easels outside, and small cafes close by the Sacre Coeur. I loved this neighborhood the first time I came to Paris because it was relaxing sitting on the steps of the church and looking over Paris and it felt so very French due to the cafes and street artists.
One of the more amusing/strange things that I've witnessed in Europe took place as we sat in front of Sacre Coeur the first time I visited. Police officers were talking to a man with a vespa and he was standing by a fence. Of course we couldn't hear what they were saying and even if we did nobody could understand anyway because no one spoke French - it wasn't offered at Dixie after all. It was one of the most amusing things I've ever seen. The man would gesture wildly as he spoke, slowly inching closer to the fence and we kept betting that he would try and jump it. It would have been infinitely more exciting to see a police chase, but when another police car showed up and they arrested the man while taking his vespa in the other car it was just as funny and strange. Police cars carting off vespas? Only in Europe.
After seeing the arrest a few of us went into a cafe/bar that was deserted except for perhaps one or two other people who sat at the bar and we ordered a bottle of champagne because where else should we enjoy the drink if not in France? It was fun, delicious, and relaxing.
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| Jill in front of Sacre Coeur |
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| At a cafe in Montmartre in 2007 |
Notre Dame
Notre Dame is one of those cathedrals that you have to visit and are up there with St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, and Westminister Abbey in London and are some of the world's most famous. Even if you aren't religious many of the super-famous churches are worth the visit, although there are thousands of churches throughout Europe that guide books say you must visit, but you can easily pass up. The great thing about Notre Dame is that it's free to go in the church itself, although if you want to go up to the bell tower you have to pay extra. The line may seem long on the outside, but once you are inside it's easy to move at your own pace and look around without being bumped into by other tourists. Although the circular stained glass window is one of the cathedral's trademarks, the gothic architecture on the outside is equally remarkable and worth a view from all angles.
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| Notre Dame, viewed from the South Side |
So here is the first of my personal cities guide/tips. If anyone has any questions or their own tips feel free to leave a comment!
