Ooh la la!!
A Walk at Paris
Finally, I had the opportunity to go to Paris for the first time. It was a short trip. We only went for 2 days. It was a little bit intense. There are so many things to see in Paris, since we only had two days, that is too little time to truly enjoy the city. If you are planning to go to Paris, I suggest to spend at least 3-4 days. Also, be prepared to walk. During my two days I walked approximately 60K steps. I know!! It sounds like a lot. It was really a lot of walking. I still have blisters on my feet after 7 days, but it was worth it.
After our 8 hr flight from RDU to Paris, we decided to drop our bags in the hotel and start discovering the city. Even though we were already tired from the long flight, we knew we didn't have time to rest. The first attraction we visited was the Arc de Triomphe. It is considered a national symbol in France. It is a monument with a lot of history, beautiful architecture, and if you go to the top of it, you will have a great view of the city. There are tours to learn more about the monument and to access the top of the Arc.
The only downside of this attraction is the location. It is located in the middle of a very high-dense transit avenue. Without saying it's impossible, it is extremely hard to be able to take a picture of it without having any cars in front of it.
Still it is worth it!
Our next stop was the Eiffel Tour. After a 30 minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe we arrived to the Eiffel Tower. Definitely, it will not disappoint you. It's magnificent!
To get to the Eiffel Tower you will probably need to walk The Pont d'léna which is a bridge that spans The River Seine. On this bridge and around the Eiffel Tower you will find several vendors. These vendors sell a variety of merchandise ranging from Eiffel Tower replicas , berets, bags, and other several items. Most of them will ask you for cash but they also have someone within the team with a machine to charge credit cards. If a vendor doesn't have it, move on. There are plenty of vendors! During my trip I never had to get cash from any ATM, airport, or local banks.
Maybe because we went during Summer time, there was a lot of people in the city. I will recommend to reserve your space to visit the Eiffel and get the tour. Also, there are three (3) restaurants in the Eiffel Tower: Madame Brasserie (first floor), Le Jules Verne (2nd floor), and Champagne Bar (top floor). We were not able to go to any of them because we didn't make reservations and they were sold out for the weekend. Actually they were sold out for the next 2 weeks. If you want to have the experience of eating at the Eiffel Tower or have a nice glass of champagne or French wine by looking at the beautiful city of Paris from the top of the Eiffel tower, then make reservations at least one month in advance.
This is a great link to get an idea of the things to do at the Eiffel Tower: https://www.viator.com/Paris
We were able to get the boat tour in the Seine River. We onboarded the cruise during the late afternoon because we wanted to see the Eiffel Tower illuminated. Here is a great link to see the different cruise options:
https://www.seine-river-cruises.com
There is a light show of the Eiffel Tower and it occurs every hour. During our trip the show occurred around 10pm. During Summer it gets dark very late. The Tower lights and beacon are lit up every evening from dusk until 11:45pm.
Last but not least, Louvre Museum and Moulin Rouge. The Moulin Rouge is a beautiful theater with a cabaret style. It is known as the most famous cabaret of the world! Be aware that even though it's theatrical, there is some nudity as part of the show (topless). No videos or pictures are allowed during the show but I was able to take some of the theater. Ensure to get your tickets on time because they get sold out fast! Some people get dressed for this show so you will see some bling and sparkles. The waiting time to get into the theater is considerable so wear comfortable shoes.
The Louvre museum is spectacular. My only recommendation is to reserve a whole day in order to visit it. It is so big and has so many things to see that it is worth to dedicate a whole day to it. One of the most crowded areas was the Salle des Ètats. This is the largest room of the museum and it is also where the Mona Lisa "La Gioconda" is housed. Even though the room was very crowded, I was able to see it clearly, and it was a great experience. This museum is full of history, art, and spectacular sculptures and paintings. It was marvelous!!!
In Paris you will also find many designer stores such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Versace, and many more. These stores are more pricey, because they are designer prices, but if you find a good sales person they will tell you about the sales. I found a pair of Versace shoes for my husband on sale for approximately $300. So don't be afraid to shop in those stores. There is probably something for you and your budget.
Overall, I really recommend to visit Paris because it is a beautiful city, full of history and with many things to do. Be aware of the pickpockets. I recommend to use a cross body purse or bag, not too big; to avoid stolen items I recommend to keep your pockets empty. Finally since Paris is such a large city I would also say that a good pair of walking shoes is necessary.
