"Paris, mon amour" Paris by Parklife

Paris is intoxicating. Like a fine wine or a beautiful woman, she pulls you in, entices you to
experience her every corner and leaves you begging for more.

I’ve been to Paris on 4 separate occasions during two different trips to Europe. Both times we went to Paris during the beginning of the trip and felt the need to return after visiting other cities in Europe. I’ve gone once during the winter (Dec - Jan) and once during the summer (July - Aug). Both times were equally inviting for vastly different reasons (lounging in the beautiful parks with a bottle of wine and a baguette or strolling to grab a crepe around the outdoor ice-skating rink in the plaza outside of the Hotel-de-Ville). Both reinforced my desire to spend many more weeks in the city of lights.

I’ve still not had the opportunity to visit all of the areas, museums, cafes and restaurants that have been on my ‘must do’ list. All the more reason to keep going back.

Parklife’s 10 Paris to-dos

1. Obviously, visit the Louvre, but not for the usual Mona Lisa or Venus de Milo. Sure, those pieces are historical and fabulous in their own right, but suffer from overcrowding (and in the case of the Mona Lisa, a letdown caused by her plexi-glass protection). Instead, keep an eye open for The Young Martyr, The Coronation of Napoleon and the 3 fabulous Girodet de Roussy-Trioson paintings.

2. As you walk up the rue Soufflot, take a break and get espresso while sitting in one of the cafés on either side of the street that allow for a view of the Pantheon. There’s something about relaxing (with a street side table preferably) with drink while gazing towards the grand architecture of such a fabulous structure.

3. Sit on an outdoor table on the Champs-Elysee sipping champagne.

4. Spend an afternoon in the Musee D’Orsay. This renovated train station now holds the most important works of art from the end of the 19th century to WWII. The Toulouse-Lautrec paintings are not to be missed. Neither is the view from their outdoor patio/café. This is actually my favorite museum in Paris. It may not have the range of the Louvre but precisely for that reason, it has a focus and is quite manageable for an all-encompassing trip throughout the museum.

5. Visit a bakery and get one of the simple ham & cheese baguettes. Stop by a corner grocer and
pick up a cheap bottle of wine. Proceed to the nearest park (large or small) or garden and spend a
cheap lunch just taking in the sounds and sights of Parisian garden life.

6. Ride one of the many carousels scattered around town. If you think carousels are too juvenile for
you, take a ride on the large Ferris Wheel at the Place de la Concorde. Reward yourself after the ride with some funnel cake sold at the bottom of the ride.

7. View the Eiffel Tower from the across the river. Climb the stairs above the Trocadero Fountains and notice how they point the way towards the Eiffel Tower and provide a great photo opportunity. Better yet, go there at night when both the fountains and the Eiffel Tower are light up.

8. Eat in the maze of streets in the Latin Quarter. There is restaurant after restaurant with men trying to lure you in with free appetizers or aperitifs. The restaurants have to post their menu outside so you’ll be able to find a way to stay within your budget. The prix-fix menus offer poor man to rich man options and these are the best value.

9. Splurge on one of Paris’s many fabulous restaurants. Regardless of whether or not you’re backpacking or traveling in style, be sure to spend at least one night eating an expensive meal. Paris is one of the best food cities in the world. Go out on a limb and try something new.

10. Don’t spend all your time running from site to site. If at all possible, slow down. Don’t be afraid to get lost. Create your own ‘off the beaten path’ trail. There is so much to Paris and often the best way to make it your own is to discover places away from the crowds. Whether it’s a restaurant, a café, a park, a cheese shop or something else, Paris is full of gems waiting to make your trip special.