Bonjour Paris!

It has always been a dream of mine to visit the beautiful city of Paris! I started the day with an early train ride, taking only 2 hours to get me from London to Paris. I dropped my bags off and immediately started exploring the city. I headed to La Pistacherie Paris, a cafe known for its pistachio pastries, and enjoyed a lovely treat. Then I strolled to Parc Monceau, taking in the beautiful and peaceful surroundings. The Arc De Triomphe is one of the iconic landmarks in Paris, and I had the amazing opportunity to climb all the way to the top and enjoy an amazing panoramic view of Paris. While the walk up the stairs was tiring, it was all worth it. I got to watch one of the most beautiful sunsets and see the Eiffel Tower sparkle. I ended my first day dining at Le Realis de l'Entrecôte, where I had the most amazing steak and frites.

On my second day, I walked to see the Eiffel Tower and was lucky enough to get tickets for the Summit Access. It was so cool to be able to go all the way to the top of the tower and see the whole city of Paris from there. After admiring the city views, I spent the rest of my day in Montemarte a historic neighborhood known for its village-like charm and panoramic views. I visited the Sacré-Coeur, did some shopping, and took lots of photos. To end the day, I headed toward the Seine and I took a river cruise, where I got to see and learn more about the many of the famous landmarks in Paris.

The next day, I got to try escargot and cuisses de grenouilles (snail and frog legs), which are two of the many traditional French foods. Then I headed to Louvre Museum and spent the afternoon wandering through the many exhibits there. It was so amazing to see the many paintings, sculptures, and artifacts that they had there. One of my favorite sculptures that I saw there was the Winged Victory of Samothrace. Then I walked to the Notre-Dame, another iconic landmark. It was truly so beautiful to see the cathedral reopened and rebuilt. I ended my day treating myself to some macrons from Ladurée. It was coincidence that the kickoff of the illuminations at Champs-Elysée was happening this night and I was able to enjoy the show.

I spent my last day in Paris shopping and walking around the city. I went to Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, known for its terrace and beautiful stained glass dome. Of course I also had to stop by Angelina to try their hot chocolate and pastries. It was so good that I had to take a bottle of hot chocolate back home with me! I spent my last few hours at the Champs-Elysées, enjoying the Christmas illuminations before heading back to London.