Travel: How to Spend Three Days in Paris

Our trip to France this year was a week in length, and we wanted to visit two areas: Paris and Nice. We spent three nights in each city, and our days were full from morning to night. In Paris, we wanted to see the main monuments, many of which I had not seen in many years.

Here’s how we spent our time in Paris.

Day 1: Arc de Triomphe & Eiffel Towel

Our plane landed in the morning, and it was so convenient to have the airport shuttle waiting for us on arrival. After dropping off our luggage and freshening up, we were ready to start walking. We walked on the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. We walked up and enjoyed the views in all directions. The Arc de Triomphe is one of my favourite monuments to visit in Paris. From there, we walked to the Eiffel Tower and, naturally, climbed more stairs.

Day 2: Palais de Versailles

On our second day, we were up and at ’em early to catch a train to Versailles. We spent the full day at the Palace of Versailles, and it was great. The palace is incredible. It’s so opulent, and there’s design inspiration in every corner. While we bought tickets in advance, the palace was so busy, and each room was quite crowded (but maybe not even as crowded as it is in peak travel seasons). On a future visit, I would try to get a private tour, which would take us into less-frequented rooms. I downloaded the audio app to learn about the history in each room.

We splurged on a lovely lunch at Angelina, right within Versailles, which was fun. I opted for the quiche lorraine and lemon tarte, and both were excellent.

While every bit of the palace took my breath away, my favourite part of our visit was wandering around the gardens and renting a row boat.

Day 3: Jardin de Tuileries, Louvre, & Les Halles

We started our third full day with an early morning walk along the Champs ElysĂ©es, via Place de la Concorde, and the Jardin de Tuileries (another fave destination!). We bought our tickets to the Louvre in advance with an entry time of 9:30am, and by the time we left after 1pm, the museum was very busy. We were glad we started out early. Similar to Versailles, if I visited the Louvre on a future trip, I would opt for a private tour, so we could see the famous and not-so-famous sculptures and paintings more efficiently. The museum is massive, and while the map and signs are helpful, it can still be an overwhelming experience. The visit was lovely, and I swooned not only over the art, but the building’s beauty. A feast for the senses!

After a leisurely lunch at nearby Café de Paris, I left the boys to wander around Saint Germain des Prés (6th arr.). We met up later with another friend at Les Halles and enjoyed a delicious meal at Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond., where we sipped on wine from St. Emilion and enjoyed deviled eggs, escargot, and duck confit. So very French! It was one of our favourite meals.

escargot at Le Petit Bouillon Pharamond

Day 4: Notre Dame

We spent our last half-day walking to the Notre Dame and exploring the area around it, including a visit to the well-known English bookstore Shakespeare and Company. The bookstore was a big hit with my travel companions!

breakfast of champions

I’ve been to Paris dozens of times, but each time brings something different. It’s such a magical city to get lost in! I’m always happy to offer recommendations, so if you have any questions, please ask!

Travel: Where We Stayed in Paris

We spent a week in France recently, and, of course, had the greatest time. The week was short, yes, but we maximized our time, and enjoyed every gosh darn minute. I’m already eager to back – no surprise there! I will share a few more photos and details of our itinerary in the coming days and weeks, but I thought I would start by sharing some information about where we stayed

We started our vacation in Paris. We spent three nights in the city. Normally, I would stay in the 6th arrondissement (Saint Germain des PrĂ©s), but for this trip, I thought a more suitable option would be somewhere in one of the more bustling parts of the city. I landed on a luxe apartment near the Champs ElysĂ©es and l’Arc de Triomphe.

note: the tv is in the mirror!
we all loved the joystick faucet control; a two-burner stove top is at the left, and the fridge is behind the middle cupboard
we all loved the sleek light switches and plugs

The apartment is in a secure building with an elevator, and it has all the conveniences needed for short- and long-term stays (e.g., fully functional and equipped kitchen, laundry facilities). When I made the booking with Pick-a-Flat, I was also able to book an airport shuttle. Communication with the company was clear from beginning to end.

I booked this one bedroom apartment on Pick a Flat, and the company has so many incredible apartments for short- and long-term stays. On a future trip, this will definitely be a top site to consult. Apartment sizes and prices vary. Here are a few others I’d love to stay in.

Interiors: A Parisian Home

Of course I still have Paris on my mind even though I’ve been home for a few days. Did you follow along my Instagram photos? Do you want to see more? I have much to share, so stay tuned for those posts in the weeks ahead. For now, here’s a gorgeous Parisian apartment in the 6th arrondissement that could be yours for just over 5 million euros.

All photos from Barnes.

Travel: One Fine Stay in Paris

No, no, I don’t have a trip planned to Paris (yet), but I do enjoy a good accommodation browse every so often. On my recent tour of the Internet, I landed on One Fine Stay‘s selection of vacation rentals, and my jaw dropped. I want to stay in almost every apartment! Let’s have un coup d’oeil, shall we?

TRI220-TAKE-01-244Rue de l’Arc de Triomphe

CHE435-TAKE-01-179Rue du Cherche Midi V

VCL321-TAKE-01-7077VCL321-TAKE-01-7079Rue du Vieux Colombier (2 photos above)

cafe8e1e69be9e3d963f0b42d32ba4b012ba318f 543ae85df266daf740dd001ea47feb23a566b02957c5e7d6af7613ec63538c8f9c02aecfff423559-1Passage Saint Antoine (3 photos above)

e895d9a7e569077bdf30646411ab20ecf6e05ef4Rue de la Faisanderie

3105e11c71c2bbe18f89ba1da297c9024a389b78Rue Sainte Dominique

BRD294-TAKE-01-224 BRD294-TAKE-01-269 BRD294-TAKE-01-259 BRD294-TAKE-01-254-Edit BRD294-TAKE-01-142-EditAvenue de la Bourdonnais III (5 photos above; check out those views!)

These places are pretty incredible, aren’t they? Don’t you just want to book a flight (and win the lottery)?

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