Paris, France

     In mid August I took at girls’ weekend trip to Paris, France. This was my first time in Paris and one trip that I actually didn’t plan. I honestly didn’t know anything about Paris until I got there. I obviously knew the Eiffel Tower and Mona Lisa where there but beyond that I was just along for the ride.

The way my husband and I travel is very different from the way females’ together travel. At the top of the husband/wife list is visiting historical and typical tourist sites. At the top of the list for the girls weekend was shopping and just having fun doing anything. Both types of traveling are fun and it’s always nice to have a change of pace.

     There were 4 of us and we drove 8 hours to get to Paris. The car we were taking was a stick shift so only 2 of the 4 girls could trade off driving. I can’t drive a stick to I enjoyed sitting in the back the entire time. Since there was so much conversation going on it really didn’t feel like a long drive. We were actually lucky to get into the city around 11:00pm because there was no traffic. We definitely had to circle a few streets trying to find the apartment we rented out. We even took a wrong turn down a one way street, oops, I’m sure we’re not the first!!

Notre Dame

     We stayed in a small apartment that sleeps 4. It didn’t say comfortably but it did fit 4 people. There was a tiny kitchen, which we didn’t use, a small bathroom, a pull out couch, and a loft bed. A lot of people would complain about staying in such a small space but since we were out exploring every day we didn’t need a big space; just a shower and somewhere to sleep.

     Paris is a big city so be prepared to walk a lot! The first full day we paid for the hop on hop off bus. This is a great way to see the city without getting so tired from walking. We bought a 2 day pass so we could get on the bus at any location and get off at any location. They also have headphones where you can listen to facts about the city as you’re driving through.

 

     We did the typical things that everyone does in Paris. We saw the Notre Dame, The Arc de Triomphe, The Louvre, and of course the Eiffel Tower. The only thing we had to pay for was to get into the Louvre which I believe cost 11 euro. They also offer guided tours and audio tours. If you decided to go in, to most likely see the Mona Lisa, be prepared for ridiculous crowds! It was SO had to even see the Mona Lisa because I was being pushed out of the way. And this seems to be a common statement about the Mona Lisa, it’s not a big as you think. I am not a museum person, I think they’re important to have but it’s not something I really enjoy. It was cool to see the inside of the world’s largest museum but I personally got tired and bored pretty quick.

The Louvre

     The shopping was fun but also expensive and crowded. I bought a few things and my typical Christmas ornament. The best part about the trip was just spending time with friends. Our favorite part was sitting in front of the Eiffel Tower during the sunset and with it lit up drinking champagne. We sat out there for hours and just enjoyed each other’s company and conversation. We decided not to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower, the lines were long and we didn’t want to pay for it.

 

    Paris is a beautiful city with a lot to do! We spent 3 full days there which I thought was the perfect amount of time. My post this time isn’t quite the same, I don’t have as much detailed information as I usually do but since Paris is traveled so much it’s very easy to find information about it. I also didn’t plan the trip so my information is solely from experience, not from research. The only thing I’d suggest is to go during a different time of year. August is peak travel season so it was crowded.

 

The Arc de Triomphe