Where: French Road Trip – Stop #1: Paris
When: September 2017
Hotel: French Officers Club (Hotel for military officers)
Why France: My friend Karyn was coming to run the Disney Paris Half Marathon with me (and we threw in the Disney 10K for fun, because why not?) But instead of just going to France for the races, we decided to make a trip out of it. We were going to spend almost four full days in Paris, before heading down to Mont St. Michel and the Normandy beaches before circling back to Paris for the races. After the summer trip to Provence, I wasn’t sure when/if I was going to get John back to France, so I definitely took advantage of this time. Personally, I really wanted to see Mont St. Michel and Normandy, and couldn’t wait to get to those areas.
On the train to Paris
The Trip: When building the itinerary, I gave Karyn a full day in Germany to get over jet lag before we hopped the train to Paris. I am a complete believer that the first time anyone goes to Paris, they need to do all of the touristy stuff – beginning with a trip down the Seine on a boat before heading up the Eiffel Tower for the sunset. It also puts you in the perfect location to head over to the Trocadero to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle in the dark. The Trocadero has the best views of the Eiffel Tower, and is a sight not to be missed. Make sure to grab a bottle of wine and some snacks to sit with the crowds and wait for the night light show. (We stopped and got what were the best churros I have ever had – diabetes in a cup, but so incredibly worth it!)
The Seine River cruise that is tried and true for me is the Bateaux Parisiens boats, and they load right at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The trip takes you down past the Louvre, the Musee de Orsay and Notre Dame, among others. The entire ride is about an hour, and if you time it right, you can head straight to the Eiffel Tower (always book tickets in advance!) and be up there in time to enjoy champagne as the sun sets on Paris – which is exactly what we did.
On the boat!
Parisien bridges!
Passing under Pont Alexander III
Musee de Orsay
Heading to Notre Dame
The banks of the Seine
Île Saint-Louis
We had time for some wine between the boat ride and the Eiffel Tower
It never gets old!
A view of Sacre Coeur in the distance
Les Invalides
The Trocadero
This is why you go at sunset
Esplanade Jacques Chaban-Delmas and Montparnasse Tower in the distance
Cheers to Paris
The best way to start the trip! (There’s a small stand that just sells champagne at the top – overpriced and worth it!)
Looking up at the Eiffel Tower
We went into a diabetic coma but these are amazing
The view from the Trocadero
It had just been announced that Paris won the 2024 Olympics and these were out at the Trocadero
The next morning we were up very early to get to the Louvre and the Mona Lisa before the hordes of people descended. It worked as we were able to walk right in but even better was that the Louvre was missing the large groups of people I was bracing myself to be bumping into as we moved from room to room. I’ve been to the Louvre twice in July and it was (for lack of a better way to put it) miserable. Yet another reason to travel to Paris – and Europe in general –in the off season.
You can’t be in the Louvre and skip Angelina. The hot chocolate alone makes this a must-visit. First opened in 1903 and a favorite of Audrey Hepburn, the café is not far from the Louvre and is across from the Tuileries, so even taking the goodies to go is a good option. (It has become a franchise throughout Paris, but the original on Rue de Rivoli is the one to visit!)
Sunrise over the Seine
The Louvre is massive…walking in through to the main section
In front of the famous triangle
Head straight here…elbow through people…get the picture…move on
Karyn, me and Mona
The Louvre is so much more enjoyable like this!
Room to admire and breathe!
The underground entrance
It sounds crazy, but don’t miss this bathroom…it is in the mall area and has crazy toilet paper and is overall fancy
Don’t miss an Angelina Hot Chocolate!
Also have some champagne and dessert – it’s Paris, indulge!
And if you get Macarons in Paris, get the from Laduree!
Post-Louvre, we headed to one of my favorite places. No visit to Paris is complete without a trip to Sacre Coeur. I love so many of the Paris neighborhoods, but the Montmartre arrondissement is truly special. Spend time on the steps of Sacre Coeur watching the performers, enjoy the beautiful inside of the church, watch the old artists sketch portraits while drinking wine and just wander while trying to find the one remaining windmill and the tiny vineyard. It is what I imagine old Paris to be like.
The view from Place de la Concorde
Sacre Coeur!
The view looking out from Sacre Coeur
Gorgeous
Enjoying a glass of wine across from the working artists
Classic Paris!
The last remaining windmill
This was on the itinerary for the next day, but we had to snap some photos as we passed it on our way to dinner. So lucky to get to see it in its glory!
The Latin Quarter is another one of my favorites and there is no shortage of restaurants to enjoy!
Stop at Amorino while in Paris – it’s a chain but the gelato is delicious and they shape it into a flower!
I just love the Paris architecture
The popular, and not-to-be missed, day trip from Paris is a visit to the Palace of Versailles. If you get there early, you’ll beat the crowds. But, if you aren’t a morning person and get there around peak visiting hours, go to the Gardens first and then head inside when things die down. I’ve now walked the Gardens, toured them on a bike tour, and rented a bike on my own and I definitely say do the last option. You’ll be able to go at your own pace and won’t be worn out from the miles of walking…because the gardens are huge! John and I made that mistake the first time around.
Walking from the train station to Versailles
The Palace is so much more sparkly in person!
Just a little over the top! 🙂
The outside of the palace!
One of the chapels
The Hall of Mirrors – get there early to miss the crowds! (which we didn’t do, unfortunately!)
The Gardens!
The Palace is pretty, but I prefer the gardens and the outer buildings!
The crowds also tend to thin out in the gardens
My favorite area in the gardens is Marie Antoinette’s hamlet, where she would pretend to be a poor person…which is hilarious until you realize it cost her her head eventually.
I love these tunnels!
Back in Paris for sunset!
When planning a trip to Paris, it’s also equally important to kind of plan the day by neighborhood. It’s such a big city, that if you plan to see Sacre Coeur, the Pantheon and the Eiffel Tower in one day, you’re going to be spending so much time on the metro – it’s best to break it down by what is close together so for our second full day, we were headed to Notre Dame, Saint-Chappelle and the Arc di Triomphe, with a walk down the Champs Elysees.
Sunrise over Notre Dame
Inside the church – so pretty!
One of the famous rose windows!
That marker we’re standing on is the center of Paris!
On the same island as Notre Dame is Saint-Chappelle. Unassuming on the outside but absolutely stunning inside!
The stained glass is amazing!
So gorgeous!!
This metro sign is from the 1900s and is preserved as a national art treasure
About to climb to the top of the Arc di Triomphe!
These views are awesome!
Looking down Champs Elysees
Perfect place for a photo with the Eiffel Tower
Just a casual stroll past some fancy stores
Maybe the nicest Five Guys – it was packed!
I’m going to need one of these outside my forever house!
We found our way back to the Seine
And headed over Pont Alexander III
You can never have too many pictures!
Our walk took us to Rue Montorgueil, a great pedestrian street for food and people watching!
We people watched with delicious wine!
This is a must stop! One of the oldest bakeries in Paris.
I can’t tell you how good this caramel eclair was!
The Paris part of our adventure was over, and the next morning we braved Paris rush hour for our Mont St. Michel and Normandy adventure! (More on that in the next post!)
Final Impressions: Paris really is always a good idea. I’ve done the above itinerary three times now and (in my opinion), the best way to maximize your time in the city while getting to see everything that makes Paris famous the first time around. I met Karyn in Paris in 2019 when she went to run the Paris Marathon, and that time we walked around neighborhoods we hadn’t seen and climbed Notre Dame (two days before the horrifying fire – so lucky!). The second…and third…and fourth times to Paris are for the relaxing in a café and enjoying wine on the lawn of the Eiffel Tower. But there is no shame in being a tourist in Paris, and it’s definitely recommended!
Adventures Abroad 
Nice photos. One trip is rarely ever enough in any place, especially in a city like Paris.