4 Perfect Days in Paris

Going into Paris, my expectations were low. I’d only ever heard it described as overrated, dirty, chaotic, and far from the fairytale city people imagine. Still, I kept an open mind, curious to see if the landmarks would live up to the hype. Paris was the final stop of my Euro summer trip, after Madrid and San Sebastián in Spain. Dare I say... I may have saved the best for last.

Eiffel Tower

Arguably the most iconic monument in the world: The Eiffel Tower.

Erected in 1889 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution and standing 1,083 feet tall, it was the tallest structure in the world when it opened. Holding that title until 1930, when the Chrysler Building in New York City surpassed it. Still to this day, the Eiffel Tower remains the tallest structure in Paris.

The best time to see the Eiffel Tower is without a doubt at night when it is lit up. Furthermore, the first 5 minutes of each hour, when it sparkles. These sparkle shows go until 1 AM in the summer (keep in mind the sun doesn’t set until around 10 PM) and earlier in the winter.

During the final sparkle show, the golden lights are turned off, and the sparkles bounce around a dark Eiffel Tower. Unfortunately I did not venture out at 1AM to see this, but the videos look pretty cool.

I saw the sparkle show 3 out of the 4 nights I was in Paris and it was magical each time.

Yes, it’s arguably the most tourist thing on earth, but it’s a must do. If you see one thing in Paris, make it the Eiffel Tower.

Catacombs

The Paris Catacombs were the number one thing I wanted to see in Paris (Well, the Eiffel Tower was, but this was 1B).

Due to overflowing cemeteries and a public health crisis, the Catacombs (previously limestone quarries) were used to host the remains of around SIX MILLION people. Yes, you read that right. 6,000,000 Parisians are buried here. The entire Catacombs network spans about 200 miles, although only about a mile is open to the public.

That mile takes an hour from start to finish. You begin by walking down 131 steps, descending to approximately 65 feet underground. The tour comes with an audio guide (attached to headphones) that guides you along your journey throughout the Catacombs.

Only 200 people are allowed in the Catacombs at a time, which is awesome, because there were parts of my journey where it was just me alongside thousands of bones. A bit spooky, but oddly humbling. A French guy coined the Catacombs as “the true temple of equality” which sums it up perfectly. Bones of the rich and the poor, popular and unpopular, all laid to rest side-by-side, yet, you can’t tell the difference.

It was hard trying to process that each of these thousands of skulls I was seeing were once a living human with their own life, their own mind, and their own thoughts.

I believe this self guided tour is best done alone, as it is a great time for reflection and to be with your own thoughts.

Getting a ticket for the Catacombs is a bit rough, as they have a strict cap on them. Tickets become available one week in advance at the specific time slot in Paris time - and they go super quick.

So for example, if you want to visit at 10AM on July 8, those tickets become available for purchase on July 1 at 10 AM Paris time. That meant that yes, I did wake up at 3AM to secure my ticket, which was worth it in the end. Be eyeing the clock, and the second it hits your desired time slot, refresh the page and get your ticket. You won’t regret it.

Palace of Versailles

Clear a full day on your calendar, because we’re headed to the Palace of Versailles. I was able to only spend a couple hours here due to a commitment in the evening, but easily could have spent the entire day.

The entire Versailles estate is approximately 2,000 acres. This place is enormous.

The estate is broken down into a few main components: The palace, the gardens, and the Estate of Trianon.

I didn’t even get to see a quarter of the gardens. The most efficient way to see everything is by renting a golf cart, which you can self drive around the estate. I envied the people driving past me while I was on foot under the July sun.

The Palace of Versailles was originally a hunting lodge built by King Louis XIII in 1623. He had discovered the land filled with game on a hunting trip (prior to being crowned king). After being crowned, he decided to have the lodge built. I won’t bore you with history, but as you can tell, Versailles had quite the transformation from a small hunting lodge, to an enormous and elegant 2,000 acre estate.

There is about 2,300 rooms in the palace (ridiculous, right?). I found a few of the bedrooms to get a bit repetitive, but the Royal Chapel, Hall of Mirrors, King and Queen’s apartments, just to name a few, made up for it.

I could go on and on telling you about the palace and the elegantly groomed gardens, along with the history that comes with it, but I won’t ramble. Clear a full day, and make this day trip happen. A staple for every Paris trip, and for good reason.

There is so much to see that there is a Palace of Versailles app with maps and audio guides (bring your AirPods).

The Palace of Versailles is located outside of Paris, southwest of the city. Depending on where you are in Paris, it is roughly a 45 minute to an hour journey. Take the train from Paris to Versailles and enjoy this awesome piece of history.

Palais Garnier

The Palais Garnier is a historic opera house in Paris. Named after its architect, Charles Garnier. It opened in 1875 and has hosted a variety of events such as ballet performances, operas, concerts, etc.

While you can still catch performances at the Palais Garnier, touring the opera house itself is well worth the price of admission. Beyond the main auditorium, you’ll find the grand staircase, the grand foyer, the library, and the museum rooms - each showcasing stunning architecture and intricate detail that make the visit feel more like walking through a palace rather than a theater.

I spent just under an hour inside, and honestly, you probably won’t need more than an hour and a half.

My favorite room was easily the Grand Foyer, which was a space originally developed for spectators to mingle during intermissions. A gorgeous room that needs to be seen. Can I have my wedding here?

Seine sunset cruise

Another must do is a Seine sunset cruise. There’s all kinds of options to cruise on the Seine - daytime cruises, dinner cruises, sunset cruises, and more. I chose the one-hour cruise at sunset, which in the summer lines up perfectly with the first sparkle of the Eiffel Tower around 10 PM. For a reasonable price, I got a glass of champagne and front-row views of Paris drifting by.

The highlight of the cruise comes at the end when the sun is setting and the Eiffel Tower begins to sparkle. It really does feel like you’re in a Disney movie. I felt like I was living Ratatouille in real life.

Luxembourg Gardens

I love cities that have parks. Part of the reason why I love Madrid is because of El Retiro Park. Having access to the city, but also green spaces and nature right next door to escape to.

The Luxembourg Gardens check this box. While much smaller than El Retiro, I would argue the gardens are prettier. Think postcard like manicured lawns, flowers, and a pond backdropped by the Luxembourg Palace, now home to the French Senate.

This garden is the epicenter of the Euro lifestyle - young kids placing mini sailboats into the pond, people enjoying their lunch outside, French couples reading books, people enjoying life at a slow pace.

I myself took time to relax in a chair at the garden and enjoyed the tranquil environment and sun shining down.

Panthéon

Located in the Latin Quarter (where I was staying) and close to the Luxembourg Gardens, lies the Panthéon. Constructed from 1758-1790, the Panthéon was originally a church, but almost immediately following its completion, the French Revolution caused it to be converted from church to a mausoleum (building housing a tomb). Housing the remains of multiple prominent French figures.

As time went on and French rule changed, the Panthéon flipped back and forth from church to mausoleum numerous times. Although, today it is a mausoleum, as well as a sight for architecture, Foucault’s pendulum (which proves Earth’s rotation), and art.

I didn’t spend a ton of time here, but made sure to walk through and see the sites. Found the one sculpture pictured here to be very cool.

Galeries Lafayette Paris

Think mall, but instead, just a massive department store for this brand. Awesome interior architecture, and a great view of the Eiffel Tower from the rooftop terrace. A cool gem that is worth a quick visit.

Notre Dame

While I didn’t opt to wait in arguably the longest line I’ve ever seen, I still made sure to head over to Notre Dame and admire the architecture of this church. The cathedral recently reopened in December, while other parts of the area are still recovering from the fire in 2019.

Notre Dame opened in 1345, taking 182 years to build. Construction began in 1163, which is hard to comprehend. My next visit, I will make sure to step inside this ancient piece of history and iconic Paris landmark. Hopefully all the restoration is done by then :)

Le Louvre

The only thing I previously knew about the Louvre was that it is Mona Lisa’s home. What blew my mind, is how enormous this art museum is. You could legitimately spend days exploring this place and admiring all the art. There’s 3 main wings, 1 of which I did not even venture down. I was a bit tired after staying up late into the night and only clocking two and half hours of sleep. Pair that with having the first entrance ticket at 9 AM and the body was not too happy in the morning. Oh well, anything for Mona Lisa.

Speaking of Mona Lisa, that was my main objective with my visit. I got in line a few minutes before 9AM, then once the entrance opened, it was a race to find her. I climbed up the stairs and found what I had been searching for - the most famous painting in the world.

People complain about how underwhelming she is, and yes, she is not some massive painting, but I can appreciate seeing something so iconic with my own eyes.

Some estimate Mona Lisa to be worth $1 billion - which is absolutely insane. Despite her being enclosed in bullet proof glass, I couldn't help but wonder if I was looking at the true Mona Lisa, or if the real painting is locked away in some hidden vault. Quite the flex to have something worth A BILLION dollars on display.

Sainte-Chapelle

Sainte-Chapelle is a royal chapel that was built between 1242 and 1248. This place is absolutely incredible. The 50 foot stained glass windows are gorgeous and even more impressive in person.

Entry into Sainte-Chapelle requires an airport like screening - getting into the machine where you put your arms up. It makes sense, as this place needs to be protected.

If you look up best stained glass windows in the world, you will find Sainte-Chapelle on every list. (Along with La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, another one of our previous trips).

Sainte-Chapelle is simply a must see.

Food

I was pleasantly surprised by the food scene in Paris.

Initially when I thought of French food, I envisioned crepes, baguettes, ratatouille, macarons, etc. As someone who needs to hit their daily protein goal ;) this wasn’t very appealing.

Although, come to find out, the French also know how to do meat. I enjoyed my fair share of steak frites (which I didn't realize was French) as well as lamb.

I always try to have one cultural dish and at the top of my list, was escargot. Escargot are cooked snails with a garlic and parsley sauce. Sound gross? Yes. But I must admit, they were not too bad. They are very chewy, which some may find unappetizing, but the sauce makes the taste tolerable. I don’t do raw oysters, but I certainly will have me some cooked snails again.

Aside from the French cuisine, I had one of the best Italian dishes in my life - a truffle pasta paired with focaccia bread and caprese salad. Wow, was that meal good.

Food in Europe just tastes better. You can eat all the bread and pasta carbs you want and not feel bloated. I love food with less preservatives.

CDG

Now this city can’t be all sunshine and rainbows, CDG airport is probably the least efficient and most unorganized airport I’ve been to. This place is an absolute disaster.

I took the metro to the airport, which took longer than I was expecting, and I arrived late to the airport (on a Monday morning) greeted by an absolutely brutal line. I said the Notre Dame line was horrid and this one was as well. If I waited in it, I would have missed my flight. I went to the front of the line and explained my situation to the worker and she thankfully let me skip that line (the French aren’t so rude after all). That line was followed by two more lines and a long walk to the gate. I made it with about 10 minutes to spare before boarding ended.

I later went on a Reddit rabbit hole and found countless others saying that this is the worst airport they’ve been to. Be prepared to wait and get there way too early. Otherwise, you’ll be the American begging to skip the line and running around the airport in Birkenstocks, like me.

Final Thoughts

“Paris Syndrome” is a real thing. Tourists arrive expecting a picture-perfect city, only to be shocked when reality doesn’t match. Sure, Paris has rough spots, from homelessness to areas that aren’t the cleanest. But I personally loved it. I was pleasantly surprised and had a great time. Easily a top-three city I've visited.

I can’t wait to return to explore Versailles more deeply, step inside Notre Dame, indulge in more French cuisine, and discover everything else this city has to offer.

Merci Paris.