Probably like many of you, I recently binged Emily in Paris on Netflix. The show, which stars Lily Collins and the very dreamy Lucas Bravo, made for the perfect “getaway” to Paris, especially as we just cancelled our trip to South America for the holidays; it also brought back fond memories of my past visits to the City of Lights.
I have been to Paris three times (so far), which include my summer 2014 study abroad, where I spent way too much on the flight, but fell in love with traveling; as well as my May 2018 girls’ trip to Europe, where we obviously had to make a stop at Disneyland Paris. Most recently, I was with my husband Tyler in Paris over the holidays in 2018.
Due to some poor planning on our part, we ended up with just two nights in the city – we learned from this trip that’s not enough time, and we now try to give each city a minimum of three nights – but we certainly made the most of it. You could easily spend weeks uncovering new things about Paris, as I learned on my study abroad; however, if you find yourself with only a couple days there, here are my recommendations for must-dos:
- Tour the Louvre. You could easily spend hours wandering the halls of the Musée du Louvre, but even if you don’t have that long, it’s worth the visit. I really enjoyed having the audio guide to learn more about the treasures within the museum. If you do decide to go, consider booking tickets ahead of time through their website, and take note that they are currently closed on Tuesdays.
- Walk the Champs-Élysées. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is lined with many high-end restaurants and luxury stores, and it’s definitely a must – even if you’re not planning an extravagant shopping trip. Highly recommend popping into Ladurée for some macarons and other treats! The street ends at one of the most famous monuments in Paris, the Arc de Triomphe; trust me, it’s worth the climb to the top.
- Picnic at the Eiffel Tower. Having gone to the top, my favorite way to experience the Eiffel Tower is still with a picnic at the nearby Champ de Mars. There is nothing quite like eating bread and cheese – and maybe drinking wine straight from the bottle – as you marvel at the tower. Try to time it so you catch the Eiffel Tower during Illuminations, the hourly light show that happens each evening; it is magical.
- Wander the Île Saint-Louis. This is a tiny island in the middle of the Seine that feels like it’s an entirely different place than Paris. Take some time to wander around, soaking in the local shops and restaurants, before walking over to the other island on the Seine, the Île de la Cité. There, you will find the Notre Dame Cathedral, which is absolutely worth a visit – if only to admire the architecture.
- Explore the Christmas markets. This is specific to visits during the holidays, but if your visit aligns, these cannot be skipped. We went to “La Magie de Noël” at the Tuileries Garden, which is located between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre. There was so much to do and see (and shop), though our favorite find was the “tete choco,” a delightful chocolate-covered marshmallow dessert.
And for anyone visiting France (or a French-speaking country) for any amount of time, I stress the benefits of practicing your French; a little French will go a long way with the locals. During my study abroad, my roommate Megan taught me the phrase “je voudrais…” This means “I would like…” and from there, I could fill in the blank with whatever it was I needed, whether that was “un billet” or “un sandwich.” This was far from a perfect system, but I found people were more willing to speak with me in English if I’d attempted some French.
Au revoir, Paris – until we meet again.