Ah Paris – the land of high fashion, old and beautiful architecture, croissants, and people. Lots, and lots of people. I booked a trip to Paris with only one goal in mind: visit Disneyland Paris. Anything else was extra, and to be honest Paris was so large it overwhelmed me. I didn’t spend much time in the city because after Disney there was only one day left to explore, so perhaps I didn’t give Paris a chance.
With that said, I don’t see myself returning anytime soon.
Maybe it was the absolutely insane central train station where I had to wait multiple times to get onto a train because people were crammed so tight into the doorways the train doors struggled to shut, and when I did manage to get onto a train my backside was pressed up against the crotch of a complete stranger like a sardine in a can – maybe it was the endless tourists that flooded the streets – or maybe it was the aggressive seagulls that tainted my view of Paris (I’m not kidding, these birds were SAVAGE.)
One may never know why I didn’t fall in love with Paris like all the other souls in this world.
In all honesty the train situation was so unreal I couldn’t stop laughing. I literally thought I was in an episode of punk’d. There is no way that kind of train cramming can be legal. I had locals laughing with me because I just couldn’t stop. My first mistake on this trip was spending the night in the airport the night/morning of departure. I did this when I traveled to London in October, but I physically cannot do this ever again. I didn’t sleep at all, so our first day was spent sleeping.
The view from our Air B&B was great though.
We chose a place near the Eiffel Tower because this was where we were catching a shuttle to Disneyland from. Come to find out this area of town is very touristy and quite frankly it was ugly. I loved the view from our flat though. After we slept for over thirteen hours, we woke up the day after we arrived and spent eight hours at Disneyland Paris. Read more about that here.
The day after Disney we had until around 1600 to explore the city, so to maximize time we bought tickets for a hop on, hop off bus. This allowed us to briefly see all the main attractions of Paris. We only got off the bus at two spots: The Louvre, and Notre Dame. I did enjoy the island where Norte Dame lives, and wish I’d had more time there.
Mocking our fellow tourists.
Bench outside of Shakespeare and Co, one of the coolest bookshops I’ve seen.
Other notable stops on the bus were the opera house, where the inspiration for Phantom of the Opera originated (ok that was cool), Moulin Rouge, and the Arc de Triomphe. Learning Hitler and his troops marched around this Arc was an interesting piece of historical knowledge.
Opera house
Everything was so rushed and fast while exploring Paris, I feel like there is a chance my first impression was skewed, but I also know myself and I know I don’t like big cities. I would like to have had time to find a small neighborhood cafe on the outskirts of the shopping and tourists to enjoy a croissant with coffee, alas I had a date with a crammed train to get to the airport to pick up a rental car for the second half of my trip to France.
More on that in my next post.
The morning before we toured around on the bus was quite nice, and we walked to a local bakery for croissants and coffee. On the way we passed an outdoor market where I bought two apples. The man that sold me the apples spoke broken English, enough to ask where we were from. I always tell people I’m from Canada, and he was delighted by this.
France and Canada are homies.
Next to the bakery where we bought breakfast there was a Starbucks. I haven’t bought a Starbucks since I moved to Europe last January, but I was in need of reliable coffee. It was the best decision I had made in regards to coffee all week. We enjoyed our Air B & B view with quiet stillness the morning before rushing off for the busy day of sightseeing.
The slow, quiet moments are what I long for when traveling. A lot of the travel I’ve done the last year has been very fast and rushed. It’s the name of the game when you go somewhere once a month with only 5-6 days to do so (including two of those for travel.) I have learned I am better off visiting one place on these trips, but I never do that. I always think I can cram something else into the trip which ends up leaving me exhausted and never really letting my nervous system calm down.
I learn a lot while traveling, like what I do and don’t like, and I look forward to traveling after I am done working in Germany when I can truly soak in the places I visit. Perhaps these teasers are just to let me know where I’d like to return. All in a days work.
Q: Have you been to Paris? If so, what did I miss (aside from like…everything.)
Blissfulbritt 
35 thoughts on “Paris, France”
thechrisdotcom
I’ve been to Paris. I enjoyed it more than England when I did my Europe trip. But now I wanna go back to England to experience it now that I’m older. Paris was amazing. As touristy it can be, there was a lot of great things to see. Aside from the crowds I’m glad I was able to visit. Would I return? Sure, but I got other places I’d like to visit first. The pastries though in France, for me, it was heaven. Safe travels Brittany!!!!!
Brittany
Oh man, England has my heart. All of the UK does though, so that’s not hard for me to say when relating to other countries. The pastries in France were definitely amazing though.
thechrisdotcom
My bad on lack of sharing what you missed. I was 18, so I’m not sure what to recommend. The museums were awesome.
thetinypotager
I’ve not visited since I was ten (a school trip) – so I can’t give advice on 2020 Paris, but I do recall the warm baguette, cream cheese and apple we were given for lunch by the Eiffel Tower being one of the best meals I have ever eaten x
Brittany
That meal sounds AMAZING!
thetinypotager
Since mentioning it, I’ve actually had to go and make the same thing for my lunch today, such was the craving 🙂🙂🙂
Brittany
I love it!! I will have to try it myself. 🙂
B
I’ve never been to Paris but it’s not on my list either. I get there’s a lot of history in that City but it’s not something that I have to see before I die. I’d rather return to London honestly!
Brittany
London was LOVELY. Highly recommend, Paris not so much.
Ms. Rach Allene
I spent precisely two hours in Paris on my return from Italy (layover). I was mostly excited to say I’ve been to Paris without the headache of actually going to Paris… Mainstream tourist destinations really do not draw me; they actually give me anxiety…
Anyway. I used the restroom at the airport, and that was the entirety of my tourist excursion in Paris. They were very clean restrooms. That’s about all I have to offer… LOL
Brittany
YES, the tourist cities give me anxiety as well. It’s too much. I have beef with the Paris airport. Specifically because they didn’t have a gas station on the premise! It was 15 minutes away from airport, which I wasn’t aware of and drove back to airport thinking I could fill up there like EVERY OTHER AIRPORT. But I couldn’t, and was charged 120 euros. I’m still bitter.
Ms. Rach Allene
Ugh – that’s terrible!! My brother-in-law has extensively traveled across Europe, and he said Paris is one of the worst cities he’s been to due to the way they set things up for extreme profit off tourists. Gotta love it.
Brittany
Yup, I felt that way too. Glad I’m not the only one that wasn’t impressed!
rootchopper
Never been to Paris. Frankly, it sounds much less appealing to me than London. Lisbon, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm (the European cities I have been to).
I share your dilemma about stopping in one place and checking it out. When I am bicycle touring I always find, after the fact, that I missed out on interesting things. Sometimes this is just the nature of using a very slow travel mode. Other times I am so absorbed with the pure enjoyment of riding that I press on.
Brittany
Paris was not a place I had a desire to visit, and my feelings were confirmed. Alas I never regret seeing a new place.
Sheree
Brittany, you need to tour Paris arrondissement by arrondissement on foot. Don’t try to see too much. I’ve been visiting Paris regularly for over 40 years and am only just getting around to seeing stuff for the second time. You’d probably enjoy Le Marais (3rd and 4th) or maybe (5th and6th). You’ll find a few posts about Paris on my blog.
Brittany
I will check out your posts, thank you!
sligo101
Sounds like the New York subways I rode
Papa
Brittany
YES, that is exactly what it was like.
PUSH ANIMAL
My God, I need to visit again. LOVE living through your travels, haha! 🙂
Brittany
DOOOITTT.
hyddyr
Yep, you missed “like everything.” 😛 I’m sad to know that you don’t really want to see the city for real. I love the parks such as the one near George Sand’s (aka novelist Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin) home. The libraries are amazing and then just walking over all the bridges. I am glad you found Shakespeare’s. There is another book store that is literally built into the side of bricks in a bridge. Also amazing are the cemeteries – Jim Morrison is buried there. You’re probably too young to care about him but there’s Moliere and Sarte and Collette. It has museums for everything (like socks for example) and the markets with hand made linens and hats and used books are eclectic and affordable. Paris is not as friendly (so I’m told) as some European cities. However, it is a new experience around every corner and, usually, if you are friendly so are the locals. Most people speak English. If you do decide to try again, google quirky places to see in Paris. I am loving reading your blog of your travels. You’ve shown me some places I want to see in the future.
Brittany
You might have convinced me to go back, though I don’t know when that will be! I do think Paris has lovely parts I just didn’t see, but my first impression was a bit rough! I hope you get to visit some new places I’ve shared soon!
Amy
Oh my gosh girl… PLEEEEEEEASE give Paris a second chance!!! That sounds like a miserable experience… And the polar opposite of the two incredible and magical experiences I’ve had in Paris on family vacations!! Both times, we stayed within a 1-mile walk of the Notre Dame. It didn’t feel touristy in those areas at all! (We rented an apartment or flat both times. SO worth it!) We loved walking to the Notre Dame every day… And the island behind where it’s located (Île Saint-Louis) is totally your cup of tea. Wandering those streets feels SO, well, the opposite of touristy!! I also loved the much smaller cathedral there (Église Saint-Louis-en-l’Île) and have a feeling you would too… 😉 I also LOVED the Phantom of the Opera opera house (so amazing!!). I’ll have to dig up some of our old travel spots and blog posts to send your way, if you ever decide to give Paris another shot. We avoided the train for the most part, too, which made a big difference! (Oh, and Versailles!! I freaking LOVE Versailles!)
Okay, I’ll shut up now… But I really really want you to have a better Paris experience before you move back to the states!! 😉❤️
Brittany
Ok…you’ve convinced me! I would definitely go and stay near Notre Dame next time!
Amy
YAY!! I hope you have a MUCH better second trip to Paris!! And if you want, feel free to email me before you go, and I’ll find all of my old blog posts about Paris + what we did to send your way! 🤓😘
Brittany
❤ ❤
kim
thought you might find this article interesting. On the blog apartmenttherapy.com/irish-island-coffee-shop-dream-job-36705645 (not a link, you have to type it in) Sounds like it would be fun. kim
Brittany
I SAW THIS!! I would love to do this. LOVE LOVE LOVE. Not that I would EVER expect to be chosen, but the timing is in the middle of a preplanned family vacation so I wouldn’t even bother applying. LOL
Arctic Hare!
While I have not been to Paris, I made some international friends through being a fan of the TV show Forever, and my French friend once bemoaned to us on the group chat how everyone liked Paris, and she didn’t get the appeal. She said, “It’s always raining there!” Haha, I’m certain it has a lot of great things but I was surprised to hear her say that she didn’t really like the city! 🙂
Brittany
The rain wouldn’t bother me, I’m from Seattle, but I do think there is a lot of hype around Paris that has people expecting something that perhaps isn’t there for everyone!
integratedexpat
My favourite place in Paris is Mont Martre. The building itself is beautiful, with great views, surrounded by quaint steps and narrow streets. There are always street vendors and buskers. It was so long ago that I can’t remember if we walked everywhere or used the metro, but we also went to the touristy Mont Martre area where you can get a street artist to draw you or watch others having it done. Also La Defence gives you a great view from the top, looking towards the Arc de Triomphe, which has an eternal flame and tomb of an unknown soldier and you can go up the top; better than the Eiffel Tower, perhaps. I prefer wandering around at random and taking photos of quirky things and street art, then visiting a museum. And they often have good coffee and cakes.
Brittany
Thank you for this input! I will forever the Mont Martre area for next time.
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