Ooh La La! 3 Tips for Visiting Paris

Paris is undoubtedly one of the world’s great destinations and home to some of the most famous landmarks around, such as the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame and the Louvre. Once you book flights to Paris it is easy to get swept up and plan activities for every minute in an attempt to see everything. It may sound like an oxymoron, but in order to get the most out of your trip to Paris you need to do less.

Eiffel Tower in Paris France (Photo Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Slow down and let a few things go – it’s better to have a relaxed and enjoyable trip where you experience the true Paris like a local, rather than a frantic race around town to tick off every entry in the guidebook. Here are a few tips for how to get the most out of your trip to Paris.

Wander Around

Paris’s beauty saturates everything, from the grandest boulevards to the tiniest winding alleys. Rather than relying on the metro to hop from museum to museum, use your feet as much as possible. This will slow the pace, force you to relax and introduce you to the city on a whole new level. Strolling is when discoveries are made, like a secret café tucked around a corner in a sweet part of town, or a small boutique you would never have otherwise found.

The walk from the Notre Dame to the Eiffel Tower is an ideal start – it is flat, hard to get lost, and the route heads past cafés, designer shops and the incredible Ladurée patisserie.

Eat Like a Local

Rather than grabbing a packet of crisps while running between the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, go for an authentic French experience and eat like a local. Not only may this be cheaper, but food is such an important part of Parisian culture that it would be a shame to pass it up in a hurry.

Grab a pastry for breakfast from a local bakery, wander the fresh food markets which pop up in squares all over the city, and enjoy a crepe in the park while the sun sets. For a really local experience, concentrate your efforts on dinner, which usually starts after 8pm; steak frites (steak and French fries) are a popular choice.

Treat Yourself

When your feet start to hurt, take the time to pop into a café and sit down with a coffee. When you start to flag in the afternoon, wander into an ice cream shop or chocolatier for a treat. When you get home and think back on your trip, you’ll remember eating that incredible salted caramel cream in the park behind Notre Dame and watching the ships go by in the Seine far more than you’ll remember the 300th painting you saw at the Louvre.

The finest things in Paris are often not the most expensive, and it’s worth setting aside some extra time to slow down and explore, treat yourself and discover what this gorgeous city has to offer.

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