May 8, 20195 min read

Europe Travel PART 2: Paris, France (3 Day Trip)

Updated: Feb 23, 2021

DAY 1

The morning started off with getting up SUPER early from the hotel I was staying at in London to be chauffeured to the train station where we would catch the Eurostar Train. For those that do not know, the Eurostar is a high-speed train that partially goes underwater and serves as the fastest and cheapest way to get to Paris. Once again, Monograms Travel prepared the tickets and chauffeur for us, which was awesome. It's one less thing we have to worry about on vacation and a lot less stressful. It took a little over 2 hours for the train to arrive in Paris & the seats were very comfortable, and the bathroom was shockingly clean. When we arrived, there was a guide waiting for us to lead us to our transportation that would take us to the hotel. Can I just say that Parisians do not drive as Americans do? The traffic was even worse than in Nashville & the pedestrians, motorists, and bicyclists have the right of way. They will cut in front of a car or a bus and not think twice about it. It honestly made me nervous to see people not care about possibly being hit.

When we got settled into our rooms, we explored the area around us because the food was calling our name. We ended up at a little Italian spot where they did NOT speak English, but luckily we made friends with the lady at the table next to us who DID speak English, as well as seven other languages. (In the USA, we are behind on teaching foreign languages in school because these folks out here know a lot more than just English.) I ordered a pizza topped with ham and mushrooms that was WONDERFUL. I was sad that I could not take it back to the room to eat later on because the hotel does not provide a microwave. (Neither did the London Hotel) BUT there is a pretty cool feature to our hotel that I have never encountered before: the elevators. I am used to only pressing the floor number INSIDE the elevator to get to the correct floor. Here in Paris, the elevator buttons for the floor are OUTSIDE the elevator. You swipe your room key over the touch screen provided, select the floor, and it will tell you which elevator to get in for your floor. Once we returned, we met with our local guide Emma who helped us prepare for the next two days of our stay. She provided us with directions, suggestions, and skip the line tickets that came in handy. My grandmother, who went with me, ended up making friends with a couple from Gulf Shores, Alabama (Sue & Joe), whom we planned on grouping up with the next day. Grateful for Monograms Travel & for our guide Emma, who was extremely nice & catered to our every need. Emma, if you're reading this, you made our experience wonderful!

DAY 2

This was a BUSY BUSY BUSY day. We booked two half-day tours back to back. To start off, we did a bus tour & river cruise that highlighted the sights of Paris. This gave me the opportunity to get some really good pictures and videos. Readers, I will make you aware that Paris is the city of pickpockets. With that being said, please do not bring a backpack to Paris or a big purse. Your best bet is to get a cross-body bag that has a lock on it, as I did from a company called TRAVELON or one that completely zips. My grandmother wore a cross-body that had just a single button on the front and caught someone trying to pickpocket her. The locals will warn you about this issue, and it is also announced on the speakers of the Metro Station. For those that do not know what the Metro is, it is the equivalent of the Tube in London or the Subway in New York. It is the fastest and cheapest way to get around. When the first tour was over, we hopped on the Metro to get to the tour bus that would take us to the Palace of Versailles. I was fangirling over this visit because I had watched the tv show Versailles that focuses on King Louis XIV.

The tour allowed us to visit the quarters of Queen Marie Antoinette and her husband, King Louis XVI, the son of Louis XIV. The two were beheaded by their people in 1793 during the French Revolution. Out of the 700+ rooms, we only toured MAYBE 8, including the Hall of Mirrors. If you ever get the chance to visit Paris, stop at a place called Le Carousel Bar & Brasserie. The service was wonderful, and they spoke English. Our server had fantastic suggestions for the menu. I opted for the day special of the chicken plate and a Ginger and Peach wine that I could have had a few glasses of if I wanted to. Sue ordered what they called an Italian Salad that was different but good according to her. Her husband, Joe, was nice enough to buy us all drinks. (Thanks, Joe) Since we were not too far from the Arc de Triomphe , and had to skip the line tickets, that was our final stop for the day via Metro. This is a great spot to get a panoramic view of the city, definitely worth the 200+ step climb.

DAY 3

Since yesterday was so crazy and everyone was sore and tired from all the walking and the bare minimum of sleep, we slept in. I woke up feeling like my batteries were recharged and could really get somewhere without feeling drained. Sue & Joe did not join us for the day, but we knew we would see them the next day for our flight to Rome. For breakfast, I opted for the food that the hotel provided. Croissants were fresh and hot from a local bakery & they had the standard breakfast food (bacon, eggs, etc.) except for the addition of various cheeses as well as a juicing machine with fresh fruit. The juicer was highly appreciated since it is hard for me to keep up with eating healthier items when I am on vacation. Once my hunger was satiated, we hopped on the Metro to Montmarte. This is one of the largest hills in Paris that is surrounded by all kinds of shops as well as being the home to the Church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre. Which, if you have the time go in; it is free. I was enamored by the stained glass throughout it as well as how ornate the building was overall. This is honestly one of the best views of the city. On the gates surrounding the church, couples have added locks with their names written on them to solidify their love for one another. Once you make your way to the top, there is an art market where local artists will sell their beautiful pieces; also, a good place to have a picnic. Be aware of any local holidays when you visit. A lot of places are either closed or extremely packed when a holiday rolls around. Wear comfortable shoes! If you are new to the area like I was, you will not know that there is an elevator that takes you a decent way up the hill versus walking. I personally did not mind the walk since I have been slacking on my exercises and got a chance to really FEEL the area, you know?