Paris is huge and amazing! The city of love is a must if you get the chance. There’s so much to see and do, so put it on your bucket list and don’t waste any time getting there!
How we got there!
This trip was pretty incredible! We hopped on a $500 round-trip flight to Paris out of Denver. It was more than we’d typically pay but Icelandair has an awesome stopover feature that allows for up to 7 days in Iceland. We ended up going there for 2 days. It definitely wasn’t enough. Because of that, we figured the $500 tickets were worth it. Oh did I say pay? What I meant to say was we used miles and didn’t pay a dime.
What we did!
This trip was a little backward but it ended up being a lot of fun. We flew from Iceland to Paris and then immediately jumped on a train to Brussels. Trains are the way to go if you’re in Europe. The tickets were pretty inexpensive and there’s nothing better than a train ride through the countryside of Europe.
After Brussels, we took the train back to Paris and got an Airbnb right around the corner from the Eiffel Tower.
Our time in Paris was really nonstop. We saw a ton of stuff during the 3 days we were there! So much that I’m going to list it in short simple bulletins.
The Louvre –
The largest art museum in the world. The Louvre sits on 782,913 sq feet of land and holds over 38,000 different objects! That of course includes the famous Mona Lisa. If you want to see it up close and more direct, prepare to stand in a line. If you want to avoid the line you can still see the Mona Lisa fairly close, just not up close and personal. It’s definitely a must-see either way, but don’t be surprised when you see its real size!
The Palace of Versailles – TBC
Catacombs – While Paris is amazing above the ground, it’s also incredible underground! You’ve probably heard of the Catacombs, but you may not think of them when you first think of Paris. It’s probably not for everyone, but with over 6 million Parisian remains in tunnels underground, it’s well worth the visit if you’re up for it.
Eiffel Tower – The world-famous symbol and icon of Paris. It really is stunning and is far better seen in person. It’s beautiful during the day and even more beautiful at night. Once the sun has set the entire tower lights up and it’s quite a sight to see. This typically happens around 8 pm. At the top of the hour, the lights will twinkle for 5 minutes. The lights turn off at 1 am or 2 am depending on the time of the year.
It was originally built for the world fair and the Parisians initially called it a monstrosity. They feared it would ruin the city’s beauty and they even started petitions to get it removed. Clearly, it didn’t work, and now the tower stands tall and proud in Paris!
Luxembourg Gardens – TBC
Where We Stayed.
We found a great hotel through Airbnb and it was perfect. It was nice enough for what we needed, it was right next to the metro, and from the street, we could see the Eiffel Tower.
Transportation.
Like all big cities, Paris has a very extensive metro system. It goes everywhere you need and it’s great.
Like most European cities, Paris has protests and strikes and demonstrations and all kinds of events that delay or suspend metro operations. Be aware as you’re planning that sections could be closed. At one point we had to hop on a bus bridge to get to where we were going and it took a while. Another section was under construction and we ended up using uber to get to where we needed to go.
Where We Ate.
As you’d expect, Paris has amazing pastries, crepes, and baguettes! Every year they even have a baguette contest to determine the best baker in the city. Every street corner has them and with a little searching, you can even find them gluten-free. Skip a big breakfast and go pastry and baguette hunting!
The Parisians are all about their cafes. Because of this, you’re never more than about four and a half seconds away from delicious food.
Paris Baguette is a great bakery that offers everything you could want.
Tasca is a Gluten-Free Italian restaurant just off the Champs de Mars. Great food if you’re in the area.
NoGlu is another delicious gluten-free restaurant.
La Crepetir de Josselin as with the other places hit the spot just right.
You really can’t go wrong with all the options in Paris. We ate and loved everything.
Gluten-Free in Paris
Like all European cities, it’s been surprising to see how well they understand Celiac. With a little research, and maybe a little walking, you can find gluten-free friendly restaurants all over the city. There are bakeries and shops and all kinds of options. Don’t let celiac be a reason to stay home. Go to Paris and experience the wonders!
What we Learned
Depending on your knowledge of history, you may know that the Statue of Liberty in New York actually came from France. What you may not know, is that Paris has 5 statues of Liberty! While clearly not as big, they are scattered throughout the city, and finding them can be kind of fun. You can do your own research, but there’s one not too far from Eiffel Tower.
Paris is the biggest city in France, but not the largest French-speaking city. That title actually goes to Kinshasa which is a city in the Republic of Congo and its population exceeds 12 million!
Due to the many depictions of Paris, tourists often experience something called Paris Syndrome. This is the disappointment of not seeing the expected. While Paris is amazing and has lots to offer, it’s just like any big city and isn’t always glamorous as Instagram may show. Interestingly enough, this has been known to affect Japanese tourists the most. Don’t be deterred, however, the city is definitely worth the visit.
That being said, enjoy the city and don’t cram too many things in. We find that the more we shove into a destination the less we seem to enjoy it. Paris is incredible and should be cherished.