Discovering the World with D

Recently, I went on a small Weekend Trip to Paris with my mum. Before the pandemic, we used to do a city trip once a year – just the two of us. We have previously been to Rome, Strassbourg and Cologne. This time my mum suggested Paris.

FYI : If you have never been to Paris, this post is not for you, as we didn’t really do any of the main tourist attractions.

Transport and Accomodation :

We decided to drive to Paris, as it seemed to be a lot cheaper than flying or taking the train. However, if you decide to drive, here are a few things to keep in mind.

1. Driving in Paris is stressful. Like in any major city, traffic is dense. In addition, most of the time there are no markings on the floor, so where I could only see rows of cars, Parisians would often create a third. So it can get very narrow.
2. Motorbikes seem to have priority everywhere they go. Cars actually will make space in between them to let them pass. Don’t be afraid if they speed past you with only 10 cm between you – they seem to know what they are doing.
3. I would suggest finding out where you will park in advance. We opted for a parking garage as we felt it would be safer and you often have the option of booking your spot in advance which comes out cheaper and saves you the hassle of having to look for a different place if the one you chose is full.

As for our hotel we opted for the Hotel Alexandrine Opéra in the 8th arrondissement. It was in a good location, not to far away from the Louvre or Montmartre. A metro station was just outside the door. However, we were a little disappointed. The rooms were very small, especially the bathroom. There was no wardrobe to hang your clothes and no place to put your suitcase. If you plan on staying more than just a couple of days, I wouldn’t recommend the hotel. On the plus side, the room was clean and staff were friendly. The hotel also offered breakfast, but I can’t tell you how that was as we preferred to go to a Boulangerie or a Café.

What we did :

As I’ve mentioned before, we avoided going to the typical tourist sights, as we have both been to Paris before and have already seen all that. Instead we opted for things that are maybe a little of the beaten track (not all of them though).

On Friday afternoon, we decided to go shopping. My mum took me to a wonderful department store that she discovered on her last trip to Paris. Le Bon Marché has 4 or 5 floors filled with clothes, accessories, skin care products and much more. It’s like a small Harrods, for those of you who have been. Attached to the shop you have an épicerie filled with all the goodies you could need for your next picnic. I’ll be back in Paris for the Olympic games in 2024 and have already decided that this is where I’ll be buying my ham, cheese and baguette for a nice picnic in a park.

On Saturday we decided to spend a good part of our morning in the Jardin du Luxembourg. This beautiful park feels like a calm oasis in the middle of the bustling city. We sat down at the Medici fountain watching the little ducklings swim around in the water while being fed by a woman. From a distance you could hear the live music being played by an orchestra who was sat at a pavilion. A bit further on, you will come across the main pond of the park. You could rent a little boat and let it float in the water. Although it was quite expensive, a lot of people did and it made everything seem even more magical.

While we were having dinner on Friday evening, I came up with the idea of booking a tour on the famous Bateaux Mouches that take you up and down the Seine. We knew the Saturday was going to be a hot day so we thought this would be a nice way of taking a break all while getting to feel a little wind in our hair. The good thing about these tickets is that they are valid for 2 years and you can use them whenever you like. So after the relaxing morning in the park, we decided that now was the time. And let me tell you, it was the best thing we could have done in that heat. It allowed us to cool down a little, all while seeing and learning about the most famous sights in Paris.

After that we made our way to the famous neighbourhood of Les Marais, but not without stopping at the cute little stands along the Seine. This is the perfect place to by Souvenirs as it’s such an iconic sight. Les Marais is a bustling neighbourhood full of shops and cute little side streets. There were a million people around but nevertheless, I enjoyed it very much. Sadly it was simply getting to warm and after a quick drink on a terrace we decided to head back to our hotel to cool down.

Where to eat :

Paris is full of restaurants which makes it difficult to choose where to eat. Even though I prefer being spontaneous and just heading into restaurants I pass by that look nice, this doesn’t seem possible in Paris. I definitely recommend reserving most of your restaurants before you go (fyi : I’m mainly talking about dinner).

Let me start off with breakfast. On Saturday, we stopped at the Café de la Paix, situated right on the Place de l’Opéra. I loved this place as it had a beautiful view and you could easily spend some time just to people watch. I had a classic croissant and a coffee while my mum had a french baguette with different types of jam. It was delicious.

On Sunday, my mum wanted to take me to the Place des Vosges where she had breakfast with my dad the last time they came. The place is called Carette and is one of the longest running cafés of Paris. They have a couple of locations, another being near Trocadéro. And let me tell you it didn’t disappoint. Everything was delicious and the interior is beautiful. Bonus : you can have a nice walk in the park after breakfast.

Let’s move on to dinner. I had some of the most amazing food I’ve ever tasted in Paris. The first evening we went to The Crying Tiger – a Thai restaurant that my mum hasn’t stopped talking about. And she had every reason too. The food was delicious and the staff were very friendly. They have a decent selection of signature cocktails and even homemade lemonades. I had the the basil chicken while my mum hat the pad thai. Both were very tasty.

I’ve saved the best for last. On Saturday evening, we went to East Mamma, it’s part of a chain that’s been popping up all over social media. Their most famous restaurant seems to be Pink Mamma, but I wasn’t able to book a table there (2 weeks in advance!). So we opted for the only one actually having a table. I heard mixed reviews about these places, some saying they were delicious, while others saying they weren’t worth the hype. I’m definitely on the side of people saying it is delicious. All the waiters spoke Italian, which is something I love when going to an Italian Restaurant. I had the Cacio e Pepe, which was seriously one of the best I’ve ever had, while my mum had a Pizza (Neapolitan style). Side Note : The restaurants are famous for their truffle pasta and you can smell it even outside the restaurant. If you are like me and you don’t like the smell, please don’t let that stop you. Once you’ve sat there for a while you become used to it and the food is seriously to good to just pass up.

That’s all for now! Stay tuned for next time, where I’ll be posting one of my most exciting posts yet. Make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss another post and contact me if you need any information about Paris. Until then, don’t forget to “Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Mark Twain)

D.x