Four Days in Paris: Part I
Four days is not nearly enough time to see, experience, and taste everything in this beautiful city – but I gave it my very best effort. It was a dream for me to be in Paris. And every part of our trip was magical – even the quiet moments in our Airbnb, drinking wine, and eating cheese. I love Paris. It’s an incredible city. I hope you have the opportunity to experience the city of lights. If you do, perhaps you will find some tips from our travel itinerary.
The Eiffel Tower
Day 1
We took the train from Brussels to Paris and arrived at the Gare du Nord Train Station around 1:00 pm. This is the busiest train station in Paris and located in the 10th arrondissement. Our Airbnb was in the 2nd arrondissement. A taxi would cost about 90 Euros (a strike was driving up transportation costs) so we walked halfway and then took an Uber the rest of the way, costing us only 8 Euros.
Once situated in our Airbnb, we began walking around the neighborhood to get acquainted with where we were and what was around us. Our Airbnb was in a perfect neighborhood. It was quaint, non-touristy, with lots of shops, cafes, and restaurants nearby.
Sitting at a cafe right outside our Airbnb in Paris
We then went to Montmarte, the iconic hilltop neighborhood in Paris’s 18th arrondissement.
Street in Montmartre, Paris
A street in Montmartre
View of the Eiffel Tower in Montmartre
We wandered through the streets of Montmarte until we made it to Sacre-Coeur. It’s a beautiful basilica with stunning views of Paris at the top. It’s quite a hike to get to the top but well worth it! You will have to pay 12 Euro if you’d like to go to the top.
Sacre-Coeur in Paris
Eiffel Tower from the top of Sacre-Coeur
Paris from the top of Sacre-Coeur
Paris from the top of Sacre-Coeur
After our time at Sacre-Coeur we walked to a nearby café in Montmarte for a drink. Here we learned an important lesson, instead of ordering “water” ask for tap water. Otherwise you’ll pay 5 Euros for water. After a glass of wine (which was cheaper than our water) we continued to walk around Montmarte. We couldn’t leave this area of Paris without a photo-op at the Moulin Rouge.
Moulin Rouge
A cafe in Montmartre
A cafe in Montmartre
Exhausted from walking, we took an Uber back to our Airbnb to enjoy an “aperitif” (a drink and appetizer) before heading out for dinner in our neighborhood.
Aperitif Time in our Airbnb
Our first dinner in Paris included Escargot and Bone Marrow. I wasn’t crazy about either, but I wanted to experience some French delicacies. I’m happy we did!
Escargot and Bone Marrow in Paris
It was a busy and adventurous first day in Paris. We saw a lot, walked a lot, ate a lot, and fell in love with our neighborhood. I went to bed so excited for the next day.
Day 2
I didn’t think it was possible to top Day 1 in Paris – but Day 2 DID! It was another magical day. We started our day with an Airbnb Experience. Airbnb now offers “experiences” and this was our first one. It did not disappoint! We booked a “foodie” experience and our tour guide, Silvia, was fantastic!
At L’epicier in Paris during our Airbnb Experience
A boulangerie in Paris
She took us to her favorite spots in the 11th and 12th arrondissements, including an amazing open market, the Aligre Market near Bastille. Other stops included a boulangerie, patisserie, and more! I’ll have a full review of our Airbnb experience later this week on the blog. Stay tuned!
An Open Market it Paris’s 12th District
After our flavorful tour of Parisian hot spots with Silvia, we walked back to our Airbnb to freshen up for the day. This was a long walk but a great one! It took us through the historic district of Le Marais, which spreads across parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements.
Street views in Le Marais in Paris
Walking through Le Marais in Paris
Marais is filled with beautiful parks, lively cafes, and fun shops. Definitely explore this area if you’re in Paris.
A Classic Car on the streets of Le Marais in Paris
After a brief stop at our apartment, we headed out to some of the most iconic monuments in Paris – the Eiffel Tower and Notre-Dame Cathedral. The first stop was at Notre-Dame. It’s incredibly impressive and massive. The line was too long so we opted not to tour the inside; however, I wished we would have.
Notre-Dame in Paris
Notre-Dame in Paris
After marveling at Notre-Dame, we started to walk along Le Seine River toward the Eiffel Tower.
Seine River in Paris
Seine River in Paris
Halfway on our walk, we stopped at a café to grab another Parisian favorite – a Croque Monsieur and Pommes Frites (French fries). I love a Croque Monsier! You must try this amazing sandwich if you’re ever in France. The Laundry in Fenton has a great spin on this French favorite, but nothing tops eating one while in Paris.
Croque Monsieur and Pommes Frites in Paris
After lunch, we once again started walking towards the Eiffel Tower. It’s so amazing to see this monument in person. However, it’s incredibly busy right around the tour. While I’m happy we got up close and personal with the Eiffel Tower, there are better views of it in other parts of the city that we explored.
After our walk around the Eiffel Tower we headed back to our apartment for an aperitif which included goodies we purchased from the market earlier in the day.
We ate dinner later than normal while in Paris. There was so much to see and do during the day that we tried to fit as much in as we could. We also enjoyed happy hour every evening in our apartment before heading out to dinner.
Our second dinner in Paris included two stops at restaurants in our neighborhood. We stopped at the first one to enjoy a cheese plate and French onion soup. Both were very tasty! Our second stop was for the main course. James had a burger and fries (so American J) and I had truffle ravioli – so yummy! Once again, I headed to bed, a full and happy girl, giddy for the next day.
Walking to dinner in Paris
Stay tuned to my blog for a rundown of our second two days in Paris. Just when Paris couldn’t get any more magical – we explored the city of Lights at night. You can’t miss out on the pictures! Make sure you subscribe to my blog so you know when I post Four Days in Paris: Part II. xoxo
Love seeing your pictures, looks like the two of you had a great time!
Thank you! We had an amazing time!