How to: 24 hours in Paris

How to: 24 hour in Paris (Fall edition)

After seeing this post from one of my favorite bloggers, Margret Zhang, I knew that I wanted to do something similar for the different cities I visited in Europe. I’ve had a lot of people ask me before going and after, what are some things that you must do when visiting Paris, so here is an outline of what the perfect day (to me)  in Paris would look like.

 

7H (“AM” for my fellow American)

Rise and shine, you’re in Paris. No time for snooze buttons , there’s so much to do and such little time, after all you’re only here for 24 hour (hypothetically). After the morning essential (Teeth brushing and the sorts), put on your stylish yet comfortable walking shoes and head out. Walk or take a quick Subway ride to la Cathédral Notre Dame, where you can find cute little cafés for the quintessential Parisian breakfast, croissant (plain, chocolate or ham and cheese ) and café. With one of the quadrants of your stomach full. You now have just enough sustenance to give you the energy to taking on the next 2 hours.

8H

After leaving breakfast, be sure to take a nice walk along the seine and take some snaps by Cathédral Notre Dame before all of the true tourist wake from their slumber and photobomb the hell out of any selfie you try to take. If the spirit moves you take a peak inside (its free), the sheer reverence and beauty can move you to tears. After drying your eyes, head to the nearest subway station and take a train to the Louvre-Rivoli station.The Paris subway system is so efficient (a train comes ever 4 mins most of the time) and very easy to navigate for any street smart novice.

9H 

Once at the station, just follow the signs toward the louvre because you can exit in to a mall dedicated to the louvre and will eventually find the entrance. Your a savvy tourist so you’ve bought tickets online so you walk straight pass the long line of those waiting for tickets to head to your journey to distant lands and times through art, for the next 3 hrs. It takes much longer to  fully absorb all that is the louvre but 3 hrs will have to do for now until your next trip.

12H (12 PM)

After walking around that huge museum, you should now possess the hunger of a 250lb linebacker and need food stat. Head over to the Brasserie du Louvre, within the hyatt hotel, there you will find delightful plats and dishes that will cure any hangry (hungry+angry) feeling you may now be experiencing. Make sure you get a good glass of wine, you are in Paris for goodness sake.

13H

Full? Great,
because your going to do more walking to work that food baby off. Take a stroll through the Jardin Tulleries, where you will find beautiful trees, flowers and shrubbier and maybe a seat so that you can chill by the fountain and let you food digest.

14H 

Now that you are nice and relax its time for a little retail therapy. Lets start at the Champs Élysees where you can find well known retailers like, H&M, Zara and Louis Vuitton. When you’re done window shopping   breaking the bank, be sure to visit the iconic L’arc de Triomphe.

16H 
Now that you got your name brand fix, take a subway ride to Montmarte, where you can find some great vintage shopping. While in Montmarte, be sure to take the elevator (there are stairs but it may take you a good chunck of time to get up there) Sacre Cœur, another beautiful church in Paris.

 

18H

It’s 6pm and your stomach may now be signaling to you that its time for more food, so head back to your hotel, put your bags down and then go ask the reception desk for the nearest GOOD boulangerie (bakery). Bakeries are a dime a dozen in Paris so it’s important to scope out the best to get the full Parisian experience. One of my suggestions Du pain et Des idées, there you can find authentic french bread and pasties to snack on before dinner.

19H

The sun is setting and you’ve gotten your éclair fix, back to the hotel you should go, to freshen up and put on something a little more fabulous. Out of the hotels doors, you head out into the city looking like Carrie Bradshaw on her way to see Mr.Big. Your first stop, the Eiffel Tower. The eiffel tour is beautiful during the day but a night, the lights come on and it makes the city sparkle. You have reservations to 58 Tour Eiffel, the famous restaurant that sits inside eiffel tour, so there is no need to wait in line to go up. You arrive to the first floor of the eiffel tour, after a brisk elevator ride that make your stomach drop. What you see beyond this point is a site that dreams are made of, the beautiful sparkling city of Paris from above. Take your pics and then go inside because you’re about to partake in one of the best meals $100+ can buy.

21H

You should now be full of some of the best French fair, so it’s now time to descend  upon the Paris night and take it by storm. If you’re like me, you’re looking for the nearest venue to shake your tail feather or at least get a good digestif, so your next stop will be the Oberkampf neighbor. Full of trendy bars and clubs, Oberkampf is where the party at (That was a Jagged Edge reference just incase you didn’t get that). Party, party, party, let all get waisted (well as close to waisted as you can get while wearing a fabulous outfit with a belly full of expensive french food, in a foreign country).

2H
After partying your life away, at somewhere like Panic Room , your feet are probably throbbing and you smell like an ash tray. It’s time to call an Uber and take your butt to sleep. At this point. we’re a little shy of our two hours but you didn’t think I would leave out a little Parisian beauty rest did you?

 

Well that’s my guide the perfect 24h in Paris, of course it took me 5 days to accomplish these things but you’re an over achiever so I sure you can do it. Any who, I hope you all, enjoyed this mini guide of some stuff to do while in Paris and will check back for my post on Barcelona and Milan as well.

 

Photos : Trisha Penn (me) and Google Search