Paris. City of Love.
A city with many sights, culture, personality and fantastic food. If you only have an extended weekend, the Marketing Coordinator at Apollo, Nathalie Meinhardt, gives you an idea of what to experience, where to eat and which areas to visit. Read her travel tips for Paris here:
Remember and enjoy the city
I’ve now visited Paris a few times, and I have to admit that it wasn’t until the 2nd or 3rd time that I really enjoyed the city. The first time I visited Paris, I was quite stressed about seeing the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, sailing on the Seine, walking in the Jardin des Tuileries, seeing the Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, the Moulin Rouge, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Élysées , Versailles Palace and much more. Phew, I’m actually out of breath.
But that’s way too much for one weekend. So I would recommend that you select a few things that are must-sees for you, so that you also have time to just walk around, get lost, eat delicious food and enjoy the atmosphere with a crisp croissant in hand. And just to warn – I’m a real foodie, so of course I spent a lot of time researching restaurants and delicious food, therefore there will also be a preponderance of this below
Day 1
Start the day in style
When I started researching breakfast places, this place came up several times. Buvette is located at 8 Rue Henry Monnier in the Montmartre district, and is the finest little place with a beautiful, rustic interior. I can especially recommend their “waffle sandwich” and yogurt with muesli and berries. And then they can figure out how to make a good cup of coffee. Very delicious!
You are located approx. 1 km from Sacre Coeur, so it is obvious to go here after a hearty, good breakfast. The trip there goes along winding roads, and the city is slowly starting to wake up, so you will see restaurant owners opening up their respective places and putting chairs out on the pavement.
When you arrive at the foot of the beautiful white church, sit on a bench, watch the people, watch the street performers, listen to the music and enjoy the very special atmosphere. Go up the stairs – remember and enjoy the view – and take enter and see the church from the inside.
Then head over to the artist square and experience the creative atmosphere of the Montmartre area up close. If your stomach has started to rumble, settle down at one of the many sidewalk cafes and immerse yourself in the Parisian lifestyle and order Moules Frites with ice-cold rose wine.
Shopping is a must
You can then take the metro to Havre – Caumatin and the area around Rue Royale. There are plenty of shopping opportunities here, including Printemps, Galeries Lafayette, Uniqlo and Other Stories. You can easily spend a few hours walking here.
Then go down to Laduree, located right on Rue Royale, and buy goodies. We bought Tarte au Citron, Chocolat Eclair and various macarons, and then we walked over the Pont de la Concorde bridge and all the way along the Seine to the square in front of the Eiffel Tower. It is a route of approx. 3 km (you can also take the metro to the Champ de Mars ), but the walk is quickly over as there is so much beautiful to look at.
Stop, breathe and enjoy the moment
Enjoy the purchased goodies on the lawn with a view of the Eiffel Tower, have a good chat and just enjoy life and Paris. This is what it’s all about. Enjoyment of life in beautiful surroundings. It’s not just endless sights to thrash through. We must remember and stop on a bench or in a park, have a good chat, take a deep breath and enjoy the big city holiday.
Then go back to the hotel, relax, have a nice bath and get ready for a night out.
Here you can possibly try one of the extremely popular (and very delicious) Mamma restaurants – e.g. Pink Mamma , which has the most beautiful interior and serves delicious Italian food. And after that, see what the evening has to offer – Paris is always ready for a drink or two.
Day 2
Get up early, take the metro out to the Catacombs. There will probably be a bit of a line, so join it and while you’re standing there, one of you can slip into a breakfast place for a couple of croissants and two cups of coffee to enjoy while you wait. The catacombs are one of those things that I hadn’t experienced before, but it was really worth the experience – and quite creepy. Here, the dead from surrounding cemeteries were moved down to avoid the risk of infection.
After a few hours down in the dark history of Paris, it’s time to come up to the surface. Take the metro back to Mabillion station – in the area there is an abundance of cozy pavement cafes. Take a seat and order a croque monseiur or madame for lunch while watching the busy Parisian life.
You are about 1 km from Notre Dame, so walk towards the beautiful church that is being rebuilt after the fire while you browse small shops or walk along the Seine. If you fancy something delicious, Amorino is right before you cross the Pont Des Coeurs bridge – order their famous flower ice cream with a macaron on top and walk towards the church.
Enjoy the church from the outside and walk back along the Seine where street vendors sell beautiful posters for next to nothing. I bought the most beautiful 50×70 cm poster for around DKK 25, which hangs nicely in my living room and reminds me of a lovely holiday.
The Louvre is approx. 1.3 km from Notre Dame, so it is obvious to stop by here and take a walk in the Jardin des Tuileries. If it is getting late, go home to the hotel, put your feet up and get some a little nap. On a city holiday it is easy to forget to relax, and this is something that I have only learned in recent years. But if you remember it (e.g. sleep for a long time or take an afternoon nap or a long bath before going out in the evening), then it really makes a difference, I think.
A suggestion for a good restaurant for dinner is Les Fines Gueules, which was recommended to me by an acquaintance who has lived in Paris. The price is affordable, and then you sit down in a cozy basement, where the waiter presents the day’s menu on a giant blackboard. And the food is incredibly delicious!
Day 3
Sleep long on the third day of the trip and find one of the restaurants belonging to the popular chain Le Pain Quotidien. They serve a fantastic breakfast – we got two delicious cups of coffee, bun and yogurt with fresh fruit and granola.
After a hearty breakfast, we found the area of Rue des Petits Champs, where there is plenty of shopping.
We had decided that we should try snails and frog legs on our trip. When you are a foodie, it must be at the top of the bucket list – and if it is to be experienced, it must also be done in a good restaurant, so that you get the best imaginable experience. L’Escargot Montorgueil is located in the area, and here we ordered the famous dishes with a glass of white wine.
The verdict? I’m glad I tried it – it was an experience. And frog legs actually tasted good, but I probably won’t order snails again.
After a culinary experience, you can continue around the nice area, where there is a lot to look at and experience.
Go home to the hotel in the afternoon because in the evening comes one of the absolute highlights of the trip – the Eiffel Tower!
Approx. 1.5 – 2 hours before it gets dark, then you can take the metro to Trocadero. Here you will find the large square with the beautiful view of the iconic building.
Walk along the path towards the Eiffel Tower and you can choose to go up the tower instead of taking the elevator. It is the most amazing experience, and you really see the huge construction in a completely different way.
As you go up towards the top, the sun begins to set just as quietly, and you experience both the city up there from both during the day and in the evening. Both parts are a great experience!
When darkness has fallen, take the metro to the Moulin Rouge where you have booked a show from home. Come a few hours before the show and have dinner at the restaurant Rouge Bis, which is directly opposite. They serve super delicious burgers, good drinks, and here is a lively and good atmosphere.
Experience the historic show with the beautiful, dancing girls. I have a fondness for Moulin Rouge because I have seen the movie with Nicole Kidman approx. 300 times in my teenage years. So the area here is truly an experience and there was no doubt that I had to experience the show itself.
Day 4
It’s the last day, and if you’re flying in the afternoon or evening, go out into the city one last time. Have breakfast at a local cafe close to your hotel and watch the city quietly wake up to a new day.
If you have more time, take a detour to Rue de Rivoli, where there is an abundance of fantastic thrift stores.
And then I can highly recommend that lunch is taken at L’as du Fallafel, which is located in the area. It’s super hyped – but I promise you it’s worth it!
