Travel Diaries - 60 Hours in Paris

Sometimes self-care looks a lot like flying to Paris and filling up your heart with art. And bread. Lots of bread. A bit of wine too. After a rough couple of weeks, I was longing for anything that would make my sore heart tender again. So naturally, when my friend Diana suggested that we celebrate her birthday in the City of Lights, I couldn’t say no.

Getting There

We flew in on Wednesday evening from Gatwick and got back to Brighton on Saturday early in the morning. With only two full days in Paris, we established a detailed schedule to make sure we’d make the most of our trip. Having already been to Paris in the past, I was acquainted with the city which made the whole thing a lot easier.

For safety and convenience purposes we stayed in the Quartier Latin which is located on the Rive Gauche (= Left Bank) of Paris. The historical centre of this neighbourhood is home to the distinguished Sorbonne University and the Pantheon where some of the most important French figures are buried. The Latin Quarter is one of the liveliest areas of Paris and we were pleased to sit at a busy bistro on our first night. The charming Place de la Contrescarpe felt like we had just fallen into a living Parisian postcard with the cheerful chatter, red wine glasses and cultural cigarette smoke. Surrounded by locals and students, the first restaurant we went to was definitely the most authentic of our stay hence, a perfect start to our little gateway.

Activities in Paris: Food, Museum and Monuments

After dinner, D was dying to see the Eiffel Tower so we joined Iron Lady by metro. We got there right before midnight and got to see the tower sparkle. Indeed, the EiffelTower sparkles every evening after dusk for 5 minutes at the beginning of each hour until 1 a.m. The whole thing was magical, not because I hadn’t seen it before but because I got to experience it with my wonderful Canadian friend whose favourite Disney film happens to be Ratatouille. Seeing Paris through her eyes gave a whole new dimension to the city since as a European I tend to take it for granted. Of course, the experience wouldn’t have been complete if we hadn’t seen a rat run in front of us or hadn’t gotten catcalled by some drunk guy while waiting for our Uber. After this rollercoaster of emotion, we called it a night and got back to our hotel.

On our first morning, we took things slow. Kind of. After grabbing some pastries on the go (Diana had a pistachio and chocolate escargot and I got a croissant), we walked towards the dreamy Jardin du Luxembourg, passing by the Panthéon. The 17th Century garden was created by Queen Marie de Medici, widow of King Henry IV, for the Luxembourg Palace. Since its initial creation, the garden was largely transformed throughout time and today covers 23 hectares (56.8 acres) and is known for its tree-lined promenades, colourful flowerbeds and model sailboats on its octagonal Grand Bassin. Autumn colours truly suited the place. The golden leaves, falling down the trees and the crisp air somehow felt like the softest thing ever.

After our stroll in the park, we were headed to Café de Flore in Saint-Germain-Des-Prés for some coffee. The place is notorious for hosting some of the most important artists, poets and writers of the 20th century. Like its main rival (Les Deux Magots), Café de Flore received famous French intellectuals such as Apolinaire, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and André Breton. Today, the once literary hub has preserved its Art Deco interior however, I believe it has lost its authenticity. We paid 17€ for two coffees and a croissant and the place was cramped with influencers. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed my time at Café de Flore if only for the history these sits have witnessed and the culture these walls have nurtured.

Once our coffee break was over, we crossed the Pond Neuf (Paris’ oldest bridge) to join the Louvre Museum where we spent the rest of our day. The Louvre began as a fortress for King Philip II in the 12th century and was royalty’s main residence until Louis XIV chose to settle down in Versailles. It was only during the French Revolution that the Louvre was transformed into a museum. In 2019, the Louvre counts over 500’000 works of art of which over 36’000 are exposed. Once again, I was extremely grateful for the three years of Art History I took in high school as it allowed me to fully appreciate and admire the magnificence of what I was surrounded by. Needless to say that our little brains were completely liquified by the end of our visit.

We then had a late lunch at Le Grand Colbert which happened to be a famous Parisian brasserie (we had no idea when we got in) notably for starring in the 2003 rom-com Something’s Gotta Give. Historically, the place was known to serve the cheapest broth in Paris which is quite ironic considering the fact that we paid 8€ for a 1L water bottle. Nevertheless, the food was good and at this point, we were too tired to care about anything else. Before returning to our hotel, we still found the strength to check out the luxurious department store; Galeries Lafayette. Besides the shopping, the place itself is fabulous mainly due to its Coupole, an emblem of Art Nouveau. Later in the evening, we had dinner at the bold and enigmatic Kong restaurant. Located on the 5th floor of a Haussmann building, the restaurant offers a beautiful view of Paris through its glass walls. It felt like the perfect place to order some bubbles and raise our glasses to everything the world has yet to offer.

The next day, the world had quite a lot to offer as we took the RER in direction of the Palace of Versailles. Initially built in 1623, Versailles started out as a hunting lodge before it became the King’s official residence in 1682. The palace’s extravagant expansion (1661-1678) is today estimated at 3 billion USD. Versailles’ grandiosity embodies the wealthy lifestyle of those who built it which eventually resulted in their downfall. It took us a while to process all the History these walls had witnessed and we spent most of our day admiring Marie-Antoinette’s and Louis XIV’s legacy, mesmerised by the beauty of it all.

In the afternoon, we grabbed a quick lunch in Versailles before heading back to Paris. Our last activity of the day was a cruise on the Seine aboard the famous Bateaux-Mouches. The tour was a great experience since we got to enjoy Paris from a new perspective. Within one hour we got to see the Eiffel Tower, the Cathedral of Notre Dame, The Conciergerie, Alexander III’s bridge with its golden statues, the Louvre, Hotel de Ville and so much more. Our journey was narrated by an audio guide which was a plus. Finally, we ended our Parisian trip with a classic apéro at La Jaja, a tapas bar located in the 2nd Arrondissement.

Needless to say that our trip was a success and we loved every second of it. We were surprised by the number of things we managed to see in such a short amount of time and honestly if it wasn’t for our military schedule and absolute sleep deprivation, we wouldn’t have done it. If you’re thinking of visiting the French capital I would honestly suggest you either travel with your type-A friend or stay a little longer than us. Moreover, keep in mind that everything went smoothly because a) I speak French and b) I’ve been to Paris and know the places to avoid. Make sure to do your research before booking a hotel and if you’re on a budget book in advance and check your priorities. A lot of things are free but most museums have an entry fee. Versailles truly was a dream of ours and we knew we’d rather see the Palace than the church of Sacré-Coeur for instance.

Lastly, as I mentioned earlier, Paris is a big touristy city and foreigners are easy targets. My friend almost got her phone stolen while we were in line at Starbucks. Luckily, she caught the pickpocket and he dropped her phone right away. In the metro, we were very aware of our bags, pockets and pretty much everything surrounding us. As female travellers, we don’t have the luxury of wandering around carefree. Nevertheless, Paris is a wonderful place and if you’re aware of your surroundings everything should be fine. My brain greatly appreciated the opportunity to use my mother tongue and my heart got the gentleness it needed.