Oui oui, Paris! In just three hours by train from the Netherlands, you are in this cosmopolitan city. Famous for the Eiffel Tower, croissants, and the chic expensive brands. Visit the many monuments or see the Mona Lisa in the Louvre museum. Grab a terrace, stroll along the Champs-Élysées, or have a romantic dinner in one of the many bistros. Paris has so much to offer that it is quite difficult to choose what to do. In this blog you'll find tips for a city trip of 3 to 5 days
Eiffel Tower
Highlights⚡️
- The famous monuments: Oh, there are so many, and they are all beautiful. Are you going for 3-5 days? Then I recommend the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe and the Sacré-Coeur
- The Louvre museum: This gigantic museum is definitely worth a visit, to see the famous Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci and thousands of other paintings. You will never be able to see everything in one day, but that doesn't matter. Two or three hours were enough for me
- Opéra Garnier: You will be amazed in this beautiful building. Ballet performances are given here, but you can also visit the opera without going to a performance
- Boat trip on the Seine; there is nothing more romantic than being on a boat on the Seine at sunset. You can also do this boat trip when the weather is bad, because there is an indoor area on the boat
- View of the city: The best view of the city is from the Tour Montparnasse, but you can also go to the roof terrace of the Galleries Lafayette for a nice photo!
La maison du chocolat
Lowlights😔
- This metropolis is one of the most visited cities in Europe and therefore it is very busy
- The queues for the tourist activities are long; you can easily stand in line for 2 hours. Therefore, always buy your ticket in advance, or even better; a skip-the-line ticket
- In general, French people speak bad English (or they don't want to try). Personally, I also think that the French can come across as arrogant
- There are many pickpockets and scammers, so take care of your belongings. Don't be tempted to play a game on the street, because before you know it, you've been lured into a trap. There are also many gypsies around trying to make contact. Don't start the conversation, thank them nicely and walk away
- Personally, I don't think this is a nice city to visit with the kids, unless your kids don't mind walking a lot and doing a lot of activities related to art and culture
- Parking is tricky; the parking garages are narrow and on the street you really have to be a pro in parking
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
French balcony
I bought my first pair of Louboutins :)
Location and transportation 🚕
Transport to Paris
The best way to travel to Paris from the Netherlands, is by train. You can buy your ticket four months in advance via the Thalys website. If you are on time, you pay about 35 euros each way. Set up an e-mail alert on the website so that you know exactly when ticket sales start. Unfortunately, the later you book, the more expensive it becomes and then the train is simply no longer favorable in terms of price. We decided to go to Paris last minute and train tickets were almost 200 euros per person!
That is why we did not opt for the train this time, but for the car. Our journey from Amsterdam took about six hours. When going by car, refuel along the highway and not in villages. We didn’t do that and ended up in a village where there was no fuel anymore. Oops.
You can also go to Paris by plane, but I wouldn't recommend that. Airline tickets are not necessarily cheaper, and you also lose a lot of travel time at the airport and in Paris from the airport to the city.
Accommodation and transportation in Paris
The Marais and Quartier Latin are super nice neighborhoods to stay. In these neighborhoods you will find nice boutiques and cafes; perfect for wandering around. Hotels are pricey. That's why I don't have a fixed hotel, but I look through Booking.com to see what the best deal is at that time. Paris also has lesser neighborhoods with a lot of crime. Read the reviews of your hotel carefully to be sure of the location of your hotel.
Another tip: if possible, only take hand luggage with you. If your hotel has an elevator, it's tiny, so I'd rather take the stairs! My first time in Paris, part of my party got stuck in the elevator. It took them about two hours to get out.
You can do a lot of things on foot in Paris, but if you don't have a car, I advise you to buy a 10-ride ticket for the metro. The metros can be quite full, but this is the way to travel quick and cheap. Are you going out for a night or just for a drink? Then take an Uber back to your hotel. That's safer.
When food = life 🥗
If you're looking for tips from real French cuisines, where you get those minimalist dishes, then the tips below won’t satisfy you. When I go out for dinner, I don't want to go to McDonalds afterwards. Speaking of McDonald's; walk into the McDonalds on the Champs-Élysées, where you can get a box of McMacarons for less than five euros! The real macaron lover should also stop at Ladurée. The macarons here are expensive (I paid over thirty euros for a box) but well worth it.
Breakfast tip: Use Google Maps to find the nearest bakery and buy a croissant, baguette, a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice. Lovely French breakfast in my opinion!
Looking for a halal food spot? Then visit Le Butcher.
KONG
Le Butcher
Ladurée
Good to know 🙋🏽♀️
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France is in the EU, as a Dutch citizen, you can travel with your passport or ID
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Pocket money: we spent about 300 euros in 3 days (2 adults)
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The best time to travel is in the months of May, June and September. Hopefully you will have good weather by then; not too hot and not too cold. Don't go in the month of August, because the French are also free and then it is even busier than usual
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Are you with children? Combine this trip with a day at Disneyland Paris!
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You can drink water from the tap here, unless there is a sign with the text 'Eau non potable' (no drinking water)
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For the perfect Instagram photo, head to Rue de l'Université, where you can see the Eiffel Tower in the background. You can also shoot a very nice picture at the Montmartre love wall
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The French like to speak French. Therefore, download the app 'Google Translate' so that you can make yourself understood
Paris; the most romantic city in Europe. Beautiful monuments and delicious croissants. It is very busy there, but well, what metropolis isn't? Go with your partner and leave your children at home I would say ;).
I have to admit that the Netflix series “Emily in Paris” made me like Paris even more! Recognizable girls?
Salut,
Nathalie
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