One of the most commonly asked questions about our Paris trip was, “what was your favorite part?” Overall, our trip was mixed with things we expected and things that surprised us, and some things that disappointed us. Since this was our first time in Paris and we only had 4 days, we had to be picky about what we wanted to do! Needless to say, it was definitely a learning experience and I feel confident now giving recommendations on things we really enjoyed. So today I want to share our top 5 Paris must-do’s!
It goes without saying that Paris is a HUGE city and everyone has different interests and priorities. But these are the things I would confidently recommend to people that we thought were worth the time and money. If you’re interested in hearing about Paris travel tips, click here!
1. La Galerie Dior
This was by far the highlight of our trip for us – yes, even my husband! While this seems so silly or that it may be “lame” this really had me in awe. The tickets were €14 a person, so we didn’t expect much. We spent about 2-3 hours here and genuinely could’ve stayed longer. If you have any interest in fashion, costume design, or history – this is a perfect experience for you! They have a small cafe in the “museum” which we did enjoy, but there is also a larger Dior restaurant nearby. My only regret is not going into the Dior store afterwards.
We did book this ahead of time, which I’d recommend so you don’t have to wait. I’d book a few weeks out for the best selection of availability. Click here to go to their site.
2. Galleries Lafayette
We were recommended by a friend to go to Galeries Lafayette – and thankfully we stayed within walking distance! Galleries Lafayette is a department store chain, but you’ll want to go to one in particular; the Haussmann location. 40 Bd Haussmann, 75009 Paris, France.
I had heard this place was big, but nothing could have prepared me for what it truly was. Not only was it MASSIVE but there were SO MANY OPTIONS! I honestly don’t even have words for it. Honestly, we didn’t end up doing a *ton* of shopping here solely because I was so overwhelmed. But it was still an awesome experience to see it and explore. You could honestly spend a whole day here and not see it all. So definitely worth a stop, especially if you’re looking to shop for luxury goods.
3. Exclusive Dining
I wanted to share our favorite dining locations in one section. Going to France you’re obviously going to want to eat good food! To be honest, most of the food we had we were not impressed with… However, there were two restaurants we went to in the city that I would recommend and go to again!
Le Procope was recommended to us by a friend from France, and we are so glad we went! This is the oldest cafe in Paris, so not only are you getting good food you’re also experiencing something extremely unique.
I’d highly recommend at any French restaurant asking if they have a “la formule” which is essentially what we would consider a prefix menu. They offer these normally for lunch, but sometimes for dinner as well. This is a great way to try multiple courses for one great price. At Le Procope we got three courses for around €26 per person. Also, any time you’re dining in France ask for a carafe of water rather than still – this way you won’t be charged.
Ralph’s was a reservation we made on a whim. You may have guessed that this restaurant is owned by Ralph Lauren. I know see that seems a bit counterproductive – dining somewhere “American” in France. However, there are only five Ralph Lauren restaurants in the WORLD. So when we learned there was one in Paris and we could easily get a reservation, we booked it! Honestly it was a fabulous experience – and the restaurant was more intimate than I had thought. It was a full house that night with delicious food, great service, and great ambiance. It reminded me of something that would be in Palm Beach. Highly recommend and I would go again!
4. Explore Boutiques
Of course we have to do more shopping in Paris than other destinations! Social media and friends recommended me SO MANY shops. While it was impossible to do it all, we did select a few and really enjoyed them. Bonus points that these three are ~somewhat~ close together.
Marin Montagut was recommended by a friend and somewhere I had seen all over social media. And I will say this is worth a visit! I could have spend soooo much money in here so I had to contain myself. I got some stuff for ourselves as well as gifts here. So many unique pieces that scream France!
Officine Universelle Buly this is another viral Paris shop that is worth the hype! My only tips are be prepared to wait a bit – we waited about 45min which was honestly a shorter line. The shop itself was stunning and the details of each piece were just exquisite. This is a great spot for souvenirs for others or yourself. Also, this was one spot where we did need our physical passport to do our VAT paperwork – many places will just accept a photo of your passport. So if you think you may spend over €100 be sure to bring that passport!
Shakespeare & Co is a popular bookstore, funny enough owned by an American. While I am not a huge bookworm, my husband is so we decided to stop in. While I personally don’t feel the need to go back here specifically – I’d recommend this for those who love books! It’s definitely a unique vibe and can be a bit crowded. But we went on a Saturday morning and there was no line. We did pick up a French copy of Madeline which was neat.
5. Notre-Dame Cathedral
There are so many sightseeing opportunities in Paris! We saw many things like the Arc de Triomphe, the Opera, and of course the Eiffel Tower. But we knew we definitely wanted to see Notre-Dame Cathedral and we got lucky enough that it had just reopened about one-month prior to our trip! I would say this is a must-do, even if you’re not Catholic (we aren’t). You can reserve an entry time for free prior to going – they open up spots about 2 days before. We were not able to get a time but we did go right after Saturday morning mass and didn’t wait! If you are Christian, I would recommend looking into the different artifacts they have on display here. There were so many things we were unaware to look for until researching more after! The signage isn’t the best but my biggest tip is, if you see A LOT of people taking a picture of something specific – Google it! This is how I discovered we were looking at the display where they keep THE crown of thorns. Amazing!
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I hope this post offered some insight on what we thought are Paris must-do’s! We barely got to skim the surface of the city – so we’ll certainly have to go back.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Jayme
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