Once Upon a Time Travel to…Paris

Travel to Paris, the most romantic capital of the world! Well, let me tell you, a romantic trip to Paris, with the family, just kills the romance part.

Big Boss had never ventured to the Old Continent before, so going to Paris, France was a first for him and actually his choice destination for once. We went to Paris to ring in the New Year with my family and also to visit this beautiful city.

What was Big Boss‘s take on it? Well to sum it up in his own words: dog poop everywhere (“doodie”), subway stations that smell like Mötley Crüe spent the night there, and freezing cold weather.  Yep on the tail side of Paris, it is not glamorous at all. At least not while we were there, late December.

So here is a 5-day itinerary to travel to Paris, based on our experience. I found, that it was a lot easier to focus on one area of Paris each day so that we wouldn’t have to spend too much time in the subway. It’s also a good way to save money that way.

Things to know before you travel to Paris

I had forgotten about the doodie problem since where we live in Montreal it is not a problem at all. We have a dog as well (Nouki) so we pick up.  It shouldn’t be that hard, especially nowadays with doodie dispensers that you can just attach to your leash handle.

Once the doodie occurs, simply pull out a doodie bag. It makes it a whole lot easier to pick up your dog’s doodie.  Just throw it in the trash.  But see, that is also a problem as trash cans are not popular either in Paris.  That is partially due to terrorism acts back in the day, so they either closed off the trash cans or removed them.  

Since Paris will be hosting the Olympic Games in 2024, I really hope they resolve that problem among other things.  Around the tourist sites you are safe, but if you wander off the beaten paths, watch your steps!

Just so you know, during the summer, Paris has more tourists than inhabitants.  That is good and bad.  Good= less Parisians, bad= not everything is open (stores, restaurants).  To best experience the Parisian life, you need to visit in May-June or September-October.

Where we stayed

As we had rented an apartment through Airbnb in a “popular” neighborhood. We experienced our first adrenaline rush from the Metro Telegraph to our rental.  The sidewalks were mined with doodies.  It was very challenging navigating those tiny sidewalks and doodies with our luggage in tow and people who just don’t know how to walk on sidewalks.

Once we settled into our Airbnb it was time to grab a bite to eat and look for a supermarket.  We ate in a local brasserie, with decent prices and good food.

France Tip: Having a meal in a Brasserie is usually a safe bet. You usually can’t go wrong with that. 

Food

We found a Carrefour Market nearby to grab some essentials for our rental.  I love French supermarkets, they have so much great food and tons of yogurt and ham options. Why so many? I don’t know, but apparently, we are big ham eaters. However, you mustn’t go there on an empty stomach or else you will just buy everything.

Don’t forget to bring your reusable grocery bags when grocery shopping in France as the supermarkets are plastic-free.

Also, keep in mind that the majority of stores in France are closed on Sundays, even supermarkets. Some might be open on Sunday mornings but that is about it.

Finally, unlike in the United States and Canada, you can buy wine in supermarkets. If you are looking for really upscale wine though, you should look for the specialized store Nicolas.

In planning for this trip I organized it in a way that each day we would explore a different area.  We only had 8 days, and 2 ½ of them were going to be spent in Normandy (see our Once Upon a Time article).

DAY 1 – BASTILLE & LES HALLES (Half day)

After dropping off our groceries and changing clothes and whatnot, it was time to hit the city.  We had a few hours to explore Paris before meeting up with family for happy hour and dinner.

Our meeting spot was going to be near Les Halles. We decided that we would take the metro to Bastille and walk from there.  We bought a “carnet” of metro tickets.

It isn’t worth it to get a weekly pass if you are only going to be there a few days. If you plan things well enough, you’ll mostly do the walking in an area you chose for the day.  However, for us, we ended up taking the subway more often than planned, just to keep warm.

The Bastille area is great, as it has a lot of restaurants and bars.  You should check out La Baraque for some dinner and dancing.  If you eat there, you don’t have to pay the cover charge for the nightclub which is below the dining area.  If you want a glimpse of Paris city life, you should go there.  Best to reserve for the dining option as the place isn’t very huge.

Place des Vosges

During our stroll, we checked out some trendy boutiques and marveled in front of food displays.

We stopped at Place des Vosges, an early 17th-century square, which I studied in Art History because of the Mansard roofs. The square became the prototype for the residential squares of European cities that were to come.

We bought some popcorn at Scarlett Johansson’s store Yummy Pop for Doudou who is a big fan, of popcorn that is. Maybe not the kind I like, but as a present, it did the trick.  They have different flavors, so check it out if you are in the area. 

In France, you don’t have a lot of those microwavable popcorn options like in North America, especially the extra butter kind (my favorite). So, if you are visiting friends in France, bring some!

Quartier St-Paul – Le Marais

We passed by l’église St-Paul and made our way through the small streets of Le Marais. A pit stop was made at le Centre Pompidou to admire yet another building I studied in Art History. 

Jacky always found that building hideous.  You either love it or hate it.  I like the concept, the idea behind it, but honestly, it is not an attractive building. Yet somehow, it just works in that area.

It is a building that you stumble upon, not one that just stands out. That is what makes it work with its surroundings.

Also, in Le Marais, you can find some excellent ice cream places, so if you have some cravings, go to POZETTO!

Les Halles

We met up for drinks at Quigley’s Point in front of the church Ste-Eustache.  This is Zazou’s traditional meeting point as it is central to everything in Paris.  The pub is nothing special really.  Just a regular old pub you would find somewhere in England or Ireland.  It used to have pool tables on the upper floor but I didn’t check last time I was there.

In the summer, you can have drinks outside and admire the view of Ste-Eustache and Les Halles.  Meeting up with Zazou and Doudou and the Machu Picchu Kids was wonderful and loud. We had dinner nearby but nothing out of this world.  The point was to be together.

Nearby is a fire station and if you want to experience a fun night in Paris, go there on July 13th and check out their festivities!

Les Halles has changed a lot over the years. They have just completed the renovations in 2018 which was new to me and it looks absolutely gorgeous.  It really looks like a turtle shell.  That being said, I still don’t recommend venturing out close to that area especially near the Fountaine des Innocents because that is where a lot of hoodlums like to hang out.  

I speak from experience as I had an altercation there back in the day and ended up at the police station nearby to file a complaint.  Cops in civilian clothing had seen the whole scene and came up to me to bring me to the Police Station. I would have never gone in on my own.  I explained all that to my boys as we walked passed it.  You never know.

DAY 2 – L’ILE DE LA CITÉ/QUARTIER LATIN & NEW YEAR’S EVE

When people tell me they are planning to travel to Paris, I always recommend going to the places we visited on Day 2.  They are sort of off the beaten path but are becoming more popular nowadays. I only visited them after I came back from living in the United States and for Zazou, the world traveler, it would be his first time.  So this was something new for almost everybody.

Quartier Latin

If you are meeting up in the Quartier Latin, the best meeting spot is at the Fontaine St-Michel. You can’t miss it, as it is right outside the RER B – St-Michel stop.

In that area, you can find a lot of restaurants located on the cobbled streets of the Quartier Latin. As to be expected, they are mostly oriented towards tourists.  We didn’t care much while we were there since there were 9 of us and we were all freezing and starving.  So we just grabbed a pizza in one of the pizzerias and warmed up. Pizza in France is really good. Obviously, not as good as the ones in Italy, but close enough.

There is a great jazz club in the Quartier Latin called Le Caveau de la Huchette. This place actually appeared in the movie La La Land. Located underground in old caves, this is something that you will not get to experience often.  Tango brought me there quite a few times, as this was his local hangout when he was in school.

You might not like jazz or rock and roll, nor you might not know how to dance on it, but just people-watching is an experience in itself. If you get invited, even as a newbie, do say yes!  It is such a shame that places like this don’t exist as much anymore.

Ste-Chapelle

We walked from the Fontaine St-Michel to La Ste-Chapelle which I discovered yet again through Art History.  It is actually amazing how so many things in Paris are used as art references in books!

What makes the Ste-Chapelle so special is … Well, I actually can’t tell you as it would spoil the surprise.  It does, however, have the following elements that make it interesting:

Stained glass depicting over 1,000 scenes from the Old and New Testaments recounting the history of the world until the arrival of the relics in Paris.

La Conciergerie

Close to the Ste-Chapelle, you have the Conciergerie.  This is the place where Marie-Antoinette was held before getting her head chopped off. Yikes!

Did you know that the last time the guillotine was used was in 1977?

The Conciergerie was first used as a Royal residence before becoming a Palace of Justice. You can save money if you combine both visits (Ste-Chapelle & Conciregrie). Otherwise, if you are planning on visiting a lot of different museums, get the Museum Pass and save time and money that way.

L’Ile de la Cité

The afternoon was split up. Zazou took the older Macho Picchu boys to Les Halles to do some shopping at la FNAC while the rest of us roamed the streets.  La FNAC is a very popular book/tech/music store.  Sort of the equivalent to Renaud-Bray and Barnes & Nobles but just more fun and more popular with kids and adults alike.

Notre-Dame

We admired the clean view of Notre-Dame with no scaffoldings this time.  They clean it every 10 years and it takes 5 years to stay clean.  We did not go inside as the line was huge.  It is free to get in but you have to pay if you want to admire the view from up top. 

I remember going up with my grandma who was in her 60s at the time.  So it is feasible, just know that there are 387 steps. Since the fire that has just occurred, Notre-Dame is closed. However, there are other ways to admire the Paris City view without costing a fortune or burning too much energy.  Read on.

Close to Notre-Dame, on Ile St-Louis, there is a great ice cream place called Berthillon, but I think it takes a summer break. So you’ll have to check the hours before going there. You could also grab a drink and admire Notre-Dame from behind on one of the Peniche stationed on the Seine close by.

Obviously, we did not do any of that as it was the last day of December and we were freezing our buns off. There are a bunch of Peniche stationed as well in the Bastille area where you can dance and drink, so check them out as it is an experience in itself.

Hôtel-de-Ville & Châtelet

We wandered off next to Place de l’Hotel-de-Ville.  It is known for it to be a gathering place.  I have watched a couple football games there on a big screen and witnessed as well. France not winning the bid for the 2010 Olympic Games. 

At Christmas time they usually have an ice skating rink but not this year.  There is an old carousel there, so the smaller Machu Picchu kids enjoyed a few rounds while Banana and Big Boss tasted out some Vin Chaud (hot wine-red) to stay warm. 

L’hotel de Ville is located in the heart of Paris and is not far from Les Halles.  You will find tons of stores in that area, especially on rue de Rivoli.  

Shopping

You could check out le BHV, an old department store similar to La Baie or Macy’s.  But the stores you will find on rue de Rivoli will pretty much be the same as you will find in Les Halles. 

So if it is cold outside head over to Les Halles. Even though part of it is opened, it will still be warmer there.  These are not high-end stores. They are not ooh-la-la Sex in the City type of experience kind of stores.  They are just mainstream.

Drinks

Our meeting point to be united again for an afternoon drink before going off to get ready for the evening festivities was at Restaurant Kong.  This is also one of my standard recommendations and here is why.

Located on the top two floors of an old Haussmanian building, furnished with Philippe Stark furniture, you get a great view of the Pont-Neuf. On weekends, it gets very crowded at night as it becomes a trendy hang out with music and all. It’s best to book a table ahead of time if you actually want to eat there.

Oh, and fun fact. If you were a fan of Sex & the City, this is where Carrie had lunch with Petrovsky’s ex Juliette B.

The Pont-Neuf is also the place where you catch a cruise on the Seine. It is definitely worth doing, especially if you have children. You get a great view of some of the city’s main attractions It is also very relaxing and the guide is great.

After our Apéro, we parted ways to rest up and meet up again to celebrate the New Year.

New Year’s Eve

Since we had non-adults with us, we all chilled in our Airbnb for the beginning of the evening. We ate and drank away and then left to see the fireworks at the top of the Sacré Coeur. From there, you can get a beautiful and FREE view of the city no matter what time of day it is.

We took the funiculaire to go up and save time as it was free that night. We weren’t the only ones of course to have the same idea so it was a lot of fun. The adults had Champagne and the Machu Picchu kids had Orangina and Haribo candy. Fun was had by all. We even did some karaoke in the crowded subway. Okay, well I did karaoke, but people followed and that is all that matters.

This is where we had to part ways from the Machu Picchu kids, Banana and Zazou. It is very tough saying goodbye every time, but when we see each other we pick up right where we left off.

DAY 3 – BUTTES DE CHAUMONT & CHAMPS ELYSÉES

For New year’s day, our travel itinerary plan to Paris was to take it easy but we hadn’t planned on the cold which was so brutal. Close to our Airbnb was the Buttes de Chaumont. It is definitely an off the beaten path park and so beautiful. You won’t find many tourists there.

Built on quarries, it has an impressive steepness to it with multiple changes in height and levels which really makes it unique to Paris.

Unfortunately, the old swing sets aren’t free. Nonetheless, when you travel to Paris with or without kids, this park should be on you itinerary.

Canal St-Martin

From the park, we continued our walk along the Canal St-Martin. It’s not a must see when you travel to Paris for a short visit, but should be on you itinerary if you have extra days.

To warm-up, we ate at a Chinese restaurant. They are so good in France! Try in any of them their riz cantonnais (Cantonese rice), munch on some fried shrimp flavored chips, and devour a delicious orange givré (orange sorbet served in an orange). Of course, there is more to eat in them like their raviolis à la vapeur (steamed dumplings), for example, which I am super fond of.

You could always order food as take out, just don’t forget your traveling utensils. When you travel to Paris or anywhere in France, hitting up a Chinese restaurant should be on your list of food to try. I know it sounds silly, but it’s not the same as in North America.

Along the way, we spotted our first Paris Invaders. I started looking for some when Big Boss and I went to New York City. I had heard about it a very long time ago while in France but didn’t realize it had become a thing. It wasn’t until my brother-in-law mentioned it to me that I started paying attention to them. Once we started spotting some, it became a game to us, and what better way to explore a city than by going off the path!

Champs-Élysées

The second part of our day was going to be spent from the Champs-Elysee to the Eiffel tower.

We caught a glimpse of the New Year’s Day parade on the Champs and walked from the Arc of Triumph all the way down where they had food trucks.

Since Blondie Bear was freezing and hungry, we got him a hot-dog but in 30 seconds it was cold. We tried to walk a bit in the Jardin des Tuileries and nearby.

However, we wandered off too far, after crossing the Pont Alexandre III, into what seems nowhere where we couldn’t find any restaurants. We were freezing and starving!

When we finally found a metro stop, we took it all the way to a stop where I knew there would be a Mcdonald’s and free Wifi. We were trying to stay near the Eiffel Tower as we were meeting up there later on with a friend.

Eiffel Tower

Just keep in mind that there is NOTHING to do around the Eiffel Tower aside from visiting the sites such as Les Invalides and Trocadero for example. If food is what you are craving or shopping is what you are into, this will not be the right fit for you.

As soon as it gets dark, the Eiffel tower sparkles for a minute on the hour every hour. It is very pretty to see it like that. Since we were still in holiday season mode, there were some street vendors at the feet of the tower.

We found these awesome little teddy bears that you warm up in the microwave and that keeps you warm for 2 hours. Since, as I said, we were freezing, these actually came in quite handy. I am so glad we brought them back home with us. A very useful souvenir.

DAY 4 – ST-GERMAIN DES PRÉS, QUARTIER LATIN & MUSÉE D’ORSAY

There is so much to see when you travel to these areas in Paris.

We started out at the church of St-Germain-des-Prés, one of the oldest churches in Paris built in the 11th century of Romanesque style and ever-changing. It is Free to get inside the church.

We then just walked around for what seemed like forever. It was a bit sunnier that day but still freezing. I had seen glimpses of that area but had never really explored it on foot. We had a lot of fun and here is why.

Aside from visiting old churches, we saw a lot of Invaders and Diamonds. It turns out that they are very popular and can be found all over Paris. I am unsure of the meaning behind them but here is the link to The Diamentaire’s website.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Close to the church of St-Germain-des-Prés can be found the Café de Flore. This is where, in the 1920s and 1930s, then starving artists and writers, such as Pablo Picasso and Albert Camus, would gather for warmth and talk.

Facing the church, across from Place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, is Les Deux Magots. It’s a café whose history is (according to their website) synonymous with literary and artistic life.

Apparently, having breakfast or a coffee there is like traveling through recent French literary history. While sipping your beverage think about others who may have sat in your very seat — Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, or Jean-Paul Sartre.

We will take the guidebook’s word for it, as we didn’t bother checking it out as it was too cold to sit outside and honestly it is not a budget-friendly place.

Saint-Sulpice

Our next stop was at the 17th-century church Saint-Sulpice. It’s the second-largest church in Paris. Located on a place with a beautiful fountain, famous for having the only fresco painted by Delacroix and for its Grand Organ. Part of The Da Vinci Code by Sam Brown actually takes place in this church, so it is certainly worth visiting and exploring.

Strolling the little streets of Saint-Germain you will encounter many art galleries, boutique hotels, and restaurants. So if that is your thing, this is the area you want to stay at.

Quartier Latin

We took a break in the Jardins du Luxembourg where you can soak up a little of the Parisian life. There is a wonderful playground there but unfortunately, it costs money. I have always enjoyed walking through that park and it’s also home to the Musée du Luxembourg.

We grabbed a bite to eat nearby and warmed up before setting out for some more exploring and wandering. We glimpsed at the Pantheon as you have to pay to get in. Instead, we explored the inside of a church I had yet to visit: Saint-Étienne-du-Mont. It is a little gem that is worth a look inside and located right behind the Pantheon.

There are also quite a bunch of Invaders and other street art in that area as well, so that was fun spotting them.

Check out the Arènes de Lutèce if you get a chance. This is a remnant of a Gallo-Roman arena located in the Quartier Latin. Near the fountain St-Michel, you can visit Roman baths as well, Les Thermes de Cluny.

We then walked all the way back to Saint-Michel where we grabbed a train to the Musée d’Orsay.

Musée d’Orsay

The Musée d’Orsay is by far my favorite museum in Paris. It is not as big as The Louvre (thank goodness). Located in an old railway station, it has an impressive Impressionist art collection. It has become very popular and we had to stand in line for 1 hour in the cold. There was no way around it. We only had one day left and it wouldn’t have been possible to do the rest if we had to switch it up.

So don’t say I didn’t warn you. BUY YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE OR ONLINE BEFORE ARRIVING. You won’t have to stand in line. They now have an interesting set up on the last floor to grab a bite to eat but we didn’t try it out. On the top floor, you also get a gorgeous view of Montmartre and the rest of Paris through the clock glass.

Off the beaten path activity

After all this walking and exploring, it was time for some downtime before heading back to our Airbnb. I stumbled upon this place while researching things to do in Paris. It seemed like a fun activity to try out: the Gossima, a ping-pong bar.

Children are allowed there with adult supervision until 8 pm.

It was another off the beaten moment and fun was had by all. I think for once, no one left angry nor frustrated.

DAY 5 – THE CATACOMBS, THE LOUVRE & SACRE COEUR

For our final day of travel to Paris, we had to go a little off course and check out The Catacombs.

The Catacombs

They aren’t located near anything special and we were tired of walking in the cold. We had fun looking at skulls, but we waited a long time outside to get in. It is expensive for what you get and apparently, now the walk is even shorter. So not a must-do in my book. If you want something off the beaten path, try checking out the Sewers Museum which I have yet to do but comes highly recommended by Doudou.

The Louvre and Als.

After coming back up for air, we roamed around the Louvre, Jardins des Tuileries and the Opera Garnier. It sounds a lot but they are all located in the same area.

There is now an underground mall near the Louvre and an Apple store. I was able once again to charge my dying phone just like in San Francisco and I learned how to Airdrop. Don’t laugh, I am not tech-savvy at all!

In my opinion, the Louvre is overrated. The best collection to see is the Egyptian one as it is pretty complete but the rest is Yawn. The Mona Lisa is actually very very small. In any case, if you are short on time go to the Musée d’Orsay instead. If you do have a lot of time when you travel to Paris, then by all means, go there but get your tickets in advance!

Sacré Coeur

Our final stop on our travel itinerary to Paris was at the Sacré Coeur for sunset. What a beautiful view.

If you can manage, walk all the way up, it will feel more rewarding. Then, just walk around it and admire the artists at work. It is extremely touristy but such a charming area. Again, you get a great view of Paris for FREE. As it is very touristy, just watch out for pickpockets and look for some Invaders!

Paris is such a beautiful city when it is clean. It is best to go there when it is warm so that you can enjoy the parks. My favorite time to go there is for La Fête de la Musique on June 21st and also on the 13th of July, the Eve of Bastille day. This is when you can dance the night away in one of the Parisian fire stations for cheap and have an awesome time.

Healthy tip: learning some french words will go a long way, especially when you travel to Paris. Don’t just assume that everyone speaks English.

Bon voyage!