Paris in One Week

Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world.  Granted, I haven’t been to every city but this place holds a very special place in my heart.  I had the opportunity to live in Paris for two months about 5 1/2 years ago through the company I was working for at the time.  It was during the dead of winter (December – February).  The days were short and it was freezing (I’m a California girl so I’m not used to anything below 50 degrees!), but it was such a special time in my life.

My husband and I spent one week in Paris last month for our anniversary and needless to say it was amazing.  It was our first time back since that winter and it felt so good! J’adore Paris! 🙂 

Even if this is your first time to the City of Light, one week is plenty of time to experience this magical place.  It’s the perfect amount of time to wet your pallet in the French culture with enough taste to know you’ll want to come back.

This post will sum up all the awesome things you can do in this short amount of time.  I plan on going into more detail on separate posts for each of these recommendations. 

Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th Arrondissement)
I may be biased since this is the district I lived in, but St. Germain is one of my favorite parts of Paris.  Located in the 6th arrondissement, this trendy area is filled with cafes and shops and is the perfect place to unwind, relax and soak in some chic Parisian culture.

Picnic at the Eiffel Tower (Le Tour Eiffel)
The Eiffel Tower is probably the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Paris and it makes sense.  This structure is a French icon and you can see it from so many parts of the city.  I highly recommend picnicking here.  Do like the Parisians, buy a bottle of wine, some snacks and picnic at this awesome location.  If you’re in Paris then you HAVE to check it out.

Le Marais (3rd & 4th Arrondissement)
Le Marais is a hip, artsy area, in the 3rd & 4th arrondissements, filled with boutiques and restaurants.  We enjoyed just wandering around and found our way back to this area on more than one occasion.

Cookn’ with Class
What better way to experience Paris then though a cooking class?!  Cookn’ with Class has multiple classes to choose from but I prefer the French Morning Market.  You meet your chef in the morning and then walk from market to market picking out ingredients and coming up with your menu.  The meal you create is so delicious!

Arc de Triomphe
The Arc de Triomphe is a famous monument located at the west end of the Champs-Élysées.  I recommend climbing to the top; the view is totally worth it.  Buy your tickets ahead of time to skip the main ticket line and head straight for the entry line. 

Jardin du Luxembourg
One of my favorite gardens in Paris is the Jardin du Luxembourg and I fell in love with this place in the dead of winter when no greenery was visible.  Ha!  A perfect place to sit, relax and people watch.  My husband even took a quick nap while I wrote.  The grounds are perfectly kept with a cute pond in the middle of the property where kids can rent sail boats and play with them.

The Seine River
“Leapt without looking and tumbled into the Seine…” Okay, for you La La Land fans (i.e. moi!) that song was in my head every time we walked around, across, next to…you get the idea. 🙂  The Seine winds through Paris and in the springtime the place becomes a party with outdoor bars and restaurants.  A great place to people watch while enjoying some wine or champagne!

Montmartre/Sacré-Cœur (18th Arrondissement)
Looking for a little workout?  Then head over to Montmartre, a large hill in the 18th arrondissement.  At the top of the hill is the beautiful Sacré-Cœur church.  The climb to Sacré-Cœur is filled with stairways under the shade of trees and apartments.  Soak in the Parisian architecture as you climb to the top.

Covered Galleries/Passages
Built in the 1800’s, the galleries are glass covered passage ways hidden throughout Paris. Each gallery is unique and is filled with shops and restaurants.  It’s fun exploring the city this way.

Trocadéro
If you want to see the Eiffel Tower from another angle then head over to Trocadéro.  The view is incredible!  The Metro drops you off in the perfect location.  Go there during sunset hour and wait for the glittering lights to turn on on the Eiffel Tower.

Day Trip to Giverny (Monet’s Garden)
Giverny is a quick 45-minute train ride from Paris and a fun little day trip (or half day trip like we made it).  The gardens are beautiful!  It’s no wonder why Monet moved here for inspiration.  Buy your tickets ahead of time to avoid the main ticket line, it gets long!

I know there’s a lot of information in this post, but I just wanted to give you an idea of all the activities you could do while in Paris for one week.  I will go post by post breaking down these places into more detail.  Until then, au revoir!

xo, Jenneke Rose