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“Paris is always a good idea.” – Audrey Hepburn, in Sabrina
I’ve learned throughout the years that the best way to recover from the high of a fabulous vacation is to plan another one. So, that’s what I did last June after returning from Croatia and France! The timing was perfect; airline prices to Paris were in the $500’s round trip from Los Angeles and it’d be right around a milestone birthday for my cousin. What better way to celebrate than in our favorite city? Keep reading for some of the highlights of our ultimate girl’s trip to Paris!
Went to the Dior Exhibition
While I’m not a huge fashion aficionado, I do have an appreciation of art and fashion displayed as art. This exhibition at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs was no exception. Room after room of some of Dior’s most beautiful gowns, some worn by celebrities at red carpets. The displays were magnificent! One room displayed the pieces by color in a long hall, another room had all white that extended from the ground to the mirrored ceiling, and one room was massive with twinkling lights above. We went to this exhibit straight off the plane on our first night, and while we were tired from the travel, this was the perfect way to begin our Paris adventures.
Dined at Fancy Restaurants
It’s no secret that Paris has some of the world’s best food in the world, however, even though this was my fourth time here, I had never experienced a meal in a fancy restaurant. Of course, eating at some of these restaurants requires reservations to be made, sometimes months in advance! Here are two of the high-end restaurants that we ate at during our visit.
Restaurant Le Meurice Alain Ducasse
This restaurant is located at, you guessed it, Le Meurice Hotel. We managed to get a lunch reservation here on our second day. Upon entry, the hostess greeted us, took our coats, and led us into one of the most elegant rooms I’d ever been in. Beautiful, crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and round tables were scattered all throughout. Our table was next to a window that overlooked the Jardins des Tuileries. Right away, we ordered a bottle of champagne. While the food was amazing, it was the ambience and the service that made the meal exceptional.
L’oiseau Blanc
The rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel is where this restaurant lives. We had reservations here for my cousin Berni and her friend Jan’s last night in Paris. In my opinion, this restaurant checked all the boxes. We were seated in the corner with an unobstructed view of the Eiffel Tower, which lights up into twinkling lights every hour. The food was some of the best I’d had in Paris and the service was impeccable. I highly recommend going here next time you’re in Paris if you feel like splurging on a fancy dinner with a view.
Shopped Til We Dropped
What girl’s trip is complete without a little shopping? Some of the girls (ahem, not me) took advantage of the fact that Paris is home to a few high end designers. Louis Vuitton happened to just open their new flagship store at Place Vendome, and the exterior alone had all the tourists vying for pictures.
Another popular spot for shopping that I had never been to is Galeries Lafayette, which is a massive, multi-storied shopping mall that one could literally spend all day in. Since we were there right before Christmas, it was packed with tourists and locals. Even with the crowds, Galeries Lafayette during the holidays was a must-see for their annual display located right in the middle of the mall. Also not to be missed was the rooftop view of the Eiffel Tower. Oh, and we also did a little shopping too. Duh!
Girl’s Night Out – Paris Style
For the perfect, low key girl’s night out in Paris, we started out at a restaurant called Rosa Bonheur Sur Seine. It’s located on the Seine river on a barge, right next to the popular Pont Alexandre III bridge, with the majority of the crowd being local. I highly recommend going here for pre-dinner drinks!
Next, we headed to the St. Germaine neighborhood for more drinks before dinner. Although I can’t remember the name of the restaurant we sat at, this street seemed to be filled with a number of places to choose from.
After a hearty meal, it was back to the bars on the Seine to close out a beautiful night.
Checked Out a Few Museums
We managed to fit in visits to two museums during our short stay in Paris: Musee d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou. The differences between the two museums are vast but both are definitely worth visiting. Musee d’Orsay, which was once a train station, is known for their masterpieces from artists such as Van Gogh and Degas. I’d been to Musee d’Orsay before, about six years prior, but for some reason I had missed the iconic clock in my prior visit.
Centre Pompidou is completely different than d’Orsay. Its architecture alone makes this museum so unique, with the structural features of a typical building located on the outside rather than inside. Inside is floor after floor of contemporary and abstract art. An example of one of the art installations was a simple square, tiled room. In the center was a dead mouse. I told the guard about it only to find out that it was part of the art piece! Definitely check this museum out if you’re wanting to see something different and new.
Admired the Colors of Paris in the Fall
Even though our itinerary was packed, my favorite part of the trip was walking through Paris while it was still experiencing the last bits of autumn. Some of the places that we visited I’d been to in a prior visit, some were new. A few of the ‘oldies,’ included Jardin des Tuileries, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame, Arc de Triomphe, and of course the Eiffel.
We also went to places that I had never been to before but were on my ‘Paris List.’ A few examples included seeing the beautiful stained glass windows at Sainte Chapelle, the little pink cafe in Montmartre, the picturesque street of Rue Cremieux, and visiting Parc des Buttes Chaumont and Jardin du Luxembourg.
Although I’ve experienced Paris in all four of the seasons, I can officially say that fall is my favorite.