From Paris, with love.

If you have kept yourself posted on the news around here recently, you know by now that I spent a few days in Paris. Well, today is finally the day I'm covering a bit of my trip in here, just for you. 

So let's see.

On my first morning in Paris I realized my trip was going to be a bit unusual. I wasn't willing to put up with crowds of people and endless queues and tourists all over the place. I didn't want to wait forever to see the Musée d'Orsay & I was definitely not willing to freeze my butt off in the line for the Louvre. No, no. This trip was going to be different. What are the perks of traveling alone, if not choosing your own schedule? 

After having my morning coffee, I headed out of my hotel. Outside, the wind was howling and my nose was freezing, but hey, after living on the Hill for the last few months...the autumn cold in the City of Light came as a blessing. Wearing a coat was bliss. 

For this trip, I chose to stay close to Place de la République, just off the Bd. Saint-Martin. It's a pretty good location without being immediately close to the hustle and bustle of the city centre (and it's cheaper, too). I found the quaintest little hotel thanks to this post on one of my favourite blogs. Can you guess which one it is? 

I had the metro a few blocks away from me, so it was a matter of minutes before I was standing right outside of the first place I said I wouldn't go: the Louvre. It must have been around 8-9 in the morning. The lines were just beginning to form, and the sky shone beautifully. Oh, the Pyramids! Oh, the buildings! I was swooning. Such a clichéd little tourist, me. 

From there, it's just a couple of minutes' walk towards the Jardin des Tuileries. However, it's fall. Every single plant was dry. I had not seen that coming.

Anyway, I strolled through the gardens and found myself face to face with this beauty. 

La Grande Roue de Paris. 

The original Grande Roue is currently touring somewhere in Italy (Rimini, I believe?), but this Ferris Wheel, was just as good. It looked really, really lovely against the morning sun. Just next to it is the Obelisque, in the middle of Place de la Concorde, and you guessed it... it's crammed with tourists. 

After standing around, lost and very confused about where to go next, I ended up following a bunch of people and arriving at the doorstep of the Grand Palais, which is where I had intended to go all along. It wasn't really the Grand Palais what was calling me, but the promise of one of the best little cafés in the whole of Paris that can be found right across the street, inside the Petit Palais. 

After yet another coffee and a couple (of dozens) of pastries, I kept walking through the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in order to get to my next (very clichéd) destination: L'Arc de Triomphe. No, honestly...who am I kidding? I wanted to shop. And I wanted to eat and walk with the tourists and enter all the stores. I went to Disney Store Paris and fell in love a little (and also died a little because who knew they could fit that many people into such a small space) and I was about to keep going when Ladurée caught my eye and I lost it. I went crazy and had my third breakfast that morning. Heh.

From then, it was just a matter of walking (rolling, rolling all my fat) all the way to the Arc, and snapping this photo.

After getting lost once again, I arrived at the least visited placed in the world. As in...no one ever goes there when they go to Paris, at all. 

As you can see, my photos from Trocadéro are all in black and white because that's when the mood struck and I decided to shoot my own postcards. And also because the lighting was not optimal and my photos were too dark. The skies were beautiful, the tower is beautiful and that day was amazing. Period.

I redirected my steps towards the crowds, and went under the tower and into Champ de Mars. 

I sat on a bench for a while and contemplated the people. Up until that moment I was so mad that the Parisians were refusing to speak English. They had pretty much forced me into silence, all because I really, really distrust my French and my introverted-self keeps me from trying to speak, even though I know exactly what I want to say most of the time. 

However, if I had to be invaded by thousands of tourists in my doorstep every single day, I would be doing just the same. I would be giving them the cold shoulder and walking away from their questions and their maps and their excitement. Poor Parisians, what are we doing to them? 

As I rambled, my tired legs took me to the Musée d'Orsay.

I contemplated whether to enter or not for a long time. The Art Historian inside of me frowned deeply when I chose to cross the street and look at the Seine instead, but my inner hopeless romantic smiled a little too, when I realized I felt utterly happy. Paris is nice. The food is amazing. I get to chill in front of the Seine and walk around town all by myself, and wander aimlessly and go wherever the wind feels like taking me. What else is there to ask from life? 

From there, it's a simple walk to the Pont des Arts. 

There is a crêpe stand right in front of this bridge that I wouldn't miss for the world. Really, it's just too good.

As I was eating my crêpe, I made a point of walking through every major bridge which crossed l'Île de la Cité, so I spent the next good part of an hour zig-zagging through les bouquinistes, snapping photos and going over bridges.

I also passed in front of Notre Dame (all prepped up and pretty for Christmas), and it is full to the brim with tourists. I also passed in front of the Sorbonne on my way to the Luxembourg Gardens, and believe it or not, I stopped for a while to get another meal. How many had I had already? 

The Gardens are a wonder, even in the fall. It is a little saddening to see close to no flowers around, but hey...you still get this view.

I honestly think the rest of that day went by with me indulging in the tremendously fantastic food, getting lost in the middle of Paris, and trying to find my way back to the hotel, where I crashed right after closing the door behind me (and eating the last macarons of the day).

In a few days, I will be back to post some more of my adventures while in the City, so hold on tight, and (as always) keep reading! 

P.S. Next time you find yourself in Paris...

Walk towards the exit of the Louvre that's opposite the Jardin des Tuileries. Across the street you will find my favourite place in the whole of Paris: a tiny, tiny bookstore called Abbey Bookstore (right next to Saint-Germain L'Auxerrois) which is perfect if you're into books and small spaces. Too lovely.

Also, if you walk through Rue de Rivoli (midpoint between the Louvre and the Hotel de Ville) in the corner where there's a Forever 21, you will find a street called Rue de l'Arbre Sec. If you happen to be a bookworm, be sure to visit La Galcante. It's a store that sells old, old press and even older books from all corners of the world...and it smells like heaven!