Tourist

Now, it might seem as though I’m there every other weekend, but I’m really not much of an authority on things to do in Paris. As I mentioned in my last post, I’m mostly there for work, so unforunately don’t get to amble about discovering boutiques or pastry shops…until last weekend ; )

I’ve pulled together all the exciting bits we managed to jam-pack into our weekend, in the hope to inspire you on your next trip across the channel. Of course, I’d love it if you had any tips to add – I’d love to hear your favourite places in Paris in the comments!

Getting Around

Paris is bloody big. We had the notion that we would spend our afternoon walking from place to place, taking in the scenery, but in reality, we never would have visited all the places on our list if we didn’t take the Metro. The tickets are cheap, and it’s easy enough to understand. I keep my 3G on whilst in Europe, as for me it’s only £1.99 for the day, meaning I can flick it on and off to work out which station I’m going to need.

If you’re planning on taking a taxi, make sure you practise your French beforehand, as it’s likely your driver won’t speak much English, and won’t appreciate that you don’t speak French either..!!

Angelina, 226 Rue de Rivoli

I came here for the first time just a few weeks ago, and the pastries we sampled were so amazing, I knew I had to return to check out the restaurant. It seems that plenty of other tourists thought the same thing, as we arrived to a big queue. Despite being full to the brim with other English people (doesn’t make for the most authentic experience, does it?) we enjoyed our Croque Madames immensely.

It doesn’t strike me as the best place to go for service, and the food is a little pricey, but you must check out their famous chocolat chaud – and save a little extra room in your case ’cause you can buy it to take home in the cutest glass bottles.

Sephora

This is going to sound a little silly to you folks living in a country with a Sephora (i.e every bloomin’ country except mine!), but Dunya and I were in heaven in the beauty superstore. We were on the hunt for one product in particular, which saw us trekking to three different stores across the city! ‘What could possibly warrant that?’ I hear you cry! Only the best cream lip stain ever. Bright red, matte, and super easy to apply with the best staying power. I bought three.

Oh Sephora…

La Basilique du Sacré Cœur

So, I might have got a wee bit puffed out taking the stairs to the top, and it might be full of tourists, but the view from the Sacré Cœur is beautiful, and well worth the hike. It has to be done at least once!

A.P.C. Surplus, 20 Rue André del Sarte

If you head up to the Sacré Cœur, you have no excuse for not popping across to the A.P.C. Surplus store. You can find items here at 50% off their RRP. I didn’t spot anything I fancied this trip, but I imagine it’s worth a visit, just incase!

Pierre Hermé, 4 Rue Cambon

Whilst Ladurée may be the most famous (and those pastel boxes are hard to beat!) Pierre Hermé is the king of macarons. I’m not really a real blogger when it comes to macarons, as I’m only really a fan of chocolate, but I can assure you that the chocolate at Pierre Hermé is out. of. this. world. Even if you’re a die-hard Ladurée lover, you have to try these and you’ll very quickly convert!

Jardin des Tuileries

When you’ve picked up your macarons from Pierre Hermé, or your Mont Blanc from Angelina, put your feet up on one of those famous green chairs in the Tuilerie gardens. It’s so beautiful at this time of year, with all the leaves turning a beautiful orange.

Café des 2 Moulins, 15 Rue Lepic

Any Amelie fans will recognise this cafe as her workplace in the film. I’d been meaning to drop by for years after falling in love with the film, but finally made it last weekend! It was full of a mixture of people who looked like they stopped by for a coffee every day, and fans of the film snapping pictures of the counter. We decided on lunch as we’d not eaten anything since the Eurostar, and both really enjoyed our choices, so thumbs up from us! The staff were super friendly, too.

Chanel, 31 rue Cambon

If you’re a Chanel lover, visiting the first store is a must! And just around the corner is Rue St. Honoré, full of designer goodness. You’ll have to keep your bank balance in check around this part of town, that’s for sure!

Vintage

Vintage prices in Paris are great! Just take a stroll down Rue de la Verrerie and you’ll spot Kilo Shop, where you can shop by the weight. Everything is merchandised by style and trend – I had a good rifle through the tartan skirt rail! Just a few doors down is Free’p’star – it’s a bit of a jumble sale in here but is totally worth a rummage. You’ll spot other vintage stores in this area too, which was full of life on a Sunday afternoon.

Le Marais

Whilst most shops in Paris are closed on a Sunday, Le Marais is buzzing. This area is full of the coolest places to eat and things to see. We spotted an amazing Creperie (Princess Crepe), a world of pink with Harajuku girls behind the counter, and several falafel takeaways that seemed to be the thing to eat (based on queues that went down the street!) You’ll find this all on Rue des Ecouffes.

One store you must pop in to is Joy on Rue du Roi de Sicile. This little boutique stocks beautiful jewellery from Alex Monroe and clothing from a few of my faves (See by Chloe, Sonia By Sonia Rykiel and more) and the lady behind the counter was equally as lovely.

Amorino

They have these babies all over the place, so not exclusive to Paris, but I adore the way they shape their ice-cream into flowers and the gelato-covered waffles are deffo worth a try. And I have it on authority from Reem over at Five Five Fabulous that they do the best hot chocolate she’s ever tasted…if only I hadn’t eaten the whole of Paris already and could fit anything else in…

You’ll find these shops dotted across the city!

If you want to discover Paris from some girls who really know what they are talking about, do take a look at the guides over at Making Magique, Hjartesmil & Niotillfem!

& remember to share your Paris story on the Eurostar website to win a free trip to Paris! x