3 perfect days in Paris

Bonjour, mon ami

I recently spent 3 days and nights in the City of Love and I’m going to share my itinerary and trip details with you. I’ve been to Paris a few times when I was younger but never fully appreciated its charm fully until this particular trip in April 2022. This trip, for me, was the Parisian trip of dreams. despite being on a “budget”.

DAY 1

We arrived into Paris Beauvais Airport* on a Monday Morning around 8am. We took the airport bus into the City where they dropped us at Porte Maillot which has a Metro Station to get you where you need to go.

*Side note I don’t recommend flying into Paris Beauvais, it’s 2 hours from the city center and the airport bus is over 16euro 1 way. I recommend skipping Ryanair and paying a little bit extra to fly into Charles Du Gaulle Airport which is more central.

I booked 3 nights at the Le Regent Montmartre which is a hybrid hostel/hotel. We booked a private room with a bathroom and it was gorgeous and in such a great location. I paid around $90/night which was pretty good to me. FYI, Paris is broken up into 20 Arrondissements (or districts). Montmartre is in the 18th Arrondissement. Everywhere is easily accessible by the Metro. You can buy a reloadable Navigo travel card at any station and top it up with x number of trips in advance. Just swipe it the the metro entrance and away you go!

After checking in, It was time to explore Montmartre and it’s gorgeous cobbled streets, quaint restaurants, artists at work and views for days. Obviously I had to find La Maison Rose for the famous Insta-photo but honestly, every building & view is worthy of the gram.

Montmartre highlights (Bookmark these places on your map!):

1. The Steps of a Sacré-Cœur Basilica – it’s worth going there first thing in the morning to avoid the crowds to take in the views of the city.

2. Place du Tetre – a restaurant lined square where artists display and sell their work.

3. Cimetière de Montmartre – Montmartre’s exquisite old burial grounds unlike any other cemetery I’ve ever seen. Strangely peaceful and beautiful.

4. Rue de l’Abreuvoir – This quaint and iconic cobbled street where you’ll find La Maison Rose. It’s a Parisian Cliché but I totally get why it’s such a famous street to visit.

If exploring the dreamy streets of Montmartre for the afternoon doesn’t cure your Parisian fever then this next destination should do the trick. We hopped on the Metro over to the 7th Arrondissement in search of a street called Rue Cler where we picked up some cheese, wine & fresh baked goods in some of the local stores. 10 points if you guess where we headed to enjoy this french picnic…. but not before a quick pitstop at Rue de l’Université for another iconic instagram location.

Okay back to the itinerary. Picnic at the Eiffel Tower at Dusk. Not original by any means but a worthy experience for sure. Pick a nice patch of grass, take a load off and enjoy the views. Don’t worry if you run out of wine, there are alcohol vendors roaming the park areas selling more. You might be surprised by the scaffolding on the Eiffel Tower and every other attraction in Europe, but I’m convinced 2022 is the year of the renovation.

To end day 1 in style, we decided to double down on the Eiffel Tower views by finding a good spot to perch for the famous light show that happens on the hour every hour from dusk to 1am for 5 minutes per show. We crossed the Pont D’Léna Bridge and found a good spot to sit on the banks of the Seine on Port Debilly. We only endured 1 over-the-top marriage proposal while waiting for the show but it is the City of Love after all. This is the best way to finish an action packed day in Paris.

Day 2

After a quick, well planned morning jog from the Louvre Gardens, along the back of the Seine and past the Eiffel tower, it was time for some food and I have some great recommendations. If you google “where to eat in Paris” this establishment comes up on on every list – L’As du Fallafel – in the Jewish quarter of the famous Marais District. We got the Falafel Pita and it did not disappoint. A good thing to note is, the line for a seat inside is always very long but if you order to-go, you will eat a lot sooner! Also worth mentioning the Falafel place right across the street from L’As du Fallafel called Mi-Va-Mi, which we had on day 3 and it was equally delicious…

After lunch we got our steps in by strolling over to Île de la Cité, an island on the Seine River which is home to the under-construction Notre Dame, the flower markets in Place Louis Lépine and fantastic views at Square du Vert-Galant where you can perch, people watch and enjoy a warm beer (the supermarkets don’t keep the beer in the fridges in Paris).

We continued on to the 5th Arrondissement, also known as the quaint Latin Quarter where you can find endless cafes, bookshops, bakeries and street vendors selling posters and other Parisian fare to tourists & locals alike. We took a quick pit stop in Odette for some cream filled pastries & tea while soaking in the atmosphere of the Latin district. I can’t stress enough how peaceful and enjoyable strolling around this area is.

To round up day 2, I treated my other half to a romantic dinner at the well-recommended L’Aller Retour for a steak frites feast. Service was great and it stayed under the budget.

Day 3

At this stage we are averaging 30,000 steps a day so this is your reminder to pack comfortable (& stylish) shoes – My Nike Air Force 1’s did the job nicely.

We picked up some pastries for breakfast, as you do and made our way to the famous department store Galeries Lafayette Haussmann for some window shopping in the 9th Arrondissement. This store happens to have a rooftop terrace with more stunning views for Paris, don’t leave this off your Paris itinerary.

From there you can take a short stroll to Louvre, The Jardin Des Tuileries and the Jardin Du Luxembourg and enjoy a coffee & some good old fashioned people watching. This is the side of Paris that really lives up to expectations. Bring a book or a sketch pad and get creative.

Wrap up your final day in this amazing city with a walk all the way up the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe which is a monument that was built to commemorate Napoleon’s victories but in more recent years has become a very famous Instagram location. I had to check it out for myself – it passes the test.

And so concludes a memorable, delicious, Parisian trip of dreams, covering all the bases for a first time trip to the City of Love or for me, a trip to finally appreciate the true beauty of Paris.

Enjoy the fresh baked goods, the architecture, the ambiance, and the style of the Parisian people.

Side Note Like all places, Paris has its own social issues. We witnessed a lot of homelessness and extreme litter throughout out the city . I am also aware there is political unrest at times. I carefully curated my itinerary to make sure I was going to well populated and “safe” areas at all times, to avoid any unpleasant situations and thankfully we were able to enjoy a no-drama trip.

I hope this post inspires you to book your next trip to Paris!

À bientôt!

Olivia