Paris, France—the romantic capital of the world, with its tree-lined streets and ornate architecture, is a place I find more love for now that I’ve left.
I was there last week as they were preparing for the Olympics and I found the city to be more chaotic than I expected. Trying to navigate the congested streets with multiple road and sidewalk closures, especially as a new visitor to the city, was stressful.
But now that I’m in Florence, Italy, I find myself to be missing the city. As I’m reminiscing on my trip, here are all my favorite things about Paris, France.
luxembourg gardens
This was the first place I went when I arrived in Paris. I couldn’t check in to my hotel yet so I hung out here for a few hours and read my book. I loved all the iron chairs that line the paths and the pigeons who stride over to say hi.
Having been jet lagged and sleep deprived—I only slept two hours on my overnight flight—I found this to be the perfect calm, safe spot to relax.
the coffee
After a few hours in the garden, I ventured out for coffee. I decided to stop by Jozi Brunch Panthéon where I ordered an oat milk latte.
They brought it out in the cutest mug with a sweet foam heart. I found the coffee to be so good here. It was smooth and rich, and it didn’t need added sweetener.
my hotel balcony
When booking my hotel for Paris I knew I had to book a room with a balcony. I wanted the full Paris experience—eating a flaky croissant in the fresh morning air with a view of the city. And it was wonderful.
the pigeons
I loved the pigeons. I think they’re so cute and they mostly mind their own business because they’re pretty scared of us humans.
I loved one pigeon in particular the most—Rosie, who soon became my one and only friend in Paris. She resided on my balcony where she was nesting not one, but two eggs!
It was so cool to sit on my balcony and hang out with her as she fluffed her nest and adjusted the eggs beneath her. I really wish I could’ve been there when the eggs hatched—how amazing that would’ve been!
walking the streets
I loved walking the streets of Paris, especially in the quieter neighborhoods. The architecture is gorgeous and the trees that line nearly every street make it such a pleasant walk.
I recommend walking away from where the main tourist attractions are, where fewer people are trying to sell you stuff or scam you. That way you can walk in peace and take in the scenery.
the eiffel tower
I’m going to be honest, I was hesitant to go see the Eiffel Tower. When traveling, I prefer trying the local foods and exploring nature spots, rather than seeing landmarks and museums. But as my brother said, it’s “legally required” to see the Eiffel Tower.
So on my last day in Paris, I made the two-hour trek to see it. And I have to say, it was pretty cool. It’s so much larger than you’d expect in person. So yeah, you should go see it even if just to realize how tiny and insignificant you are compared to a hundred-year-old iron tower.
the food
This was by far my favorite part of my trip to Paris. The food is incredible here, especially the vegan food. I’ve tried a lot of vegan food in cities around the world and Paris is in my top three so far.
First off, the pastries! I mean can you go to Paris without having a pastry? I went to Land & Monkeys where I ordered a croissant and the Monkey Cookie. They were both incredible. The entire shop is vegan with dozens of pastries to choose from.
For dinner one night I ordered from Aujourd’hui Demain, a vegan restaurant in the 11th arrondissement of Paris. I got the Mac n Cheese Carbonara (petit, sans gluten), Brochettes Tofu Satay, and the Snickers Pie. The portion sizes were huge, the price was fair, and it was all so yummy. I’d fly to Paris for the day just to eat there again.
grocery shopping
I love grocery shopping wherever I am, but it was especially fun in Paris. It’s always so cool to visit a new city and see how their grocery stores differ from others.
Just a little tip—if you’re buying fruit make sure to weigh it on the scale and print the sticker before heading to self-checkout. Coming from the States, I had no idea that was a thing.
see you later paris, france
Overall, for my first trip to Paris and as my first stop on my solo Europe trip, I had a pretty good time. Even though it was crazy at times, I loved walking around the city and taking in all the sights. The food was amazing and I’ll definitely be back for more. I’m excited to visit once the Olympics have passed and most of the chaos has subsided.
