Travel with Mia!

In late October, I took a long weekend trip to visit friends in Paris! Paris was absolutely worth the hype. The food? Incredible. The sights? Gorgeous. My only grievance was with the dance club Pachamama, where we were denied entrance for not being dressed nice enough. Unbelievable. But, overall, Paris stole my heart!

Part 1: The Solo Day

The weekend commenced with a solo day in the city. My early flight out of Athens left me with twelve hours alone in the city, as my friends Lani and Bea were taking a bus into Paris from Rennes that afternoon. I wanted to see as much as I could, so I didn’t waste a minute.

From the Charles de Gaulle airport, I took the train into the city. Hopping off at Gare du Nord station, I started the day at the stunning Basilique du Sacre-Couer de Montmartre. This church looked like a castle, with stunning white stone and commanding domes. Though I did not go inside, I admired the architecture from outside, as well as the sweeping view of Paris from the top of the Square Louis Michel.

After this stop in Montmarte, I walked to a bakery called Mamiche, intent on eating my first Parisian croissant. Mamiche was definitely the right choice. The flaky, buttery croissant was so good– I forgot to take a picture! I savored this croissant (plus a few other baked goods) in the Jardin du Palais Royal, before heading to my next destination: the Louvre!!!!!

The Louvre was full of surprises. Over a couple of hours, I made my way through two of the three wings. Most notably, I saw the Mona Lisa and Liberty Leading the People, the latter of which I recognized from the cover of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” album. I enjoyed the Greek and Roman sculptures, and the museum itself was stunning.

After exploring the first two wings, I felt tired and hungry. I decided to save the third wing for a future visit (fingers crossed), and headed out to get food. On my way out, I wandered through the Jardin des Tuileries, which was very lively. Even in the cold, people sat out and enjoyed the late afternoon hours in the garden.

When planning this trip, I listened to a Rick Steves podcast about Paris. In the podcast, he recommended eating at one of the various food courts throughout the city, which have recently become mini culinary destinations. This seemed like a good solo-meal endeavor, so I decided to check out the food court in the Galleries Lafayette. This mall was nothing short of stunning. With domed, stained class ceilings, it felt like entering a very crowded, historic church. I made my way to the food court on the seventh floor and ate a delicious tofu sandwich, while enjoying a nice view of the mall.

Then, finally, it was time to meet up with Lani and Bea!

Part 2: The Girls Trip

Lani and Bea arrived around 10pm, and we didn’t waste a minute. After a night of catching up over Burger King (Paris ed.), crepes, cocktail(s), falafels, wine, and focaccia, we awoke early the next day to get brunch near the Eiffel Tower. The clouds blocked the view, but the company and food were wonderful.

After brunch, we walked along the Seine towards the Notre Dame. It was still under construction at the time of our visit, but magnificent nonetheless. Special shout out to all of the heart shaped leaves along the Seine– the city of love lived up to its name.

For dinner, we landed at Chez Francis. Chez Francis offered delicious French cuisine and amazing views of the Eiffel Tower. We tried escargot, french onion soup, a fresh burrata salad, and a delicious tomato pasta. I struggled with the escargot, accidentally shoving it into the shell instead of pulling it out. Though I didn’t love the escargot, I think it was objectively well done. The rest of the food was incredible (especially the burrata salad)!!

For dessert, we split creme brulee and macarons. Both were delicious. Then, we dashed to the Eiffel Tower, hoping to see the lights go out at midnight. The twinkling lights were magic against the dark sky, ringing true to Paris’ second nickname: the city of lights.

Early the next morning, I flew back to Athens. It was hard to say goodbye, to Paris and to my friends. I spent approximately 48 hours in Paris, and I am already dying to go back… ideally with Lani and Bea again. ❤