Sous le Ciel de Paris

Paris has many faces, it is the city of love, fashion and light. Paris is also the capital city and government headquarters of France. The city is a heaven for art and architecture lovers. We visited Paris numerous times and wrote a blog about our 'all time favorite' well-known and lesser-known places.

We stayed at Hotel Marceau Bastille, just a stone's throw from the Seine. Very lovely, picturesque hotel. 

1. Eiffel Tower

The number 1 attraction in Paris is undisputed, the Eiffel Tower! The impressive building dates from 1887, consists of 3 floors and is 276 meters high. We climbed the tower with the stairs to the second floor; 674 steps, quite tough but doable. Once at the top, we enjoyed the view and the romantic atmosphere.

2. Musée du Louvre & Cour Napoléon

Musée du Louvre is a beautiful art museum in Paris. It is also said to be the world's largest museum. And as fans of the Da Vinci Code, we of course had to visit this museum. The museum is located in a former city palace, which is a sight in itself. The museum's collection is very extensive and contains more than 35,000 works of art. Seeing everything during one visit seemed impossible to us. This time we went for the museum's masterpiece: Da Vinci's Mona Lisa. Really cool, also the vibes around it, but very crowded in front of the painting. We strolled around some more and went outside again where we stayed at the Cour Napoléon (the courtyard of the Louvre), and enjoyed 'Pyramide du Louvre'. This iconic glass and metal pyramid functions as the main entrance to the museum but also 'figures' in numerous films.

3. Stroll along the Seine

One of the best ways to explore Paris is on foot along the Seine. At the end of the afternoon we walked along the Seine to Notre-Dame.
NB: you can also book a boat trip and sail under the most beautiful bridges in Paris. Other monuments you will encounter are: the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe.

4. Traditional Parisian food & drinks

When we go on a city-trip, we really like to try some traditional food and drinks. These are our tips for Paris:

Enjoy a typical French Croque Monsieur & Champagne Cocktail: Brasserie Au Vieux Châtelet, perched along the river Seine, is a perfect place for this. 

The macaron pastry (one-and-a-half-hour) class led by a French pastry chef is also a really fun and educational activity to do. The best place for this: Galeries Lafayette; actually you can't visit Paris without tasting a mouth-watering macaron and take part in a tasting session. 

Another good place to enjoy Macarons is at La Mère Catherine in Montmartre . 

Of course, a traditional French sweet crêpe in a real Parisian bistro in the heart of Paris should not be missing from this list; the best place to go to  is Bistro Marbeuf right by the Champs Elysées. Too much choice here: chocolate or Nutella, banana and chocolate, butter and sugar, or fruit jam.

What about a Parisian style Breakfast with croissants and baguettes, freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee, and fresh fruits; Café Louise is a lovely spot to enjoy a traditional French breakfast, located in the charming Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood. Just that smell of. of French pastries and freshly brewed coffee upon entering... 

Oh yes, we tried the Escargot or Onion Soup at Le Moulin De La Galette - next to the Sacré Coeur - in Montmartre; besides the wonderful soup, this restaurant is a unique Parisan experience as the restaurant was originally an old mill and featured in a painting by Renoir back in 1876.

Nous adorons le fromage Français, so we had to try a delicious French Cheese tasting experience with a glass of wine. Ô Chateau at Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau is a great place to enjoy different French cheeses, and learning about this famous French delicacy, which cannot be done without a good glass of wine. 

5. Notre Dame

The cathedral had to undergo a major renovation due to the major fire in 2019. Whenever we are in Paris, we always walk past this beauty.

6. Champs-Élysées & Arc de Triomphe

The most beautiful shopping street in Paris remains Avenue des Champs-Élysées. The avenue with exclusive boutiques, but also well-known retail chains can be found there. The street scene is brightened up by the beautiful restaurants and charming bistros. At the end of the Champs-Élysées, at the Charles de Gaulle traffic circle, stands the famous triumphal arch of Paris, the Arc de Triomphe. It is one of the busiest traffic circles in Paris. Fortunately, an underground pedestrian tunnel has been created to the Arc de Triomphe! The roof of the Arc de Triomphe is open to visitors every day.

7. Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur Basilica & The Moulin Rouge

We love Montmartre, the old artists' district on the north side of Paris. The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is located at a height of 130 meters, on the hill of Montmartre. It is one of the most famous sights in Paris. Famous artists such as Dali, Picasso and Van Gogh lived in this district. But also writers, dancers and other artists live(d) here, the area is just brimming with creativity. We strolled for hours through the cute streets with whitewashed houses, past the many stalls with (live) art, the Moulin Rouge and across squares with the most famous square 'Place du Tertre' centrally located in the district.

8. Pantheon

The Panthéon is a beautiful former basilica in the center of Paris. Today, the imposing structure is known as the tomb of the city of Paris, with the crypt containing the graves of seventy famous French scientists, writers, philosophers and politicians.

9. Pere Lachaise

One of those special sights in Paris is Père Lachaise. This is a cemetery full of famous people. Jim Morrison's grave, for example, is a true place of pilgrimage for hippies from all over the world. But the resting places of Chopin, Édith Piaf and Oscar Wilde also attract a lot of visitors.

10. Disneyland Paris