Last Spring while I was planning my summer European vacation, my best friend requested that we go to Paris. She had been dying to go her entire life. Since I had been once before she asked me to plan it out. Unfortunately because of timing we only had one day to spend there. Challenge accepted. Here is how to conquer Paris In A Day.
At this point of the trip we were based in London, so we had a 4 A.M. wake up call to catch the Eurostar from London’s St. Pancras Station to Paris Gard Du Nord. You can’t tell in the picture, but trust me we were way more sleepy than we look.
We took the Metro straight from the train station to the crown jewel itself, The Eiffel Tower. Allix was absolutely amazed and loved every minute of it. I wanted her to see it sparkle at night, but unfortunately because of train times we couldn’t stay that late. We have to save it for next time I guess!
Since we were still on a time crunch we had to move fast! Next up was the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. The weather was beautiful, so it was the perfect day for a stroll down the world’s most famous street for shopping. Pro Tip* Don’t call your dad at 3 A.M. Texas time while standing outside of Louis Vuitton and ask if he will buy you bags, wallets, and sunglasses. You will be very disappointed in his answer.
Halfway through the Champs Elysees we stopped at Laduree for a very Parisian lunch. We also grabbed a few macaroons to go for our next stop of the day.
Next up was Palais Royale for some fun at the Louvre and the Love Lock Bridge. Don’t be surprised, the Mona Lisa is much smaller than you would think. Note* It is impossible to see the Louvre in a day, let alone an hour that you have set aside for a day. It is huge. If you are a big museum fan, you need to set aside an entire day for The Louvre. Last time I was in Paris my friends and I put a “best friend” lock on the bridge. This visit I wrote one for my parents and threw the key in the Seine so their love is locked forever!
The last monument on our tour of Paris was Notre Dame. For any of you Anastasia fans, this one is for you. I love the Gothic architecture of this cathedral. It’s even more beautiful in person.
Last but not least, you can’t leave Paris without having a crepe. Trust me, you need them in your life. They are pretty prevalent, and you can find one on pretty much every corner.
Then we were off to the train station, and on our way back to London. I suggest taking a nap on your train ride. You will need it to recover before you go off on your next adventure.
If you have extra time and days in Paris I suggest seeing Sacre Cour, Printemps, The Marais, and Versailles.
Trying to see an entire city in a day is a crazy and daunting task. It’s takes careful planning, but with the right mind set anyone is capable! Let us know in the comments if there are any other cities you would like to see us tackle in a day. Note* We to the Paris Metro to get around everywhere. It is the easiest and cheapest option, especially on a college budget.
Shelby xx