20 Reasons You Need to Visit Paris

Last updated on May 21st, 2018 at 02:44 am

When you find $400 flights to Paris, you book it, no questions asked. At least that is what my friends and I did last January.

It was winter in Colorado and we were feeling depressed because school had just resumed. We were thinking about maybe taking a small trip… so obviously Paris seemed like a good idea!

I was a little unsure at first because I had already been to Paris in high school and isn’t it better to go somewhere new?

There is so much to do in Paris and you probably do not need me to tell you which sights to see. Here are the highlights from our trip:

The cheese sandwich served to me by Swiss Air. Seriously, so good. It was only an hour flight! I feel lucky anymore to get pretzels when flying.
Rue du Montorgueil. The most adorable street market and where we stayed.
Almost everything in Paris is in walking distance. We walked everywhere and averaged about ten miles a day. Good thing, because I also ate about ten times a day.
Breakfast, usually consisting of croissants, your choice of coffee, espresso, or hot chocolate, and fresh squeezed orange juice. My favorite croissant on Rue du Montorgueil was at a place called Jet Lag (pictured below).
Second breakfast! When we were in Paris I never felt like I had enough time to eat all the amazing food, so every morning immediately after breakfast we would have to stop at a pastry shop. Things you must try: almond croissants (croissant aux amandes), macaroons, and french bread.
Berthillon ice cream, located on Île Saint-Louis near Notre Dame – the absolute best ice cream I have ever had. And ice cream is my number one food group. We went every day (and it was not a short walk).
Wine. I did not like wine before France. We did the Tour de France wine tasting at O’Chateau, which was probably not the most authentic but very enjoyable. The tasting came with five wines, one champagne, and unlimited laughs for fifty dollars. Side note: Everyone talks about how great French wine is so when you go, you obviously must drink wine. What no one told me, however, is that in France they name the wine based on the region the grapes were grown in, not the grape itself. It is a good idea to do some research before you go, so you can have an idea of what you might like. Or just wing it like I did.
French onion soup. I never understood what the big deal was until I had it in France.
The crepes! I am obsessed with crepes. This was my daily afternoon snack, if you were curious.
The Gardens of Versailles. If you are making a trip to Versailles, definitely check these out. Best part? If you go during the off-season, when there are no fountain shows, the gardens are free.
La Basilique of the Sacré Cœur– a beautiful church at the highest point in Paris. The views and the architecture are incredible.
We visited the Eiffel Tower during the day, attempting to get to the top, and found that the wait was about two hours. Why would we wait in line and miss two hours of time in Paris?? Instead, we came back on our last night and walked right up to the counter, no waiting. Plus we got to see Paris all lit up from the Eiffel Tower.
The Arc de Triomphe, from which the Eiffel Tower is visible, also provides a great view. This line took about five minutes during the middle of the day.
Escargot. Because other Americans will find you impressive when you tell them you ate snails (and they actually taste good).
The Pantheon. We didn’t actually go inside but it was really beautiful from the outside.
Cheese! We only got one cheese plate while in France, but it was amazing. Next time, I am buying some bread and cheese and having a picnic in front of the Eiffel Tower.
All the Egyptian artifacts at the Louvre. And the Greek and Roman statues. So beautiful!
The catacombs – it is a little eerie but definitely unlike anything I’ve ever seen.
Hot chocolate at Angelina. Amazing, but super rich and their food is definitely overpriced.
The French language! I took four years of French in high school, but always struggled. I felt so much more comfortable speaking in France (after the first day) and it really helps people warm up to you!