“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” ~Ernest Hemingway
As the Paris Olympics 2024 came to a close a few days ago, I was reminded why I love that city so much. For two straight weeks, I turned on my TV to see the glimmering lights, the Haussmanien architecture, and athletes performing their hearts out! Oh, and croissants đ All the while, I was filled with a deep sense of joy and love for the uniquely beautiful and creative venues, for the incredible athletes and their individual stories of strength and promise, and for the city of Paris itself – they put on one hell of a show for 2 straight weeks, didnât they? And the swell of pride within the French people was palpable – for good reason! I’ve always felt a strong desire to share my love of Paris with the world (note: this is partly the reason I became a French teacher!) and the Olympics helped to articulate that for me.
I have had the extraordinary fortune to visit the city seven times in my life, not a crazy number by any measure, but Iâve experienced it with friends, family, and students. The one experience that forever linked me to the city began 30 years ago (gulp!), when I studied abroad with my alma mater, Hamilton Collegeâs Junior Year in Paris program.
The beauty of youth is that we donât know any better in many ways, so we just âdo,â and in that year, I certainly did! From the people I met, to the travel around Europe, to the wandering in museums, to my first solo travel adventure (Barcelona!), and so much more, these experiences drew me out of my comfort zone and challenged my world view, for which I am eternally grateful. It was also pre-internet and smartphone, where you had to use physical maps, read train schedules using the 24 hour clock, exchange traveler’s checks and do lots of money exchange math in our heads (!) using francs to lira, pesos, pounds, etc!
We truly lived in the moments though, and locked those memories down in our core.
Although the Olympics certainly highlighted a lot of Parisâ attributes, they spoke very little about what visiting meant for your average tourist in 2024. I was most recently in Paris this past February to celebrate my 50th birthday with friends. We had a spectacular time eating, shopping, and walking around the city – and although it wasnât your typical visit with museums or the Eiffel Tower (sorry, Chloe! The French like to strike on occasionâŠ), there are many ways to visit a city! Tourism is a vital component to Parisâ economy, and I am a full proponent of everyone traveling there at least once, so letâs talk about some recommendationsâŠ
My Top 5 recommendations for visiting Paris:
I was speaking with someone over the weekend who agreed that Paris has absolutely changed over the last 20 years. Not structurally, of course, but something way more subtle⊠the French have gotten⊠nicer to foreigners. Itâs still a big city and you will find jerks anywhere, but they have recognized the power of tourism and the benefits of having Americans (and MANY other nationalities) bring money into their city and economy. Theyâve also evolved to wanting to share their beautiful city and what makes it so special. It may have taken them a while to warm up to the idea (that cold shoulder could be rough when I first lived there!), but they are on board now, and tourism has become a central part to their livelihoods. So here are some of my personal tips!
- Speaking some French will go a LONG way! When you go to any new country, where the language is different from your own, always try to learn a few words of âpolitesseâ (politeness). When I say this, I mean hello (bonjour or bon soir), goodbye (au revoir), sorry / excuse me (pardonnez-moi / excusez-moi), please (sâil vous plaĂźt), and thank you (merci!)⊠Bonus credit for: I donât speak French – Je ne parle pas français! Can you help me, please – Pouvez-vous mâaider, sâil vous plaĂźt? Or I would like – Je voudrais. The French sincerely appreciate the effort, but they are also very proud and donât want you to butcher their language (it truly is a French thing), so they will likely save you and switch to English.
Even if you only know a few words, try it! Donât be afraid! I had a conversation with a woman in a store who asked me âWhy are all Americans scared when we speak French back to them?â I literally laughed out loud and said âBecause we are a mono-lingual society who sadly donât value speaking multiple languages.â Languages freak people out, make them uneasy, which is SO amusing to me as a French teacher. Theyâre just words! Haha! We are so afraid to be wrong or struggle? Communication is vital to our existence! And why is our first instinct when we don’t know what people are saying to assume it’s negative or about us?? But I digress… đ
*Disclaimer – please know that Iâm not a super linguist, and I understand said fear⊠I once returned a banana to the shelf in a Spanish grocery store because I didnât understand what the woman was asking me to do (weigh it, apparently!). Although I am a âlanguage personâ and can (mostly) get by in other countries, I have felt that deer in headlights fear of not knowing what to say or do. You have to do whatâs comfortable for you, so put back the banana if you need to, but at least try! Or bring someone with you who speaks the language đ
- Choose one big attraction or activity a day and start there! Paris is a very large city, and in a given year, it can see up to 50 MILLION tourists! Do your homework beforehand, make sure everyone in your travel group has a say in what you do (I always ask my friends what their top 2 or 3 priorities are), and plan a loose itinerary. Also note that flexibility and the ability to pivot are central to travel – things come up! Paris can be bonkers with tourists, so doing some research and pre-purchasing your entry times into attractions and museums 60-90 days ahead of time is always best. With that said, know that if they sell out, there are other options and more tickets may be released as you get closer to your travel dates. Something to note is that online tour companies will frequently buy up entry slots, hoping that you will go with them and their inflated prices – the unused tickets go back into the general pool closer to the date, but if you are more comfortable with a tour operator, go for it. Tour companies know who their customers are and sometimes people will pay up to not have to think about certain things. You do you – Iâm just here to give a little guidance and set some expectations.
- Bring the guidebook and step into the map. Explore and find your way around. But also? Hire a local guide – not for your entire trip or for every attraction, but I highly recommend doing a guided bus or walking tour towards the beginning of your visit to any city. Take them early on in the trip to become better acquainted with your location and get your bearings! Your guide will have lots of stories to tell, and may give you some hidden gems of places to stop into when you are on your own again. I think thereâs a lot of value in having a local show you around! One recommendation I can personally make for walking tours is Karen Reb-Rudelâs Sightseekerâs Delight. Karen was a WEALTH of knowledge, spun a great tale, and had some fantastic insight into her adopted city. Salut, Karen!
- Donât be afraid to âbe a touristâ – because you ARE! And really, thatâs why you are there – if you wanted to truly fit in and be Parisian, youâd be moving there. So own your tourist status, ask questions, and see the sites! If you donât want to get taken advantage of or be targeted as a tourist (because that exists everywhere), thatâs a different scenario and there are ways to soften that. You can dress more neutrally, not carry a big backpack, or sport a baseball cap⊠but the number one dead giveaway of being an American is how you speak. Speaking loudly or yelling to your friends / family is a huge no no⊠and especially donât speak LOUDER in English if a French person doesnât understand you – speaking words louder doesnât change the reception of said words, it only makes you look like a jerk and perpetuates American stereotypes. Donât be âthat guyâ (or girl). Being overly friendly is also a tried and true giveaway – I was almost always immediately pegged as American because of my smile – if you know me, then well, I am who I am. No apologies. LOL.
- Soak it in⊠despite what Iâve said above, you can also throw all of that out the window and choose to do absolutely nothing in Paris. That is the absolute beauty of it! You can get lost as you wander down streets, eat and drink good food in tiny cafĂ©s, shop in the boutiques, feel the vibes of the city, and you will still have an incredible trip. Sometimes the clichĂ© perceptions of what to do in Paris are the visions we hold onto for a reason.
Here are a few of my favorite things to do while in Paris. Grab an impromptu âpique-niqueâ at a boulangerie and sit in a garden or along the Seine for lunch. Sit on a bench or a bridge and stare at la Tour Eiffel. Marvel at the architecture and medieval cathedrals, and wonder âHow the HECK did they build that ~1,000 years ago??â Attend a concert at a church – I have done this at both Notre Dame (Gregorian chants!) and la Madeleine (Vivaldi strings concert), and the acoustics and visuals are breathtaking. Take a guided bike tour through Paris. Do a bakery tour at a boulangerie and make your own baguettes! Take a BĂąteau Mouche on the River Seine. Purchase art at Place du Tertre, atop Montmartre. Walk UP the stairs at the Eiffel Tower – less crowded (and less expensive) than the elevators! Although if you ride up, you can also choose to walk down.
Have you ever been to Paris? What is your favorite thing to do while there? What advice would you give? If not, what do you dream of seeing? Let me know in the comments!
Xo Dyan âš
