This week, I'm going to share the ten best things in Paris, according to me. Because I love everything about Paris, these are in no particular order. All photos are my own, except 5 at the Arc de Triomphe - I was still in transit at that time and didn't get to go there on this trip. These pictures are from my nephew.
1. The Louvre.
The Louvre is amazing. I could spend days there wandering the different wings. Of course, there are the major works that everyone knows. They are stunning and worth visiting. I love being in the presence of greatness. Some think the Mona Lisa is overrated, and they are okay to think that. However, I find her fascinating and mysterious. I love standing there wondering what she was thinking. I love being near the statues - the Venus di Milo, Michelangelo's Slaves, Winged Victory...I could spend all day just studying the exquisite details. I would never, ever go to Paris and skip the Louvre. It's a must for me.
Hear me out. So Versailles *is* a bit overrated, in my opinion. However, the wealth of history here makes it worth a visit. Looking at all the extravagant finishes, I honestly couldn't fault the revolutionaries in 1789. They may have gone about it the wrong way (off with their heads), but I can see why it happened. It sometimes takes an up close and personal experience with something to actually see. There are things I didn't get to visit this time - I went from the plane (after 48 hours of traveling because of canceled flights) to the Louvre to Versailles. I was dead on my feet by the time we saw a little bit of the gardens. I'd love to go back and see Marie Antionette's village and explore more of the gardens. There are parts of the palace I know I didn't get to see. So it'll be on my list for next time.
Montmartre is my favorite part of Paris. I could spend days wandering its charming streets and watching the artists in Place du Tertre at work. This time around, I bought two small acrylic paintings from one of the artists, and they're among my most favorite paintings. Montmartre is home to fun shops, hidden gems of museums (the Dali museum is in the area), the Maison Rose (which I didn't get to see, so I obviously need to get back soon), and the famous Moulin Rouge. I've only seen that from a distance, and because it had topless pictures in the windows, I didn't snap any of my own. My favorite creperie is in a corner of Place du Tertre. Citron sucre is my favorite. Yum! I'm salivating just thinking about those crepes. Looking out over Paris from Sacre Coeur gives stunning panoramic views. You can see just about everything, including my favorite Parisian graffiti: can you spot it in the picture below?
4. Sainte Chapelle.
Sainte Chapelle is the most ethereal place I've ever been. The chapel is renowned for its stained glass, and for good reason. It is beyond stunning. It's exquisite. It tells Bible stories, and it's fascinating to look at and see how artisans depicted the stories in glass. Sainte Chapelle is the site of one of my favorite memories in Paris. I got to hear part of Handel's Messiah there. It's not a huge cathedral like Notre Dame, but the acoustics are still amazing. Any time I hear of anyone going to Paris, I tell them that they simply MUST visit Sainte Chapelle. Yet another place I could spend hours in.
My heart broke back in 2019 when my beloved Notre Dame caught fire. I watched in horror as the spire collapsed and the roof was ruined. I've never felt so despondent. When I saw photos of the interior, I started to feel some hope. The most important things had been saved, including the rose windows. Notre Dame was one of my most favorite places to spend time as a missionary, and I'd so looked forward to going back inside and exploring when I went back. Sadly, it's still closed for renovation, but it will reopen in December! My parents were just there in March, and the spire has been rebuilt and placed atop the cathedral. My heart sang and I felt emotional. I am so glad that it was decided to restore Notre Dame to her original glory, and not try to make any weird statements with the reconstruction. Notre Dame is a special place, and deserves to be seen in all her majesty. Right now, they have a series of bleachers set up in front and you can watch the construction. Much of the bottom of the cathedral is obscured, but you can still see a great deal. I enjoyed sitting there watching the cranes at work. It really brought so much hope.
6.
Musée d'Orsay.
This museum holds a very special place in my heart. I was on my way to this museum back in 1999 when I had a roller blading accident and tore up my knee. I had to come home from my mission for surgery and everything. It was awful. I hated having to come home early, but I hated that I didn't get to see the museum even more! Okay, maybe not *more*, but a lot. This museum houses my favorite painting in the entire world: Coquelicots by Claude Monet. I have a print of it hanging in my bedroom. This painting makes my heart sing, and seeing it in person for the first time last year was a core memory for me. I stood in front of it in awe, tears running down my face as I finally came face to face with this masterpiece. Someone tried to push me out of the way (rude!), but I was using my cane that day and I made good use of it. I'll let you draw your own conclusions. *wink wink*
7. Eiffel Tower.
Of course the Eiffel Tower was going to make my list. I love the Iron Lady! I love that every time I see a picture, I'm transported there and can almost smell Paris (a good smell, not nasty). I can feel the breeze on my face. This time, my niece was scared to go up. She doesn't like heights (neither do I), so we made a plan. We were going to do our hair and makeup all cute, and wear our cutest outfits and go up together. We did! She was so brave and I was so proud of her. It was a hard thing, but she did it. I love looking at Paris from the Eiffel Tower. We didn't get to go all the way up, because there was a mechanical failure that prevented it. Ugh! I didn't get to go up at all as a missionary. One of these times, I will make it clear to the top!!
I love the majesty of this arch standing tall on the Champs Elysees. I love that it withstood Hitler and his Nazis. I love that it represents triumph - for me, triumph over hard things. As a missionary, I got to spend some time here. It was awe-inspiring! And, as young people often are, I was crazy and ran across the Etoile - the massive roundabout that circles the Arc, and where no insurance company will cover an accident. Yikes. Am I honestly kind of glad that I did it so that I can say I did? Yeah. I am. Would I do it again? Not a chance.
9. Paris Architecture.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the buildings in Paris. They're so unique and beautiful. They have so much personality and intrigue. I always look at the buildings and wonder what history they've seen. I love looking at Paris doorways too. They're lovely! I love wandering the streets and seeing what I can find. Next time I'm there (there WILL be a next time), I am going to take more pictures of what I see around me.
Of course food was going to make this list. There really isn't anything like French food. It's rich, but not heavy. It's just exactly right. I came home with a goal to eat more like the French. It's something I'm still working on, but I have a stack of French cookbooks to go through. I didn't take pictures of everything I ate in Paris, but here are a few.
There are obviously so many more things I could include. This time, I focused on things that happened on last summer's trip. I could go on for days about all the other things I love about Paris. But I'll save that for another time.
Have you been to Paris? Do we share any favorite things? Let me know in the comments!
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