Paris Wrap Up

Over the past couple of years I have been to Paris often but this year I finally had more time and decent weather to explore some spots I had never been before.

1. Things to see

In Paris there are lots and lots of landmarks from gardens to buildings and squares but these are the ones I always go back to and the ones I finally discovered:

La Tour Eiffel – The best way to walk there is from the Trocadero towards the Eiffel tower. This way you also have a great view of the tower.
Cathédrale de Notre Dame de Paris
Panthéon
Arc de Triomphe and Champs Elysees
Musée du Louvre – The place to go and see the great Flemish painters as well as the immensely popular Mona Lisa. Of which the size disappointed me a bit.
Musee Rodin – The biggest collection of the one of the greatest sculptors Auguste Rodin.
Bibliothèque nationale de France
Palais Garnier or L’Opéra
Hôtel des Invalides
Hôtel de Ville
Jardin des Tuileries
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
Centre Pompidou

2. Where to eat

If you are in Paris you definitely have to go to the authentic French brasserie:

Brasserie Bofinger – This brasserie opened in 1864, not far from Place des Vosges and Place de la Bastille, and is considered to be one of the best brasseries in Paris! They serve the traditional brasserie kitchen at its best.
Brasserie Lipp – They serve great authentic French dishes. In autumn or winter you should definitely try their choucroute, and finish of the meal with a flan, île flottante or a house specialty the Millefeuille.
Le Thoumieux de Jean-Francois Piège
Café de la Paix – A great stop, in the Intercontinental hotel on Place de L’Opéra, just to have a snack in the cafe or a full lunch/dinner in the restaurant.

3. Where to have dessert

4. Shopping

There are so many great spots to shop but my favourite area has always been around the beautiful Place Vendôme. As well as strolling down the Avenue des Champs–Élysées and on rainy days (or when it gets dark) I always end up at Printemps and Galleries Lafayette.

5. How to get there

If you are willing to drive, Vinci parking has locations at almost all the landmarks and are clearly marked. But drive outside of the traffic jump hours, otherwise you will be stuck for long times.

Everything is also very reachable by the Paris metro system. (map)

6. Guides

If you’re planning on going to Paris a great resource is the Loney Planet website, as well as Google in general.