Hello darlings,
Thank you so much for all of the wonderful messages over the last couple of weeks! I’m so happy you liked my Paris content and that I’ve inspired travel for you! I think if I had to do it over again, I would’ve planned a little more before going. But when hubby and I travel, we like to sort of go with the flow and not have any plans. Paris is definitely one of those places where planning ahead a bit is helpful with things like museums and tours. Let me be your guide before you get there!
Some random tips/helpful info: Uber is readily available in Paris and so are taxi’s. You can call a taxi from anywhere, you don’t need to find a taxi station. The subway/metro is so easy to use and really quick. We used it coming back from Versailles! There are cobblestone streets everywhere so if you’re wanting to do a lot of walking, wear thick heels, flats or tennis shoes. Paris is a safe city, we never once felt endangered. If you’re like me, do some solo wondering throughout the day. I love experiencing new cities/countries on my own when possible.
Also, if you need to go to the emergency room, don’t worry- it’s free. Yes, I said FREE. I went to the ER at 11pm one night for a terrible bladder infection. I was seen in 10 minutes and wasn’t charged a cent. The only thing I paid for was an antibiotic that cost me $14.00. So, you don’t really have to worry about international health insurance! haha
First up, hotels…
-We divided our time up in two different areas. Most of our trip (7 nights) was spent in Marais. We stayed at a small little boutique hotel right in the middle of everything called Hotel Charles V. It was a cheaper hotel at only $250/night and had really good hospitality! The rooms were small but very clean and nice. Totally happy we stayed there!
-Then we moved over to Champs Elysees and stayed at a ridiculously nice hotel for a couple nights called La Reserve. It’s an expensive hotel ($1,500+/night) and it was absolutely insane. We moved to this hotel on NYE and they brought every room a $100 bottle of champagne and vanilla macaroons stuffed with foie gras and black truffle as a “happy new year!” The service was impeccable and it truly was the most beautiful hotel I’ve ever stayed in. If La Reserve is in your budget, you must stay here! We will definitely be staying here again next time we go to Paris! 
Now let’s talk sights…
-The one actual tour we did was of Versailles and let me tell you, I’m so happy we did a guided tour with audio! There is so much history to Versailles and to miss it would be a bit of a shame. We did the one hour guided tour through Viator found HERE. Also, by doing a guided tour, we were able to skip the 3+ hour long line for regular tickets. More than one hour would be too much for me, to be honest! One hour was perfect and we were still able to walk around after the tour ended to see anything else we wanted to see.
-We also saw the Louvre! We didn’t do a guided tour of the Louvre and honestly felt okay that we didn’t. We wandered around the museum for a couple of hours, saw the Mona Lisa (it’s so small!!) and some incredible French art. One tip for the Louvre: buy your tickets ahead of time online. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting in a 2+ hour long line just to buy tickets.
-Moulin Rouge. If you follow me on Instagram, you saw the heartbreaking outcome. I bought tickets for Friday the 28th at 11pm. We show up Friday the 28th at 10:30 and the tell me the tickets were for the previous night. UGH. Totally f*cked that one up! But I hear that it’s a spectacle and that you should definitely go if you have the chance.
Now for restaurants…
Before we left we got long lists of restaurant recommendations from all of our friends. We barely went to any of them! I have 6 recommendations for you. Most are in La Marais which is probably my favorite area we explored.
-L’as Du Fallafel. Famous falafel place in the Jewish quarter of La Marais. Be prepared to wait, especially if you’re wanting to eat inside. It’s a very messy but very good falafel sandwich! (Get it with spicy sauce!)
-Cafe Hugo in La Marais. The cutest traditional French cafe that’s always filled with people! Get the burger and order it medium-well if you want it to be cooked. French people love raw meats! Very good burger!
-Le Relais de L’Entrocote in Champs Elysees. You maybe saw this on my instagram. It’s a restaurant with a set menu every night of steak frites and salad. You come in, you sit, they have your salad to you within 2 minutes. When they deliver the salad, they ask for your drink order and how you like your steak cooked. 10 minutes later, you’re being served sliced steak and hot fresh french fries. They keep refilling your plate with steak and fries until you say you’re full! The only thing you really decide on is your drink and dessert. There is a line outside every night starting 45 minutes to the doors opening at 7pm. We got there at 6:30 and were just fine! The food is good but the experience is really cool!
-Le Poulbot in Montmartre. Tied as our best meal in Paris! The food here was incredible and the atmosphere was rustic and charming beyond belief. Trust me, get the escargot. Their escargot is what made me love escargot. It’s removed from the shell and cooked in foie gras, butter and herbs/spices. Literal perfection. I had the beef bourguignon and it was incredibly tender and moist, no knife needed! Hubby had the 7 hour, slow roasted lamb shank. Trust me you need to go here and definitely make a reservation because it’s a tiny place!
-L’Enoteca in La Marais. If you need a break from French food, go here for some incredible Italian! Everything was delicious, the black truffle pasta being a stand out! Very yummy.
-Chez Julien in La Marais. Tied as our best meal in Paris! Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. (We were there for dinner!) Traditional French restaurant right by the Siene River. Everything was incredible but you must get the Black Angus Steak with peppercorn sauce. It was the best quality steak I had in Paris and also the tastiest! The steak had a peppercorn crust that was charred and just ridiculous. Please go and please get this. You’ll thank me.
-This next recommendation is if you’re in the Marais and starving and it’s past 11pm. All restaurants stop serving food at 11pm. If you’re in a bind and need food, go to La Favorite. Adorable ambiance, okay food. Avoid the steak and avoid the cheese ravioli. The spaghetti bolognese is pretty good. This is a great place to just grab a drink sometime, too! Like I said, adorable ambiance and it also had good people watching if you sit outside.
There you have it! Hotels, attractions and restaurants. I hope this Paris guide is helpful to you! Any questions regarding the city of romance, let me know!
Xox
Tessa
