Everything to love about the City of Love
The next stop on our European sojourn was Paris! My 22-year-old daughter Gabbie’s last visit to Paris was over 10 years ago, and she was the one who was most excited for this leg of our vacation.
Prior to our arrival, she already revealed that all she wanted to do was stroll around the city in her cute summer dresses and sit in cafes and read. Because Gabbie is more drawn to cities than to the countryside, it was no surprise that she enjoyed Paris the most. And so, I asked her to detail everything she loved about the City of Love.
Here it is:
“Our flight from Rome arrived in Paris at around 5 p.m. Our Pinoy driver Marzan picked us up to take us to Saint Germain, where our Airbnb was located. Saint Germain was the neighborhood I really wanted to explore and be in, and we stayed at a lovely, very French apartment in Rue du Pont de Lodi in the 6th Paris arrondissement.
“I’m mildly lactose-intolerant, and on our first night, I had an allergic reaction from all the dairy I consumed in Italy. And so, we decided to just settle in, have dinner at a nearby restaurant, and call it an early night. Luckily, our apartment was near so many beautiful restaurants and cafes that it was easy to just go down and walk around. We ended up having dinner at an Asian restaurant because we all missed rice. We also stopped by a crepe stand – La Crêperie Française – near our apartment, and the crepes were so good that my brother Paolo ended up having truffle cheese crepes there three more times during our stay.
“I was so excited on our first full day in Paris that I got up early to check out the nearby bakeries. It was a lovely morning and I got some croissants to go for me and mom, then made my way back to the apartment. Truly, there’s nothing like an authentic French croissant!
“The first item on my agenda that day was a visit to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop. We enjoyed a short but lovely walk along the Seine to get there, and it was simply the best morning. The store was quaint and just beautiful to be in, and the fact that they do not allow photos made it feel like such an intimate and special experience. I emerged from the shop an hour later, with five books and tote bags in hand.
“Near the bookshop was Notre Dame Cathedral, so we decided to go there since Paolo had never seen it before. Unfortunately, Notre Dame Cathedral is still closed because of the fire that engulfed it a few years ago so we just admired it from the outside.
“Because my mom was craving moules marinières (mussels cooked in white wine, butter, parsley and garlic) for lunch, we walked to the Latin Quarter of Saint Germain and ate at Le Chalet St Michel, where the food was just delicious! I had duck confit while Paolo had steak frites. After walking around Saint Germain and picking up some Pierre Herme macarons, it started to get hot so we walked back to our Airbnb.
“After watching a few episodes of Gossip Girl, it was time for dinner and our night activities. We had a perfect dinner at Les Deux Magots, a famous French restaurant and rightly so for their food was so delectable! My mom ordered the rib of veal, Paolo had the panfried beef fillet and I had the sole meuniere. It was quite an expensive meal, but mom said we should have at least one very good meal in every city we visited.
“Afterwards, we enjoyed a walk to the Louvre and enjoyed our time there. We wanted to see the Eiffel Tower at night but the sun set so late that evening that we went back to the apartment first and then later booked an Uber after the sun had gone down. We went to the Trocadero to enjoy the Eiffel Tower light show at 11 p.m. then got on a cab back that took us back to our apartment. What a perfect day in Paris!
“The next morning began with my usual routine of getting up and then heading out for coffee and croissants. I walked to a place called The Smith’s Bakery, and they had the best Pain Au Chocolat I’ve ever tried! Paolo was feeling a bit under the weather so he decided to stay in the apartment. Meanwhile, mom and I took an Uber to Montmartre. When we got there, it started to rain so we had lunch first at Le Cabanon de la Butte. Mom had a fresh and delicious seafood salad while I had a scrumptious cheeseburger.
“After lunch, it was all sunny and clear skies! We then walked up to the Sacré-Coeur then down to the streets. After our quick trip to Montmartre, we headed back to cool down for a bit. Later on, we took an Uber to the Arc de Triomphe and walked around Champs-Elysées. After much shopping and strolling, we went to Pont Alexandre III, took some photos and enjoyed the sights. We then ordered Japanese takeout, went home and capped the night watching Netflix.
“We got up early the next day and had breakfast at Carette. I saw videos of this cafe all over TikTok and was so excited to try it. We had croissants and their famous hot chocolate, which definitely lived up to all the hype! We then took a cab to the Palais Garnier. Our tickets were for an 11 a.m. visit and the opera house was just beautiful! We spent about an hour there and it’s definitely a must-see. What a lovely morning!
“We went shopping afterwards and then had lunch at the Galeries Lafayette located in Hausmann. Paolo and mom headed back to the apartment but I was still in the mood to explore and walk. I spent a few hours to myself walking around Saint Germain and the experience felt so cathartic and special. I visited quite a few cute French boutiques and had a salmon bagel for dinner.
“On our last full day, Paolo and mom took a train to visit Amsterdam for the day while I stayed behind to enjoy Paris a little longer. And I had the most wonderful time by myself. I woke up early and headed to the Smiths Bakery to once again enjoy my Pain Au Chocolat. From there, I walked to Shakespeare and Company for a last visit. After browsing around the bookshop, I spent some time at the Shakespeare and Company cafe next door, enjoying a nice chai oat latte while I wrote in my journal.
“At 12:30 p.m., I headed back and had steak and fries for lunch at a French restaurant near the apartment. I headed out again at around 2 p.m. and picked up my favorite Laduree macarons from their shop in Rue Bonaparte. I then walked to a cool coffee shop called GoodNews in Saint Germain.
“After getting pastries and matcha, off I went to the Luxembourg Gardens. It was such a gorgeous park, and I spent the entire afternoon reading and people-watching, my two favorite activities. It was such an enjoyable experience because everyone else there was doing the same thing I was. The views and vibes were just perfect.
“At 6 p.m., I headed back to our neighborhood and picked up three bowls of Chipotle for our dinner. I spent a quiet night in the apartment watching Gossip Girl episodes all the while reflecting on my wonderful, precious Paris experience while waiting for mom and Paolo to return from Amsterdam.”
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