Travel to Paris, France – Episode 1002

Hear about travel to Paris as the Amateur Traveler talks to Angela J. Reed of Parisienne Farmgirl about museums, cafés, neighborhoods, markets, gardens, and viewpoints in the City of Light.

Why should you go to Paris?

Angela says, “Paris is alive. It has a rhythm of its own, and I think when you visit Paris, you get to become part of that rhythm.”

In this episode, she helps us plan a visit that includes the classic first-time Paris experiences, but also leaves room for the slower, more personal moments that make travelers want to return.

Itinerary

We start with the museums. Angela argues that first-time visitors are “morally obligated” to visit the Musée du Louvre, even if they only go long enough to see the “big three”: the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory. She recommends booking a 9:00 a.m. ticket, especially on a Sunday morning, and using the official museum website rather than third-party ticket sites.

From there, we talk about other favorite museums, including the Musée d’Orsay for Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art in a former train station, the Musée de Cluny for medieval art and Roman baths, and the Musée de l’Orangerie for Monet’s Water Lilies.

Angela recommends clustering your sightseeing by neighborhood so you are not wasting precious time crossing back and forth across Paris. On the Île de la Cité, she pairs the Conciergerie, where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned before her execution, with the stained glass of Sainte-Chapelle. Nearby, Notre-Dame de Paris is once again a must-see, and Angela suggests crossing the pedestrian bridge to Île Saint-Louis for a meal at Le Saint-Régis.

We talk about the Parisian reputation for brusque service and the importance of beginning interactions with “bonjour madame” or “bonjour monsieur.” Angela says that a simple greeting is the “magic word” in France, especially when entering small shops, restaurants, or cafés.

The itinerary continues to Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, with time to wander down the hill into the neighborhood, explore Place du Tertre, and see a different side of Paris. Angela recommends checking what festivals or events line up with your travel dates, such as the grape harvest festival in Montmartre.

For another classic Paris day, Angela takes us to the Champs-Élysées, but she does not recommend walking the whole boulevard from Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe unless you are especially ambitious. Instead, she suggests taking the Metro to the Franklin D. Roosevelt stop, walking toward the Arc de Triomphe, and going to the top for one of the best views in the city. As she points out, “You can’t see the Eiffel Tower from the Eiffel Tower.”

We do still talk about visiting the Eiffel Tower, but Angela thinks the second level is often enough, especially if you want the experience without the crush of the top level. She also recommends seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle from the Seine on a Bateaux Mouches dinner cruise.

Food is a major part of the episode. Angela recommends classic dishes like steak au poivre, duck confit, and escargot, which she describes as a delivery system for butter and garlic. She suggests watching where Parisians line up at bakeries and ordering what they order. Restaurant mentions include Les Deux Palais, Le Saint-Régis, Le Select, Solstice, La Forge, and Café Bonaparte.

For day trips, Angela recommends both Château de Versailles and Giverny, but not on the same day. She recommends using the official Versailles website, considering the passport ticket for the palace, gardens, Petit Trianon, and Marie Antoinette’s hamlet, and possibly taking an Uber to simplify the logistics. For Giverny, she suggests taking the train from Gare Saint-Lazare to Vernon, then following the crowd to the shuttle bus for Claude Monet’s house and gardens.

Angela also shares some less obvious Paris recommendations, including the Rodin Museum, Musée de Montmartre, Musée Delacroix, the Panthéon, Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, Rue Mouffetard, Shakespeare and Company, the Marais, Canal Saint-Martin, Galeries Lafayette, and the flea markets of Saint-Ouen.

Practical advice includes walking as much as possible, using the Metro or Uber instead of renting a car, staying aware of pickpockets, booking major sights early, considering the Paris Museum Pass, using Google Translate for menus, and visiting in spring or fall if you can.

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Show Notes

Parisian Farm Girl
Parisian Farm Girl Women’s Trips to Paris
Paris
Musée du Louvre Official Website
Musée d’Orsay
Musée de Cluny
Musée de l’Orangerie
Conciergerie
Sainte-Chapelle
Les Deux Palais Restaurant
Notre-Dame de Paris
Île Saint-Louis
Le Saint-Régis Brasserie
Montmartre
Sacré-Cœur
Place du Tertre
Palais Garnier
Opéra Bastille
Champs-Élysées
La Galerie Dior
The OFFICIAL Eiffel Tower website
Musée Rodin
Les Invalides
Arc de Triomphe
Bateaux Mouches (boats)
Best Cheese Shops in Paris
Boulevard du Montparnasse
Le Select
Solstice Paris
La Forge 5ème
5th arrondissement of Paris
Château de Versailles
Palace of Versailles Official Ticketing
Giverny
Claude Monet’s House and Gardens – Giverny
SNCF (trains)
Musée de Montmartre
Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Musée Delacroix
Cafe Bonaparte
Panthéon
Saint-Étienne-du-Mont
Shakespeare and Company (bookstore)
The Marais
Canal Saint-Martin Walk
Paris Canal
Canauxrama – Canal Saint-Martin Cruise
Paris Catacombs
Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann
Les Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen
La Cuisine Paris – Cooking Classes and French Food Tours
Paris Museum Pass
Antique Buying Trips to France for Women

Community

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