Paris

Who doesn’t dream about jetting off to Paris for a weekend? But let’s be honest–a weekend is not nearly enough. In today’s day and age traveling to Paris is not so unusual, but it wasn’t that long ago that it was still a dream. I feel lucky to have visited three times and I can definitively say I have experienced three very different types of visits…

My first time in the city of lights was pre-Chunnel, via a hydrofoil from Dover to Calais and then an overnight train into Paris. Just typing that sentence makes me realize how much has changed since the late 80’s! That first trip as a college student was not very glamorous with three of us packed into a tiny hotel room in a questionable neighborhood almost to Montmartre (back when Montmartre was not cool).

My second trip to Paris definitely raised the bar with a stay at the Four Seasons Hotel George V (The George Cinq, as they say). My husband surprised me with a whirlwind 40^th birthday celebration that was topped off with snow in April and dinner at Jules Verne, the iconic restaurant in the Eiffel Tower.

My last trip (and hopefully, definitely NOT my last), was a trip with three teens in tow for a few “must-do” days packed into a lovely stay in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Pres.

So yes, I have visited Paris in a range of different ways, but make no mistake–all of them were not-to-be-fogotten experiences.

Here are some of my favorites in the City of Lights….

Stay

• Hotel Saint Germain
• Hôtel Le Saint
• La Reserve
• Four Seasons Hotel George V
• Hotel Plaza Athenee
• Paris Perfect

Eat

• Le Comptoir
• Le Petit Pontoise
• Il Sorrentino,
• Relais de L’Entrecote
• Jules Verne
• Guy Savoy
• Macarons & hot chocolate at Ladurée
• Ice cream at Berthillon on Île Saint-Louis

See

• Musée d’Orsay
• Treasure Hunt @ the Louvre with THATmuse followed by lunch at The Café Richilieu-Angelina or drinks at Le Café Marly
• Musee l’Orangerie (Water Lily paintings)
• Eiffel Tour
• River boat on Seine
• Notre Dame Cathedral
• Sacré-Couer
• Walk through the neighborhoods: (The Marais, Saint-Germain, the Latin Quarter, Monmartre)
• Père Lachaise Cemetary
• Atelier des Lumiéres
• Evening walk to Trocadero to view Eiffel Tour
• Pont des Arts

5PM

• Classics: Bar Hemingway, Harry’s Bar
• Wine: Le Garde Robe, Bubar
• Prescription Cocktail Club
• Danico
• Little Red Door
• Moonshiner
• Alcazar (Balcony bar)