Where to Stay in Paris?
When choosing a hotel, I like to prioritize an accommodation that is budget friendly, centrally located, and has good reviews. Unless I plan on spending a lot of time in the hotel I would rather put more of my budget towards activities than accommodations. I chose to. stay at Hotel Le Cardinal. It was a beautiful boutique hotel with an elevator and friendly staff, we also had a balcony which I thought was a nice touch. Eating breakfast on the balcony was such a great way to start the day. From this hotel everything was either walkable or very accessible with public transit. I highly recommend.
Things To Do
There are so many great things to do in France, from trying the local cuisine, seeing popular destinations, and traveling outside Paris.
Some must see sites in Paris: Louvre, Sainte Chapelle, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Arc de Triomphe.
One city that I recommend visiting is Nice. This is a gorgeous city in Southern France that so many people miss because they just come for Paris. You can get here with an 1.5 flight or my preferred way, taking a train. It is about a 6 hour train ride, but you can take the train at night to get some sleep before checking into your accommodation.
Recommended Tours
Paris: Your Own Private Photoshoot at the Eiffel Tower
My photos were taken on a tripod or by my husband, but if I could go back and do it again I’d book this.
Paris Louvre Museum Entry Ticket for Self Guided Tour
The Louvre sells out fast and I recommend booking weeks in advance, but if you don’t book here.
Versailles Palace and Gardens Tour from Paris
Alleviate any stress by booking a tour that will include transportation with this informative tour.
Best Photo Ops In Paris
Geocords for All Photos
These can all be copied and pasted into Google Maps/Maps
Isle of the Swans: 48.85575° N, 2.28793° E
Sainte Chapelle: 48.855355° N, 2.345029° E
Eiffel Tower View: 48.85817° N, 2.29138° E
Cour Napoleon: 48.86167° N, 2.33542° E
Parc du Champ de Mars 48.8560° N, 2.2983° E
The Eiffel Tower view may be a little tricky to find, once you get to the Geocords, make sure you’re walk up the stairs to the sidewalk this is such an empty low key spot with a great view and unexpected greenery.
Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night was like living in a dream. The important thing to note for first time visitors is that it doesn’t sparkle all night. Starting after sunset it will sparkle every hour on the hour for five minutes. Instagram is not reality and this place can get very crowded. I recommend arriving before sunset and bringing something to eat/drink and having a picnic and blanket. Once you secure your spot you can enjoy your night in the park and wait for the magic to happen.
Most Beautiful Restaurants in Paris
