Paris pt. 2
The first time I visited Paris, I don’t think I appreciated the beauty the city had to offer. It was great the first time, but the second time around was even better for me. Having more money does help, but I think I’m more of a seasoned-ish traveller now, plus I live on this side of the world, so I’ve got time to take everything in, compared to if I were visiting from New Zealand, trying to make the most of every minute. I think it’s very underrated to stop and experience where you’re actually visiting, taking a minute to say, “Hold on. Let’s just sit for a bit and enjoy the fact that you can buy some decent food and wine for less than 10 Euro and people watch in one of the most beautiful cities in the world”. There’s probably a shorter way of saying it, but something like that, ya know. Anyway, let’s talk about Paris for a bit.
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre
Montmartre is a very beautiful part of Paris and is home to a very famous church, Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
My partner and I caught the Eurostar as opposed to flying to Paris. 10/10 would definitely recommend. For me, it is way better than flying. For several reasons, you can take as much luggage as you want; the check-in process is as easy as taking a normal train; departure and arrival are straightforward and less packed, and the views from your window aren’t too bad either. The only real con is the price, for two adults return from London St Pancras to Paris Gare du Nord, was £288 (NZD 662). Compared to flying, which I imagine is nearly half that price, it is a lot, but we wanted to experience catching the train, and it is a much more convenient way to travel if you budget correctly. Plus, another bonus, Gare du Nord is more central compared to Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly airports.
G.H.Mumm Champagne House
Learning about the nearly 200-year history of this champagne made it taste so much better. Turns out a Magnum isn’t the biggest bottle you can buy.
One of the highlights of my trip to Paris this time was visiting the Champagne region, specifically Reims. Like many, I enjoy the odd drink every now and then. In Aotearoa/New Zealand, where wine is made and enjoyed throughout, I was a big fan of Champagne, more specifically Mumm and Veuve Clicquot. So when we were planning this trip, visiting Reims (the city where those champagnes are made) was a must and turns out it is very easy to take a day trip to Reims. Only a 45-minute train ride from Paris, we departed from Gare de l’Est, which is another train station only a 5-minute walk from Gare du Nord, costing £57 (NZD 129) return per person. It’s just one of those things you have to do if you like Champagne and are visiting Paris. Cause how many times in your life are you going to be drinking Champagne in the region it’s made? Next to none, so it is definitely something to consider when picking activities for this side of France.
Galeries Lafayette
The view from the most stunning department store I’ve ever been in, also, you can see the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
I touched on this very briefly earlier, but travelling to another country as a visitor compared to being a tourist is a very different experience in itself. Taking each day as it comes without a set itinerary leaves your trip so open to new experiences and thinking, “wow, I’m so glad I got to enjoy this beautiful city”. Not saying that your average tourist experience isn’t something to be enjoyed, but I look back on my first time in Europe and feel like it was a rushed experience in itself because I was so caught up in wanting to visit other countries and do as much as I could that I forgot to take a step back and take in everything. Don’t get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed my first time around, I’m merely trying to compare two different experiences. For one, biking along the Seine and taking the road from Notre Dame all the way to the Arc de Triomphe, then sitting outside a bar drinking in the sun, not having to worry about being somewhere, was very nice. Compared to catching an Uber or a taxi, going to an overpriced restaurant close to the Arc would probably cost twice as much.
Arc de Triomphe
Probably one of the more stressful roundabouts to get in and out of.
I know it may seem like I’m criticising a particular way to visit a country, but that’s not my intention. Seeing everything in Paris for the first time was an amazing experience that I’ll always remember, taking a boat along the Seine, seeing the Eiffel Tower light up for the first time, eating snails and even waiting in line to enter the Paris Catacombs for an hour only to miss out near the front. I was 22 when I first visited Paris, and it was the type of trip 22-year-old me loved. Now I’m 29 years old. I like to experience visiting new cities differently, such as walking and stumbling upon a random bar/restaurant down a side street with my significant other, enjoying each other's company while people-watching, drinking wine and eating tapas. That makes me sound old (and a little creepy), but whatever, I’m sure there’s a quote about being wiser the older you get. All I’m saying is, it is very underrated to just enjoy yourself in another country with little to no plan. Try it, you may like it.
