Honeymoon in PARIS FRANCE for 5 Days
Monday, November 06, 2017#WalkwithChaMikeinParis
As what my #lifepeg said, "Paris is always a good idea." Indeed, Audrey Hepburn was right! For more than two decades I had been day dreaming of visiting this place. I've read and watched numerous novels and movies about Paris while growing up and since then I've been enchanted about this city and vowed I'd visit it before I die. Finally, I was blessed to make that wish come true. Thanks to my husband for making it possible (Mike is indeed a keeper!)
Paris was the last leg of our Europe Honeymoon, I definitely saved the best for last and allotted 5 full days in the city of lights and love with my mon amour.
Paris is a cosmopolitan capital of France and is the world capital of art, fashion, food, literature and love. It is considered to be the most popular tourist destination in the world and one of the most beautiful cities on earth. It's true, I fell in love the first time I visited it. Just recalling our experience in Paris makes me want to go back again - the mesmerizing Eiffel Tower, unbelievable artworks in Louvre and Musee d'Orsay, romantic cruise along Seine River, the charming Montmarte, the grandiose Versailles and Luxembourg, the French food (oh the French food!) are just some of the many reasons enough to be enthralled by this city.
Without further adieu, here are the list of things ChaMike did in Paris for five full days. Oh la la...
Adore the dazzling Eiffel Tower from different angles
The most iconic landmark in Paris. Eiffel Tower remains to be the most visited paid landmark in the world. Built by Engineer Gustave Eiffel, the wrought iron lattice tower was constructed from 1887-1889 for the 1889 World Fair. At first, Parisians didn't like it but eventually loved it and now it is considered to be a global cultural icon of France.
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| Eiffel Tower |
Trocadero
The Trocadero is located north of Seine and is right next to the Eiffel Tower making it an excellent place to see the tower.
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| Spring in Paris |
Metro | Line 6 & 9, Trocadero Station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Opening Time:
Since it's open to the public, it's open all day
Ticket Fee:
FREE
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| Day 1. My reaction the first time I saw it |
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| Day 2. At the iconic stairs of Trocadero |
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| Day 3. Crepe and Eiffel Tower. Very French! |
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| Day 4. Early morning visit with the Iron Lady |
Champ de Mars
Champ de Mars is located at the South bank of the Seine River just like the Eiffel Tower. It is a place where a variety of activities are held year-round like picnics, marathons, concerts exhibitions and fireworks.
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| Cherry Blossoms and Eiffel Tower make a nice combo 💕 |
Metro | Line 6, Bir-Hakeim Station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Opening Time:
Since it's open to the public, it's open all day
Ticket Fee:
FREE
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| Day 2. Visited Champ de Mars on our second day. We were supposed to have a picnic here but it was so cold |
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| Day 3. From Versailles we visited Champ de Mars then walked our way going to Trocadero |
Go up the Eiffel Tower
An activity any traveller in Paris shouldn't miss is to go up the Eiffel Tower for that sweeping panoramic view of the city. It is also a bragging right when you are able to conquer your fear of heights. Mike and I did it on our fourth day, good thing we were still on Paris-high that we even climbed the stairs until the second floor!
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| French #ChaMikiss on top of the Eiffel Tower! |
Metro | Line 6, Bir-Hakeim Station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Opening Time:
The Eiffel Tower is open every single day. The times vary according to the months you are visiting:
mid June to early September | 9:00 am to midnight
the rest of the year | 9:00 am to 11:00 pm
Easter weekend and during the spring holidays | extended opening hours to midnight
Ticket Fee:
Tickets vary depending on your preference when going up, you can either take the lift, walk the stairs or you can do both, we did the latter. Rates are as follows for adults:
Lift Entrance Second Floor Ticket | € 16
Lift Entrance Ticket to the Top | € 25
Stairs Entrance Second Floor Ticket | € 10
Stairs to the Second Floor then Lift Entrance Ticket to the Top | € 19
They also offer reduced rates for children and disabled person. For more information about the rates visit their website HERE.
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| 1st stair step! |
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| Mike has fear of heights so I was so proud of him for conquering his fear and was able to reach the top! |
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| Just keep walking... |
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| Second floor! |
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| View of Champ de Mars at the topmost floor! The view was quite amazing!!! |
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| Yay! We did it!!!! |
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| Go up the Eiffel Tower ✓ |
Witness the Magnificent Artworks at the Louvre
Another iconic landmark in Paris is the Louvre or the Louvre Museum. It is the largest art museum in the world making it very popular among tourists. Located at the heart of the city, the Louvre shouldn't be missed by anyone traveling to Paris.
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| The Louvre |
Metro | Line 1, Palais- Royal- Musee du Louvre station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Opening Time:
Open everyday except Tuesday
Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday | 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday, Friday | 9:00 am - 9:45 pm
Rooms begin closing 30 minutes before museum closing time
Admission on Sunday | Access to the permanent collections is free for all visitors on the first Sunday of each month
During French public holidays the museum is open for a specific time and is even closed in some holidays. For exact schedule kindly check the official Louvre website HERE.
Ticket Fee:
We booked our tickets in advance as we didn't want to line up for so long. The queue just to buy tickets can take up to hours so to save time we purchased an advanced ticket online even before we left for Europe.
You can purchase your tickets HERE
Online ticket costs € 17 per person
You have to indicate the exact date and time that you will visit the museum. It gives you an access to the pyramid within half an hour of the time shown on the ticket. Failed to arrive within the allocated time slot for admission to the pyramid is subject to the same admission and waiting conditions as visitors without tickets.
Grand Louvre Pyramid
The Pyramid began its construction year 1988 and was finished 1989 while the Inverted Pyramid finished its construction year 1993. Since then the tourists doubled upon completion.
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| The Grand Louvre Pyramid |
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| Entered the Louvre Pyramid |
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| This avant-garde spiral staircase from the Pyramid |
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| Just in time for our 11 am schedule |
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| The Inverted Pyramid |
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| I was reprimanded after taking this shot. 'Mademoiselle, no sitting please' |
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| Time to explore the Louvre |
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| Remnants of the fortress at the basement of the museum |
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| The Louvre is HUGE! And can consume more than a day if you will explore all parts |
I must admit, the only reason why we wanted to go here was because of Mona Lisa. Mona Lisa is probably the most famous painting ever created so out of the 7,500 painting displayed here, Da Vinci's masterpiece is the most popular attraction at the museum.
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| Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa |
And because it is the most famous painting in the Louvre, as expected a huge crowd was around it, it was so hard to squeeze in. But good thing we were able to look at it up close and took photos for a very quick 30 seconds or less.
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| Expectation |
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| Reality |
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| Husband trying to document my struggle |
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| Finally, I saw you! 😍 |
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| Mona Lisa smile |
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| At last! We were able to go near her! |
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| A quick photo op |
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| A solo shot. Closeup. |
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| Extreme close up! |
I got a tip from other travelers that if you are pressed for time and would want to explore more of Paris, just look for Mona Lisa in the Louvre then you can go and explore other Paris attractions instead of taking the whole day checking out all the art pieces at the Louvre. But if you're an art lover and would want to take your time appreciating all the masterpieces inside the museum then by all means do so. As for us, after seeing Mona Lisa, we gave ourselves an hour to explore other parts of the museum quickly.
Other famous artworks
The Louvre collection aside from paintings also consists of Egyptian Antiquities, Near Eastern Antiquities, Greek and Roman Art, Islamic Art, Sculpture and Decorative Arts.
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| Winged Victory of Samothrace |
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| Or also called Nike of Samothrace |
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| Venus de Milo by Alexanders of Antioch |
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| The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese |
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| St Michael Vanquishing Satan by Raphael (Michael and Michael) |
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| The Borghese Gladiator by Agasias |
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| The Sleeping Hermaphroditus by Gian Lorenzo Berini |
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| Scanning other artworks |
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| Love this passage way |
There are so many art pieces that we weren't able to explore because of time constraints but I was already satisfied by mere looking at the Mona Lisa.
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| Decided to have lunch at the museum's food court |
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| I ordered a slice of pizza while Mike ordered pasta |
Before heading to our next destination, we took some time taking photos at the Pyramid.
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| The Louvre #OOTD |
Black Cape | Forever21
White Long Sleeves | Uniqlo
Black Pants | Forever21
Black Boots | H&M
Sunnies | GeorginaSasha.com
Scarf | Uniqlo
Bag and Bangle | Kate Spade
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| Wore a classic piece on our first day in Paris |
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| Podium pose |
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| Miss Cape Crusader |
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| #GSunnies in 'Eiffel' style |
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| Of course, the hubby should have a photo op too |
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| Do you like his outfit? I styled him <Ahem> He's wearing #Gsunnies too! |
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| A French #ChaMikiss of course |
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| The 'M' pose. Visit the Louvre Museum ✔ |
A railways station turned museum, Musee d'Orsay is the former Gary D'orsay, a railway station that now houses the largest impressionist and post impressionist artworks in the world from painters like Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Seurat, Sisley and Van Gogh.
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| Musee d'Orsay |
Metro | Line 12, Solferino Station
RER | Line C, Musee D'orsay Station
As for us, we went their on foot from Musee du Louvre, it was a good 15 minute walk
Opening Time:
Opening everyday except on Mondays
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday | 9:30 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday | 9:30 am to 9:45 pm
For the exact schedule kindly visit their website HERE
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| Facade of the former railway station |
Adult Fee | € 12
Children and Members | FREE
To check all admission rates visit their website HERE According to my research, Musee D'orsay ticket line is usually not packed so it won't be a problem purchasing it on the spot. My research was right as we had a fast transaction buying our tickets.
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| Our tickets |
The railway structure of the building is still very evident. Love how well-lit the place is too.
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| Love how bright it is |
Before exploring the artwork displays here, we went around appreciating the architecture especially the gigantic clocks. The museum, because it was a former railway, displays beautiful huge grand clockworks.
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| Upon entering, you will be welcomed by this gigantic clock |
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| How grandiose |
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| The museum from the 1st floor |
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| From the third floor |
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| One of the largest art museums in Europe |
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| And the view from the fifth floor |
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| Love the view from here! |
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| The 'M' Pose in silhouette. How artsy. |
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| French #ChaMikiss |
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| Love this shot by Instagram husband |
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| The clock has a spectacular view of the city |
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| Of course the husband too |
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| The clock on the opposite side of the building houses the museum's restaurant. |
Impressionist and Post Impressionist Paintings
But more than the architecture and the clock display I was most excited to visit this museum because of the impressionist paintings on the fifth floor. I am a fan of Impressionist artworks and Monet. So admittedly, I enjoyed looking at the paintings here more than the gallery at the Louvre and any other art museums we visited in Europe.
Claude Monet
Monet, Manet, Renoir, Cezanne, Seurat, Sisley and Van Gogh - I remember these names from college during my art appreciation class. But out of all of them, I love the work of Monet the most (I also adored Van Gogh's work just recently). Monet is said to be the founder of French Impressionist artworks. His works are characterized by small brush strokes and experimented with light and shadows. I find his works very dainty and feminine, he loved painting about nature, flowers and sunsets.
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| Water Lilies Series & The Artist Garden at Giverny. Monet painted it from his flower garden in Giverny, he is a passionate horticulturist. |
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| The Woman with a Parasol. The woman in his painting is his wife. I love the dainty and pastel colors he used here. |
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| Hotel des Roches Noires in Trouville, Regattas at Argenteuil, Poppies & the Train in the Country |
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| Turkeys |
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| The Windmills |
The only photo I shot from a different artist is Renoir.
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| Renoir's Bal du moulin de la Galette |
Recently I learned that Whistler's Mother, the famous painting from the movie Mr Bean is also displayed in this museum. We regret not looking and taking a photo of it! Mike being a fan of that movie still can't get over it. Me, on the other hand can't get over not visiting Van Gogh's Starry Night which is also here at the museum <arrgh> So if you visit Musee d'Orsay, go check out Whistler's Mother & Starry Night for us.
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| Visit Musee D'orsay ✔ |
Another monumental landmark in Paris is the Arc de Triomphe. Located at the end of the most famous avenue, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe is the most monumental of all triumphal arches. The view on top of the arc gives a majestic 360° view of Paris hence the reason why Mike and I went up.
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| Arc de Triomphe |
Metro | Line 1, 2 & 6, Charles de Gaulle Etoile Station
RER | Line A, Charles de Gaulle Etoile Station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Before going up the Arc, we did a little photo op on the ground. There is a narrow lane at the very center for picture taking, you have to be a little patient (and cautious) to wait for your turn.
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| Arc de Triomphe is older than the Eiffel Tower. Arches were built to celebrate victories and the Romans did it much earlier. |
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| A couple pic first. Good thing a nice lad was gracious enough to take our photos |
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| We even asked him to take another shot! French #ChaMikiss 😘 |
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| And another French #ChaMikiss 😘. Thank you kind stranger! |
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| My most decent solo shot. Too bad it was against the light. Oh well. |
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| Handsome hubby |
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| Took another one in a different angle. The lighting is more decent here. |
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| Look how handsome the Arc is! Not to mention my hubby too! |
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| The underground tunnel going to Arc de Triomphe |
April 1 - September 30 | 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
October 1 - March 31 | 10:00 am - 10:30 pm
The cash desk closes 30 minutes before
Closed on January 1, May 1, May 8 (morning), July 14 (morning), November 11 (morning) and December 25
Ticket Fee:
Adult | € 8
Student (18-25 years old) | € 5
Groups | € 6.20
Children up to 17 years old | FREE
For other information visit their website HERE
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| My ticket |
Inside the Actual Monument
The arc was made to give honor to those who fought for France during the Napoleonic wars and WWI. Names of the generals are engraved on the walls of the arc
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| Tomb of the unknown soldier |
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| Entrance going up. On the right side you can see the engraved names of the military leaders during the French Revolution |
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| There is a lift going up but all visitors should climb a spiral staircase of 46 steps to reach the top |
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| This long and winding spiral staircase |
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| The 46 staircase didn't seem tiring but I felt very exhausted already. |
Before reaching the top there is an exhibition about the history of the monument, costumes of soldiers in different eras, sculptures and a souvenir shop
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| A statue, costumes of soldiers, souvenirs shop and an AVP explaining the history of Arc de Triomphe |
Terrace of Arc de Triomphe
When we finally reached the terrace, we were enthralled by the view! We saw the whole city from above as the Arc is at the center of twelve avenues. It was gorgeous!
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| The Arc de Triomphe is located on Paris's Axe historique. |
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| The lavish Champ Elysees |
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| Another one of 12 avenues |
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| The 360° view of the arc gave us a breathtaking experience of Paris |
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| The Eiffel Tower can be seen from here. |
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| The lovely Iron Lady! |
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| How beautiful it is just staring at you. |
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| They say that the best time to go up the arc is during sunset until evening where you can see the sparkling Eiffel Tower |
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| But any day is perfect as long as you can see a clear view |
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| The terrace of the Arc is better than the Eiffel Tower if you want a view of the Eiffel Tower. As for us, we did both. |
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| Go up the Terrace of Arc de Triomphe ✔ |
I've read in numerous Paris travel articles that it is a must to visit Montmartre. Montmartre is a large hill in Paris, a village that is artsy and romantic making it one of the most visited places in the city. Several famous artists visited Montmartre for some inspiration like Van Gogh, Picasso and Renoir.
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| Montmartre |
Take a Photo of Moulin Rouge Facade or Watch the Show
Who can ever forget the award winning 2001 musical film, Moulin Rouge. The reason why I wanted to visit this place because I'm a fan of that movie (I even had a cassette tape of its OST!)
This place is where the movie got its name. Moulin Rouge is a known cabaret that was founded and built in 1889 and it has been the modern birthplace of can-can.
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| Moulin Rouge |
Metro | Line 2, Blanche Station
Climbing the stairs out of Blanche, you will see the Moulin Rouge
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| Moulin Rouge still retains as a place of entertainment for guests all over the world. |
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| Can-can dance is a seductive dance that later transformed into a form of entertainment |
Ticket Price:
Dinner Show | €175-185
Show without dinner | €105 - €140
Opening Time:
Dinner Show | 6:45 pm, 7:30 pm. End at 11:00 pm
Show without dinner | 9 pm - 11:00 pm, 11 pm - 1:00 am
For complete details about the show, check out their website HERE
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| Seeing the facade for me is enough as we had tons of places lined up to see |
Because we've already experienced an unforgettable night in Amsterdam, we skipped watching a show here but some say it's a must to watch a show in Moulin Rouge. Maybe next time.
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| The place is easily recognizable because of its vivid bright red exterior |
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| The view is better at night as it is fully lighted |
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| Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir |
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| Check out the Moulin Rouge - ✔ |
After our quick photo op at Moulin Rouge, we walked a few meters to look for Cafe des 2 Moulins (Two Windmills). It is a well known cafe in Montmartre especially after its appearance on the French film, Amelie which was also released on 2001 same year as Moulin Rouge.
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| Cafe des 2 Moulins |
Le fabulous destin d'Amelie Poulain was one of the reasons why I wanted to visit Paris. I am a big fan of this French film and director Jean-Pierre Jeunet that I watched it countless times even if it means reading the subtitles over and over again. I fell in love with Paris especially Montmartre because of this movie so I was very much giddy when I saw the actual restaurant where Amelie worked as a waitress.
How to go:
Located at the intersection of Rue Lepic and Rue Cauchois. From Moulin Rouge, we walked a few meters and voila! We saw the nostalgic red facade.
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| Walk with Cham in Cafe des 2 Moulins |
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| Can't believe I was actually standing here! |
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| Inside the cafe |
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| Can still recall this place from the scenes of the movie |
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| The bar counter where most of the scenes were shot |
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| Oh look! It's Audrey Tautou! |
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| Because we were a bit early for lunch, the restaurant was not yet packed even the area where the poster is located! |
The wait staff graciously gave the most coveted seats to us and began asking for our orders. Oh we were so lucky!
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| Hello, Amelie! You have no idea how happy I was to be here! #ultimatefangirl |
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| Look, Audrey signed this poster. I felt very close to her! |
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| While waiting for our orders, I went to the toilet and saw this little area |
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| Memorabilia of posters, props (the gnome!) and photos from the movie. How cute! |
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| Very much thankful for this moment! |
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| Thank you babe for tolerating my craziness |
Complimentary French Bread
The baguette is freshly made
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| Complimentary bread |
Beef Tartar (raw) "au couteau" | € 15
Plain tartar with French fries and salad
My order
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| Beef Tartar |
Roasted with honey and thyme, potatoes and salad
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| French camembert cheese |
To tell you honestly, I wasn't expecting so much from their food because dining here even if the food is 'just okay' was more than enough for me. But low and behold, our orders didn't disappoint, it was more than 'just okay' because it was so good!
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| Lunch flat lay |
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| Sharing a food with Amelie |
Of course we didn't leave this cafe without trying out their Amelie special.
Gouter d'Amelie | €9
Choice of coffee, coffee with milk, hot chocolate or tea - I ordered coffee with milk
Creme brûlée with cardamon
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| Gouter d'Amelie |
If you've seen the movie, you'll remember that Amelie loves cracking a creme brûlée with a teaspoon.
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| So nostalgic! |
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| Let the crackin' begin! |
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| Yes, even the creme brûlée tasted so delectable!!! What a lovely way to end my fan girl moment. |
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| Dine at Amelie's Restaurant ✔ |
Have a self portrait made by a French artist at Place du Tertre
This was probably one of the highlights of our Paris trip. It is a place not to be missed when you're in Montmartre. Place du Tertre is an open air art gallery set in picturesque cobblestone square. You can find many local artists and vibrant painting stalls. Some artists make on the spot portraits for those who want a special souvenir.
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| Our portrait made by a French artist |
Just beside Sacre Coeur. You will find it on your way to the Cathedral.
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| Since Montmartre is a hill. You will find many stairs like this |
Visiting this art gallery was an accident. Although a friend already told us that this place is nice to checkout but we didn't really pay attention not until we saw it.
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| Place du Tertre |
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| A vibrant and lively place to visit |
I've always wanted to take home a French art piece so I can display it in our new home. Even if it's just a small canvas of a famous landmark in Paris, so roaming around here made me so excited to look for one.
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| Bustling art gallery is field with locals and tourists |
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| Looking for that art piece I wanted to take home |
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| There are so many to choose from |
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| Every artwork differs in style |
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| Looking at these artworks can be very entertaining and relaxing - this collection is so cute! |
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| This one is very dainty |
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| This one uses bright rich colors |
But when we saw this group of artists doing self portraits of tourists, Mike and I wanted a self portrait instead.
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| Local artists creating self portraits on the spot |
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| You just have to choose what particular style you want |
At first, we were very interested to have our portraits made but when we started asking for the price, it was so expensive we couldn't afford it. Standard rate per person is € 50, it was too much for us. So we just satisfied ourselves by roaming around until an old French artist approached us and gave a special rate of € 60 for two. He said "I have a good feeling about you two." So we immediately grabbed his offer and sat on his chair.
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| First it was Mike who he drew |
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| He used charcoal on paper. I think. |
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| My turn |
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| Feeling Mona Lisa |
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| That awkward smile. I'm not used to it! |
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| After around 30 minutes. Voila! |
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| Our very first self portrait as husband and wife |
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| This art piece is now displayed at our living room |
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| Have an authentic art piece made by a French artist ✔ |
We ended our Montmartre trip by going to its most iconic attraction, the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur. It is a white-domed church that signified the defeat of France in 1871 and acts as a tribute to the thousands lives lost.
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| Sacre-Coeur Basilica |
Metro | Line 12, Abbesses Station
| Line 2, Anvers Station
From the metro station, go along rue Steinkerque and you will arrive directly at the foot of the basilica
As for us because we came from Moulin Rouge to Cafe des 2 Moulins then Place du Tertre we just walked our way going here after our artsy trip to the art gallery.
Time of Mass:
Mondays - Friday | 7:00 am, 11:15 am, 3:00 pm (for Friday only), 6:30 pm and 10:00 pm
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| Didn't go inside instead we just sat at the steps and be mesmerized by the view |
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| I can remember that these were the steps they shot in the movie, Monte Carlo |
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| Sacre-Coeur is located at the summit of Montmartre |
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| It is highest point of the city |
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| Many tourists sit here to just adore the panoramic view from the hill |
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| As for us, we wanted a photo together, good thing a couple like us asked their photos to be taken too. |
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| This is the view! |
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| Lovely cityscape, too bad I wasn't able to take a shot of the Eiffel Tower. |
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| We had a couple of minutes to spare so we decided to join the bandwagon and relax here for a bit |
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| Sunbathing in Montmartre |
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| This is the reason why we became so tanned! Haha! We didn't put any sunblock for the whole trip |
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| A selfie with the basilica |
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| A good way to relax our feet from all the walking |
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| Thanks again, random stranger! |
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| Yay! A French #ChaMikiss |
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| Visit the highest peak of the city, Sacre-Coeur Basilica ✔ |
After resting our tired feet, we went to the nearest metro station and stumbled upon a street full of souvenir shops.
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| Souvenir shops at Montmartre |
Aside from Sacre-Coeur another well known catholic cathedral is the Notre Dame Cathedral. It is considered to be one of the finest French Gothic architectures and one of the most famous cathedrals in the world. So even if we are not catholics, we visited this place because of #FOMO.
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| Notre Dame de Paris |
How to go:
Metro | Line 4, Cite Station, Line 1, Hotel de Ville Station
Opening Hours:
Saturdays and Sundays | 8:00 am - 7:15 pm
Mondays - Fridays | 8:00 am - 6:45 pm
Entrance Fee:
Cathedral Entrance | FREE
Bell Tower | € 8.50 for adults
We skipped the bell tower as we needed to brave the 387 steps because there are no elevators! Although they say the view is breathtaking especially with the famed gargoyles at the foreground.
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| This famous cathedral is packed with tourist that we had to line up |
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| A photo op while waiting in line |
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| The 850 year-old cathedral still holds daily religious masses |
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| The 'M Pose' |
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| Beautiful classic Gothic Archeture inside the cathedral |
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| Rose stained glass window |
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| The cathedral also houses some of Catholism's most important relics |
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| The Cathedral sits on the edge of Seine River |
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| Creperie stand with a uniformed vendor |
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| Visit the Notre Dame Cathedral ✔ |
Nothing short of beautiful is this other notable landmark in Paris. It was created by Queen Marie de Medici, widow of King Henry IV. This French garden is flocked with tourists and locals wanting to have leisure time at the garden.
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| Le Jardin du Luxembourg |
Metro | Line 4 and 10, Odeon Station
RER | Line B, Luxembourg Station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Entrance Fee:
FREE
Opening Time:
Open between 7:30 am and 8:15 am
Close between 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm depending on the season
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| Loving the relaxing and grandiose garden |
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| Well manicured lawns and flowerbeds |
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| The Medici Fountain |
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| Built in the style of a grotto. At the end is a sculpture of the giant Polyphemus spying on the lovers Abis and Galatea |
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| These iconic olive green chairs are scattered everywhere |
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| Like a boss |
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| Luxembourg #OOTD |
Blue Coat | Forever21
Jeans | Lee
Scarf worn as headband | Uniqlo
Sneakers | Adidas
Sunnies | GeorginaSasha.com
Bag | Longchamp
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| It was a nice timing going here as the weather was very pleasant |
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| The sunlight was perfect for natural light photography |
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| Loving my cat eye sunnies and red lippies |
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| The garden today is owned by the French Senate |
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| Can't say no to a #ChaMikiss |
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| Enormous pond at the middle of the Garden |
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| The pond is facing the Palace |
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| Beautiful backdrop |
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| A nice bonding moment for parent and children - sailing a small boat |
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| Can't get enough of how regal and grandiose this garden is |
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| Great way to relax especially if you've been walking for so long |
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| This garden has appeared in some French literature and the most famous is in Victor Hugo's Les Miserables where Marius and Cosette first meet |
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| Also famous for different photoshoots from magazines and different designer brands |
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| Tree-line promenade and sculpture |
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| The garden is said to be inspired by the Boboli Gardens in Florence |
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| Geometric forest |
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| The beautiful trees make a gorgeous backdrop. Agree? |
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| Last one! |
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| Can't get enough of how beautiful our photos were! |
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| Dashing husband |
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| Adore the Le Jardin du Luxembourg ✔ |
Feel Like a Royalty at the Palace of Versailles
A former French royal residence from King Louis XIV to King Louis XVI and now a famous extravagant museum showing how the royalties lived before.
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| Palace of Versailles |
How to go:
RER | Line C, Versailles Chateau - Rive Gauche trains station
Opening Time:
Palace | Open everyday except Mondays, December 25 and January 1
9:00 am - 5:30 pm
Gardens | Open everyday except for bad weather conditions
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Ticket Fee:
Palace | € 18
It is advisable that you purchase your tickets online because there is a very long queue for buying the ticket (believe me we went through that stress)
For more practical information about booking check the official website HERE
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| About to enter the impeccable palace |
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| One of the royal bedrooms |
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| The Palace is picture-worthy in all angles! |
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| Channeling Marie Antoinette |
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| Feel like a royalty at the Palace of Versailles ✔ |
Cruise along the River Seine
Nothing can be as romantic as a cruise along Paris well-known river even if it is just a sightseeing tour. The River Seine is an important river in Paris, the 777 km long river has many attractions at its riverbanks including Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Musee d'Orsay and Notre Dame Cathedral making it a popular river to cruise.
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| River Seine Cruise |
Vedettes de Paris
Because the cruise was not at all planned, we booked it the day itself. Vedette de Paris is one of the many popular cruise companies along the river that offers sightseeing tours for day time and night time. Before we went up the Eiffel Tower we purchased our day time ticket first to secure our slots.
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| Vedettes de Paris |
Vadette De Paris
Pedestrian access by lena bridge, left bank or by the Bir-Hakeim bridge
How to go:
Metro | Line 6 & 9, Trocadero Station
Metro | Line 6, Bir-Hakeim Station
RER | Line C, Champ de Mars Station
You can either go here from Trocadero or Champ de Mars, the port is located just below the Eiffel Tower
Opening Time:
10:30 am - 9:00 pm
Departs every 30 minutes
Duration:
Runs every hour
Ticket Fee:
Adult | € 13
Ticket + Snacks | € 20
Availed the € 20 for the snacks of crepe and drinks. The snacks were our lunch for that day.
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| Boarding time |
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| Our tickets |
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| There are different areas inside the boat to choose from |
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| As for us we settled at the back area of the boat so that we can have a good view of the river |
The 1 hour cruise started at the Eiffel Tower and traveled along the Seine which ran through the very heart of Paris.
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| Start of cruise at the foot of the Eiffel Tower |
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| UNESCO-listed riverbanks |
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| I cruise you! <waley> |
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| Musee D'orsay |
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| Notre Dame Cathedral |
Availed our snacks at the bar area.
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| The server making French crepes! |
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| 2 Chocolate crepes, coffee and hot chocolate drink |
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| Cheers! |
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| Enjoying my cuppa while cruising along the river |
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| Crepes for lunch! |
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| You can never have too many crepes when you're in Paris |
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| After 30 minutes, we decided to go up the second floor |
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| Trying not to off balance for photo's sake |
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| There was also a multilingual audio commentary that told us about the history of the monuments and famous Paris legends |
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| We passed beneath so many charming bridges |
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| No bridge is the same along the river |
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| Glad we took this tour or I'll regret not doing it |
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| John Lloyd "Cruise?" |
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| After 30 minutes we meandered our way back |
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| French #ChaMikiss while gliding along the river |
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| Cruise with me, Baby! |
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| Despite the cloudy weather, you are still gorgeous in any angle, Eiffel Tower and you too Mike! |
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| Last shot with the Eiffel Tower. |
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| Returned to the port after an hour |
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| Cruise along River Seine ✔ |
The cruise is perfect for those with limited time like us, we were able to explore the river in a short span of time.
Champs Elysees
One of the most famous avenues in the world. It is a street where Arc de Triomphe stands. A posh avenue of cafes, theaters and luxury shops. The street is also known for the Bastille Day celebration every 15th of July.
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| Champs Elysees |
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| The stretch of the avenue |
Metro | Line 1 & 13, Champs Elysees Clemenceau Station, Line 1 & 9, Franklin D Roosevelt Station
We went around Paris via Metro only as it was easier to navigate compared to bus or tram.
Famous shops in Champs Elysees include Louis Vuitton, Levi's, Prada, Lacoste, Givenchy, Versace, H&M, Tiffany and Company, Nike, Adidas and many others.
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| Walking along the famous avenue in the morning |
Originally, we wanted to experience this high-end shopping district but because of the attack we were too cautious to spend long hours here. So on our 5th day, we went here just to have breakfast at Laduree, a cafe famous for their delectable macarons.
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| Champs Elysees #OTTD |
Dress | H&M which I bought in at a mall near our Paris hotel
Long Sleeves White Top | Uniqlo
White Sneakers | Adidas
Teal Coat | Forever21
Sunnies | GeorginaSaha.com
Bag | Longchamp
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| On our way to Laduree |
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| Restaurant Laduree |
7:30 am - 10:00 pm
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| Beautiful Renaissance building |
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| The Macaron Bar |
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| The place looks like a Palace! Beautiful restaurant and restroom up stairs. |
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| Because it's too early, customers dined at the ground level |
with butter, jam and honey
Our only order because it was so expensive dining here
Hot Chocolate | € 6.50
Rich and thick hot chocolate
Mike's order
Capuccino | € 5
My drink
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| Ordered assorted bread, hot chocolate and cappuccino |
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| Laduree breakfast flat lay |
Salted butter caramel, pistachio, raspberry
Initially ordered three but added an additional one so I can take it home to the Philippines.
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| Of course, I ordered 3 different flavors of macarons too which I asked to bring home |
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| Enjoying my French breakfast at one of the best patisserie in Paris |
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| Hey! Thanks for bringing me here 💓 |
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| Eat at Restaurant Laduree and try the best macarons ✔ |
It was a pleasant experience dining here as the ambience was so fancy even if we were just having breakfast. The macarons and hot chocolate were over the top however their service was kind of disappointing. We waited for so long for the wait staff to get our orders, even our orders took so long to arrive and we waited quite awhile to get our bill. Hope they can do something about their customer service as they were very consistent with their failed reviews online.
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| Cham at the Champs (with my macaron take out) ✔ |
Paris is one of the best places to go shopping that it is even a sin not to shop in the city of fashion as Paris is the home for world-famous-designer brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Longchamp, Givenchy, YSL, Celine, Balenciaga and the list goes on... So Mike promised me he'd buy something special for me and the best place do it is in Galleries Lafayette.
Galleries Lafayette is the most famous high class shopping mall in Paris that you'll find almost all big brands here.
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| Galleries Lafayette |
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| Ohhh! My very first LV Bag |
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| Went home with a bag of LV |
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| Sneaker shopping |
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| Foot Locker and House of Hoops |
French cuisine is one of the most respected and renowned cuisines in the world, after all Paris won't be named the Capital City of Food for nothing so even if French food is expensive in Paris, Mike and I saw ourselves eating at fine dining restaurants and enjoying extraordinary gastronomic experiences from day one until our final day.
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| Cafe Trocadero |
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| Cafe Beaugrenelle |
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| Cafe Angelina |
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| Cafe le Bosquet |
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| La Table de Genevieve |
Have a pictorial taken by a professional photographer
This is perfect for newlyweds who are spending their honeymoon in Paris. A postnuptial pictorial was our plan even before we started this trip and luckily my friend, Camille knew a lot of Filipinos who services such. Here are the samples of our postnuptial pictorial around the Eiffel Tower.
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| First shot |
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| French #ChaMikiss |
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| Falling in love with you all over again |
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| Spring time in Paris 🌸 |
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| Another French #ChaMikiss |
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| Carousel L💓VE |
Finally, I was able to finish this post!!! Aaaaah, what an accomplishment! Hope you enjoyed reading my first Paris installment and I also hope somehow you were inspired to travel to Paris. I fell in love with Paris twice- first was when I was just dreaming about it and second was when I met it in person. Paris is and will remain to be my most favorite city in the world! Till next time, you gorgeous city!
Au revoir, Paris!
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