Maggie Murphy shares with us her personal must-sees in the fabulous city of Paris.
Gertrude Stein once said, “America is my country, but Paris is my home town.” Having spent almost five months in the City of Lights, I understand her sentiment. Paris is the type of place that stays with you, whether you spend 10 minutes or 10 months there. In this, my first blog post, I am sharing my favorite walk through the city in the hope that it may inspire you to visit Paris. This stroll does not contain all the world-famous landmarks; instead, I think it shares a more personal view of the city … my view. I have laid out this walk in a Google map, which can be found at the bottom of this post.
Begin at the Panthéon in the 5th arrondissement. It opens at 10 a.m., but you don’t even have to go inside to marvel at it. It was said that designer Jacques-Germain Soufflot had designed the “perfect” structure. However, he died in the middle of construction, so the building will forever remain unperfected. I love this area in the morning, with all of the students bustling around in front of the massive white stone structures. I usually grab a coffee from one of the numerous cafes down rue Soufflot and proceed into Luxemburg Gardens.
Luxemburg Gardens is, for me, the most beautiful park in Paris. Parisians escape from the city, lounging here with friends in green chairs underneath the park’s trees. Make your way through the park and exit to rue Bonaparte, heading to Boulevard Saint-Germain. This historic intersection hosts some of the most famous cafés and brasseries in Paris, including Café de Flore, Brasserie Lipp and Les Deux Magots just down the street. This neighborhood has always been a hub for creative people and is now a very posh part of the city. Walking straight through toward the Seine River, you will come across one my favorite places in the city: Ladurée .
I feel about Ladurée the way Holly Golightly feels about Tiffany’s—nothing bad could ever happen here. All I have to do is bite into one of their delicate rose macarons and my spirit is instantly lifted! If you are in a group, I suggest the box of six; sharing is the best way to experience as many flavors as possible. If you are alone, I would suggest a box of six just because … .
From here, I always walk down to the Pont des Arts, a small footbridge covered in lover’s locks that spans the Seine. Cross the bridge, head through the arches of the Louvre Museum and cross to the Place du Palais-Royal. Though I don’t suggest going inside the museum on this walk (that is a whole day in itself!), you should go while you are in Paris. Insider tip: to avoid lines at the Louvre head into the Carousel shops underneath the museum, where there is usually a shorter queue. On this walk, I would suggest heading to the Jardain de Palais-Royal. This beautiful little secret garden is a perfect place to take a rest or, as my friends and I often did, host a photo shoot! Then, I would head into the Galerie Viviennefor a nice cup of tea and a brownie at the small tearoom, A Priori Thé.
From here, I usually head toward the Opera House, my favorite monument in Paris. Just behind the Opera House is the world-famous department store, Printemps. Now, what I am about to explain may seem strange, but trust me. Enter the Printemps beauty department, take the elevators all the way to the top, cross the luggage department and take the escalators up to the ninth and final floor. Here you will find a mediocre café with the best view of the city, hands down. At night, all of the buildings illuminate the sky and the city truly lives up to its given name.
I hope that if you are planning a trip to Paris this summer that my suggestions help you see the city in a new way, or, if you are not sure yet where you may travel, that my post inspires you! As Audrey Hepburn once said, “Paris is always a good idea.”
Do you have a favorite spot in Paris? Please share your suggestions in the comments section below or add your favorite spots to the Google map!
Browse our Paris guidebooks and Maps for some more inspiration>
View Maggie’s Paris in a larger map