This past January (I know, I know…this post is a little late), I had an airline credit that I had to spend before it expired. I asked for travel suggestions and my friend Victoria tells me that she is going to Paris in two weeks and that I should go, too! After a very short deliberation and a search for tickets and airbnbs, I booked a round trip ticket with a day layover in London on the way back. I was finally on my way to Europe for the first time!

Due to the government shutdown, Victoria’s flight ended up getting delayed and she missed her connection from Iceland. Because of this, I had a whole day and a half to explore Paris by myself. This led to me taking A LOT of photos. The rest of the time in Paris was spent with Victoria and Nicole, both photographers from Chicago, so this also led to me taking A LOT of photos. Even with all the gloomy winter weather, it was still the best trip I’ve ever been on and I can’t wait to go back!

Food

Food is my favorite part about traveling, and Paris was no exception. I had some of the best food of my life there! This isn’t everything I had, but I assure you it was all delicious.

First up: Le Bistrot Paul Bert. It had come very highly recommended to me by several chef friends, so I knew I had to give it a try. It was really damn good! We were there for lunch so the 3-course menu was very affordable and all of the options sounded delicious. I ordered the pâté de campagne, steak frites, and soufflé. I don’t have a photo of the pâté de campagne because I ate it too fast, but it was a delicious pork country terrine. Le Bistrot Paul Bert is located at 18 Rue Paul Bert in the 11th arrondissement and is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Another amazing spot was La Jacobine. This was my favorite meal of the trip, and easily one of the best meals of my life. I opted out of the 3-course option and just ordered the duck breast with mushroom sauce with an order of escargot to start. The escargot was so good and wasn’t chewy at all like most of the versions I’ve had here in the States. I used the left over garlic and herb butter to dip the bread in. This should go without saying but: ALWAYS EAT THE BREAD IN PARIS. The duck breast with mushroom sauce was cooked perfectly and the sauce was truly delectable. There are many reasons for me to want to go back to Paris, but this is very high on the list. La Jacobine is located at 59-61, Rue Saint André des Arts in the 6th arrondissement and is open every day of the week but is not open for lunch on Mondays.

Now let’s talk pastries. I didn’t eat enough pastries when I was in Paris. But, when I landed I went straight to Du Pain et des Idées to get their escargot croissant with pistachio. It’s called escargot because it’s shaped like a snail’s shell! It was delicious and very much so worth a visit. Du Pain et des Idées is located at 34 Rue Yves Toudic in the 11th arrondissement and is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

pistachio escargot from Du Pain et des Idées

Overall the food was amazing everywhere. I even cooked a lot at my airbnb with fresh ingredients I found in the market. I just couldn’t believe how delicious everything was. There were two more restaurants that I didn’t photograph, but are also worth a visit: Le Bistrot d'Henri located at 16 Rue Princesse in the 6th arrondissement and is open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. I had incredible bone marrow and duck breast there! And Soul Kitchen located at 33 Rue Lamarck in Montmartre (18th arrondissement). I went here for breakfast twice during the trip and both times were amazing. They’re open 7 days a week and have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options. And the coffee was some of the best I’ve ever had!

Street Art

Paris has a TON of great street art. I love street art. It was one of my favorite things about living in NYC and I was very excited to see what there was in Paris. I was especially thrilled to see all of the Space Invader pieces scattered throughout the city! Here are some of my favorite pieces I spotted on my trip.

Doors

I fell in love with the architecture of Paris, but I think my favorite part was all of the amazing doors!

Montmartre

I loved a lot of the neighborhoods I visited while I was in Paris, but the number one was Montmartre. It is just so charming! And I really enjoyed walking around this hilly area. It’s definitely somewhere I could see myself living! It was also my favorite area to photograph.

Landmarks

I obviously had to visit some of the more touristy attractions in Paris, and I really enjoyed every single one I visited! I went to the Catacombs, the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame, Musée d'Orsay, Musée de l'Orangerie, The Louvre, and Centre Pompidou. My overall takeaways are that art is awesome and Paris has way too many stairs.

Inside the Notre Dame. It was sad to see photos of this part after the fire.

Extras

Overall, Paris is a city I had never really had on my list (I’ve always wanted to visit the French countryside), but it surprised me in a very good way. It is definitely a place I will be visiting again. Let me know what your favorite spots are and where I should go on my next visit!

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I Took a Trip to Paris on a Whim /August 7, 2019 by Rachel Bires