72 Hours In Paris
Paris! The city of love. La ville de l'amour.
This European fashion hub has never been on my list of cities I’m making a beeline to travel to, but I got the opportunity to visit for a friend’s bachelorette party. My takeaways? It’s a very charming city! The old architecture romanticizes every street. People walk around with baguettes, and the croissants are as good as can be. The wine? Flowing. The food? Chef’s kiss.
It was a quick 72 hour trip, and if I had planned better, I could have worked remotely and stayed a few more days. But, I got a taste of Paris, and I’m thirsty for more!
If you’ve only got minimal time in this city, here’s how we spent it and how you could too:
Sunset Boat Ride
1. We started our weekend in Paris with a private boat ride on the Seine. The weather couldn’t have been better, and golden hour was stunning. There are lots of boat rides you can take, but if you can get a private experience, I recommend that. Otherwise it’s you and who knows how many tourists. Shudder.
Our boat had a seating area in the bow, stern, and in the middle which was inside and had a restroom. We also got champagne and a little cheese box, yum!
Dinner at Alfred
2. Food in Paris, man. It’s something else! Our first night we dined at Alfred.My main was the fish of the day with parsnip puree. Parsnip puree is one of those things you’re probably not going to make at home, but it's f*cking good so it’s a must order when you see it on a menu.
Colonnes de Buren
3. The next morning, we took a walk around the Palais Royal, grabbing a coffee and croissant at Café Kitsuné before checking out the Colonnes de Buren. If you didn’t get a picture on these sculptures, did you even go to Paris?
Musée Rodin
4. Next up was a visit to the Musée Rodin. Located in the heart of Paris, it is a sanctuary of art dedicated to the iconic sculptor Auguste Rodin. Set within the elegant Hôtel Biron and its surrounding gardens, this museum celebrates the life and work of one of the most influential figures in the history of sculpture.
Crazy Horse Paris
5. Crazy Horse Paris is a timeless icon of cabaret, avant-garde choreography, and seductive allure. The dancers have legs for days, and there must be a rigorous vetting process because their bodies all look identical.
We sat on the left wing, and some of the performances were a bit harder to see from here. I’m sure the performances may hit different with a more straight-on view, but even from the side it was a great show and a must-do when you’re in Paris.
N O T O
6. It’s dinner and a show- and you’re the show. We enjoy a Friday night out in Paris with a late dinner at NOTO followed by live musicians and dancing on your chairs. The vibes were immaculate!
The Eiffel Tower
@ Night
7. The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World's Fair and rises 324 meters (1,063 feet) into the sky. It cultural icon, symbolizing the spirit of Paris and the French nation. It has been featured in countless works of art, literature, and film, and continues to inspire artists, writers, and dreamers from around the world.
Once dusk hits, the Eiffel Tower emits a golden glow for all to see. For five minutes on the hour at night, it’ll sparkle. Make sure to catch it during those five minutes, it really is a bit magical.
8. Are you a Strava whore? If so, be sure to log a Strava in Paris! After our night out at NOTO, Sami and I went for a morning run. The Garden des Tuileres is a beautiful place for a run, and you can route yourself to go along the Seine. Or just take a walk. But go here! It’s pretty.
Loulou Paris
9. The joy of living. The joy of eating! Loulou Paris is an Italian & French restaurant within the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. It’s patio is chic as can be (though we ate indoors since it was a bit dreary out). Your server may question how much bread you’re eating, and honestly, listen to them. The servings are by no means small!
CRAVAN
Cocktail Bar
10. Four levels and three cocktail bars make up CRAVAN Cocktail Bar in the Saint-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood of Paris. We nestled into the library bar on level 3. The cocktails were incredible, truly craft with thoughtfully designed recipes.
Le Petit Célestin
11. After lunch at LouLou, we walked around, hopped into a few shops, and got drinks at Cravan Cocktail Bar. We then headed out to a late dinner at Le Petite Célestin, a small bistro in the Saint-Paul neighborhood. Dinner was again delicious, and the star of the show here was the burrata. I feel like the burrata you get in the US can be so small, but this was big, tasted so fresh, and sat on a bed of red cabbage, pomegranate seeds, and old balsamic.
Le Fin
After whirlwind 3 days in Paris, it was time to head home. My sister had warned me of a very long immigration line at CDG for departing flights, and boy was that true. I luckily got waved into a shorter line that looked to be for single travelers, which greatly expedited the process. Had I had to wait in the main line, I think I actually would have missed my flight even though I arrived to the airport at the appropriate time!
