This summer, Mike and I celebrated our 10-year anniversary in Paris—a trip filled with a little nostalgia, a lot of great food, and a balance of sightseeing and slow, café-filled afternoons. Here’s everything we did, what we’d do again, and the tips I wish I’d known before we went.
Prefer to listen to us break it down? Here’s a link to our podcast I Can Do That, where we talk about our Paris trip in detail!
Day 1: Eiffel Tower Views, a Welcoming Museum & A Walk Down Memory Lane
We landed at Charles de Gaulle mid-morning after a smooth Delta One flight. Rather than navigate public transportation with luggage in tow, we opted for an Uber (€56 flat rate) straight into the city—a splurge I’d happily repeat after an overnight flight. If you’re up for it, you can take the RER train from the CDG airport straight into the city. I’d only recommend that if you don’t have a large suitcase.
Checking into the Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower
For our first night, we stayed at the Pullman Paris Eiffel Tower in the 15th arrondissement—quintessentially Parisian and just steps from that iconic view. I wish we’d booked two nights here; the neighborhood was quiet, elegant, and perfectly placed for a first evening in the city.
We dropped our bags with the concierge and set out on foot to explore. First stop: Trocadéro, for what I think is the best view of the Eiffel Tower. From there, it was a short walk to Musée Marmottan Monet. On our way, we walked past Carette, but the line was super long, so we opted to try there again another day.
A Peaceful Afternoon with Monet
No lines, no crowds, and no reservations required—just peaceful, light-filled rooms showcasing Monet’s masterpieces. The Musée Marmottan Monet has a small café that made for the perfect espresso stop before we wandered through the neighborhood where I lived during my study abroad years. It was surreal to be back with Mike, a decade into our marriage. I love the 16th. It’s bougie but residential, has beautiful architecture, and is quite peaceful.
Our First Evening After A Long Day of Travel
By late afternoon, we checked into our room and picked up wine, cheese, and pastries from the nearby boulangerie and market just around the corner from Pullman. Right beside it is a string of restaurants. We picked this one and ate dinner there which was fabulous. By 9 p.m., we soon realized that it gets dark much later in Paris – the sun was still shining! So we headed back to our balcony to watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle starting at 10 p.m. Something I will never forget.
Day 2: Notre Dame, the Best Crepe in Paris & A Dinner Cruise on the Seine
We started with breakfast from the boulangerie around the corner—chaussons aux pommees for us both—and then checked into our second hotel: Experiential Marais, a Hyatt property we booked on points. That hotel was amazing as well, very vibey and youthful. The location was tucked away but near a lot of the major sites.
Notre Dame & A Crepe Worth Traveling For
We were about two metro stops away from Notre Dame, so we headed there on day 2. We didn’t make any reservations, but the line moved really quickly. Quick note here – they were checking people for appropriate dress before entering and not being shy about turning them away, so be sure to have covered shoulders (a scarf will do), and no cropped shirts.
Notre Dame’s restoration is breathtaking, and the interior somehow feels even more beautiful than before. A quick walk from the cathedral brought us to my new favorite crepe stand: strawberry-banana-Nutella perfection from the friendliest vendor, with tables for prime people-watching. My crepe guy is located diagonally across the Seine from Notre Dame. There’s a restaurant on the corner, and he’s right beside it.
Louvre Courtyard & Champs-Élysées Crowds
We strolled to the Louvre (tickets sold out—plan ahead!) just to enjoy the architecture, then hopped on the metro toward the Arc de Triomphe. Walking the Champs-Élysées felt like Times Square in July—beautiful, but busy. If you’re looking for designer handbags, I’d actually skip this street and head to the stores nearby instead (Polene, Hermes, Chanel, LV, Loewe, Longchamp are all nearby.)
Dinner Cruise on the Seine
For our anniversary, we splurged on a luxury three-course dinner cruise on the Seine with guaranteed window seats. This was a highlight of the trip for us! It was also a great introduction to the city. You got the lay of the land of the major sites along the Seine and got to really feel how Parisians live. The banks of the Seine were lined with people sitting with friends, watching boats go by, as they snacked on wine and sandwiches. We saw three dance meetups with people of all ages, dancing along the river. It’s a noticeable difference from the US. The boat had live music and returned to our dock just as the Eiffel Tower was beginning to sparkle. Truly magical.
Day 3: Castles & Wine in the Loire Valley
This was our anniversary and the only thing we had pre-booked before arriving. We booked a small group tour to visit two castles in the Loire region: Château de Chambord (grand and dramatic) and Château de Chenonceau (romantic and feminine, with its own wine estate). A stop in the charming town of Blois for lunch was the perfect midday break. While both castles were beautiful, it made for a long day.
Tip: While the tour was great, the rigid schedule isn’t for everyone. If you prefer to move at your own pace, consider renting a car or booking a private driver.
Day 4: Musée de l’Orangerie, Tuileries Gardens & CityPharma Treasure Hunting
Monet’s Water Lilies at the Musée de l’Orangerie were another personal highlight of the entire trip. The museum is intimate, colorful, and doesn’t overwhelm. I’d also recommend here if you’re visiting Paris with kids. The art is colorful, approachable, and they had a small family room downstairs for kids to explore.
We picnicked by the fountains in the Tuileries Gardens, wandered into high-end boutiques, and enjoyed one of the best club sandwiches of my life at a nearby sidewalk café. Note – there are quite a few consignment stores near here if you’re looking for a deal!
Later, I braved CityPharma—the Disneyland of French skincare—for cult-favorite finds like A313 retinol cream and new loves like Metacutix night cream. It’s CROWDED in there, but still worth it if you’re not claustrophobic like Mike haha! The sales people are super friendly and knowledgeable. You can ask them for recommendations.
We kept strolling and found two sites from Emily in Paris – her apartment, and Gabriel’s restaurant. They’re tucked away in a quiet neighborhood without much fanfare, but as we were heading home, we happened upon a piazza with seemingly hundreds of people, dining at cafes, enjoying the fountain, and living what seems like a present, off-line life with friends and community. The French really do it well.
how tight it was in CityPharma
Day 5: Versailles & A Low-Key Evening
We were up early for another group tour – this time to Versailles – that met near the Pullman Hotel early in the morning. This tour basically just bussed us over to Versailles and dropped us off with tickets. I wish we had booked some type of audio tour so we had a better understanding of what we were looking at. Which reminds me – be sure to pack your AirPods for your trip.
After touring the palace, we shopped a little, found a cozy café, and split two bottles of wine with pizza before heading back to Paris.
July 14: Bastille Day, the Louvre & Our Only Safety Concern
We happened to be there on France’s Independence Day, and luckily, we scored free Louvre tickets (with reservations)! We were so happy to get inside, as it wasn’t looking promising without making reservations before our trip. Hot tip here – if lines are long at the pyramid entrance, look for the second entrance. It kind of looks like a metro station entrance, and head downstairs that way. You can wait in line underground and avoid the elements. Plus, there’s a Starbucks and other shops down there to peruse until your reservation time.
That evening, we tried to visit Montmartre but left quickly after feeling uneasy—this was the only time in Paris we didn’t feel safe. I had hoped to get a portrait drawn by an artist there on the street, visit Sacre Coeur, and dine at Pink Mama, but it just wasn’t worth the risk.
A Word About Safety
This was the only time we didn’t feel safe, and I would say overall, Paris felt extremely safe to me. We took the metro every day, walked thousands of steps, and visited everything from tourist locations to tucked away neighborhoods. That being said, we didn’t venture to the northern end of Paris except on this day, which doesn’t have the best reputation. You might be tempted to stay there with lower hotel prices, but my recommendation is to stay near the Seine, closer to the center of Paris, when possible. I also wore a zippered crossbody purse the entire time, and Mike even picked up a similar bag to carry our purchases. We kept photocopies of our passports in those bags and put our passports in our hotel room’s safe. We brought two forms of ID (our licenses and military IDs), and each kept one of the others in our bags. That way, if one bag was stolen, we’d still have an ID on the other person. That all being said, it felt much safer than NYC or even DC.
Day 6: Shopping, Café Culture & Farewell Drinks
For our last day in Paris, we met up with my friend Lindsay and visited a few spots left on my wishlist. First, we walked to Officine Universelle Buly for custom monogrammed combs and lip glosses, which was such a cool experience. Be sure to get there early – we arrived about 15 minutes before opening and were fourth in line. They only let a few people in at a time to preserve the experience, and once we left, the line was probably 25 people deep.
From there, I took Lindsay to CityPharma for gift-sized soaps, then had lunch at Café de Flore just down the street. We waited in line for an outside table, which is definitely the play for prime people watching.
From there, walk a few steps to grab coffee at Ralph’s.
Then we showed her the crepe guy and headed to meet up with her husband Andrew for drinks at the Hilton Opera before heading to our airport hotel (Hyatt Place). Our flight was at 9 a.m. and we had read to arrive 3 hours early, so we didn’t want to risk Ubering early in the morning from Paris and being late, so we opted to stay there before our flight. It was clean and fine, but definitely nothing to write home about.
Final Thoughts
This trip was the perfect blend of nostalgia and new discoveries. From quiet mornings in leafy neighborhoods to sparkling Eiffel Tower nights, Paris reminded us why it’s worth returning to again and again.
Next time? I’d book more nights in the 16th arrondissement, plan ahead for the Louvre, and maybe—just maybe—eat that strawberry-banana-Nutella crepe every day.
