Welcome to Paris; city of lights, city of love. It’s still as romantic and quaint in the winter, more so with lights and Christmas markets lining the cobblestoned streets. The grey skies almost enhanced the Parisian-ness of the whole place, as if I could transport myself to Les Misérables in a second. Hopefully, these photos make you feel that way, too.

Going to Paris with my family was quite the experience, from my sister’s constant “Oh my gosh, I’m staying here forever” to my dad’s (extremely butchered) attempts to speak French. In our time, we averaged walking 6 to 7 miles a day; this justified indulging ourselves in French cuisine, from freshly-baked baguettes to crepes and Camembert.

On day 1, we strolled through Paris’s Historic Core along the Seine, passing Sainte-Chapelle, flower markets, and beautiful architecture.

In the afternoon, we walked to Rue Cler, a quaint market street full of fresh produce from boulangeries, fromageries, and traiteurs. Then, we finished off our first day at the Eiffel Tower – very touristy but beautiful, and worth the wait.

The morning of our second day was spent at Musée du Louvre (yes, I saw Mona Lisa, and yes, she was a tad underwhelming), after which we ate lunch at the Tuileries Christmas market and walked along Champs de Elysees to Arc de Triomphe. 

The next day, we visited the neighborhood of Montmartre, where the rebellious artists of the late 19th and early 20th century lived and worked – the original hipster hangout. It was such a picturesque collection of streets and buildings, all situated on a hill that overlooks the rest of Paris. No wonder all the artists flocked there for inspiration!

Day 4: Musée d’Orsay, home to Monet, Renoir, Manet, and fellow Impressionists. I enjoyed this museum more than Musée du Louvre, as it had a better overall collection. After a delicious soufflé lunch, we headed to the Left Bank, a neighborhood of art galleries, Église Saint-Suplice, and Shakespeare & Company, the famous bookstore hangout of Beat writers like Hemingway and Fitzgerald!

Finally, on day 5 we said au revoir to París. It was a jam-packed but leisurely trip, as we explored all of the elegant and delectable aspects of this romantic city. Parisians really do take care to make everything beautiful, and it shows. París, à bientôt.