Hello, and welcome to Paris.
This week we are exploring the city of love, city of lights and city of art.
This video will be showing you the top 50 things to do here.
Earlier this summer we spent a whole 10 days in Paris and we decided we wanted to highlight
some of the best attractions and activities around the city.
Over the course of our visit we came up with 50 things to do in Paris, but of course, there
are plenty more things you could experience here.
We hope this guide will you plan your trip to Paris, and let us know if there's anything
else you would add to this list.
Now let's get started!
So we are now standing in front of a landmark that needs no introduction.
This is one of the most recognized sites in all of Paris and all of France really.
So I present to you the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel Tower was designed for the the 1889 World Fair, and while people hated it
at the time, we couldn't imagine Paris without it today.
Champ des Mars is a large public green space right in front of the Eiffel Tower and it's
where people go to get those postcard perfect shots.
So today is our first day exploring Paris and we thought we'd sample a bit of the local
cuisine.
We came across a little stand that was selling crepes, so I ordered one with jambon au fromage.
This one is ham and cheese.
It looks delicious.
We've been walking around for hours and I'm starving so I'm so excited to just bite in
to this.
Another thing you absolutely have to do while in Paris is try crêpes with Nutella.
Notre-Dame is the most visited church in all of Paris and it's a great example of French
Gothic architecture.
Don't forget to set foot inside for a glimpse at the spectacular rose window.
The Arc de Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary
and the Napoleonic Wars.
Underneath the vault you'll find the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with an eternal flame,
that commemorates the dead who were never identified during the world wars.
So we are now going for a stroll down the Champs-Élysées, an avenue that is known
for its luxury and opulence.
You can buy all sorts of things here.
We've seen luxury cars, luxury handbags, jewelry.
And yeah, it is also a great place to people watch with lots of little cafes.
So today we are having a nice little picnic in the outskirts of Paris.
We just felt like we needed to get out of the city for a bit.
So we went to a grocery store, we picked up a few snacks and now we're in the Bois de
Boulogne and we're going to be having a nice little picnic outside and it is a great day
for it.
So I'm excited to dig in to all of this food.
Oh la la.
Oui!
Bois de Boulogne is the the second-largest park in Paris.
It was once part of the hunting grounds for the French monarchy, but these day's you're
more likely to find people jogging, rowing, and enjoying picnics.
We're on a boat, on a lake in the Bois de Boulogne and Sam is going to row me around
for a whole hour.
Yeah!
Hmmmm.
So this one is for those of you who have a major sweet tooth.
When you come to Paris you have to try the Macaron.
And we've picked up a cute little box from a little Patisserie.
And they look so nice I almost don't even want to eat them.
But we're going to be sampling them.
I did read up on these and they are made with egg whites, icing sugar, regular sugar and
then some almond powder.
And they also use a little bit of food coloring to give them different colors.
So as you can see here we've got four different variations with four different flavors.
Though technically not in Paris, Versailles is a short train ride away.
We ended up joining a biking tour and our first stop was the Versailles Market to pick
up some picnic items.
Once in Versailles, we dove into the Marie Antoinette's world with a visit to the Queen's
Hamlet.
So just now we are visiting the Petit Trianon and this would have been kind of like a make
belief village where Marie Antoinette could escape the palace and just leave everything
behind.
No one actually lived in these homes but she would hire peasants to just come around and
pretend like they were going about their daily routine just so she could have some company
but not have people stare at her.
So it is kind of like an artificial village and it is really weird but really pretty at
the same time.
After biking down the boulevards and picnicking along the shores of the Grand Canal, our day
concluded with a visit inside the Versailles Palace.
So another fun thing to do in Paris, if you're here during the summer months, is to head
down to the banks of the Seine where there is lots of different dance parties taking
place.
As you can see behind me there is a few different circles, lots of Latin music playing and everyone
is having a great time.
I think it is like eleven PM and the party is still going.
It is just getting started.
So I'm not sure how much longer the railings can hold on but if you do happen to visit
Paris with a loved one you can always lock your love.
This reminds me of our time in Korea when we locked our love on top of Seoul Tower.
Aw.
So today we are visiting the neighborhood of Montemarche and one of the main attractions
here is the church Sacré-Cœur.
And there is the option of climbing up to the dome where you get some really great views
of the city.
So that is what we're doing right now.
300 steps to the top.
I'm already a little out of breath and we've only just begun.
Lead the way.
Let's keep going.
Aside from climbing the dome of Sacre Coeur, you can also visit the interior.
The basilica has the unique distinction of sitting atop the highest point in the city.
We're going to be having something called Croque-monsieur so I'm going to show you what
that looks like in a second.
So as you can see over here the Croque-monsieur looks a lot like a grilled cheese sandwich.
So it is just two slices of bread, ham and cheese in the middle.
You can also have Béchamel sauce and then there is more cheese over top and that has
been grilled and melted and it looks ooey and gooey so I'm going to let Sam take the
first bite because I'm always eating the food first.
You sure are.
Here you go.
Wow!
Is that ever good.
Basically my best way of explaining this is if you've ever had a grilled cheese before
this is like a premier grilled cheese.
It has an extra layer of cheese on top, plus you get the ham in the middle and I just love
how I think they put a lot of maybe butter on the bread or on the toast.
And it just gives it that greasiness that makes it so tasty.
Well, well it is time for another French dessert.
So today we are introducing you to the Eclair.
And I have two Éclairs in here that I just picked up from a little bakery shop.
And it is time for the unveiling.
Alright, so I went for the classic chocolate topped Eclair.
So basically it is just a long doughy pastry.
And the inside is supposed to be filled with cream.
And it has chocolate icing on top.
But let's bite in to make sure.
Quality control over here.
How is that?
Actually, mine is not cream.
It has like a creamy chocolate pudding in the middle.
And chocolate icing on top.
That is almost like a filled churro.
And the taste?
Yeah, it is delicious.
It is amazing.
And I mean the pastry, it is almost like a puffed pastry, it is very light.
And it is hollow inside so then they just fill it.
Is it overly sweet?
It is not overly sweet.
It is more creamy than anything.
It is like pudding.
That is really good.
Surprisingly good.
Originally built as a church, the Panthéon was eventually turned into a mausoleum for
Frenchmen who sacrificed their lives for their country.
Right now we're visiting Père Lachaise which is Paris's largest grave site.
And it is the final resting place of some pretty famous people including Oscar Wilde
and Jim Morrison.
So does this place remind you of anywhere?
It actually does.
When I was in Buenos Aires it reminds me a lot of a place called Recoleta.
And I have to say along with that this is the most impressive cemetery I've ever visited.
We have now arrived at the Tuileries Garden and it is starting to get a little bit dark
so it might be a little hard to appreciate but I assure you it is really pretty in the
daytime.
So now let's continue on towards the Louvre.
The Tuileries Garden is a public garden located between the Louvre Museum and Place de la
Concorde.
Grab one of the free chairs around the water fountains and enjoy the views.
Behind me is the Louvre, one of the most famous attractions in all of Paris.
The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world.
They say that if you were to admire every piece of artwork, you'd be there for months.
One great way to experience Paris is by taking a boat tour.
The Bateaux Mouches are open excursion boats that allow you to soak in the sights while
you float down the river Seine.
Alternatively, you could rent a bicycle and pedal your way across the city.
Paris has the Vélib’ which is a large-scale public bicycle sharing system.
Or you can see Paris by segway.
The Plant Garden is a large botanical garden in
the city and within its grounds you'll also find the National Museum of Natural History.
The Pompidou Centre is a multicultural complex for the arts and culture.
The unique architecture is worth a visit even if you only admire it from the outside.
Le Marais was once the French nobility's favorite place of residence, but we went there in search
of street art - and there was lots to see!
There are lots of celebrations throughout the year and we just happened to be in town
for Bastille Day.
Check your calendar before you visit and see if there are any special holidays coming up.
So we are now visiting the Luxembourg Gardens which are probably some of my favorite gardens
in the whole city.
It is a great place to relax, come have a picnic, visit the palace or just enjoy the
gardens.
Luxembourg Palace was once a royal residence, but today it is home to the French Senate.
So up next we've visiting a place that is called Les Invalides and this used to be an
old hospital and retirement home for war veterans.
These days it is more of a military museum that you can visit.
And it also holds the remains of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Petit and Grand Palais are right across from each other.
The Petit Palais houses a fine arts museum and the Grand Palais hosts numerous changing
exhibitions.
An alternative way to experience Paris is in a romantic car ride in a deux chevaux.
Sainte-Chapelle is a medieval Gothic chapel.
The lines were too long for us to go in, but it has one of the most impressive collections
of stained glass in the world.
If you want to see the Eiffel Tower from a different vantage point than Champ de Mars,
Trocadéro is an alternative.
Right now I'm visiting Parc des Princes stadium home of Paris Saint-Germain football club.
And if you're a football fan this is where you want to come.
The Moulin Rouge is one of the most famed cabarets in Paris and the birth place of the
can can dance.
You'll want to secure a ticket well in advance because this place is popular.
Next up we visited the Montmartre Cemetery which is the final resting place of many famous
artists who lived and worked in this area.
Moulin de la Galette is a former windmill turned restaurant and it earns a spot on this
list because it was painted by many artists including Renoir.
Le Consulat is a little restaurant in Montmartre.
It has been featured in many films and its a great place to people watch.
There's also a museum in the area, the Montmartre Museum, which contains paintings, photographs,
and posters that depict the history of the neighborhood.
So you can't come to Paris and not try all the delicious pastries they have in store.
So today I have picked myself one of these.
This is called Mille-feuille.
Which means thousand leaves.
And that is just because you can see all the different layers of dough.
They are super thin.
And it looks like has some kind of custard filing and icing on top.
So let's dig in.
Oh, crunchy.
That was a horrible bite.
One of my favorite desserts I've been picking up from the Pâtisseries here in Paris have
been these awesome tarts.
This one here is a lemon tart and it is my favorite.
Let's have a look.
Oh la la.
Galeries Lafayette is a huge department carrying high end brands.
The interior is beautiful, but unfortunately we made the mistake of visiting on a Sunday
when it were closed.
This unusual building is La Madeleine.
It was meant to be a temple to glorify Napoleon's army, but halfway through construction plans
changed and it became a church.
So our preferred method of getting around in Paris is definitely by Metro.
There is a really intricate network of different lines.
And to save money you can get a pack of ten tickets and it'll save you several Euros.
It is definitely the way to go.
The metro encompasses 5 zones, but we found that we stayed within zone 1 the whole time
we were in Paris.
Keep this in mind when you purchase your metro tickets!
So we're wrapping things up here.
What would be your one tip for visiting Paris?
Well, I have recently spent a whole ten days here in summer.
I would say that if you really want to visit the art galleries, the museums and all of
the main attractions you should probably avoid summer and like either come in the spring
or the fall or even winter.
Because the lines are insane and sometimes you have to wait like an hour and a half or
two hours just to go inside a museum or go inside a church.
And you just kill a lot of time.
So that is my one tip.
Try and avoid summer when the crowds are just everywhere and it is also a bit too hot in
my opinion.
But that is just me.
So how about you?
What are your final thoughts on Paris?
So my finals thoughts is obviously Paris is one of the top cities in the world in terms
of attractions.
But it is like any other big gritty city.
And you have to come with realistic expectations.
There is going to be garbage, there is going to be lines, there is going to be some areas
that are a bit of an eyesore.
But there is also a lot of beauty and there is also a lot to do here.
So I highly you recommend coming but just don't have Paris on such a high pedestal that
you're going to be disappointed.
And that concludes our guide of the top 50 things to do and see in Paris.
We hope you enjoyed watching, and let us know if there are other places you would add to
this list.
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