Paris

Paris: July 10th- 17th

We arrived mid-day in Paris after taking the train from London. The train was a cool and fun experience! It was like stepping back in time that we can take a train across countries it was so peaceful! When we arrived we took the metro to the 3rd arr. which was where we stayed. Our airbnb was not quite ready yet so we enjoyed a much needed lunch at the cafe across the street. Immediately we were concerned that no one would speak english and we would not be able to communicate since neither of us spoke French but of course almost everyone we met spoke English as well. Everything is so relaxed in Paris, no rush or urgency you just stroll the streets and eat when you wish at the closest bistro. My favorite part about each little bistro everywhere you looked was that there was seating outside and just like in the movies you had this tiny table with two chairs that faced the road not each other and enjoy the beautiful sunshine and company!  I truly have never been somewhere like Paris and I don't think I ever will, the feeling, atmosphere, food , people , architecture and honestly everything was just so magically it felt like we were in an old time movie for the week, we LOVED it!! 

Also, something else I found rather attractive about Paris was that although there were many "tourist" areas, the location we were in, we were among local people where the crowds weren't too big and we really got to experience the culture and lifestyle while we were there rather than staying in a hotel or well-known tourist area. So we had the luxury of being close enough to all of the big tourist attractions without having to live among the hustle and bustle which I think truly made our trip so wonderful. We were surrounded my little markets, organic shops, clothing stores, restaurants and right next door was a supply store that all of their products were made out of recycled materials and paper (naturally I had to buy one). The products are made in France too so it was really awesome to be able to support a company that was made and creates within their own country!

Day 1/2: 

So after our arrival and settling in to our very very tiny studio we went out to adventure around our area! We found the cutest little park with people water fountains and also found that it is extremely common for people to take a bottle of wine a snack and just enjoy the weather and atmosphere with friends! It was so cool because have nothing like that back home - once again it goes back to that relaxed life style. 

We also saw the Place de La Bastille which now stands where the former Bastille Prison used to be!! Sadly there was construction around it so we could not get very close but it was beautiful!! (first picture on left) 

The second and third images here are just interesting things that we came across through out travels. The week prior to us arriving in Paris was their Pride Parade so the street was covered in rainbows and even the restaurants and sidewalks were covered! The third image is just a great representation of what the streets looked like as you walked around Paris, bistros on every corner and beautiful historical architecture everywhere you looked! 

Of course one of our first stops had to be the famous Notre Dame. The walk over to the area where it is located was so stunning. There are these massive bridges that allow you passage to this whole new area and the views were amazing. It is surprisingly in wonderful condition considering the fire that had just recently occurred. It was quite interesting to see how they were restructuring the beautiful church, piece by piece. I was disappointed that we were unable to go inside but that just means I have to return someday! In the image you can see how they had a perimeter around it so that no one could get close enough to get hurt while they were working but it was still as beautiful as I had hoped. 

This was the view from the bridge when crossing
to see Notre Dame.

After exploring Notre Dame we stumbled upon a very old but massive hospital right next to the church. We found ourselves feeling quite eerie as the building was so old and the images the lined the walls felt as if you had went back in time a hundred years. But what we did not realize was that this former 19th century hospital is now a hotel! I don't think I would be staying there but it is quite a unique experience.

Day 3/4:

Our next few stops included the Academie Nationale De Musique. This is a famous music hall and the architecture is truly amazing. We could not go inside, but just by all of the detail that was on the exterior of the building you could only imagine how magnificent the inside of the building looked.

We also walked and explored all around the Les Grands Boulevards which is home to many beautiful boutiques and designer stores. This was a "touristy" area so it was a bit different from the more

quiet  areas of the city we had explored before but it was still lovely. We had to opportunity to have afternoon tea in the Ritz and wow that was probably one of the most unique experiences in my life. It is such a beautifully kept building and all of the staff are so kind, I felt like I was on a different planet.

After our wonderful afternoon at the Ritz we walked to the Louvre Museum. We waited until the evening because they had free admissions for anyone under the age of 21 so that was a really cool perk! After we arrived, we began to walk around and were truly captivated by the artistic beauty both within the artwork and the building itself. There were so many amazing stories to be told from each and every piece that was displayed but unfortunately we did not have time to see it all. I do believe seeing the Mona Lisa was one of the unique parts. I never would have imagined being able to see it in person but there it was and a lot smaller than I had imagined, but still amazing.

We also saw the Pantheon which was originally built as a church and has changes its purpose many times since being erected. Once again, Paris exceeds my expectations with its architecture and poise. I truly was amazed at every site I saw.

Day 5/6:

We of course had to save the best for last...

On one of our last days we went to The Palace of Versailles and unknowingly went on July 14th which is Bastille Day. Fighter Jets flew over us displaying the countries colors, it was really cool.

And of course the Palace itself was just stunning. I have never seen something so beautiful. It is crazy to think that the palace was once someones home and all of the gardens that went along with it. This is one of the largest Palaces ever built in France and it is still in amazing condition. I particularly enjoyed how they kept some rooms the same as they were and then also utilized some of the space as art galleries. It was truly a unique experience. 

 The Gardens were also, simply breath taking. Everywhere you looked there were beautiful flowers, fountains and greenery for what looked like forever. It was really interesting how part of the gardens are open to the public and familes will go and enjoy the water and picnic in the space. It was quite special to see those people enjoying those simple moments with one another in such a beautiful space.

     

Lastly, we saw the Eiffel Tower, we chose to this as our last moment in Paris because it is what everyone talks about and we wanted to have something to look forward to. Let me just say that, it did not disappoint. We walked all around it and then ended by sitting and admiring the beautiful structure for awhile. I am not sure what it was about it but that was one of my favorite moments of Paris just sitting , relaxing and taking in all the beauty it had to offer. 

Sustainability in Paris: So here are the facts, of course no country is going to compare to Iceland when it comes to sustainability but Paris was a lot more responsive and aware of it than London was. I saw a lot more recycling in Paris and even paper straws! 

1. Paris has more ways for tourists to minimize their ecological footprint by offering motorized and less polluting forms of transportation. 

2. Paris has pushed for restaurants to use organic locally grown produce in order to help boost the local economy and provide healthier meals for people.

3. Most restaurants refrain from the use of straws and if they do use them they are usually paper which decreases their use of plastic. 

4. Recycling: This is HUGE! So not only do they recycle all plastics but there are universal color coded bins for each type of recycling with pictures to show what goes inside. Yellow is for all paper, plastic and metals. White is for glass only. And they have started to implement a brown bin in some neighborhoods which are used for compost. This is so amazing because they are education people on how to recycle properly while making major strides in a huge city! Way to go Paris. 

Like every country and individual cities, Paris still has room to grow and improve on ways to get more people involved and spreading their sustainability movement wider. But they have made good strides so far.