Paris Travelogue: Part 2

In the preceding blog, I shared all the primary information about reaching Paris and staying there. If you haven't had the chance of reading it, kindly click on the following link and read it first so that you can catch up:

https://wrytin.com/shriyaagrawal/paris-travelogue-part-1-jxhu0nqb

Bon Appetit

Now we have come to the best part about life, viz. food! It would be a shame to visit the culinary capital of the world and not trying its scrumptious delicacies. So, forget about your ketos and start making a massive space in your stomach, for you are about to kick-start a gorging session.

If it's the first time you're visiting Paris, you have to over-indulge in the tiny drops of heaven id est macarons. They are available in unimaginable flavours, right from Lavender-Coconut to Candy Corn and Champagne-Raspberry to Mango White Chocolate. In addition to this, they also have a macaron dedicated to Marie Antoinette who was the last queen of France before the French Revolution. Crazy, right?

You must also indulge in the crackling baguettes, flavoursome cheese crepes and mouth-watering Créme Brûlées. If you think that's all this city has to offer, then you are highly mistaken because you have still not wallowed in the fancy-flower shaped gelatos, appetizing eclairs and scrummy croissants. In short, if you have a sweet tooth, Paris will be your paradise.

For all the oenophiles out there, Parisian vineyards on Montmartre hill will be the perfect place for you to saunter down and try the crisp and fruity E. Guigal Côtes Du Rhône Blanc. I would highly recommend you to not try and fit in all the French treats in a single day. Instead, savouring only handful delicacies per day and basking in their succulence.

Trouvaille

When it comes to attractions in Paris, Eiffel Tower is every hopeless romantic's fairy-tale fantasy. This 132-year-old iron tower is one of the most visited monuments in the world and needs no introduction. It looks breath-taking at night as this symbol of love glitters for 5 minutes every hour, starting from 10 pm to 1 am. It has a total of 3 floors and it is advisable to take the summit passes as it gives you the freedom of pootling through all the floors and experiencing the city from a bird's eye view.

For all the art and history enthusiasts, visiting the Musée du Louvre is indispensable. It is the world's largest museum which serves as the central landmark of the city. With gems like Mona Lisa, Dying Slave and The Fortune Teller, it is the most visited art museum in the world. It has a vast collection of Egyptian antiquities along with Roman, German and Greek art. It flaunts a substantial number of paintings, sculptures and Islamic art.

Other magnificent landmarks to visit would be the Notre-Dame Cathedral, Palace of Versailles, Pantheon and the Luxembourg Gardens among others. You must also take a stroll down Champs-Elysees which has a plethora of luxury shops, hotels, restaurants, cafés, cinemas, and theatres.

If you are visiting Paris for a brief time and want to cover all the landmarks, you must take the Seine River Cruises. It not only covers them all in a mere four hours but also gives you an opportunity to relish them from a different perspective. As the city turns golden from the setting sun, the cruise pampers you with a luxury three-course meal, making it one of the most romantic experiences of your life.

While you're in the city, make sure you don't miss the night city tour, the Moulin Rouge and the Lido show as you will be left in complete awe for the city.

So now you're all set for you parfait trip to Paris, however, it would be fitting that you keep a few things in mind. You must try to learn a few basic sentences in French because you never know how it might save you in a foreign city with a possible language barrier.

Paris is a very safe city; however, it is notorious for its pickpockets and petty thefts so keep your luggage locked at all times and try to carry a small purse or a fanny pack instead of a large tote when you're on the move. In order to avoid standing in queues and paying a hefty amount for passes, always pre-purchase them online. Also, you must, at no cost, purchase a ticket outside the venue from an unauthorised person because more often than not, they will turn out as counterfeits.

And, last but not the least, do not forget to buy souvenirs for your loved ones and have the greatest time of your life on this trip! Meanwhile, I'll grab a box of munchies and watch Before Sunrise for the hundredth time.

Au revoir and Bonnes Vacances !