An American in Paris: Part Three Of Our Vacation to France
The morning that we woke up to journey from Provence to Paris I was giddy to return to the city that I was newly in love with! We were dropped off at our hotel and a few storefronts down, I noticed a salon. My hair was desperate for a wash, so I decided to treat myself and popped in for a blowout. With my freshly shampooed and bouncy hair, Brian and I ventured out in search of a meal. Heading out without a plan and very hungry bellies had us bickering as we searched for a restaurant. We went to one place where it took nearly an hour for our cocktails to arrive and then we tried another place where we were immediately turned away. Eventually we found an average restaurant and gobbled our food without complaint, exhausted from the several hours of searching.
The next day we visited one of my favorites, Tuileries Garden. We walked hand in hand throughout the entire landscape and observed all the locals picnicking. We stopped at an outdoor cafe located inside the garden called Cafe Des Marronniers, which we declared had the BEST french fries in Paris, along with the most delicious cocktails and freshest salad. After lunch we continued on a self guided walking tour, passing The Louvre, riding scooters along the Seine, visiting the Notre Dame, and finally, St. Germain. After resting our sore feet, we opted for somewhere nearby for dinner. We ended up at the most amazing local Italian spot, with authentic food and wonderful service, called Del Papa. If you are near the Arc De Triumph and you’re looking for a reasonably priced and delicious meal, I highly recommend this restaurant.
The next morning started bright and early, heading to the Palace of Versailles. I have mixed feelings about our visit to this majorly touristy Palace. On one hand I’ve never seen anything like it, it was truly a sight to behold. On the other hand, the throngs of people were overwhelming. If you do go, I highly recommend renting a golf cart, especially if you intend on seeing the entire grounds. In my opinion Marie Antionette’s Hamlet and the Petit Trianon are a must see! The day would have gone by faster and it would’ve been more fun had we been cruising around on a golf cart. I also recommend you bring your own food for a picnic lunch. Seriously, the food at Versailles was inedible. Overall, I think the visit is worth the trouble if you’re very interested in history or gardens. I would consider going back, but only if we were more prepared.
On our last full day in Paris we decided to head back to our favorite neighborhood, the 16th arrondisement, for breakfast at Cafe Kleber and for a last look at the Eiffel Tower. We also made one last stop at Champs Elysee and revisited Del Papa for our last divine meal. Over this meal, we shared a final bottle of rose. It was simply the perfect last day, in my favorite city!
Our summer trip to France was an absolute dream come true and I hope you have enjoyed reading about our experiences. I’m looking forward to many European travels in the future!
