13 Things You Need To Know About A Typical Trip To Paris

I am by no means an expert here, but as a tourist myself, there’s always a desire to fit in or hide the fact that you’re a tourist in a foreign country. Right up until you’re being asked or spoken to, you try with every ounce of effort to keep your cool and twirl your finger around in a circular motion, giving them an “ohh yea I totally understand” look, hoping they’ll just walk away or perhaps slip in something in English, so you could at least TRY to guess what they’re saying.

But no, they don’t.

They continue speaking to you. You eventually realize this clearly isn’t going anywhere and you give in: “I’m sorry, I don’t speak –insert local language-”

Please tell me I’m not alone on this. You must have had experienced something similar to this. Everybody has… c’mon.

1. You visit L’amie Jean because they have the best tasting menu around and the most generous portions of dessert. (You cannot leave this place without trying their rice pudding. You just can’t.)

2. You eat your croissants and pain au chocolat, forgetting to keep count.

3. and your macarons (while get shouted at for taking pictures).

4. You Facetime your brother in the car, making him profusely jealous but also making sure to tell him you love him too.

5. You visit the Eiffel Tower like any other tourist.

6. You visit the Notre Dame but you don’t go in because the line of obnoxious tourists is just way too long, and you eventually realize you’re actually one of them and feel bad for being frustrated at them.

7. You eat your beef tartare.

8. You get your butt to Chateau Versailles, to be amazed by the wonderful young artists sitting around sketching.

9. …..or the Gardens and Park of the Chateau and wonder if the spirits of the past with unsatisfied hearts drift around the place naked or in full armour, ready to go on a killing rampage with their fellow spirit companions.

10. You visit Café De Flore because you need to eat a Mille-feuille and a beautifully melty Croque monsieur.

11. You drool and hover over the glass sheltering those precious pastries, wishing you could throw a party as an excuse to buy a bunch, but walk away because you know you need to move on and you need to get your next destination.

12. You stare at the little girl playing with the locks on the Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor, wondering if she’s got some kind of love story she’d like to share with you.

13. …….and lastly, pray this bridge doesn’t collapse at that very moment you’re on it, because you’re not ready for the collapse of the bridge of love to be the cause of your demise, it just can’t happen that way.

Although it’s been said many times, many ways, Paris has got to be the most romantic cities in the world. Their language, the culture, the food and every part of this place screams a little bit of enchantment. Paris, you never fail to amaze.

All photos taken by author of this article.