To sneak in, enjoy the restaurant on the first floor which is reasonably priced. Napoleon renovated the Louvre as a museum and it now boasts of some 35, priceless objects. Its own grandeur worthy of praise as the objects it holds. The Louvre is home to the portrait of Mona Lisa which is arguably the most famous painting in the world. The Tuileries garden is worth visiting and relaxing when in the Louvre neighborhood. The Ile de la Cite is one of the remaining islands on the Seine within the city of Paris, right at the center of it.
You may end up associating this mammoth of a structure with the Hunchback of Notre Dame as you climb its steps to see the gargoyles. But words or pictures cannot do justice to this Cathedral. The level of detail put into the sculptures is mind-boggling.
Walk around the Montmartre neighborhood, trace the maple-dappled paths of the Montmartre cemetery, and visit the Lapin Agile Cabaret and Moulin Rouge to experience a more local color than you would in the center of Paris. Built to be a hunting lodge, one could wonder about the modesty of the owner. The interiors are detailed to perfection and everywhere you look you will see engravings, paintings, furniture, royalty and grandeur. Imagine rooms, all furnished similarly. And if that were not enough, the gardens will hold you in their magnificence.
It could take weeks to stroll through the gardens designed by the the landscape gardener Andre Le Notre. This is also a good 40 minutes from Paris. The paintings here are so famous and incredible that everything else from sculptures to decorative arts could miss your eyes. Psst …just for laughs no disrespect intended. Toulouse-Lautrec lost one leg in an accident at the age of 12 and the other two years later. The street is marked as one of the most beautiful avenues of the world.
Built in the 17 th century, the avenue is lined by majestic buildings, gardens with beautiful fountains and grand buildings including the Grand and Petit Palais. Built as a promise by Napoleon to his soldiers honoring them for their life and sacrifice in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, the huge structure offers a great view of Paris.
Although Napoleon was ousted by the time it was complete, the Arc de Triomphe bears engravings of the names of generals who served in his regime as well as many other martyrs.
Every night on the way back to the hotel, we had the best view that anyone can have in Paris , again thanks to the amazing location of the Green Spirit Hotels. Oh yes, here on The Viennese Girl blog, we die for little glitter and glamour, why should we hide it anyway? And all those things together always remind me the reason why I started this blog: It was raining cats and dogs the moment we stepped in at The Peninsula for our afternoon tea.
Perfect timing to be somewhere indoors. Polina and I hunkered down in the armchair and indulged in delicious finger sandwiches and pastries.
While sipping tea and savouring scones served with cream and jams, we took those photos. At the same time, we tried to be as discreet as possible not to disturb other people in Le Lobby , although it was quite difficult to hide our enthusiasm. The luxurious setting at Le Lobby , impeccable service, live music of the chamber orchestra, delicious pastries and two glasses of champagne, everything made a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in Paris.
Believe it or not, the organizational part before the PFW is a big production. For that reason, I called my friend Polina in Athens to see what her intentions were, since we spent the previous fashion week in Paris together, and we could make a decision this time together again. It made me change my mind immediately! I was kind of flattered, to say the least, that I was invited by such a huge renowned French Jeweler and Watchmaker to visit Paris for the Press day. I had a Rendezvous avec Cartier. I stayed the whole week, but more of that on next photo blog posts. The event took place at Hotel Pourtales.
My focus was rather on the collections, to see and try out some of my favourite pieces of which you can see here , the Cactus de Cartier for instance, which reminds me of my days in Morocco , and meeting new people. I hope I will finish my work before Sunday night, because the next departure is on Monday morning.
It feels like Paris and I have become much closer over the years. Just this past year alone, I have visited the city three times. If you want to see the articles and photos from my previous visits, you can find them here and my photos from my visit during the summer here. So, right after I came back from Marrakesh, I packed another luggage and left for Paris for one week.
I have to admit, I was quite lucky with the weather. It rained a little bit during the first two days, but after that the weather was perfect and not cold at all.
I am grateful to be able to have another memorable experience in Paris that I can share with you all. We met so many people who work in the 7th arrondisement and it felt more like we were home. So, this is how I found myself in Paris for the fifth time. I love your Seine River That made the whole experience of getting around a big city as easy as it can be. Since I know the city so well, I could spontaneously decide where I wanted to go and what I was up to next. One thing that also helped me very much, which you might want to consider getting for your trips as well, is a SIM card that I bought from Orange.
One trench coat or something light was all I needed, and I was off to take some pictures around the city. If you also would love to visit Paris, have a look at the travel competition I organized with Atout France and Air France here. Subscribe to the newsletter of Atout France and win two plane tickets to Paris. I wish you good luck. Many thanks to Hilton Paris Opera for the great hospitality.
After a hectic week with 3 deadlines, I finished my tasks and hopped on a flight to Paris for a press trip organized by the official tourism board of France.
Since I know the city so well, I could spontaneously decide where I wanted to go and what I was up to next. I spent a lot of time walking from one arrondissement to another because walking makes me feel good and it would have been a pity to spend time underground in the metro since the weather was so nice. And as I write this, I am asking myself: Do Parisians enjoy all this beauty around them, or do they take it for granted?
One thing that also helped me very much, which you might want to consider getting for your trips as well, is a SIM card that I bought from Orange. I had a French number and internet everywhere, which helps a lot especially if you have one meeting after another. I downloaded the app citymapper and used it mainly for directions on how to get from one point to another by metro.
That made the whole experience of getting around a big city as easy as it can be. The photos above were taken at Ralph Lauren restaurant , in the streets of Paris while I was doing window shopping, at Angelina tea house and at Ritz Hotel. Although Paris must be the most beautiful capital city I have ever been in the world, it was yet again the people that I met and the discussions we had that made my visit so special.
When the email from the official tourism board of France landed in my inbox, I was as happy as a clam! It felt like my wish to get back to Paris and discover more from France has been heard. I was very excited that this wish was one step closer to reality. So, this is how I found myself in Paris for the fifth time.
I spent the first days of July in the city of lights walking around the boulevards, taking pictures of things that I like, meeting interesting people, and catching up with good friends that are living in Paris. Being so familiar with the city and feeling so comfortable with my surroundings was one of the best feelings during my visit this time around. Getting around Paris without using a map gave me the sense of being home, yet there is still the constant mystery of a possible little surprise around any corner.
Once I stepped into the showroom, I had an immediate crush on their vast collection of slippers that you can see here. Having afternoon tea at Le Meurice was like traveling to another world.