Paris pt. 2 – what to see and where to eat

Hello lovelies! Today I’m back with part 2 of my Paris trip, which originally was supposed to be a Paris+London post, but there were just too many photos to cram into 1 post. So without further ado, here are more photos from our trip plus some tips on where to eat + what to see. 

View of Champs Élysées from the Arc de Triomphe

Where to Eat

Nothing beats French cuisine, and this is coming from a girl who loves Chinese food. Every meal we had in Paris was pretty much delicious, but here were some of our favorites:

Le Cinq – I’m always nervous eating at really nice restaurants because I’m scared they’ll judge my eating manners, but hands down the service at this place was incredible. Everyone was super friendly and attentive, and the food was exquisite. Worth every pretty penny.

Au Petit Sud Ouest – They specialize in foie gras, and you can’t go to Paris without trying some. I recommend “Foie Gras 3 way” to see which type is your favorite. Mine was the pan-seared foie gras – absolutely heavenly.

Chez Gabrielle – Don’t judge this place for using Comic Sans, as their food is as good as that font is awful. The creme brûlée with poached peach was my favorite.

Baroche Cafe Brasserie – This was the first meal we had in Paris and my husband is still raving about the pork belly he had. Located conveniently near Champs Elysees, in case you get tired from all the shopping and sightseeing.

Carol also took us to a lovely restaurant in the 2nd arrondissements, but I can’t remember the name of it :(

What to See

If it’s your first time in Paris, definitely hit up all the famous sights and museums, most of which are covered by the Paris Museum Pass. We bought a 4-day pass which was perfect for seeing all the major attractions and allowed us to skip the ticket-buying lines:

Versailles – This is a day trip as the place is HUGE. If the lines for the chateau are long, go to the gardens first and check out the Grand and Petit Trianons. Swing back to the chateau after 2:30pm and avoid the line. Throw style out the window and wear your most comfortable sneakers here.

The Louvre – We spent half a day here and managed to see all the famous displays (and then some). Spoiler: the Mona Lisa was terribly underwhelming. The pyramid looks beautiful lit up, so go again at night to take photos.

Eiffel Tower – This is not covered by the museum pass so if you want to go up you’ll need to book tickets online way in advance (especially if you want to go all the way to the top). If the tickets are sold out, check again a week before your visit and some time slots might open up.

Jardin du Trocadero – Best view of the Eiffel Tower and it’s free! Go to the nearby MonoP supermarket, pick up some food, and have a nice picnic on the grass while you enjoy the view.

Arc de Triomphe – Climb to the top to get a nice night view of Paris including Champs Elysees and the Eiffel Tower.

Sainte Chapelle – The line can be quite long due to the security checks, but the stained glass windows in here are breathtaking. Located just 5 minutes away from Notre-Dame.

Notre-Dame – There’s a line to view inside the cathedral and a separate line on the side to climb the towers. The tower climb consists of almost 400 steps and the stairway is quite narrow. But the view of Paris from the top is quite breathtaking.

Pont de Bir-Hakeim – aka bridge from Inception. Cool architecture aside there’s also this nice small area with a view of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower. You know it’s a good view when multiple couples are taking their engagement photos here.

Rodin Museum – One of my favorite museums in Paris. The indoor display is alright, but the beautiful garden features many of Rodin’s famous works, including The Thinker.

Musée d’Orsay – Another of my favorite museums. It’s much easier to navigate around compared to the Louvre, and there are plenty of spots for you to rest when you’re tired.

While it’s important to try and visit as many main attractions as you can, you should also take time to just enjoy everything else. Paris is a beautiful city, and I honestly loved walking through the streets just as much as I did through The Louvre.

Hope you enjoyed this post, and I promise I’ll have the London post up soon!