With so many travel bucket list items in the city of lights and love, passing through Paris was an opportunity I had to make the most of!
Where to Stay in Paris
For budget accommodation options with a social atmosphere, check Hostelworld. Otherwise AirBnB or Booking.com are good sites to find and compare various accommodation options.
I stayed at Premiere Classe Roissy Aéroport Charles De Gaulle. Being close to the airport, it was a convenient place to rest after two long haul flights. They have a cheap buffet breakfast open early and run shuttles straight to the airport on the hour. Both options are bookable from reception during check in.
Transport
When I first arrived, I originally had a 12-hour overnight layover. I used Uber to get everywhere because I didn’t want to navigate the Paris public transport system at night. It was also convenient to know the fare from the start of the journey.
There was hiccup with my next flight, so I was put on a flight in the evening. This gave me twelve more hours to spend in the most popular city in France! With so much time on my hands, I was able to visit some of Paris’ biggest attractions by simply taking the metro from the airport.
I was recommended a Navigo Easy Travel Card which is valid to use for 10 years and I added a day pass (€12) purely for the convenience of being able to go wherever I felt like on the map – I noted where the Eiffel Tower & Notre Dame were and off I went.
Moulin Rouge
When I saw I had a twelve-hour overnight layover in Paris, I decided to book one of my biggest bucket list items. An 11pm show at the Moulin Rouge, the world’s most famous cabaret! I had dreamed of going there ever since I saw the movie, which remains one of my favourite films to this day,
Be sure to book tickets well in advance as shows tend to sell out a few nights ahead. The standard ticket comes with a half bottle of champagne/wine (or non-alcoholic drinks) per person. There’s also an elegant dress code so it’s a chance to get all glammed up. Also, important to note that you aren’t allowed to take photos/videos inside the theatre.
The lines to enter the venue are long as they escort everyone to their seats. However, hallways are decorated with posters, artwork & costume pieces of previous shows as you walk through. There’s also a gift store to buy souvenirs.
I saw the performance Feerie – The show is stunning with so many talented performers & dazzling costumes.
The Eiffel Tower – Paris’ most famous landmark
I didn’t book tickets to go up the Eiffel tower due to time constraints, and much of the surrounding area being closed off in preparation for the Olympics. But I was still lucky, by walking along the Seine in the Promenade Marie de Roumanie I got photos of the tower from Pont d’Iena with the Olympic rings in frame.
I then spent the afternoon in a nearby park enjoying a crepe from a street vendor.
The areas described above are probably the busiest for tourists so if you’re looking for some quieter places to get photos, I suggest the other nearby streets. If you don’t mind a bit of distance, bridges over the Seine that are a few blocks away such as Bir Hakeim Bridge (this one gets bonus points because it’s also in the movie Inception!)
Notre Dame
The world-famous cathedral was still being repaired when I visited. You could still see the cathedral faces & stained glass windows from the outside though. The walls that surround the building have information about the people working on the restoration project to bring it back to its full glory.
Thanks for joining me on my journey!
If you’re keen to see more photos from my layover, check out my Paris pinterest board.
My next destination was Bilbao, Spain before heading to the Battle of Wine in Haro!
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