My Paris Guide.

Don't worry, this is going to be the last Paris themed post for a while now. I think I have exhausted all my Paris pictures. 

In today's post, I will be talking you through my guide to Paris and a few of my favourite places to visit. 

How could you not go to Paris without visiting the Eiffel Tower? It's pretty much the tallest thing there. Our hotel, The Derby Eiffel is right by the Eiffel Tower so we pretty much have to walk past it everyday. 

Going up the Tower is very different than just standing at the bottom and looking up. If you're not comfortable with heights, DO NOT go up. For me, I'm absolutely okay with heights and I'm just one of those people who is not bothered about flying... However even for me, going up the tower is a little unsettling. 

Even if you don't go up the tower, It is still such a magical place to visit. 

The Arc De Triomphe. A monument that just keeps giving. So before going to Paris, I never knew you could actually go to the top of the monument. My Dad and I have spent up to 45 minutes at the top, looking down and being entertained by the awful driving in Paris! 

The Arc is in such a good location, at the very end on the Champs Elysees. 

This is another favourite place of mine. The Champs Elysees has the perfect mix between high street and designer. Not 1 but 3 Zara's!! I mean 3, who needs 3 Zara's?? 

Just off the Champs Elysees there is a road just full of designer shops (Don't ask me what it's called, I can't remember). This is where I purchased my YSL card holder which I am totally in love with and may possibly do a post about. Such an interesting road to visit, even if you don't go in any of the shops. 

And then finally, at the end of the Champs Elysees is The Louvre. If you don't know what The Louvre is or what it looks like, you need a slap! 

So yeah, an area that just keeps giving! 

This year was the first time I have been to a place called Montmartre. This is an area outside of Paris where the Sacre Coeur is. It is on a hill (mount) and is the highest point of Paris. The views are amazing. 

So we took the metro over which only took around 15-20 minutes. You get off the train and just keep on walking up and up. Then you get to some stairs and just climb and climb. Then all of a sudden we came across this square. When we arrived it was quite early in the morning and everyone was just setting up.

It is lined with endless amounts of coffee shops and in the centre is where painters sit for the whole day. 

The atmosphere here is just amazing and there is a real buzz about the place. There are areas which are very typical Parisian streets, but there are also places which are very unique and individual. I absolutely loved this place and is definitely a firm favourite. 

Over in Montmartre, there is the Salvador Dali museum. This was really interesting as well. The lady on the front desk said it would take about an hour, but we got through it in about 20 mins. Not great value for money, but it was really interesting to see his sculptures and learn what they all meant and how everything was there for a reason. 

An all round great day out!! 

So the Rue Cler was just around the corner from our hotel. I had heard about this little market street when doing my research of Paris a few years ago so I was keen to visit. Their Christmas lights are to die for and their restaurants are divine. From top to bottom, this market street is just lined with quirky little shops and restaurants, market stalls and bars. Such a great atmosphere and a really great place to visit at night. 

Top Tip: Everything in Paris looks better at night. The whole city lights up, its amazing!! 

Tips on how to do Paris

- The roads. Beware, the driving in Paris is AWFUL. They will literally turn a single lane road, into a three lane road. They do not care for lane discipline or any other rules for that matter. Also, if you're crossing the road and it shows as a green man, don't just assume it's safe to cross. They just don't care and at times, I have nearly lost my life trying to cross the road. Proceed with absolute caution!! 

- Metro. Honestly, I was really cautious of the metro for ages and just took taxis everywhere. But honestly, as with the tubes in London, the metro is such an easy system and is so cheap! It will save you both money and your feet!

- City tax. So for anyone travelling to Paris who's never been before. When you get to the hotel, you will be required to pay city tax either there and then or upon departure. It is usually around €1.65 per person, per day. 

- Don't look like a tourist. So the first time I went to Paris I had my camera, my bag, my maps, I was stopping and looking at everything and just generally being the most typical tourist you have ever seen. And for this reason, I was then being approached by so many people asking me to buy stuff. BLEND IN!! Ditch the bag, take minimal stuff around the city as you need (Don't sacrifice the camera though, you'll need that) and just walk with purpose. This will really change your life and stop you being harassed by street sellers. 

- Be open. Go there with a complete open mind and try everything. If you over think anything and limit yourself, you'll end up missing out. You'll do so much more if you're open to anything and you'll come away feeling so much better!

- Under 25's. And finally for all you young ones out there. If you're under 25, take ID with you. You'll either get in everywhere free or at a reduced rate. Because there are a lot of uni's around Paris or a lot of Uni's that take trips to Paris, all the museums and monuments give under 25's a student rate. It will end up saving you so much money! 

So there we have it. A quick guide to Paris with a few of my top tips and favourite places to visit. It's time to get into the christmasy spirit and start thinking about rounding off the year. 

I'll be back soon for another blog post! 

As always, thanks and enjoy your week!

| Harrison |