5 Reasons You Can’t Help But Fall in Love with Paris

“Paris is always a good idea.”

~Audrey Hepburn

This may be super cliche, but, seriously, how can you not fall in love with Paris? Before I visited, I had heard the rude people and other negatives about the city. But when I went…magic. It is definitely a city I can see myself visiting again in the future, if for nothing other than its fantastic charm. Here are five reasons you can’t help but fall in love with Paris.

1. The Lifestyle

This is reason numero un on why everyone falls in love with Paris. It’s the vibe, the lifestyle, the air of the place.

I wrote an article on reasons why the U.S. should be more like Europe, and this was my number one gripe. In the U.S., we live to work; in Paris, they work to live.

This was evidenced by people sitting riverside chatting with friends and family well after 10 at night…on a Tuesday. Or the long lunch breaks people take to get to a park and enjoy the outdoors. Or the meals that take three hours because you are sipping wine and talking and people watching and relaxing. Parisians have really mastered this life is for the living thing, and the vibe is truly contagious. It’s different. It makes you never want to leave, and it certainly makes your question your existence back at home. How many times do I skip lunch just to leave work earlier to run errands then run home and work some more? Most of the time. Not in Paris.

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2. The Diverse History

While I was in Paris, I had the amazing opportunity to be treated to the Black Paris tour. It was absolutely amazing to see the way that Black Americans truly influenced Paris in various facets of their lives. From their participation in the World Wars to the arts scene with the likes of Josephine Baker and others, it was super enriching to see how France embraced Black Americans at a time when America wouldn’t.  I highly recommend taking this tour, and check out my upcoming post devoted to this tour.

 

3. The Food

Linda, listen. The food is Paris is fan-freaking-tastic. I had such amazing meals everywhere, and often for much cheaper than expected. You could really taste the difference in the quality of food in Europe versus the U.S., and Paris was the rule. The freshness of everything I ate had me wanting to try all of the things while on holiday. But even with rich, decadent food, I still lost weight while there. Absolute perfection.

And one of my foodie highlights was the Paris Foodie Tour that was provided to me complimentary by Context Travel. It was fantastic! We went to a local market in a very un-touristy area, and really got to see how locals eat, drink, and shop. We tasted various fruits, cheeses, chocolates, coffee, meats, and even had some wine. And the fact that the tours only have up to six people really gives it an intimate feel. It is *by far* one of the best tours I have ever taken, the world over. I highly recommend it not just for the great food, but a real taste of local life.

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4. The Way It Makes You Feel

All of these things, especially numero un contribute to the unique way that Paris makes you feel. For those few days, I felt…different. I felt French. I seamlessly adapted to the lifestyle. And, admittedly, I felt pretty darn fancy. Drinking wine at cafe for hours on end. Strolling (and getting lost) on the Paris streets and accidentally running into the Love Locks Bridge before hailing a cab back to the hotel. Gazing at the sculptures in Musee d’Orsay taking advantage of one of the local perks of free museum day. I felt fancy as hell the whole time I was in Paris, even though I clearly looked like a tourist, I’m sure. My the end of my holiday, I had a (rather good) French accent with my “Bonjour” (and four other words I knew) as I greeted waiters and hotel staff. It is just a magical place. It engulfs you. It somehow makes you feel different.

 

5. The Palace at Versailles

One would be remiss to talk about Paris and not talk about how amazing the architecture and art scene is. Of course, you’ve got the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Notre Dame, and the Musee d’Orsay, to name a few, but I absolutely adored the Palace at Versailles.

We took a day trip out to Versailles to check out the grounds. Note: We went on a Monday, so the Palace interior wasn’t open (bummer) but we did get to take in the grounds and the exterior.

It was phenomenal. The gold everywhere was jaw-dropping, but the real place that made me take pause was the garden. Sprawling across acres, it was a stunning sight to take in. The views from above were absolutely amazing and the perfect spot for some amazing photography shots. On my next trip to Paris, I plan to go back to Versailles to get inside and check out the interior of the palace. But even the exterior makes it worth the visit.

So there you have it. Five reasons why you can’t help but fall in love with Paris. Sound off! Why do you love the La Ville Lumière (City of Light)?

 

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