11 January 2022
Your alternative weekend plan in Paris
Hey! My name is Maeva, I’m 32, French and I have lived in Normandy, Bordeaux and Paris. I am now based
in Melbourne and I work at AFM.
Watching Emily in Paris may
have awakened your desire to visit the French capital. To be honest, it is not surprising that Paris is the most visited destination in the
world. Every time I visit my friends, I am always amazed by the beauty of the city. Of course there are must-see sites to visit such as
the Eiffel Tower, Le Louvre, Notre-Dame, or Les Champs-Elysées, but discovering hidden gems when you are travelling can be just as
exciting. So I have put together my perfect weekend plans, off the beaten track.
Friday | Explore
the trendy and arty side of Paris
-
Start your day at Place
des Vosges,
where French writer Victor Hugo used to live. Experience the French way of life with a continental breakfast (coffee and croissants) in a
local café.
-
Walk toward St Paul station, get lost in the streets of Le
Marais,
a uniquely artistic and boho district which embraces diversity. Enjoy shopping in French-brand shops, snack on some falafels in Rue des
Rosiers, and finish your lunch with French delicatessen at
Marché des Enfants Rouges.
-
Visit the Museum of Contemporary Art Centre Pompidou and stop for a crêpe at the
Crêperie Beaubourg by the
Stravinsky Fountain.
-
End the day walking along the Canal Saint-Martin on Quai de Valmy, and have a drink in the trendy Point Ephémère.
Saturday | Montmartre, the cutest French village in the
heart of Paris
-
Begin your day at Blanche métro station,
right by the famous
Moulin Rouge cabaret.
-
Have a delicious brunch with an antique shop vibe at the Bar
à Bulles
(come early as it is not possible to book).
-
Walk toward Abessses station and stop by Le Mur des Je
t’aime (Wall of Love), the Sacré-Coeur, Place du Tertre and get lost in the cute streets of Montmatre.
-
Find your way to La Maison Rose for
a coffee or a late lunch.
-
Did you know there is a vineyard in Paris? Pass through Les
Vignes du Clos Montmartre and enjoy a glass of wine during the La Fête des Vendanges (Grape Harvest Festival in Montmartre) taking place
in early October.
-
Get back to the city centre through Rue des Martyrs and Galeries
Lafayette for some shopping and end up at the magnificent Garnier
Opera.
-
Finish the day with a dinner in a classic French bistrot and
a night walk by La Seine in the
Latin District.
Sunday | Paris on wheels
-
Hire a city bike (Velib’) or book a bike tour along La Seine from the Eiffel Tower through Place de la
Concorde, Jardin des Tuileries, Le Louvre, Île de la Cité and Notre-Dame de Paris.
-
Cycle or walk toward Le Panthéon and
visit its fascinating surrounds, including Place de l’Estrapade where Emily lives in Paris and
Les Jardins du Luxembourg.
-
Restore your energy with a drink Place de la Contrescarpe and a raclette (a melted cheese dish from the Alps)
in Rue Mouffetard.
-
Walk off the raclette by heading to Les
Arènes de Lutèce
and stop for a traditional mint tea at La
Grande Mosquée de Paris.
Don’t get lost in translation!
Get ready for your French trip: start learning French now to speak with locals!
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