Our first trip to France together was to visit Paris and Versailles. 🙂

Day 1 – Saturday (03/07/2015)

We flew with Ryanair (50 euros per person, round trip) to Beauvais, which is a city that is 1 hour away from Paris by bus. We took the bus from the airport itself (17 euros per person) and around 10:30 we arrived in the most romantic city in the world.

We got off near the subway station Maillot Port, but since the day was beautiful, we decided to walk around Avenue of the Champs Elysees until the Arc de Triomphe, since it was relatively close. This avenue is really nice, as everyone says. It is very wide and the buildings are beautifully patterned, with restaurants and shops on the ground floor. The Arc de Triomphe is also beautiful and has such a wealth of details that I was enchanted and couldn't stop taking pictures (to get to it, there is an underground passage). It was built in 1806, is 50 meters high and you can climb it, but since we had our luggage with us, we thought it best to continue to our little corner.

We tried to buy a SIM card from Orange so we could communicate with my brother (he was staying at a friend's house), but all the SIM cards were sold out and remained that way for the next four days, to my surprise. We went to the metro, bought 10 tickets for 10.40 euros and got off at the station. Our Lady of the Fields, which was very close to our apartment. That's right! We rented a very Parisian studio on AirBnb that we loved (80 euros per night). It really was an egg, as the photos showed, and had a sofa bed instead of a bed, but we felt like locals, which was exactly what we wanted when we were planning the trip. It's on a very residential street near the Luxembourg Garden and several subway stations, meaning a perfect and peaceful location. When we arrived at the apartment, our dear host had left some cheese and bread for us as a welcome gift. How could you not love it?

We went out for a walk and walked straight to the Luxembourg Gardens. The day was beautiful and the garden was full of people exercising, doing picnic or just strolling around. Unfortunately, since we went in winter, we couldn't see any flowers, but I still found the park charming.

We rented the bike Velib at a nearby station. All you had to do was put your credit card in and start cycling… super easy. We paid 8.40 euros to use it for 7 days, but we only used it for 4 days and even so, we thought it was worth it! The city is practically flat and the drivers are very polite, so cycling is super easy (forget your traumas from Brazil, please!). The subway can be great for longer distances, but I warn you that they are very dirty and smelly, so what could we do? bike or walking, we did.

We went to the River Seine, which doesn't impress with its brown color, but I have to admit that the whole thing is captivating: river + museums + bridges + classical buildings. We passed in front of the Musee D'Orsay, which is located in a beautiful old train station, and we kept walking until we stopped at a bike station near the The Invalids, which is where Napoleon is buried. The building is beautiful on the outside and must be amazing on the inside too, but since the ticket gave you access to the Army Museum and my brother didn't want to go in, we'll leave it to visit when we're alone, since Celo is into everything related to weapons.

From there, we walked to the famous Eiffel Tower, stopping along the way to eat a wonderful Nutella crepe and then to buy cheese and wine in specialized stores. We went to the tower garden and set up our mini picnic with our newly purchased items. I found the atmosphere of the place delightful, despite there being too many tourists for my taste. The tower is impressive due to its size (300 m high) and its structure, but what really shocked me was the line to go up it. I didn't have much patience to wait, but I know that one day I will have to do it, because they say the view is beautiful! I think you can even buy the ticket in advance and avoid the lines, so next time I'll make an effort to go, right? 🙂

We took advantage of the fact that it was starting to get dark and crossed the bridge to the Trocadéro Gardens, which is a place where people sit and admire the tower. There was a show by local artists and the crowd was really excited, especially when the lights on the tower came on and it became even more beautiful. It's worth taking this transition (I read this somewhere and now I can recommend it too!).

We went back to the apartment and got ready for dinner. We picked up the bike at a station very close to the apartment and went to the restaurant. Bouillon Camille Chartier. This restaurant was recommended by my mother-in-law, who goes to Paris every year because she loves the city. It was a sure thing, right? The restaurant is beautiful, the food was great and the waitress was very friendly. Perfect evening. <3

Day 2 – Sunday (03/08/2015)

We had a quick breakfast at a bakery on the way to Notre Dame, because we wanted to get the Gregorian chant mass at 10am, which is highly recommended by several blogs. We arrived just in time and luckily, there was no line to get in. The cathedral began to be built in the 12th century, but has undergone several renovations over the years and you can see the evolution inside the cathedral in an exhibition. It is divine inside and out and really exudes a wonderful peace. I found the mass to be very moving with the Gregorian chants. It was worth the rush!

We left the cathedral and crossed the bridge to visit the other island in the Seine (Saint Louis), which is so cute! I think it's the most charming and calmest place I've seen in the city, so it was my favorite place of all. We walked along the main street, which has cute home decor stores and the famous ice cream shop. Berthillon, founded in 1954. Even though it was still morning, we made sure to have ice cream there and look, they are really tasty.

We crossed the Marie Bridge and we went to the neighborhood of Marais, which is super trendy on the weekends. We passed by in the middle of a super lively marathon and came across many stylish people walking through the streets. I found the place super vibrant and alternative and the energy delightful (maybe we'll stay there next time). We walked to the Place des Vosges, which is the oldest planned square in the city, to make our picnic with the wine we bought right there. What good energy…

We went looking for the restaurants recommended by my mother-in-law and ended up staying at At Camille, because it was the least crowded. Although I got confused with my super French and ordered liver instead of scallops, we thought everything was great, including the service. We walked to the Saint Eustache, passing by Pompidou Center and several other places mentioned in our guide.

From there, we took a taxi to Sacred Heart (15 euros), which is a wonderful basilica (no pictures inside, sorry) with a spectacular view of the city. We took the opportunity to watch the sunset there and then went for a walk around the neighborhood of Montmartre, passing by a little fair of paintings and pictures and through several very pleasant streets. We bought wonderful sweets at the patisserie The Galette of the Moulins and after some time walking, we stopped to have a few glasses of wine at the restaurant Saint Jean. (nothing else)

We went to dinner at the restaurant Little Fernand, also recommended by my mother-in-law. It's very small, super cozy and the food is great, as is the service (73 euros for the two of us, with house wine).

Monday (03/09/2015)

We ate some food at home and rode our bikes straight to the Louvre. We didn't go in through the main entrance, because I read on the blog Paris Connection that the best option was a side entrance, in Rue de Rivoli (several people gave me this tip too). When you enter, you will come across several stores and you will think you are in a shopping mall, but that is exactly what it is. This is the entrance. Keep walking and you will see the security line and you will save a few minutes/hours compared to the main entrance. We took advantage of the long line and bought our breakfast at a restaurant and also some macarons node Ladurée, which is a very famous candy store in Paris. They are delicious and you can choose from several flavors, but keep in mind that they are very sweet. They cost 1.90 each and my favorites were chocolate and pistachio. 🙂

After going through security, we got in a mini line to buy tickets (12 euros) and finally entered the museum. (I think you can buy tickets in advance to avoid the lines, but I don't know if you'll be able to skip the security line, which is the longest. Do some research beforehand!) Well, what can I say about the Louvre, right? It's a huge museum, with sooooo much to see. At first, we were a little lost with the map they gave us, but it only takes a few minutes to plan your route and follow it. My brother bought the audio guide and told us the most important details, so I think it's a good tip so you don't get so lost. See you later museum website It helps you not to get so lost, offering material for you to read before you get there. (We didn’t do this, but it might be good for you…) We were enchanted by the exhibitions about Greece and Egypt, as well as the rooms and objects of royalty. In total, I think we spent about 5 hours there and we didn’t even walk slowly. The place is really huge and you could certainly spend days there looking at things calmly, but I think that for a first timer, that time was enough for me. Oh, and I was already prepared to see a mini Mona Lisa surrounded by a crowd, so it didn’t disappoint me that much. Just a tip!

We left there exhausted and went to eat at the restaurant. The Two Magots, which is relatively close to the museum, on the other side of the bridge. We ate omelets, croque monsieur (a kind of divine hot mix) and a petit gateau for 100 euros. A fortune, I know, but everything was wonderful!

We crossed the bridge again and went for a walk. Touleries Garden, which is between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. We couldn't see any flowers (I think they are there in spring and summer) because it was winter, but I thought it was beautiful anyway, especially because of the view of the city from there. We passed by Place de la Concorde, which is the largest square in the city, and continued on to the Small Palace and Grand Palais, both museums currently. We couldn't get in because they were already closed, but we were delighted with them from the outside.

We walked along the riverbank to the Flame of Freedom, which is a monument that today pays homage to Princess Diana, who suffered a car accident in a tunnel located right below. The energy of the place is strange, but the illuminated Eiffel Tower makes it even better. We sat in a nearby square to drink our wine (we had to open it in a restaurant) and eat the pistachios we bought in a specialty store.

Hunger started to set in and we went to dinner at an Italian restaurant nearby, highly recommended on TripAdvisor, Master Pierre. We were extremely well attended to and loved the food and wine. I recommend it!

Day 4 – Tuesday (10/03/2015)

We had breakfast at a bakery near the Bader Pharmacy, in Boulevard Saint Michel. This pharmacy is recommended for buying cosmetics and the prices are really worth it! From there we took the train to Versailles at the station Saint Michel – Notre Dame. We bought the train ticket on the spot for 3.55 euros each way and waited about twenty minutes. During the waiting time, we noticed that many people skipped the turnstile to avoid paying or went through with someone who had paid. This could be a big deal for the federal government, because when there are inspectors, they really do issue fines. They once fined a Brazilian woman my mother-in-law knows, just because they couldn't stop the guy who went through the turnstile with her (50 euros, I think). So be careful!

The trip took an hour and it felt like we were in Brazil, because there were only Brazilians on our train. We got off at Versailles and although many people were selling tickets to the palace, we thought it was better to buy them there. We paid 15 euros to visit the palace rooms and the gardens, but if you just want to visit the gardens, it's free. I thought everything inside this place was beautiful. The rooms are really well decorated and have lots of details on the ceilings (I love them), walls, floors, etc. The furniture is charming and transports you back to their time, especially if you can ignore the huge groups of Asians and the thousands of people making their way to the palace. selfie on every corner (mainly Brazilians).

We then went to the garden, but because it was winter and cloudy, it didn't come close to the images I saw earlier. Google. I'll have to go back in spring/summer on a sunny day to see the real beauty. Take a look at what we saw and compare later on Google…

Even with the rain and feeling a little frustrated, we walked around there for hours until we decided to go back to Paris. Once in Paris, we passed in front of the building of the Academie Nationale de Musique (Opera) and we enter the Galeries Lafayette,  which is an incredible French department store, with everything you can imagine. The main building has a wonderful central space, enough to make anyone drool. It's beautiful!

We walked around the streets a bit and chose a restaurant. Little Vendome for dinner. Great food, but the service left something to be desired. I thought it was cool that the restaurant only had French food 🙂

Day 5 – Wednesday (11/03/2015)

Our flight to London was at 7:30 am from Charles de Gaulle, which is quite far from the city center. We found a train that left from Gare du Nord before 5am, but that it would arrive in time for us to do check-in. I took a taxi to the train station and arranged to meet my brother in the first carriage of the train, since we didn't have an internet chip. When I entered the station, it was deserted, with no ticket office open. I went looking for the machines to buy the ticket and in less than five minutes I was approached by two scowling guys, who tried to tell me that there was no train at that time and that I would need to go to another train station. I was scared by the approach I left the machine and headed towards the station exit to ask other people if that was true. There I met a good-natured man, who explained to me that he was also going to the airport and that I could follow him without any problems. We bought the ticket from the same machine I had gone to and went to the platform to wait for the train. A woman spoke over the loudspeaker only in French that the train would stop at another platform and off we went running to climb a few floors (the station is huge!). I was lucky to meet my brother halfway, because he was certainly going to the old platform and there would have been a bizarre misunderstanding. Blessed be my guardian angel! Anyway, we arrived at the airport right on time, but I was scared by that train station. If I can avoid taking the train at dawn, I will certainly do so next time. You too, be careful.