If you know me, it’s no secret that I LOVE to travel and I’m pretty sure this trip can top them all (so far). I had a BIG birthday earlier this year (4-0!!) and so I knew it was the perfect time to check off an equally BIG item on my bucket list. Can you think of a better trip to celebrate than France and Italy? I can’t wait to take you with us on our journey! Our first stop was PARIS, the city of lights!
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Our original plan was to spend two and a half days in Paris, but a series of travel delays caused us to lose an entire day. JOURNAL!!!!
Even though we were jetlagged and had very little time, we were determined to see as much as possible in this beautiful city! After finally arriving at our hotel, The Marquis, We took a short walk to Le Suffren, one of the many quaint cafes you’ll find in Paris.
We were lucky to find one open early because many of the restaurants don’t even start serving dinner until 7:00 or 7:30 pm. We were so glad to have a waiter who had a great sense of humor and even spoke English! And… the food was so good!!
After dinner, we couldn’t wait any longer to see the Eiffel Tower, so we took a 10-minute walk from our hotel. It was a dream come true!!
Of course, with that amazing background, you KNOW we had to have a family photo session! We finished the day with a stop for ice cream before heading back to the hotel to get some rest before our first full day in Paris.
There is so much incredible architecture in Paris! I am literally obsessed with all the ornate doors!
Can you beat the beauty of doors?
We start the second day with a continental breakfast at our hotel. I was very surprised to have to order coffee as it is not normally served with breakfast in Paris. The coffee is a little different than what we’re used to and you KNOW this Folgers girl needed sugar and cream!
After breakfast, we went for a bike ride with Paris Bike Tours Led by our wonderful guide, Helen. I highly recommend renting bikes to see Paris. We were able to see some well-known sights like the Louvre and Notre-Dame Cathedral without having to be in crazy traffic.
Most restaurants have bike racks to make parking easier. (TIP: Did you know you can even select a bike route on Google Maps for easy navigation?!?)
After our tour, we had lunch outside at another cute cafe. The locals sitting next to us laughed as they listened to Blaize’s attempts to speak French. They were super friendly and it’s obvious that they appreciate that you’re at least trying to speak their language.
Later that night, we explored some more before having dinner at the Instagram famous restaurant. pink mom. It’s very difficult to get a reservation there, but I somehow managed to get one the day before! It was so beautiful with old photos lining the stairs and foliage and flowers everywhere!
If you ask me what I love most about Paris, it has to be seeing the beautiful character and craftsmanship of all the buildings. It’s so rare nowadays and it’s surreal to see it all and think about how long it took to build such beauty!
I still can’t believe everything we’ve seen and know that this is just the beginning of our journey! Paris definitely has our hearts! Have you ever been to Paris or would you like to go?
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Last updated on May 22, 2024
