planning for paris.

Every year, we head to Europe for Jules’ annual business conference – we are fortunate enough to be able to piggyback a vacation on top of it. This year, I’ve planned to stay in Paris for a few days before we head to his parents’ place in the countryside, and I’m super excited to spend a little more time in a place that is quickly becoming my favorite city in the world.

Our last trip to France included a three day stint in Paris, which, by all accounts is far too short of a time to spend there. I had initially crammed a full schedule into our three days, including a trip to the Louvre and a final push to explore Rue Mouffetard, but once we got there, the itinerary went out the window and my type-A tendency to overplan quickly went with it. I was truly happy to wander the city and see where the day took us – perhaps it’s something in the air there, it makes you satisfied to sit at a cafe and watch people walk by or to lounge by the fountain at the Jardin des Tuileries for no reason at all other than to catch a bit of sun.

On this trip, I want to do a bit of both – be a bit of a flaneur, as well as experience specific restaurants and landmarks. I’m bringing an iPad with me so I can do a little bit of work while I’m gone, but I’m looking forward to being mostly laptop free and taking time to put pen to paper like an ex-pat writer living in Paris during the days of Cole Porter and Gertrude Stein, a la Midnight in Paris.

So, for future reference, this is my running list of Things To Do In Paris (items I’ve already done are crossed off):

~~Go to the top of the Tour Eiffel~~
Visit the Louvre Museum
Visit the Musée d’Orsay
Visit the Musée Rodin
~~Walk through the Palais-Royal Gardens~~
~~Stop for ice cream at Maison Berthillion on the Ile-St. Louis~~
~~Stop by the Notre Dame Cathedral~~ (or just walk by and check out all the cool architecture and gargoyles if you’re not determined to go inside)
Walk Rue Saint-Honoré (we stayed on this street but didn’t actually walk the cool part)
Visit the Marché Aux Puces de Saint Ouen
Explore Le Marais (we walked through it very quickly, I need to do this again)
Visit the Basilique de Sacré-Coeur
Get to the top of Montmartre
Walk the Avenue de Champs-Élysées
Check out Deyrolle, world famous taxidermist (I’m on the fence about this one)
Visit Sainte-Chapelle (so many churches, so little time)
Kick it on the Paris Plages
Seafood platter at Mobilis in Mobili
Hang out with dead people at Père Lachaise
Explore the Promenade Plantée
~~Have hot chocolate at Angelina~~
Shop at Colette and Merci
Walk the Marché des Enfants Rouges
Lunch at Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots (because you just have to, they are Parisian landmarks)
Descend to the underground of Paris to check out the catacombs
Lose my mind at Le Bon Marché and Galeries Lafayette
Have a savory crepe at Breizh Café
Carbo-load at Du Pain et des Idées
Dinner at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
Walk around Canal St. Martin