5 MUST DO'S IN PARIS

Eiffel Tower at Night

Have you ever dreamt of travelling to Paris? Or have actually travelled there? Perhaps if you did, what kind of adventures did you take? Or how much fun and explorations did you have?

I may have travelled to Paris for work but never did it escape my itchy feet to explore the beauty of Paris. In the three times that I have been there, these are the 5 things that I feel a fellow traveler like me would recommend.

1 - Walk around the streets of Paris 

There's much to please the eye in Paris - from the most photographed Eiffel Tower to just walking along Champ Élysées. Climb to Mont Saint Michel to view the whole of Paris or take some city tours and be mesmerized by the city's history.

2 - Learn! 

For art enthusiasts, you can head out to the Louvre Musuem - one of the most fulfilling time for me because of my love for old European stories. There is just something magical about seeing the painting of  Leonardo Da Vinci's The Monalisa or  a massive oil painting by the late Renaissance or Mannerist Italian painter Paolo Veronese. It is the largest painting in that museum's collection. When I visited the Louvre in 2005, I had no digital camera yet and so would be difficult to scan a copy, so below is what I had saved and copied from Wikipedia. 

3 - Pamper your taste buds

No single doubt.  If you are a food blogger, a budding chef or simply enjoys food, Paris will definitely satisfy your food cravings. With close to a hundred Michelin star restaurants, you will be spoilt for choice. Hey, not all restaurants are too expensive. You can also choose to eat on the side streets and eat hot, freshly cooked churros or eat croque monsieur in a deli and you will surely have a happy and satisfied belly after. 

4 - Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! 

Fancy designer brands? You bet! Head out to Champs Élysées and be mesmerized with the best French brands there is.  Go to the iconic Louis Vuitton shop, the house of Guerlain which had been there since the early 20's in La Marais. You can also take the train and alight at Trocadero and there you will find the most luxurious designer French brands.

Shalimar 

5 - Indulge like Dukes and Duchesses 

and book yourself out for a stay in a chateau!

A Chateau is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor or a country house of nobility. In simple English language you may also call this a vacation house. I had the privilege of staying in a chateau called Chateau de Guermantes for one of our global meetings. The place is about an hour and a half by land from the city of Paris. The castle was originally built in 17th century but of course renovation and re-development had happened and it is now mainly used to house guests for their meetings. There were a total of 66 rooms and an 80 hectare lot to boot for all outdoor activities. The feeling of staying in one makes you feel royalty and it is a welcome change for all the hustle and bustle in the city.

The room I stayed in



View from the main entrance of the chateau

So the next time you are in Paris (or planning to visit for the first time), do not forget including this on your list.

Happy travelling and keep safe!