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Trip Report: 3 Days in Paris and Versailles

Hey everyone! I (20M) have got another trip report for you all in my quest to see as much of Europe as possible during my semester abroad. After spending the past two weekend trips in the UK, I decided to switch it up and booked a Eurostar to Paris, which was one of the cities that was a must-do on my European bucket list since, well, it’s Paris. Like usual, mile counts are added below as a reference for how much ground I covered per day.

Day 1: Paris

Because the weather was so nice that day (high 70s), I decided to scrap my original plan, which wasn’t particularly detailed in the first place but involved a couple of museums, to take advantage of the good weather and walk all over Paris. Because Paris’ attractions primarily lined the Seine, I made my first stop at the Eiffel Tower and moved my way eastwards. I thought the Eiffel Tower was beautiful and very impressive, if a bit smaller than I had imagined, but I was a bit surprised by how fenced off and degraded the area around the Eiffel Tower base was. From there, I walked around a bit before checking out the courtyard and gardens of the Army Museum and outside of the Tomb of Napoleon. Both were quite pretty, and I especially loved how the gardens were still in full bloom, even as the leaves were changing colors, and made a note to myself to come back later to explore the interiors. After that, I walked alongside the Seine, enjoying the tree-lined lawns and autumn foliage, and after taking a bit of an awkward detour because I had mismarked a monument on my google maps, I arrived at the Grand and Petit Palais. Unfortunately, the former was under renovation and totally covered up, but the latter was quite majestic, with a beautiful arched doorway and an ornate gold gate. From there, after a short breather, I walked to the Place de la Concorde, which was totally covered up by rugby insignia, before heading to the gardens around the Louvre, where I saw police escorting two young women out of the metro (pickpockets perhaps?)

While the gardens were cute in the beginning (tree-filled plazas and pools of water), as I headed eastwards, they became increasingly manicured and fancy, tall hedges and lush lawns, as the Louvre appeared in my view. And although I did not head into the Louvre, I would still consider viewing the exterior as the highlight of my day because it was just beautiful. Loved how grand and majestic the absolutely enormous building was, with lots of cool details, like the sculptures lining the spaces between the windows, matching exactly what I had envisioned Paris to be like. And of course, the iconic glass pyramid did not disappoint too. After leaving the Louvre, I walked alongside the Seine for a bit before exploring the Southern part of Paris a bit, heading down to Eglise Sant Sulpice, before turning up and going to the island with the Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle on it. While the exterior of the Sainte-Chapelle was very impressive, though the density of the island made pictures a bit difficult, it was still sad to see that the Notre Dame was totally scaffolded up as a result of the fire. After more Seine strolls, I took the metro up to Sacre-Coeur, where I landed up in a bit of a suspicious area (Chateau Rouge) since it was noticeably dirtier than the areas around the Seine, likely because it was a poorer, less privileged, immigrant-heavy neighborhood. But I was able to easily make it to the Basilique but was not able to head up to the dome due to what I believe was a massive communication error between me and the ticketing person. I asked for a ticket to the dome, and she told me “No. Buy a ticket outside,” which I was very confused by since I was at the ticketing office. I left since she was getting increasingly irritated but was quite disappointed and sour about what had happened. After thinking about it more, I realized that “Buy a ticket” sounds awfully like “Basilique,” and so when I asked for a ticket, she heard Basilique and visa versa.

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Day 1 Continued

The dome had closed then, so I explored the interior of the Basilique, quite pretty and majestic, with a cool blue and gold fresco above the altar. When I had exited the sun was setting, and I caught a rare but absolutely amazing pink and purple afterglow that even tinted my hands a shade of rose, which marked the end of a wonderful day, with one major disappointment. Afterwards, I took the metro down to the Louvre, strolled the Seine and Le Marais at night, catching views of a glittering Eiffel Tower, before heading to my accommodation in the 12th Arrondissement.

Mile Count: 19.3 miles

Day 2: Versailles

Because I got some awful sleep (for no particular reason since I was staying at a pretty nice hostel), I was tired and procrastinated on leaving for Versailles, a decision that I think I regret in hindsight. Even in October, the place was like a zoo (can’t even imagine how chaotic and packed July must be like). A line for people who didn’t buy tickets ahead of time stretched all the way to the plaza entrance, and what seemed like hundreds of people queued up for the time slot I was in. The beginning of the palace was wall-to-wall packed with people, which made it a bit difficult to appreciate the paintings and sculptures of royal heads. Luckily, the crowded lower floors had the less impressive displays since the much more spacious (at least crowd-wise) upper floors are where I think the true beauty of Versailles lies. Tons of amazing marble work, from the gray and white walls that complemented the gold ornaments to the geometric shapes formed by the olive and rose-colored stone, and just lots of increasingly large and fancy ceiling and wall paintings. Of particular note are the Hall of Mirrors, which was quite opulent and cool to check out for its historical significance, and the Battle Gallery, with various large paintings portraying historical significant conflicts. It definitely felt like I was stepping into royalty, certainly more so than the more comparatively more modest Holyrood Palace.

After spending more time than I had anticipated in the Palace, I headed into the impressive gardens that stretched out quite far. There were lots of amazing rows of well-trimmed trees and tons of cool water formations (even caught a glimpse of a fountain show before it had ended), and it seemed like a great place just to unwind and relax due to its sheer size that dispersed the crowds nicely. Unfortunately, I was pretty set on seeing the Trianons and had not much time to relax as I followed their recommended pathway, still enjoying the sites. It was while I was walking around that things went wrong. I heard a woman driving around telling us to exit, but I had assumed that it was related to the earlier than usual gardens closure, possibly preparing for some event, so I continued on and went into the main corridor, where I saw lots of people with confused looks on their faces since that was where everyone was gathering. Then, I noticed quite a few police people arriving, ushering people to the exit, and when I spotted the army people with the large guns, that’s when I realized that things were serious. It didn’t help that it began to rain, which added to the grim atmosphere, and when I had safely exited and checked my phone, it turned out that there was a bomb threat so the Palace would be shut down. It was obviously disappointing since I didn’t finish the gardens nor gotten to the Trianons, but with that, I decided to leave Versailles, just in case things escalated. The train station was packed, and to avoid crowding, police officers disabled the ticket checking machines and let anyone take the train to Paris, regardless of whether they had a ticket. Once I had arrived in Paris, I decided to salvage the rest of my day by using the extra time to take photos of the Eiffel Tower from the Palais de Chaillot and visit the Arc de Triomphe before heading back there for sunset.

Mile Count: 12 miles

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Day 3: Paris

I began my day again at the Eiffel Tower, still beautiful, before heading to the Army Museum. There was some construction the day that I had first visited but they had finished restoration the day I revisited, so I was able to get some much-improved photos and views. I’m going to be honest and say that I really failed to anticipate how substantive the Army Museum area is since it’s more like multiple small-sized museums clustered together. I ended up having to rush some of the exhibits at the end because I had underestimated its size (one museum on the lower floor and a larger one on the upper floor), which was a shame because there were lots of intriguing and ornate weaponry (from swords to guns), uniforms, and history (not to mention, purses, for some reason) that I had only taken a quick glimpse at. I also visited Les Invalides and Napoleon’s Tomb, and it was definitely the highlight of the day. Just an amazing building, with lots of stunning domed ceiling paintings and beautiful marble-mixing and stonework, not to mention the simple but luxurious looking coffins, I believe. Although there were sparse decorations, a contrast to the warmer and more busy cathedrals of Spain, I think that the relative minimalism highlighted the stark beauty of the architecture.

From there, I went to Montparnasse for a bit and headed down to the Luxembourg gardens. The area in front of the palace was so picturesque, with some lovely pools and flower beds, but the rest of the gardens were alright since it’s clear that it is more of a playground / recreational area for children and local residents than a sightseeing area for tourists. And with my final moments in Paris, I decided to just relax on the banks of the Seine, leisurely strolling around and taking pictures as the sun set behind the Musée D’Orsay and the nearby bridges. While I was sad to miss out the afterglow, which probably must’ve been beautiful given that it was for the past two days, I had a train to catch, ending my first (but not last) visit to Paris on a relatively chill, lowkey note.

Mile Count: 14.1 miles

Final Ratings:

Paris: 9.25/10 (Tentative since I will be returning in January with my family)
Versailles: 8/10

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Overall Thoughts:

I will say that I had a wonderful time in Paris, which was much better than I had anticipated, given that there are so many naysayers online, with Paris given the reputation as one of Europe’s most overrated destinations, a moniker that it absolutely does not deserve. Maybe I got lucky or maybe going to Barcelona and living in London has acclimated me but I never encountered any of the commonly cited issues people had with Paris, like an abundance of trash, bad smells, or rampant pickpocketing, outside of Chateau Rogue for the former two. Especially around the Seine, the city is just absolutely stunning, much prettier waterfront than the Thames, in my opinion. Of course, there are still the big city European issues, especially scam artists. Not sure if this is a good or a bad thing, but I feel like I’ve been getting increasingly ruder when it comes to dealing with scammers, particularly petition ones. I used to be polite about it, but now I put my perpetually pissed face to use and give them a death glare before ignoring them. And if they try to intercept me, I just stick my hand up and block their face from my view to indicate that I am not in the mood for their shenanigans.

Of course, Paris wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me. I do not speak any French, making Paris the first place where I felt extremely out of my comfort zone when it comes to language because at least in Spain, I had some functional understanding of Spanish (Greece does not really count for me since everywhere had English language infrastructure due to abundance of tourists). All I could do was mumble out “Bonjour” and “Merci,” and that was really the extent of my French knowledge, though I could occasionally guess what people were saying through context clues or words that intersected with Spanish. I guess because of this, I definitely began getting increasingly anxious about my lack of knowledge of the language and began getting more and more worried about being perceived as rude, especially since I’d just jump straight into English after a “Bonjour,” something that apparently you’re not supposed to do. This combined with my lack of clarity about restaurant culture (still unsure whether you can just sit at an outdoor restaurant seat, like in Spain and Greece, or wait for someone to seat you, like in the UK and Malta) led to pretty paralyzing food anxiety. On my last day, I just couldn’t bear to go anywhere to eat anything, really. After two weekends in English-speaking places, it just felt like a huge challenge.

This upcoming weekend I’ll be heading to Lisbon. The weather forecast keeps alternating between rain and no rain, but I’m hoping for the latter. Once again, I’ll be heading somewhere where I don’t speak the language, but luckily, food shouldn’t be an issue since the hostel that I’m staying at is famous for amazing home-cooked dinners. It’s also supposedly a pretty social hostel, so after two weekends of quieter ones, it’ll be a change up of pace. See you all then!

Pics: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFxdKksD9w/3vBewEfU5_7GD6rxtWSrvw/edit?utm_content=DAFxdKksD9w&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton

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2650 posts

I love that you are taking advantage of being able to travel so much while over there. Both of our kids studied abroad and your travels remind me of what all they did. Enjoy every minute!

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600 posts

I love your reports, thanks for sharing. I love Paris and I’m so envious of your days there. You really covered some ground!! I don’t envy you the mob scene at Versailles however. I loved the Army museums and that area too.

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1519 posts

I enjoyed your report on Paris. You demonstrate a real storyteller's skill with your vivid descriptions. Your photos are wonderful captures of the historic buildings that are worthy of a professor's Architecture seminar. What is your field of study? Wishing you a bright future!

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468 posts

That's another great report from your solo Europe travels. Your photos brought back so many memories. Really interesting to read your impressions of Paris. I haven't been there since 2004. When we went, we really tried to hit all the major sites over the course of a week, and put miles and miles in walking around the city. Never actually took the metro at all. Too bad you didn't like the Jardin de Luxembourg that much--for some reason that is one of my best memories in Paris, as well as going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, climbing up the tower in Notre Dame, sitting in the cafes with my pastry, and, like you, walking along the river. At Versailles, I personally was not very moved by the gilded, draped, and festooned royal rooms. If I had it to do over I would just go to Versailles and walk the gardens without actually going inside. I too find myself intimidated by restaurant etiquette, wanting to make sure I do the right thing when I walk into a café, bar, bistro, pub, or dining room, in Paris or anywhere else. I have at times avoided eating in certain places in my foreign travels if it looked like it could lead to a "complicated" experience. And I, too found it very frustrating not being able to speak French--it was like I spent an inordinate amount of time in France being upset with myself for not knowing French. Maybe because I know Spanish (at least proficiently), but am totally unable to communicate on a personal level in this other major language. I would start to talk to people, then realize I couldn't! Will be really interested to see your take on Portugal, That is probably the next European country we will visit, if we can ever get Europe on the calendar.

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14759 posts

Oh gosh, I'm with the others! I love that you are posting for us AND that you are taking advantage of your time by visiting lots of different places. I love the Army Museum and yes, it is huge. It was one of the museums that made me make a rule for myself that 3 hours is long enough in any venue. I spent 5 hours in there one time and was exhausted, dehydrated, lol. Now I usually head for the WWI and WWII exhibits and be done with it.

I am SO not a city gal BUT I love Paris. I just feel so great there. I agree with you that the areas around the Seine are prettier than the Thames. Thames is wider, of course so you have a more intimate feeling with the Seine.

As far as language, next time you'll have more of a comfort level. I just don't have the brain chip for foreign language so I make do with your entire French vocabulary. I can sometimes understand people and I have gotten so I can usually read the French menus.

For sitting on a terrace at a restaurant, I usually catch the maitre d or a waiters eye and point to a table. They will usually nod and then bring a menu. The times I wait to be seated are when the maitre d's podium is at the entrance before you can get to the terrace tables. If the forum members who live in France give you a different answer, go with their method, lol!!

I'm sure your family will appreciate your scouting trip!

OK, now waiting for Lisbon! Thank you!

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2612 posts

Another great trip report and lovely photos. You really are seeing some amazing things. Can't wait to read about Lisbon, I'm really wanting to go there.

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736 posts

I completely understand what you mean about food anxiety.

When you’re in Lisbon, I highly recommend thd Time Out food market as a fun place to eat good food. You can pick and choose from a number of good quality food counters and just take it to eat on any table in the centre of the hall: https://www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa/

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104 posts

@mikliz97 - Thank you! And yes, I'm enjoying every minute. It's been a huge change of pace, but I really appreciate having a semi-fresh start in a new place, especially since I went to a university close to home, and am having a great time. Sounds like your kids had a great time too!

@Lyndash - Thanks! Yeah, Paris is amazing and super walkable, which made walking around so nice, but even then, I didn't get to see everything. Luckily, I'll be heading back in a couple of months.

@Kathleen - You really flatter me! Funnily enough, I do write fiction in my free time (working on Book 3 of my series), which probably helps with the storytelling. As for what I'm studying, I'm an Earth sciences major with a minor in data science.

@Pete - Thanks for your comments! Wow, I'm in awe in how you managed to not use the metro during your Paris visit. Even when I was walking the most miles per day in my travels since Andalucia, I ended up using all 10 of my metro passes. As for the Jardin de Luxembourg, I think it could've been because it was quite chilly on Sunday--probably should've packed warmer clothes. I'm surprised that you didn't like the Palace interiors, but I agree that the gardens were fantastic since they were still lush and green. It's a real shame that there was a bomb threat the day I visited that cut my visit to the gardens short. And I'm glad that I'm not the only one that struggles with restaurant etiquette / customs and navigating a new language. It's always a bit frustrating to be forced to communicate in English when I want to respect the language of the place that I'm visiting.

@Pam - Thank you! Yes, the army museum is gigantic. I probably shouldn't have dawdled so much in the beginning of my visit there. Glad you really liked Paris and agree that the Seine's smaller size makes it just feel more cozy compared to the Thames, which I wish was a bit narrower because I have to commute over it to get to class and almost always underestimate how large it is. Foreign language was my second weakest subject in high school (am so envious at how some people grasp new languages so quickly), but I'll be heading back to France in a month (not Paris but Lyon) and appreciate all of your tips and tricks!

@Mary (roubrat) - Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the photos, and I'll be sure to update you all about Lisbon next week!

@Golden Girl - Once again, glad that I'm not the only one who get anxious about navigating food in a new country, and thank you for the Lisbon suggestion! Will keep note of it.

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628 posts

Keep these reports coming! They are excellent. Hope to see Paris next year so am definitely bookmarking.

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2650 posts

solo--Since you are going to college close to home, I can see where these travels are even more amazing! I love hearing of people just venturing out, especially solo. Yes, both our kids had great experiences in their study abroad. Our daughters minor was French so she lived in Paris for hers and studied French. Our son was an engineering/physics major(s) so went to Denmark Technical University. Of course we had to visit both of them when they were over there;) We always took the kids with us when they we're young, so traveling was not new to them, but I do think their experiences of living there without us had a huge impact on them in a variety of ways. I am sure you will look back in years to come and notice things that shaped you on these travels.

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@Luv2Travel - Will do, and thanks. Hope you have a great time in Paris!

@mikliz97 - Wow, that sounds amazing, and I'm sure you had a great time taking advantage of this opportunity to both check-in with your kids and explore Europe (My parents are doing the same thing for me, so I'll be spending Christmas in Central Europe). While going to a university close to home made the transition to college easier, I was always a bit envious at how exciting it must've been for non-local students since what was familiar and normal to me was this grand adventure for them. But this semester abroad really has been this big, almost-stereotypical journey for me, and I'm sure that I'll end up with lots of lessons learned and fond memories, which I've been preserving both in these trip reports and postcards that I've bought and journaled in every day that I've been traveling.

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14980 posts

It's good you had a pleasant time at Versailles.

After not being there for years, at least over a decade, I decided to see it once again this time. I was there on 2 Sept. a Saturday, a conscious decision to go on Sat., since a Monday was out of the question and I was going to another town on Sunday as a day trip.

I only focused on the grounds of the Chateau and visited the book shop (revealing and interesting as to the offerings). The place did seem a bit less crowded than what I was used to in the summer and had expected, ie , swamped with visitors. Weather was a bit warm, still tolerable regardless of that heat.

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14980 posts

The next trip to France if you want to see more Napoleonic history, I suggest not only the Chateau de Fontainebleau (which you probably have visited) but also Napoleon Museum , ca. 35 mins walk from the Chateau. That place is well worth your time if you're into the history and the effect of Napoleon on music and art, in addition to the military events as depicted in paintings, some of which are displayed in the Battle Galerie in the Chateau de Versailles.

One of books I saw in its book shop focused on the paintings. Obviously, those paintings only reveal French victories, ie, Yorktown, Austerlitz. Defeats like Blenheim, Waterloo and Leipzig are omitted, even though historically significant and decisive, both militarily and politically.

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104 posts

@Fred - Apologies for the much delayed reply, but thanks, and I'm glad that you had a good time in Versailles. Given that you didn't find it too crowded in September, which is likely more busy than October (which I found to be busy), I can't even imagine how packed it would be in July or August. Also, thanks for the France suggestions. I'll be in Paris this upcoming January with my family, but unfortunately, i don't they share really much interest in Napoleonic history, but I'll keep note of it for the far future whenever I return to Europe.