Eurotrip in two weeks: Paris, Brussels (& Bruges), Amsterdam, Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm
First stop was Paris.
I had zero expectations for my first trip to Paris because many of my friends had told me they didn’t like it when they went. But I ended up having the best food and amazing hospitality from the people there. Maybe I got lucky with my restaurant selections? I found most of the food I had there to be flavorful and well executed. I especially loved the butter at every restaurant and wine to go with every meal… and the potatoes!!! The potatoes were different! I also really love French bread, pastries, desserts and macarons. Since then, I’ve been trying to find that same quality in NYC and still have not found it. I also found the prices in Paris to be fair for the quality I got, whereas in NYC the prices for French cuisine can be astronomical. The underground metro system was also very convenient and I appreciated the designs and artwork everywhere I went. Even the doorknobs! Yes, doorknobs. (Read all the way to the end)
Tips:
Transportation
- When you arrive at the airport, find the metro station there and buy a 10-pack tickets – you can share with your companions so it’s not like you have to use all 10 by yourself. You can also just buy each ticket as you go. The 10-pack saves you a few euros.
- The metro is super easy to use and navigate through (use google maps!)
- Uber is common there and not too pricey – we ubered a few times
Food
- Le Comptor de la Gastronomie – really good foie gras & duck & classic french dishes, must make reservations, I saw SO MANY people waiting in line. Best meal I had.
- Petie Fleur (in Montmartre, you can visit Sacre Coeur too) – really good steak, beef tartare, wine, escargot. Small place, make reservations! Affordable.
- Les Papilles – they have a set menu of the day or you can order a la carte, but I loved the set menu – soup, entree, dessert. Say yes to coffee at the end.
- Pierre Sang in Oberkampf – mystery menu, korean french fusion, they don’t tell you what you’re eating until after you eat each dish. Fun. Also got wine pairing.
- L’avant Comptoir de la Mer – french tapas, order a whole bunch of dishes, good wine, some dishes were amazing, some were meh.
- Poilane – bakery – amazing bread! I heard their croissants are really good too
- Angelina – dessert/cafe, multiple locations, pricey desserts, good hot chocolate, so-so service
- Sanukiya – udon place, authentic japanese, really chewy udon, loved it.
Attractions
- Arc du triomphe – go for sunset and then stay for the Eiffel Tower light show! You have a direct view of the tower from the roof. Can be crowded especially the spot where it faces the tower.
- Eiffel Tower – we didn’t climb the tower but laid on the grass below/across from it – brought a tiny thin foldable blanket.
Pierre Hermes – macarons! They have funky flavors – really tasty
- Louvre – I didn’t want to go to too many museums since it takes so long to see everything, but went there just for the pictures outside – then walked through the Tuileries Gardens and went to musee de l’orangerie (small museum with Monet’s water lillies – got the combo ticket with Musee d’Orsay there)
- Check when attractions are closed – some museums close on different days
This was Notre Dame after the unfortunate fire.
And now I shall conclude the post with the doorknobs I mentioned before…
À bientôt!
life on macro. 