The first time I went to Paris I was 11, and predictable contributed nothing useful to the vacation. I was with my parents and older brother, and we were on one of those pre-scheduled, seven countries in 10 days via bus kind of vacations. Other than walking around a lot and getting to metaphorically check the city off my list when I got home, there wasn’t much accomplished with that kind of visit.
My second trip to Paris came at 25, and fortunately this time there was no bus. On a romantic long-weekend getaway with my boyfriend – life is tough, I know – Paris as an adult was a thing of dreams. But not even the most romantic vacation in the romantic city in the world (with a rather romantic man, I might add) is perfect.
Navigating any new city (11-year-old me wasn’t very helpful in terms of remember which side of the Siene was which) can be a challenge, and not being able to speak the language is tough too. (Menus alone in a foreign country can cause headaches.) There were a a couple clutch decisions the man and I made that in the end made all the difference as we navigated Paris. Here they are – if you’re heading off with (or in search of) l’amour anytime soon, consider these tricks as you go!
Download the Paris Metro App
I use this free app in pretty much any city I travel in, and my top three are New York, Paris and Barcelona. It comes complete with an interactive metro map of the city, stop-to-stop routes and much more. Plus – arguably the most helpful when you’re lost in a foreign city – an option to find the closest metro stop to wherever you are. I am easily turned around in new places, and my French is pretty much confined to ordering a cafe ole, so this app was hands down a necessity.
Get Up Early – But Just Once or Twice
So getting up early isn’t usually high on the priority list when most people are on vacation, but we all know the drill. If you want to avoid the lines, you’ve got to get up at the crack of dawn. From my experience in Paris, there is really only one place this tactic pays off – Notre Dame. The Eiffel Tower and the Louvre are going to be busy whether you get up at 5am or 10am, and arriving extra early to try and beat the lines in those cases only guarantees an extremely long wait. But we did find that getting to Notre Dame around 8:30 worked out perfectly. The admission into the spires opens at 9am, so arriving half an hour early put us about 30 people into the line to get in. By 9:15, we were taking pictures from the top of Notre Dame!
Bring an Umbrella – Not Just Once or Twice
The weather forecast for every day we were in Paris was the same – small chance of rain. Apparently this is the only forecast ever given in Paris, regardless of what the weather is actually going to be like. I know this sounds like generic advice, but Paris actually does have a well-earned reputation for being a bit rainy here and there, especially in the winter months. If you’re going for a snuggly little winter getaway, make sure to bring a heavy jacket, too. But definitely get a little travel-sized umbrella, and carry it with you at all times!
Photo Credit: Moyan_Brenn