Paris City Guide: Things to do

Having spent a year living in Paris during my year abroad I know the city very well, and fell completely head over heels for it. Whether you're spending a weekend or a week there, there is so much to see and do (and eat and drink!) meaning that you will never be bored. This feature will focus on things to see and do during your stay. Stay tuned for my Paris food, shopping and nightlife guides which will follow soon!

Spend your Sunday walking around the Marais

The Jewish quarter comes alive on Sunday's and it's usually bustling with people with lots of shops to explore. There a few vintage shops here which are always worth going in! I spent many a happy afternoon wandering around, sitting in cafes, grabbing an ice cream and exploring the little streets. In fact, you don't have to limit yourself to the Marais. One of my favourite ways to spend a Sunday would be to walk from our flat by the Louvre, to the Notre Dame, pop into the popular English bookshop Shakespeare and Company then go up to the Marais.

Monet's gardens

If you have the time, it is definitely worth taking a trip here in Spring/Summer. The flowers have all bloomed and it is the most vibrant and beautiful setting. You have to get the RER to just outside of Paris to the countryside and it's truly breathtaking. Take a picnic and spend most of the day there walking around the area (you can't sit or eat in the gardens but there is an open green area nearby which we took advantage of). If you're short on time but love gardens, the Jardin des Plantes is a good spot in central Paris.

Take a trip to Montmatre.

I bloody love it here. There are some amazing streets off the beaten track which have a certain tranquility you'll struggle to find anywhere near places like the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre.

Climb up to the Sacre Coeur and you will experience one of my favourite views of Paris. If (unlike me) you're not claustrophobic, take the steps to the top and you get the best view of all. Even if you aren't a fan of confined spaces I would still recommend the climb just once in your life as it is definitely worth seeing.

Canal Saint-Martin. 
In the summer this place is buzzing with people. It has Paris Plages which mainly involve deck chairs and many a bar. When I was in Paris the other week we took a trip here, and relaxed with a beer and the most delicious froyo. It's a great place to spend an afternoon and there are hardly any tourists which is great!

Museums

I love a good museum and if they are up your street then there are tonnes of fab ones in Paris. Controversially I'm not a massive fan of the Louvre. It is so vast you could never see it all, the queues in the summer are ridiculous and I think there are so many other museums in Paris that are much more enjoyable experience. (It is definitely worth seeing the actual building, however, as it's very impressive.) 

The exhibitions they have on at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs are nearly always worth a trip! I've been to one on Barbie which was amazing, and they are currently exhibiting Christian Dior until January which would be well worth a visit if you're there sometime before then! Although it's part of the Louvre, you have to pay separately but if you're under 25 and European you get a discounted rate which is always handy. The Centre Pompidou is one of the most distinguishable building

red and stripes

I've just returned from a gal's trip to Paris and I had the BEST time. I went with my bff Millie and we lived there together, along with several other of our best gals, during our year abroad and have been pining after it ever since we left. It was only right we returned this summer and with the Eurostar offering a £58 return it was the perfect opportunity!

There are so many great opportunities for photos and we definitely took advantage of the lovely weather. Our old flat was in the dreamiest location - Rue de Pyramides - a stone's throw from the Louvre (it was mad) and so we were keen to stay near there so we could revist our favourite bakeries and supermarkets. So just around the corner was Palais Royal with its famous striped columns and it's a super fun spot. It was such a lovely trip! We wandered around the streets, grabbed our favourite falafel, went to our favourite burger restaurant PNY (twice! oops), scoffed many an almond pain au chocolat, had a picnic by the Eiffel Tower and just generally soaked up the beautiful scenes. It made me want to move back immediately.

My one gripe with Paris is that the people dress quite neutral and simple, and you'll barely see colour on the streets. We were often judged on our more colourful attire! Monochrome is definitely not mine or Millie's style and we got many a weird look and several comments on our brighter outfits but did we care?!?

I think I'll do a Paris City Guide for favourite spots, food, nightlife etc as I can definitely recommend some incredible spots if anyone is thinking of visiting.

Outfit details:
Top: Topshop
Trousers: Newlook - they were in the sale and are unavailable online now but you can still get them in store!
Bag: Accessorize - this was another sale item which is no longer available online. Find a similar one here
Shoes: ASOS (out of stock)

Things I'm loving

Yellow is my favourite colour and I have definitely been embracing all things yellow since the summer. I bought this yellow bag from Accessorize for 50% off in their sale, and I've worn it pretty much everyday since! I can't find it on the website but it might still be available in store. These H&M earrings were part of my Gradball outfit and were a complete bargain at only £5.99. I've worn them loads since then and in general I cannot get enough of statement earrings right now! I also wore the grey heels also at Gradball and I love them. I'm tall so smaller heels are my go-to for dressy events and the marble heel looks so fab. For my birthday my friends bought me Mac's Taupe lipstick and it's such a great wearable brown. Whirl is my favourite and although I happily wear it in the day, it is definitely not as appropriate for daywear, so Taupe is a good inbetween. 

My goal for this month is to get back into reading. I adore books, and always have. However, during my final year my studies really got on top of me and reading for fun just slipped off my agenda. I picked up my current read, The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, from the library and I'm really enjoying it so far. The basic storyline focuses on two slaves living in Georgia, America who attempt to escape their plantation and the subsequent consequences of that. If you enjoy literature  that focuses on race and discrimination then it's one to read. Next on my list is The Secret History by Donna Tartt for which I've heard great things. I might do a round up post giving my thoughts!