I've never been to Europe. This has long been my dream to step into the land of my dreams. I've only seen Europe in movies and it really made me curious. But the time has come — no more cancellations whatsoever.
My husband and I booked our tickets ahead of time so we had a
really good deal. We did our itinerary early; however, we planned to be flexible
with our activities. A lot of our plans changed when we got to Europe based on
our feelings for the day. It was a fun and carefree trip. Let’s go!
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Travel Tips
- For flights, Skyscanner is excellent for comparing the best airline deals.
- For accommodations, our family trusts Booking.com for reasonable prices.
- Organize your trips easily with a Travel Planner.
- For tried-and-true travel and hiking gear, check out our Amazon Storefront.
Friday, October 11
Flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) France.
Airline: Norwegian Air
Promo price: 350 USD (one-way, per person)
Saturday, October 12 - Arrival, Take the Train and Bus to Hotel
How to take the train in Paris: From Gare du Nord Train Station to Hotel Ibis
Arrived in Paris, Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Airport, France,
Terminal 2E/F.
We had already planned to take the local public transport to our
hotel.
CDG Airport to Hotel: 1 hour and 30 mins
Take the free train ride inside the airport to Terminal 3 for the Metro to the City Centre.
Train: From Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gare du Nord Train Station (City
Centre of Paris)
Exchange USD to EUR (“Euro notes” or “euros”) from a
money changer inside the airport, just enough for the train and bus
tickets. Exchange rates at the airport are terrible, so we saved our main
pocket money for later. We asked for coins since ticket machines only
accept coins as per our research, but they also accept credit cards now.
Look for "Billetse Paris” to purchase a Paris Week Pass
Inside the Metro Station, look for “Billetse Paris” to purchase
Paris week passes. Week passes start on a Monday and end on Sunday.
Since we arrived on a Saturday, there was only 1 day left on the week
pass. Instead, we bought a day pass on the ticket machine, unsure if the
single-ride pass would suffice. On the ticket machine screen, press
“Acheter des tickets, coupons,” press the green button, then select English.
Insert the train ticket at the entryway and look for signs to TRAIN
RER B.
Our exit: Gare du Nord Train Station
Estimated travel time: 25 minutes
From Gare du Nord Train Station to Hotel Ibis
The station connects to the mall. Take the escalator down
and buy bus tickets at a nearby ticket machine. Take BUS 302 Tramway
toward Cail Demarquay, exiting after 6 stops at Point Marcadet.
Walk towards Rue Ordener and turn left, walk past Rue Emile
Duploye, and wait for BUS 60 going to Porte de Montmartre (9 stops).
Walk towards Rue Charles Schmidt, turn left, then make another
left on Rue du Dr. Babinski. You will pass a store named Monoprix and
right beside it is Hotel Ibis.
Check-in: Ibis Budget Paris Porte De Montmartre
October 12–16
Address: 45 Rue du Docteur Babinski 18th arr. 75018 Paris France
5 days, 4 nights: 275 euros (2 pax)
Next Destination: Siena, Italy
It's a budget hotel so don't expect much. If you can find
something closer to your activities then that's a better choice. Book this
hotel if you're not that picky about rooms and everything else.
I think I was the only one fascinated with the number "0" on the elevator buttons here in France.
My husband and I along with a close friend of mine made up our
travel group for this trip. We took Uber for all our activities in Paris
as it saved us considerable travel time around the city. Every minute
counted! We divided the cost of each ride between the three of us. Uber rides: 15-25 euros
Sunday, October 13
Activities for the day: Cooking class, visit Bois de Boulogne (Public
Park) and Eiffel Tower at Champ de Mars, have dinner in Rue Cler Market and see
the Eiffel Tower at night.
Cooking Class @ 9:00 AM
Address: 15 Quai de Dion Bouton, 92800 Puteaux, France
Class fee: 25 euros We purchased our Cooking Class Voucher with GROUPON DEALS: Save on activities, spas, restaurants, and events near you at Groupon
This class was not what we expected it to be. Our chef didn't know how to speak English. Just imagine the numbers of times our hands were up in the air trying to figure out what he was talking about. Make sure to email the seller and ask for an English-speaking chef for your cooking class. We still had fun cooking despite the unfortunate circumstances. That's why it’s very important to be with the right set of people when you're traveling as they make everything feel much more fun.
Bois de Boulogne
Address: 75016 Paris, France
We walked to Bois de Boulogne Park after the cooking class as it's just walking distance from the school. It's a nice park if you want to walk around with your dog or have a picnic. There wasn't much to do there as tourists so we headed straight to the Eiffel Tower.
Eiffel Tower / Champ de Mars Park
Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
A lot of people dream of going to Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tower. I'm also one of them.
There are so many ways to see the tower. Don't just stay in one place! This is at Champ de Mars Park where you can have a picnic and gaze at this famous landmark.
Crepe and Gelato
We bought a crepe and gelato as we sat at Champ de Mars Park facing the tower. I've always envisioned myself eating French Crepes in Paris. Was it going to be as good as I imagined? The moment of truth had come — and it truly met my expectations.
View from the Seine River. They offer boat tours too if you don't mind the crowd.
If you go further up the park, you'll see a better view of the tower too.
As you keep walking, you'll find other great spots to see the tower. We found some gold statues along the side. It would have made a great shot if all the fountains were on that day. Maybe they were turned off because it was off-season for tourists. I can't imagine the number of people in the summer; we were already struggling to get good shots in the least touristy month of October.
Souvenirs
Reminders: Make sure to buy your Eiffel Tower souvenirs around this area. Trust me, they're way cheaper compared to the souvenir shops. The guys selling them are pretty friendly too. It's not the best quality but it's cute and great as gifts when you get back home. I regretted buying only a few keychains since I miscalculated the number of people on my list and didn't realize how cheap it was there.
View from the Seine River. They offer boat tours too if you don't mind the crowd.
Did you know?
It took two years to build the Eiffel Tower back in 1887. The tower was built to commemorate the French Revolution. From what
I've known the tower is also a Symbol of Love. The romantic feel of the place is overshadowed by the overwhelming number of tourists, even during this off-season.
Afterwards, we walked to Rue Cler Market while enjoying the street
signs and the busy streets of Paris. We got lost a few times but it's just another day of adventure as tourists.
There's always another spot to see the tower in a different way.
The Architecture
I love the street signs. We didn't notice them the first few times and got lost circling around the plaza. It wasn't until we got tired and sat down that we looked up and saw them.
The city is very pretty. It reminds me of Quebec, Canada.
One thing I enjoyed most while walking around Paris was looking at their windows. This "Window Fever" went on until we got to Italy and added "Door Flu" into the mix too. Look around and appreciate the simple things you see, even if it's just windows and doors, ahahaa.
Antique Bazaar
Check out an Antique Bazaar along the way.
Rue Cler Market
Address: 24-38 Rue Cler, 75007 Paris, France
It was dark when we finally found our way to the market but was perfect timing for dinner. People bombarded the streets and restaurants. Luckily, we were able to squeeze ourselves in and have dinner.
We ordered the very famous French Escargot made of wild snails cooked in butter, garlic, shallot, and parsley. My husband had long dreamed of this moment and I can testify that he loved it. Isn't that true, babe?
Eiffel Tower at Night
Honestly, after seeing the tower in the morning, I felt like just a normal tower. Its symbol and status felt really commercialized. Some say you have to see it before you die. Maybe if you're into architecture and all. However, for me, it's not really a must-see. I guess it's easy for me to say because I've already seen it. I heard from some that they came to Paris excited and went home unsatisfied.
More than social media's "check-in status," it meant more to truly be there and experience the real Paris — the food, local scenes, and culture. Make sure if you really want to see the Eiffel Tower or Paris itself, it's because of your own interest and not what people say. After seeing the tower in the day, I thought that's all there was to it; but we were in for a surprise.
Paris at Night was Magical!
For no particular reason, we went back to the Eiffel Tower after dinner. The most amazing thing
happened as we walked by. The clock happened to hit the hour and the tower lit up, lights dancing all across it as music rang out from somewhere. It
was really magical. The only thing missing would be fireworks, then it'd be like we were at Disneyland in Paris.
I stood in awe of one of the most visited tourist spots in the
history of mankind. If at that moment there was a
violinist, there'd be no doubt in my mind that I was in the City of
Love.
Also, take a look at "Must-Have Travel Planner for Travelers". The planner also serves as a keepsake of your trip, allowing you to look back on your adventures and relive the memories. Whether you're an experienced traveller or new to exploring the world, a travel planner can help ensure that you have a smooth and enjoyable journey.
Have fun and be safe ^__^
Where am I going next?
My next adventure is Walking around Paris, France: check out the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Jazz Music at night.
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