Paris in the fall? Paris anytime is the right time.
Paris holds a special place in my heart. My last trip to Paris was a moment to relish exquisite food and friendship. Four of us traveled to Paris last April and we enjoyed long sunny days, glamorous shopping, delectable food followed by even more 鈥� food. We adventured in food, eating everything from street crepes to a bougie dinner at a three-star-Michelin-restaurant. Paris has it all.
We arrived on different flights, hours before we could enter our Airbnb in the Marais district, so we dropped our bags with a new service offered around the world called Nanny Bag. Easy and direct, we left our luggage in a tea and chocolate shop and headed out into spring weather for a quick lunch with an old friend.
We stopped by the grand Palais Garnier on our way and reveled in its stunning architecture. If you have the time, do attend any performance you can at the Palais Garnier; settle for a tour if you must.
I have been bouncing in and out of Paris since my first summer backpacking Europe in 1996. I studied abroad there for a semester in college and those short four months changed the trajectory of my life. I graduated from university and headed back to Paris, where I lived for over a year as an English assistant in a public high school.
I find myself drawn back to Paris again and again. I travel there solo. I travel there with my husband. I travel there with our three kids in tow. And, lately, I travel there with friends and help open the city for them.
Our first afternoon we met up in the Jardin Tuileries near the Louvre and jumped on a Bateaux Mouches for a sun-filled leisurely tour of the city on a tourist boat along the famed River Seine.
This is my favorite first thing to do because it is both relaxing and informative while you let your body adjust to the time change. We passed by dozens of famous landmarks and we all got a good lay of the land.
We took a long, relaxed walk back to collect our bags and then dined outside at an adorable bistro in a quaint square by our rooms. We stayed around the corner from the Place des Voges in a quiet 18th-century building with a breezy courtyard. I almost always choose to stay with friends or in a rented apartment in Paris as the hotels in the city are infamously small and expensive.
The next day we shopped along the Rue de Rivoli in some of France鈥檚 most famous shops like Yves Saint Lauren, Maison Goyard and Chopard. The experience itself was thrilling and the purchases we made are treasured iconic pieces that remind us of our time together.
A burst of rain chased us home but not before we found a Noglu location. Noglu is a dedicated gluten-free bakery and caf茅. One of our friends has celiac disease, so we had the added adventure of ensuring she could enjoy famous French food safely. Noglu had an impressive assortment of delicious baguettes and pastries that we took back to our apartment.
One of the real pleasures of this trip was all of the down time we created together at our apartment. Time to relax, have a cup of coffee, eat French pastries, do yoga and chat. Gone are the days when we traveled to a city and approached it with a voracious hunger; we know we have time, and we can come back again and again.
We also reveled in the time together: a group of women without children or husbands alongside so we could settle into ourselves and our friendships.
We arranged for a sleek black van to transport us to dinner and dressed in some of our finest black dresses and rare high heels. We had reservations at a three-star Michelin restaurant, Le Cinq inside the Four Seasons Hotel.
In all the years I lived in Paris, studied there, and traveled there, I had always, always wanted to do a fancy multi-course dinner at one of its famed French restaurants. The choices are vast, though, so come prepared to make a hard decision. We were pleased we ended up at Le Cinq because they created a completely gluten-free, safe meal for our friend with celiac disease. We were tucked away at a beautiful round table in the corner with fantastic views of the courtyard, and placed our purses on little stools tucked next to each chair specifically for our handbags. Ooh la la.
The sommelier came over and we discussed Champagne to enjoy as we settled in. A bottle of Veuve Cliquot and a heartfelt toast to the friends sitting around the table. Then one course after another, a bottle of red, laughter and lots of giggling at the preciousness of the evening.
We enjoyed langoustine, compressed truffle spaghetti, foie gras, prawns and more. The exquisite salted butter and warm bread choices alone were amazing. The food just kept coming. Course after course, but petite portions that were exploding on our palate but not filling us up.
When dinner was finally finished, they wheeled out the cheese cart and unfolded the doors to reveal a dozen curated cheeses. The smell was bracing, but the fine slices of cheese that we each tried melted in our mouths. Not to be overshadowed, the multi-tiered chocolate cart came out next and the waiters bounced around between us, placing tiny samples of chocolates on our plates and delighting in our joy as we tasted and shared. Finally, dessert and that last, long glass of wine.
We sat back and smiled warmly at each other, a touchstone evening to remember in our lives and our friendship. Dinner lasted well over four hours. On our way home, we directed the Uber driver to please take us past the shimmering Eiffel Tower.
The following day we headed out to explore a creperie with famous crepes and a delightful gluten-free page of options. Afterward, we spent our afternoon winding through the hundreds of alleyways of Les Puces de Saint-Ouen. This flea market is filled with everything you can imagine, from antique, expensive French furniture to toys to artwork. The largest flea market in the world, it is also one of the oldest. The treasures you can find there will take your breath away, but do plan time to grab an espresso occasionally to keep your mind sharp.
On our way home, we stopped by Sacr茅-C艙ur Basilica, a relatively young church for Paris, but breathtaking inside with sweeping views of the city outside. Our evening ended at another great find 鈥� a dedicated gluten-free Italian restaurant close to the Arc de Triumph.
We took a course at Galeries Lafayette on how to make the iconic macaron cookie and promised we would get together soon after the trip to delight our families with our culinary wisdom. (We鈥檝e since discovered that we have no time for this venture; buying them in town at Essencia is so much more fun.) We also enjoyed the gorgeous interior of Galeries Lafayette with its famous domed ceiling and rooftop views of the city. French department stores are architectural marvels, in addition to the fun shopping inside.
One last treat was taking my friends to one of my favorite places in all the world, Sainte-Chappelle. Located on the same island as Notre Dame, this small royal chapel in the Gothic style dates back to the 13th century. Breathtaking is an understatement for this exceptional place.
Our time in Paris was exquisite. I love Paris and I took great joy in sharing it with a group of friends who walked around in amazement and wonder that mirrored my own.