Paris in 5 Days- Top 10 places to visit and Desserts to try!!
Oh Paris, the city of Love!!! …… I can easily see why many fall in love with this enticing city! Of course, there is the historical architecture and incredible art which will blow your mind away, but the food!! Oh my!!……… the foooooood (drool!)…. for a foodie like me, it was the food that i first fell in love with!! One cannot not fall in love with the food culture here! From patisseries and boulangeries for a perfect cozy dine-in, to simple grab and go picnics by the scenic Seine River, the food diversity is as vast as the number of people who live and visit this amazing city. Then come the sights… from the iconic Eiffel Tower to the Palaces and Gardens that you will come across, you get to step back in time and experience culture from a very different perspective.
WHERE WE STAYED IN PARIS
We visited Paris three consecutive weekends and stayed at 3 different Novotel Hotel locations for a total of 5 days (we picked hotels closest to the places we wanted to visit each time) , comfortable stay for families with kids…. and seemed very tourist friendly with English speaking staff. The most convenient in Paris seemed like the ones closest to the two main stations – Novotel Gare De Lyon (right across the Gare De Lyon train station) and Novotel Paris Centre Gare Montparnasse(A 3 minutes walk from the Montparnasse station). Both these hotels are located in a central city location with easy access to malls and restaurants too. I must mention about the kids gaming center in Novotel- a nice way to keep the children busy and entertained while you check in and need a breather!
TRANSPORT IN PARIS
1. Bus– As you land in Paris, from the airport terminus are are luxury buses (private company owned) that transport you directly from the airport to different places in Paris. We used this system inbound, and it was very convenient as the stop was right across our hotel in Paris.
2. Taxi– Taxi fares are pretty standard and high when compared to other modes of transport in Paris. We used the taxi service only when we needed to travel with our luggage from hotel to stations and for our return trip to the airport etc.
3. Metropolitan Train- This is a frequent underground train service that runs around central Paris.Anyone been to or lived in Europe would know that the metro is the best way to get around in busy Paris. I had an opportunity to live in England for 3 years before so I felt comfortable using the Metro. If you plan on travelling and sightseeing a lot it is advisable to get a France Rail Pass that covers all your inland travel unlimited with flexible days to choose from. The maps are available at the train stations for free, here are the downloadable versions if you want to plan in advance.
- Paris metro Map- Downloadable and printable PDF .
- Mobile Apps- Download “Next stop Paris” on itunes, or Googleplay.
4. Regional Express Network– This is another train network used to commute in and out of the city. We used it to travel from Paris to Rennes, Palace of Versailles etc. If you dont have too much luggage to carry, you can use this system to get to the airport too.
- RER Map- Downloadable and printable PDF
- A useful app for booking train tickets online- Download Trainline Europe ( Captain Train)
5. Hop on and off Buses and boats– There is also the hop on and off bus and boat system in Paris. The Bus runs around the standard loop and the boat along Seine River giving another convenient commute opportunity to get to these touristic sites. “Batobus” seemed like one of the most popular river cruises here. Check out their website HERE
6. Tuk Rides– Paris is abundant in tuks ! It is a fun way of getting around and enjoying new sights.
How did you get around Paris in your last visit? Which mode of transport was most convenient for families? Pour in your thoughts in the comments below 🙂
The next few pages cover my favorite visited sights and desserts from Paris, I know there are a gazillion more places to visit , every nook and corner seemed so scenic, but this was what we could cover with two active unpredictable toddlers! I hope the future brings me more travel opportunities to enjoy more of this beautiful City!
Arthi K
September 22, 2016
Amazing Thula!! Been wanting to go to Paris for a while… this is great! will definitely come to good use when the time comes, hopefully soon!;)
Thulashitha RD
September 22, 2016
That’s exciting … and im glad you found the article useful. thanks for your feedback Arthi ! 🙂
Pawan Bahuguna
October 27, 2016
Thanks for sharing Paris experience. Would love to go Paris soon.