A Parisian Affair

Another spontaneous trip with my roommate led us to the city in which love was celebrated. Paris; the city of lights, dreams, and romance. Even though romance is considered to be between two people, I would say the true romance of this trip was between me and the bakery. 

When booking my flight to Paris I accidentally choose the wrong location: Paris Beauvais, which resulted in a two-hour bus ride to Paris itself and a wonderful taste into the countryside of France. Having a friend who had a place to accommodate us in the city was also really convenient because it gave us the opportunity to better plan our trips around the city as well as give us a local point to reside in, giving us a true Parisian experience. Coming to Paris was another point of unfamiliarity to me, having heard so much about how Parisians are uncomfortable with foreigners and all of the pick-pocketing stories I was slightly scared; however, my French friend helped us feel comfortable by introducing us to his friends as well. This resulted in a really fun experience for my roommate and I, due to the fact that they were excited to show us around Paris as well, taking us to see Montmartre, the Eiffel Tower, and having a traditional French lunch which lasted around four hours and included the eating of snails. 

We started our day walking around Paris, checking out the Louvre, the many fountains in the Parisian gardens, the Seine and the Notre Dame Cathedral. We then ended up at this traditional French restaurant where we met more people who added to this experience. We started off our meal with good conversation and wine as well as escargot, which are snails! How terrifying I thought, why would the French eat something like this, but to my surprise it was quite enjoyable! After we ate, we walked around the green spaces laughing at some different cultural differences and things that we observed. Such as miniature pony rides and a traditional French game called Pétanque which seemed to be the favored sport amongst the older crowds. From the gardens we got on public transport and ended up going to Montmartre which was as romantic as I had heard it to be, filled with wine bars, vin chaud stands at every corner, the Christmas energy was in full swing. We ended up listening to some live music on the steps of the Sacre Coeur watching the sunset on the chapel and the city which was really one of my favorite moments in Paris and will be engrained in my memory for years to come.

Walking down the steps, looking in the distance, the Eiffel tower started to sparkle drawing us towards its beauty. Each of its intricate details, from the delicate latticework to the graceful curves, was illuminated by a cascade of lights. We were captivated by its beauty, our eyes tracing its glittering outline again. We then ended our night at the Eiffel tower, just staring in awe at this marvel of France’s most iconic and well-known landmark. 

Our final day in Paris was a bittersweet symphony of café culture and Parisian charm. As we settled into a quaint bistro, the rich aroma of warm pastries filled the air. The soft murmur of conversation which I didn’t understand, and the hum of traffic created a soothing ambiance. Day two is where I really felt the romance. Sitting in a café before heading back to Paris Beauvais, I enjoyed a cappuccino and a crepe. As I sipped my coffee and savored my crepe, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of peace and contentment, I was mesmerized by the fast-paced energy of the city in comparison to Dublin and home. My roommate and I bid my friend goodbye and headed back to the more urbanized area of France where we enjoyed our night exploring the little shops and stores and having a glass of wine while relaxing before our flight back to Dublin. As our flight approached, we couldn’t help but feel a bit sad, however, our return to Dublin proved to be something more exciting to us. It’s funny how much you really miss something when you leave it, and it goes to show where your heart really resides.