Paris – La Touriste

For my last full day in Paris, I wandered from one side of the city to the other. It was a beautiful, blue-skied, sunny autumn day. I found some Fall colors and caught some extra feels for this city that I adore. It was a day of being the ultimate la touriste, and I can’t believe it’s already almost time to head home again.

La Seine & La Tour Eiffel

I didn’t start out with a plan this morning because I wanted to leave the day open to possibility. I visited my elephant friend at the Musee d’Orsay, strolled along the Seine, saw the Eiffel Tour from a new angle, admired the Palais de Tokyo, visited the memorial for Princess Diana at the Flame of Liberty, and enjoyed the Fall colors in the parks.

Hidden Passages

On my first trip to Paris, I was obsessed with seeing the hidden passages. But, on the day that I set aside for it, I fell in love with the Palais Garnier, stayed way longer than expected, and ran out of time. This time, I routed to one of the hidden passages and then ended up stumbling open on a second one while wandering the nearby streets. I ended up visiting the Galerie Vivienne (in the middle of restoration) and the Galerie Vero Dodat. Next visit, I’d really love to do a tour of all of them. They are so incredibly beautiful and architecturally interesting.

Bouquinistes, Jamobon Crepes, Notre Dame, and the Best Ice Cream in the World

Next, I stopped at a couple of the bouquinistes to buy mini Eiffel Tours, magnets, and postcards to bring home to friends; I had room this time thanks to the second suitcase. The afternoon was so exquisite, I bought a crepe jambon and ate lunch in the park behind Notre Dame. Everyone I know who’s been to Paris swore to me that Berthillon has the best ice cream in the world, so I took the opportunity to try a few flavors (deliciousness!) and enjoy the beauty of Île Saint-Louis.

Jardin des Plants

Even though I had already walked more miles than I needed to on my injured ankle, I really wanted to see the Jardin des Plants. It was beautiful and so relaxing. I found a bench on a walkway outside of the zoo, and soaked up the sun and listened to all the sounds from the zoo.

Jardin du Luxembourg

One of my favorite places in Paris is the Jardin du Luxembourg, so I was excited to get to go back on such a perfect afternoon. I ordered an espresso from a nice older couple at one of the booths, watched ducks swim around in the Medici Fountain, and then found a quiet corner of the park to breathe in all of the Parisness.