Just Back: Three Days in Paris
Seriously perfect weather in Paris this past week. Bright blue skies.
I was just in Paris for a few nights and it was so good to back. Before you ask about the weather, let me tell you: It was PERFECT. High 70s with a breeze. Couldn’t have been better for a July visit.
To get to Paris, I flew TAP Portugal from Miami to Lisbon and then onwards Lisbon to Paris. The flight was a ridiculously good price and I wanted the United miles. My flight left Miami at 12:30 am so the airport was refreshingly calm. I was checked in and bag-dropped within 2 minutes.
TSA Precheck Touchless ID still not up and running for the J gates in Miami. I had to wait forever in the TSA Pre-check Line. (There were lots of families with small children and LOTS of stuff to scan.)
While the airport itself was quiet, the TAP lounge in Miami was like Lord of The Flies. The food had all been picked over, and there were dirty plates and cups everywhere. I longed for the dish-collecting robots I’ve seen in other lounges. Also, there were many, many screaming children.
Leaving at 12:30 am was so strange, but luckily I was super tired. I took two Tylenol PM and woke up about 1.5 hours before landing.
In Lisbon, the new Electronic Entry Authorization System kiosks didn’t work for me. I got a message telling me to do a manual check. So I lined up at immigration, which I think I would have had to do anyhow? It was all quite confusing.
I am sharing this all so you know that travel is never what people tell us it will be. Travel is a slog. It requires perseverance and flexibility.
I got through immigration in about 5 minutes, or 1 hr and 55 minutes faster than when I did this last March when I flew through Lisbon on my way to Seville. Lisbon airport was packed. I checked out the TAP Portugal lounge which was full, again, with screaming children. Summer holidays, I suppose. Also, many people on Facetime without headphones. What is wrong with people??
Then it was time for my TAP Portugal flight to Paris Orly, where I had an entire row to myself and some tasty nut mix. No leg room though — almost cruel and inhuman. (And I am not tall.)
We landed in Paris Orly around 8:30 pm although by this point, I really had no idea what day or time it was. I was at baggage claim by 8:40 pm had my bag in hand by 8:45 pm. (Sadly, the fabric had been ripped somewhere along the journey and now I need to file a claim with TAP.) Paris Orly may be my new favorite airport. In car to hotel by 8:50 pm. At hotel by 9:30 pm! (One downside — no regular bank machines! Only Euronet which charged me $200 for 150 euros. Should have been more like $175 USD.)
My room at the Hotel Indigo Paris also had a small sitting area.
In Paris, I stayed at the Hotel indigo by the Opera. This was a points booking — I am a big believer of burning all your points while you can. So this worked out great—I burned nearly all of my IHG points and then burned the rest in Amsterdam. (More to come on that part of the trip.) The indigo is a solid 4 star hotel.
When I worked in financial services, my old office used to be close to Opera so I know the area decently well. It’s not an area I would really suggest for first-timers unless you are keen on taking the metro a lot. For first-timers, I think you’re better off staying within walking distance of the Seine. BUT the answer is really always “It depends.” The Sofitel Paris Le Scribe is in this part of town and it is a really wonderful hotel.
Next week, the smallest room for two people with breakfast at the Hotel Indigo averages out to 455 euros a night, which is $506 USD.
When I arrived, I smiled and was pleasant to the front desk at my hotel. Apparently no one had been pleasant to them all day because I scored a big upgrade. (I swear, being kind and nice to hotel and airline staff always seems to take me far.) My new room was on a high floor and was a big corner room with huge windows. NICE. Later, I saw the original room category I had booked and it was TINY. I was so grateful for the upgrade.
A few things about this hotel — the duvet and pillows were very cozy. The gym is very small. And the croissants are EXCELLENT.
My perfect Lemon Meringue Tart
When in Paris, we take ourselves out to dinner at 11 pm. The hotel front desk recommended Capucine, a delicious and charming French restaurant. I LOVED it. Flavorful onglet and potatoes, a glass of Bordeaux, a lemon meringue tart, and very friendly service. Welcome to Paris!
On Tuesday, I was supposed to do a food tour in the Marais. However, given that I have just recovered from the Cyclospora (!!!), this just didn’t seem wise. I hit the gym at my hotel, lost myself in some emails, and took myself out to lunch. The internet steered me towards Les Nouilles Desantes, a Chinese restaurant. Sometimes I joke that I travel to Europe just to eat Chinese food. Chinese food in Europe’s major cities is just so much better than American Chinese food, which is stuck in the 1970s in most places. I enjoyed a plate of hand-pulled noodles with crispy chicken, plus a Coke Zero. 17.90 euros. With entertainment! I got to watch the chef hand pull noodles throughout my lunch.
After lunch, I wandered around aimlessly, just soaking in the Paris vibes and aiming for 20,000 steps. I’m always impressed by how many small businesses there are in Paris. One cute shop after another. But I’m also reminded of how narrow the sidewalks are — and how uneven.
In the evening, I followed the Parisian past time of taking a seat at a cafe and watching the world go by. So entertaining.
If I lived in Giverny, I’d be an artist too.
On Wednesday, I woke up early to head out to Monet’s home in Giverny. Honestly, it was so beautiful and green. If you like gardens and art, you REALLY need to go here. It was really incredible. Giverny is about 1 hr 10 minutes outside of Paris. We left at 8 am and were back in Paris by 12:30 pm. I love a perfect little half-day tour. I had a quick Club Poulet back at my hotel (a club sandwich, one of my favorite things about American chain hotels abroad) and did a couple of calls before heading out to my next tour.
That evening, I booked a Champagne cruise on the Seine with O Chateau and it was also perfect, although I wish it had been about 15 to 30 minutes longer. The weather again was fantastic so it was great to be on the water. And Pierre our sommelier was lovely. If you want a perfect little Seine “apertif” before dinner, this is a great option. However, it’s more about the Champagne than the sightseeing.
Fujiko Nakaya’s fog sculpture at Bourse du Commerce
On Thursday, I had booked tickets to the exhibit at Bourse du Commerce, featuring Fujiko Nakaya’s fog sculpture. This was super enjoyable! Definitely book in advance because I saw many people get turned away. It really only took about 30 minutes to do. The rest of the museum features contemporary art that may or not be of interest. If anything, I wish I had sat through the fog for two rotations as for my session, they weren’t letting people walk through the middle of the fog. For the session after mine, they were allowing this.
Afterwards, I went to the Fragonard perfume museum which I’ve always wanted to visit. Snoozefest without a guide though. The gift shop was fun though! So just do that. OR…I would do a perfume workshop for sure.
After another Chinese lunch — this time at the delectable La Legende du Canard — I headed over to Galleries Lafayette. The department store was PACKED and everyone was buying a Dior bag. I quickly decamped to Galleries Lafayette Le Gourmet across the street. It was incredible! My suggestion is to either organize a bit of a progressive lunch or dinner here when you are in town OR gather supplies for a picnic that you take over to The Eiffel Tower before the show starts.
The next day, I bid adieu to Paris and headed to Amsterdam and the next phase of my trip. More about that in a later post. In the meantime, here are some tips in heads-up for your next Parisian getaway.
People still smoke in Paris.
People still don’t pick up after their dogs.
Sidewalks are uneven. Watch where you are walking.
People still have body odor although it doesn’t seem as bad as it used to be.
People are dressing far much more casually than they used to but they still somehow look more put together than Americans.
Paris is nearly an entirely cashless society at this point. Be ready for this.
ApplePay is widely accepted. Most of the time, I paid with ApplePay. Make sure you use a credit card with no foreign transaction fees.
I started jokingly calling Paris “The Land of Broken Escalators.” At most metro stops, I found that one or more escalators were always broken.
I bought Metro tickets directly via AppleWallet. For the most part, I bought singles. I did have some trouble with my iPhone not recognizing the next ticket after the first ticket was used. Do the math on whether you need a day pass or not. (Note the IDF app will not accept US phone numbers. You will have better luck with buying tix direct via Apple Wallet or using Bonjour RATP.)
English is much more widely spoken than it used to be.
Uber totally works. I took an Uber to my meeting point for the Giverny tour and it was great. My driver even know about the new name for West Palm Beach airport!
In restaurants, ask for une carafe d'eau — tap water is free and normal.
Many hotels are replacing plastic water bottles with boxed or canned water. My hotel used canned water and it was annoying because I couldn’t bring any water with me when I was out and about. (It would be like carrying an open soda can around with you.) So we are now somewhat in the era of bringing water bottles with us when we travel, which I find annoying because you have to carry them everywhere.
Walking along the Seine as the sun is rising or setting is one of life’s great pleasures.
About Krista
I’m a Virtuoso travel advisor based in Palm Beach, Florida. I attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad and I have my MBA from the University of Chicago. Before building my travel business, I spent 20 years in the investment management industry and over a decade living and working in London, England. I’ve personally traveled to 80 countries and now design thoughtful, highly customized trips for travelers who value expertise, access, and a seamless experience.
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