Curiosity Has No Borders

[ France]

Come for the Landmarks, Stay for the Joie de Vivre

📅 Date Visited: September 22-28, 2013

🕐 Length of Stay: 7 days

📍 Locations: Paris

Our Journey

The City Where Our Next Chapter Began

What started as a trip to see the Eiffel Tower and experience Parisian life turned into one of the most unforgettable chapters of our lives.

From the moment we arrived, Paris revealed itself one beautiful detail at a time. Elegant buildings lined the streets, cafés spilled onto the sidewalks, and famous landmarks appeared in the distance when we least expected them. Seeing the Eiffel Tower in person was especially memorable. No matter how many times we had seen it in photographs, standing beneath it made the moment feel completely different—and much more real.

The trip also gave us an opportunity to explore Sarah’s French heritage. As we wandered through the city, we occasionally came across familiar family names displayed on buildings, carved into gravestones, and even connected to a statue. Each discovery made the experience feel more personal, as though pieces of Sarah’s family history were quietly appearing throughout Paris.

At the same time, we did not always find Parisian culture particularly warm or inviting. In our experience, interactions could feel somewhat distant, especially when French was not being spoken. Thankfully, Sarah knew the language and was able to translate much of what was being said. I hate to admit it, but there were moments when I found some Parisians to be a little on the snobby side.

Paris also taught us an important lesson that we carried into future trips: sometimes it helps to make at least a small effort to fit in with the local culture. I learned this after deciding that my bright blue-and-pink sneakers were the perfect choice for exploring one of the world’s most fashionable cities. Based on the number of glances my footwear received, Paris clearly disagreed. I quickly realized that I was not exactly blending in—and that subtlety might have been the better fashion choice.

Of course, these were simply our personal experiences, but they reminded us of how language, culture, and even something as simple as a pair of brightly colored sneakers can shape the way a destination feels.

Paris gave us no shortage of memorable places to explore. We visited Père Lachaise Cemetery, where we saw Jim Morrison’s grave, and experienced the energy surrounding the Moulin Rouge. We stood before Notre-Dame, climbed toward Sacré-Cœur, walked along the Champs-Élysées, and admired the Arc de Triomphe.

A trip outside the city brought us to the Palace of Versailles, where the scale, history, and elaborate rooms were unlike anything we had seen before. At the Louvre, we encountered countless works of art, including the famous Mona Lisa. At first, we could not even see it because of the enormous crowd gathered in front of the painting. After slowly making our way through the sea of people and finally reaching the front, my honest reaction was, “That’s it?” It was much smaller than I expected and, in my opinion, a little underwhelming compared with all the attention surrounding it.

Of course, no visit to Paris would have been complete without the Eiffel Tower. Yet my personal favorite attraction was the Paris Catacombs. Walking beneath the city through tunnels lined with centuries of history was fascinating, eerie, and completely unlike anything else we experienced.

But Paris became much more than a collection of landmarks. It was also where our lives changed forever. On the Love Lock Bridge overlooking the Seine, we got “engaged.” What began as a sweet gesture from Sarah unexpectedly became the beginning of the rest of our lives together.

Naturally, being who we are, it was not exactly a traditional proposal. There was romance, confusion, and definitely a story worth telling. For the complete—and very honest—version, head over to our Funny Stories section.

We left Paris with photographs of famous sights and memories of art, history, underground tunnels, family connections, and cultural surprises. More importantly, we left with a shared future. Paris did not simply become another place we visited; it became part of our story and the place where the next chapter of our lives together began.

Destinations Explored

Where the map took us

Stop 01

Paris

Paris is a city of grand landmarks, beautiful architecture, sidewalk cafés, and centuries of history woven into everyday life. From the Eiffel Tower and the Seine to quiet neighborhoods and hidden corners, the city feels both elegant and full of character.

Hidden Gems

The places nobody told us about

Some of our favorite moments in Paris were not found at the top of a must-see list. They happened in the spaces between the famous landmarks—along quiet side streets, inside small neighborhood cafés, beside peaceful stretches of the Seine, and in corners of the city that felt far removed from the crowds.

Paris was at its most memorable when we allowed ourselves to wander without a strict plan. We discovered beautiful buildings hidden behind ordinary-looking streets, peaceful gardens, and charming neighborhoods where everyday life continued at a slower pace. We passed fromageries filled with carefully arranged cheeses, boucheries displaying fresh cuts of meat, and pâtisseries lined with pastries that looked almost too beautiful to eat.

One of our favorite discoveries was chocolat chaud. Rich, thick, and completely different from the hot chocolate we were used to at home, it was quite literally melted chocolate served in a cup. Sitting in a Parisian café and slowly enjoying it felt wonderfully indulgent—and it quickly became one of those unexpected little moments we still remember.

We also found ourselves near the Sorbonne, one of Paris’s most historic universities. Walking through the surrounding Latin Quarter gave us another glimpse into the city’s character, with students, bookshops, cafés, and centuries-old buildings all sharing the same streets.

These places and moments may not have been as recognizable as the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre, but they gave us a more personal view of Paris. They reminded us that the real character of the city is often found beyond the postcards—in the neighborhood shops, familiar routines, unexpected flavors, and ordinary moments that make you feel connected to a place.

Sometimes, the best discoveries were not places at all. They were moments: sitting outside with a drink, watching people pass by, hearing music drift through the streets, or turning a corner and suddenly seeing the city from an entirely new perspective. Those were the parts of Paris no one had told us about—and some of the moments we remember most.

Funny Moments

The Most Awkwardly Romantic Moment in Paris

What started as a sweet, romantic gesture somehow turned into one of the most memorable—and painfully awkward—moments of our lives.

Before our trip to Paris, we decided we wanted to place a lock on one of the city’s famous love lock bridges. I found an old, unique lock and carved our initials into it, which felt very romantic and symbolic at the time.

When we arrived at the bridge, we attached our lock among the thousands of colorful locks left behind by other couples. Then, in true romantic fashion, we tossed the key into the Seine, officially locking in our love forever.

Or at least that was what I thought the big romantic moment was.

Apparently, Sarah had other plans.

As I stood gazing over the bridge, admiring the beautiful city and feeling extremely pleased with our symbolic declaration of love, Sarah began rummaging through her bag behind me. I heard something drop, turned around, and saw her standing there silently with a shiny object in her hand.

Naturally, I asked the most romantic question possible:

“What’s that?”

Sarah replied, “Well, I knew you wanted a diamond.”

I stared at her.

She stared at me.

The diamond stared at both of us.

After several seconds of complete silence, during which I attempted to determine whether I was being proposed to, given a gift, or unexpectedly recruited into a jewelry commercial, I finally asked:

“Well…what does this mean?”

In true Sarah fashion, she responded, “Well, what do you want it to mean?”

This was clearly my opportunity to say something heartfelt and life-changing.

Instead, I said, “I don’t know.”

So there we were, standing on a love lock bridge in Paris—the romance capital of the world—holding a diamond ring and apparently negotiating the terms and conditions of our own engagement.

Sarah eventually asked if I liked the ring.

Still completely shocked and unsure whether I had just become engaged, I responded with the enthusiasm of someone reviewing an average sandwich:

“It’s okay.”

Yes. Sarah surprised me with a diamond ring in Paris, and my official review was, “It’s okay.”

Rather than throwing me into the Seine, she calmly replied, “Well, if you don’t like it, we can take it back and get you a different one.”

Because nothing says romance like discussing the return policy during a proposal.

Despite my less-than-fairytale reaction, I put the ring on my finger that day and wore it for the entire trip. It was slightly too large, so I had to hold it in place with another finger while walking around Paris, terrified that my new possibly-engagement ring would fly off my hand and join the key at the bottom of the Seine.

I have never taken it off since.

Looking back, I cannot believe that was my reaction to one of the sweetest and most romantic gestures imaginable. A normal woman probably would have cried, screamed, hugged her partner, or at least said something more enthusiastic than, “It’s okay.”

But then again, we have never been normal women.

Our love was officially locked in forever that day.

Our engagement status, however, required additional clarification.

Apparently, Every Stop Was Our Stop

The first time we rode the Métro in Paris, I was doing my best to follow the signs and make sure we did not get lost.

Now, keep in mind that Sarah is pretty fluent in French. I, on the other hand, was confidently working with approximately three French words—and apparently misunderstanding at least one of them.

As the train passed through several stations, I kept noticing the word “Sortie.” Then it suddenly hit me: I remembered seeing “Sortie” at the station where we had originally gotten on.

Panicked that we were about to miss our stop, I turned to Sarah and urgently announced:

“Sortie! That’s our stop!”

She looked at me for a moment—and then immediately started laughing.

Meanwhile, I was becoming increasingly concerned that our train was about to leave the station without us.

“Sarah! We’re going to miss it!”

Still laughing so hard that she could barely speak, she finally managed to ask, “Did you not notice that every stop says ‘Sortie’?”

Honestly, no. I had not.

In my mind, we had somehow boarded the Métro at a station called Sortie, traveled through Paris, and were now miraculously arriving back at that same station.

As it turned out, sortie was not the name of our stop.

It simply meant “exit.”

Suddenly, everything made sense. The reason “Sortie” appeared at every station was not because Paris had created the world’s most confusing public transportation system. It was because, shockingly, every station had an exit.

For the rest of the trip, I saw the word everywhere—on Métro signs, inside buildings, near doorways, and just about anywhere else an exit might reasonably be located.

And every single time we saw one, Sarah and I started laughing.

By the end of the trip, I may not have been fluent in French, but I had officially learned one very important word.

Unfortunately, it was still not the name of our stop.

Local Food

Paris, Une Bouchée à la Fois

Food in Paris was more than something we enjoyed between sightseeing stops—it became part of the experience itself. Nearly every street seemed to offer another café, bakery, market, or specialty shop inviting us inside.

Fresh croissants, warm baguettes, and pastries displayed like artwork in the windows of neighborhood pâtisseries. Fromageries were filled with more varieties of cheese than we could possibly name, while boucheries displayed fresh meats. The smell of freshly baked bread drifted from boulangeries. It was nearly impossible to walk past without stopping for something sweet, whether it was a flaky pain au chocolat, a colorful macaron, or a beautifully decorated tart.

One of our favorite discoveries was the Parisian chocolat chaud. This was not the powdered hot chocolate we were used to at home. It tasted as though rich chocolate had been melted directly into the cup—thick, smooth, and more like a decadent dessert than an ordinary drink—because that was exactly what it was. We could even choose the type of chocolate we wanted, with options ranging from dark and milk chocolate to peppermint and even pepper-infused varieties, along with many others. It quickly became one of our favorite Parisian treats, especially when enjoyed outside at a café while watching the city pass by.

Of course, we could not visit Paris without trying crêpes. Whether filled with chocolate, fruit, or something savory, they made the perfect snack while wandering through the city. We also enjoyed simple meals of fresh bread, cheese, and wine—proof that food does not have to be complicated to be memorable.

Paris reminded us that eating well is not reserved for special occasions. It is part of everyday life.

Travel Guide

Everything you need before you go

🌤️ Best Time to Visit

The best times to visit Paris are generally April through June and September through October. Spring brings blooming gardens, longer days, and the return of outdoor café life, while early autumn offers comfortable temperatures and beautiful colors throughout the city. These months usually provide a pleasant balance between good weather and manageable crowds.

Summer, especially July and August, brings long daylight hours, festivals, and a lively atmosphere. However, it is also one of the busiest and most expensive times to visit. Paris can experience periods of intense heat, and many older hotels and apartments do not have air conditioning.

Winter is colder, darker, and often rainy, but it can also be quieter and more affordable outside the Christmas and New Year period. The city feels especially atmospheric when its cafés, department stores, and streets are decorated for the holidays. December crowds increase considerably during the final weeks of the year, so advance reservations are important.

🌤️Where to Stay

Paris is divided into 20 numbered districts called arrondissements, which spiral outward from the center. The best neighborhood depends on the type of experience you want.

Le Marais

The Marais is central, historic, lively, and filled with cafés, boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and beautiful architecture. It is a convenient choice for first-time visitors who want to walk to many attractions.

Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Located on the Left Bank, these neighborhoods offer classic Parisian cafés, bookstores, universities, historic streets, and easy access to the Seine, Notre-Dame, and the Luxembourg Gardens. The Latin Quarter tends to feel livelier, while Saint-Germain is generally more polished and expensive.

The 7th Arrondissement

The 7th is an elegant and relatively peaceful area near the Eiffel Tower, Musée d’Orsay, and Les Invalides. It is a beautiful choice for travelers looking for iconic Paris views, although some streets become quiet at night and accommodation can be expensive.

Montmartre

Montmartre offers cobblestone streets, artistic history, sweeping views, and a neighborhood atmosphere centered around Sacré-Cœur. It is farther from some central attractions and includes steep hills, but it can feel wonderfully different from the center of Paris.

Opéra and the 9th Arrondissement

This area is convenient for shopping, theaters, restaurants, department stores, and transportation connections. It provides easy access to many parts of the city and works well for travelers who want a central base.

République, Bastille and the 11th Arrondissement

These areas offer restaurants, nightlife, markets, and a more local residential feeling. Hotels may offer better value than those immediately surrounding Paris’s most famous landmarks.

Paris has everything from grand luxury hotels to smaller boutique properties and apartment-style accommodations. The official tourism office highlights neighborhoods including the Marais, Bastille, République, Pigalle, Ménilmontant, and the 20th arrondissement as areas where travelers can find stylish smaller hotels beyond the traditional luxury districts.

Wherever you stay, choose a property within a short walk of a Métro station. Being close to reliable transportation is often more valuable than being directly beside one particular attraction.

🚌 Getting Around

Paris has an extensive public transportation system that includes the Métro, RER regional trains, buses, and trams. The Métro is usually the fastest way to travel between neighborhoods, while buses provide a more scenic view of the city.

Walking is also one of the best ways to experience Paris. Many of the most memorable streets, cafés, shops, gardens, and architectural details are discovered while traveling between the major attractions rather than rushing directly from one landmark to another.

📶 Staying Connected

Before traveling, check whether your mobile carrier includes international data in France. Some plans offer daily roaming packages, while others charge high rates for calls and data.

An eSIM is often one of the easiest options for an unlocked, compatible phone. It can be installed before departure and activated upon arrival. Prepaid physical SIM cards are also available from French mobile providers and airport retailers.

Free Wi-Fi is available at many hotels, cafés, museums, libraries, gardens, parks, airports, and train stations. Public Wi-Fi can be useful, but it should not be your only connection when you need directions, transportation updates, digital tickets, or emergency communication.

Before leaving your hotel each day:

Download an offline map of Paris.
Save your hotel address and nearest Métro station.
Screenshot important tickets and reservations.
Keep a portable battery charger with you.

France uses Type C and Type E electrical outlets and a 230-volt power supply. Most modern phones, cameras, tablets, and laptops accept dual voltage, but U.S. travelers will need a plug adapter. Check the voltage information printed on each device before connecting it.

🩺 Health & Safety Basics

No vaccinations are currently required for travelers arriving in France from the United States, although routine vaccinations should be current. Travel insurance that includes overseas medical treatment and trip disruption is recommended.

Pharmacies are easy to recognize by their illuminated green crosses. Most are open during regular daytime and evening hours, with designated pharmacies available at night, on Sundays, and during public holidays.

Pickpocketing is one of the most common concerns for visitors, particularly around major attractions, busy Métro stations, crowded trains, outdoor cafés, and airport transportation. Keep bags zipped and positioned in front of you, avoid placing a phone in an open pocket, and never hang a purse over the back of a café chair.

💵 Money & Payments

France uses the euro (€).

Credit cards and mobile payments are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, cafés, museums, and shops. Visa and Mastercard tend to be the most universally accepted, although it is still helpful to carry a small amount of cash for markets, small bakeries, public restrooms, tips, or businesses with minimum card-purchase requirements.

ATMs are widely available and generally provide more favorable exchange rates than airport currency counters or exchange offices near major tourist attractions. Check whether your bank charges foreign transaction or international withdrawal fees before leaving home. Exchange-office commissions vary and should be displayed before the transaction.

Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Paris tourism officials recommend favoring card or mobile payments and keeping any cash securely stored rather than in an easily accessible pocket.

Tipping is more modest than in the United States because service is normally included in restaurant and café prices. Leaving a few euros or rounding up the bill for good service is appreciated but not required.

💵 How to Get There

Most international travelers arrive through one of Paris’s two primary airports.

Charles de Gaulle Airport

Paris–Charles de Gaulle Airport, or CDG, is the city’s main international airport and the most common arrival point for flights from the United States.

The RER B regional train connects CDG with stations including Gare du Nord, Châtelet–Les Halles, and Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame. The airport ticket costs €14. Allow additional time during scheduled construction, strikes, or service disruptions.

Official taxis and private transfers are also available. Always use the designated taxi rank and ignore anyone approaching inside the terminal offering an unofficial ride.

Orly Airport

Paris–Orly Airport, or ORY, is closer to the city and serves many domestic, European, and selected international routes.

Métro Line 14 connects Orly directly with central Paris, including Gare de Lyon and Châtelet. The journey takes approximately 20 minutes and requires the €14 Paris Région Airports ticket.

🛂 Visa & Entry Requirements

For U.S. passport holders, a visa is not required for tourism or business visits lasting up to 90 days within any 180-day period in France and the wider Schengen Area. Visits to other Schengen countries count toward the same 90-day limit.

Your passport must:

Remain valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from the Schengen Area.
Have at least one blank page.
Be a standard full-validity passport rather than the limited 12-page U.S. emergency passport, which France does not accept for normal entry.
As of April 10, 2026, the European Entry/Exit System, or EES, is fully operational. It electronically records the entry and exit of many non-EU travelers and may collect a facial image and fingerprints at the border instead of relying on traditional passport stamps. First-time registration may add a little time to the arrival process.

Packing List

Everything we packed — and what we’d leave out next time

✅ Essentials

Passport and copies of important travel documents
Travel insurance information
European power adapter
Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes
Lightweight clothing that can be layered
Secure crossbody bag with zippered compartments
Portable phone charger
Reusable water bottle
Sunglasses and sunscreen
Small umbrella or packable rain jacket
Basic medications and blister supplies
A small amount of euros for cafés, tips, and smaller purchases
Camera with an extra memory card or battery

🎒 Nice to Have

A second pair of comfortable shoes
Lightweight sweater or jacket for cooler evenings
Foldable tote bag for shopping or carrying extra layers
Compact day bag for sightseeing
Travel-size hand sanitizer and tissues
Journal and pen
Packing cubes to keep everything organized

Photo Gallery

Moments captured along the way

These images are a mix of carefully planned shots and the happy accidents that always turn out to be our favourites — the unguarded moments, the strange light at the wrong hour, the frame we almost didn’t take.