Megan In Paris
Written on Nov. 15, 2022
Sunday - Arrival
My aunt is a graphic designer who has lived in Paris for the past 30 years. I’ve only met her once briefly when she was passing through Arizona years ago. She married my uncle who passed away before I was born, but kept in touch with my dad (her brother-in-law). When she heard I would be in Europe for my study abroad, she eagerly invited me to visit and stay in her spare room. This week, I sat on a Flixbus for 8 hours and arrived at Bercy Park in Paris around mid-afternoon. I followed her instructions and took the 6-line metro to my aunt’s apartment with my large suitcase. Finding my way out of the underground bus station was trickier than expected.
Once I arrived, we chatted for a bit and FaceTimed my parents to show that I had made it safely. She made us some sandwiches since I didn’t have time to eat before my bus left at 7:30 am and was starving. We made a rough plan for what I should try to do during the week based on my list of things that I wanted to see in Paris. Then, we walked to an Italian restaurant in Old Paris and I had some of the most incredible pasta and tiramisu I’ve ever had.
Monday - Getting My Bearings
To start the morning, my aunt got some real french croissants and pains au chocolat from the patisserie across the street for me to try. My plan for the day was to start at the Eiffel Tower, walk to the Arc de Triomphe, and then walk down to the Tuileries Garden. However, when I got to the tower, I was stunned by how massive it was. As a student, I could climb to the second level for only €5, so I decided to do it while I had the chance. I spent a ton of time there appreciating the fact that this moment was real. I never pictured myself going to Paris until much later in my life, if at all, so it hadn’t truly hit me that I was in this famous city until I got to the Eiffel Tower.
I continued my self-guided tour up to the Trocadéro Gardens and towards the Arc De Triomphe. I had plans to meet my aunt at Pont Neuf — a bridge on the island which is home to Notre Dame — for a boat tour at 4 pm, which was quickly approaching. I was determined to make it to the top of the Arc De Triomphe because it is free for students in the EU. I hurried up the many spiral stairs and admired the incredible view for less than 10 minutes. I took lots of photos and hurried back down to catch the metro to meet my aunt.
I didn’t make it to our meeting spot at 4 pm like we planned nor did I walk down past the Tuileries, but I still made it before the boat left with five minutes to spare. My aunt has lived in Paris for 30 years and almost wrote a book about it, so she gave me all kinds of fun facts and insider knowledge about everything we passed on the Seine River. We passed the Musée du Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, Musée d'Orsay, Grand Palais, the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame, the Île Saint-Louis island, and more. I got to see where everything was in relation to each other and watched as the sunset made everything glow.
After the boat tour, we walked around Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis. We tried visiting Notre Dame but we couldn’t get too close since it is being rebuilt after the recent large fire in 2019. We went back to her apartment where she made us steak for dinner and we spent more time getting to know each other.
Tuesday - Feeling Classy
Many weeks ago, my aunt and I planned to go to a photography exhibition at the Henri-Cartier Bresson Foundation. Henri-Cartier Bresson is one of the most famous photographers of all time and is considered the godfather of photojournalism, so I was incredibly excited to see the collection of his work. At the exhibition, there were also photos by Martin Parr, another incredible photographer I admire. After our visit, my aunt had to return to her apartment to get some work done, so I ventured over to the place I wanted to see in person the most: The Opera Garnier.
I didn’t know much about the Opera Garnier, but everyone I had talked to about Paris leading up to my trip mentioned this location. As soon as I walked past the ticket booth and inside the opera, my jaw dropped. This was the most elaborate and spectacular place I have ever seen. Every corner was decorated with stunning detail. There were chandeliers, sculptures, and carved artwork on every wall and ceiling. I climbed up the first grand staircase from the Bassin de la Pythia to find even more beauty in the Grand Escalier. I never wanted to leave. I began exploring where each of the other staircases led. Some led to areas that displayed iconic ballet costumes, another led me to the gorgeous “French” style auditorium. At one point, I saw a huge, golden chandelier shimmering in a doorway that I passed. Something told me another incredible room was waiting around the corner, but nothing could have prepared me for the massive, golden Grand Foyer that I walked into. I almost cried at the sight of it because I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to be there. There was also a library and a museum full of artwork about ballet within the maze of extraordinary rooms. As I was taking some photos in the Grand Foyer, a shy guy about my age asked if I could take a photo of him. This was a super common experience while visiting touristy places, but after I took photos for him he took some of me in return in multiple rooms. Taking photos of myself wasn’t my primary goal, but this was actually extremely nice to do — especially with another random solo traveler.
After quickly browsing the gift shop, I had to leave this magical opera house when it closed at 6 pm. However, I found another gem nearby that I had heard about online: a Starbucks fit for Paris. From the outside, this all-black Starbucks looked tiny, but as I walked through the door I found myself in yet another lovely space filled with intricate detailing and shiny chandeliers. Although not as elaborate, I still couldn’t get over how elegant everything was. In order to sit and enjoy the space, I ordered a cookies-and-cream frappuccino from a Starbucks menu completely different from the US and joined the abundant number of college students there to study.
I hopped on a metro and met my aunt and a friend of hers at a restaurant near her apartment. Here, I tried a kir, a French cocktail made with white wine and blackcurrant liqueur (crème de cassis), along with a baked cheese and honey dish. Afterwards, my aunt and I went back to her apartment and ordered pizza. The idea of going out for snacks and wine before dinner as well as eating for so long is very odd to me as an American who is used to quick meals. I enjoyed trying this new, more relaxed cultural difference, especially because I was technically there for my “vacation.”
Wednesday - Museum Day
One destination that required a visit on this trip was the Louvre. I arrived at the glass pyramid entrance in the morning to beat the crowds and was allowed to enter for free as a current EU resident under 25 years old. I quickly realized that this was the best possible time for me to visit Paris since I was able to enter practically anywhere for free or at a very reduced price. I spent almost all day exploring this museum considering it is the biggest museum in the world.
I saw the Winged Victory, the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa, and tons of other incredible artwork. Since I was there in the morning, I didn’t have to wait too long in the line to see the Mona Lisa. I chatted with a friendly security guard who said I was there on a slow day because on busy days you cannot see the floor. I had more fun standing to the side and watching the crowd of people take photos of the Mona Lisa and taking selfies rather than looking at the painting myself.
Besides the artwork in the Louvre, there is another section that shows off the Napoleon III apartments and the original decor. This section shows how the Louvre was once a palace before Louis XIV decided it wasn’t grand enough and moved to the Palace of Versailles. Similar to how I felt inside the Opera, I still couldn’t believe how incredibly detailed everything was in Paris.
As the sun began to set, I walked through the Tuleries and stopped by the Musée de l'Orangerie to see Monet’s Waterlilies before the museum closed. I ended the night at Maison Européenne de la Photographie where I saw a film documentary about the January 6th insurrection at the US capitol which was disturbing and hard to watch. The rest of the museum was full of photo documentaries about change in Ukraine over the years.
Thursday - No Transportation
I got the full Parisian experience during my trip because on Thursday there was a transportation strike. Since I couldn’t rely on the metro system and walking to the most famous sites would take about an hour, I went to the catacombs which were only about a kilometer away. This labyrinth beneath Paris was built in tunnels that used to be quarries because cemeteries in the 1700s were overcrowded and becoming a health hazard. These catacombs hold the remains of more than six million people. The catacombs were truly fascinating and I enjoyed learning about their history, but the way they were turned into a tourist attraction really irritated me. Rather than walking through the tunnels quietly and respectfully, I was surrounded by loud and oblivious tourists. What made it worse was at the end once visitors climb back up and out of the catacombs, the exit is a gift shop full of tacky skull themed souvenirs.
I took the day to rest a bit since it was harder to get around and I had been going non-stop since arriving in Paris. In the late afternoon, my aunt walked with me down to her old neighborhood. This area felt like it came out of a movie — there was so much life and color. We walked by many shops and cafes along the cobblestone streets before stopping somewhere to get hot chocolate and people watch. It was obvious that my aunt adored this neighborhood and the people in it, and I couldn’t blame her. In the evening, we met another friend of hers named Melanie at a restaurant in the neighborhood who was married to the restaurant owner. Here, I tried some classic French dishes such as escargot and beef bourguignon for the first time and surprisingly loved everything. I loved talking to my aunt’s friends and hearing about their life stories, their travels, and the insight they had about my goals and aspirations as a young adult. When we were leaving, the restaurant owner signed his business card and gave it to me, which Melanie claimed was a big deal and that he never does this for anyone.
Friday - Versailles
After sleeping in a bit, I hopped on a train and headed to the Palace of Versailles to see just how spectacular the French monarchy was. Unfortunately, I was unaware that France also celebrates Veterans day on the same day as the US, so the Palace was extremely crowded for the holiday weekend. The Palace was basically made out of gold and every room I entered was more over the top than the last. The hall of mirrors was stunning and as the sun began to set the entire golden room glowed. I didn’t get much time here since my entry time was at 2:30 and they closed at 5, but I understood how gorgeous the palace was. I headed back to Paris and went to an orchestra concert inside La Madeleine, a famous Catholic church. I just wanted something quick for dinner, but because of the French culture around meals and the lack of fast options, I had to sit at a restaurant for an hour.
Saturday - Soaking It All In
For my last day in Paris, I decided to go see Sainte-Chapelle, a gothic style royal chapel. When I was searching for things to do in Paris before my trip and saw photos of Sainte-Chapelle, I had flashbacks to my high school French class when I did a book report about it. I thought I should go see this historic place in person because up until now it didn’t register that it was real in the present day. I had to wait in a long line but was once again able to enter for free as a student. After admiring the chapel and its stained glass from the inside for a bit, I went to lunch with my aunt at Le Départ, a well-known place at Saint-Michel. I’ve learned that I love croque monsuires and here I tried a croque madame — a special ham and cheese sandwich with an egg on top. I also had a perfect hot chocolate. We watched people dancing on the street and then went shopping for souvenirs and gifts at cute boutique style stores. We made sure to stop and watch the gorgeous sunset at the River Seine. I bought a special souvenir for myself from a handmade silver jewelry store. It was a unique ring that looked like the Eiffel tower wrapped around my finger. I can never wear rings because my fingers are tiny, but the store owner fitted the ring to the perfect size for me on the spot, so I had to buy it. Once the stores closed around 7 pm, my aunt and I took a break and got some drinks. I had another kir with peach and prosecco and felt extra fancy. The Eiffel tower sparkles on the hour and I had only seen it from very far away, so we took a bus to a spot she likes to see the tower from and watched it sparkle together. Our last meal was at a restaurant near her apartment where we had steak and split a chocolate lava cake for dessert.
Even though I needed to pack and go to sleep so I could catch my bus back to Amsterdam, I was up until about 2 am talking to my aunt about photography. She is a freelance graphic designer, but she has also done photography for years. She showed me some of her work and told me stories about how she took each of them. It was wonderful to listen to how she saw the world, what interested her, and how creative her mind is. This was extremely inspiring because I see the world in a similar way: analyzing light, color, details, and people at all times. She showed me a possible photo series of random shapes created by torn advertisements in the metro stations. She said she could see scenes within the abstract shapes and that she loved the unintentional art that was created. This made me happy because I see the same type of thing within the random shapes on my textured walls and floor tiles back home. I guess this is just proof that we are both artists at heart — or just insane. She has also had three photo exhibitions in Paris and kindly gave me a print from one of them.
Overall Takeaway
As I explored the city this week, I felt like Paris fit my aesthetic quite naturally. I immediately felt very comfortable here and I have never felt this kind of connection with any other place I have ever traveled to before. I got to wear my favorite nice outfits casually, which is something I wish I could do every day of my life. I was also proud of myself because I never once got lost on the metro or went in the wrong direction.
I am eternally grateful that I got to meet my aunt and for this experience she gave me. She is seriously the kindest and most creative person I’ve ever met. She welcomed me into her home without really knowing me, she helped me eat the best food of my life, and every day she would do everything in her power to make my trip to Paris wonderful. She told me stories about the little things she would do for her friends and the community during her time in Paris. She is an incredibly generous person who gives gifts to all of her friends just out of pure kindness. I aspire to be like her: fun, thoughtful, creative, friendly, and driven.
I am sad to leave this wonderful woman who I can now truly call family, as well as this beautiful city, but something tells me I’ll be back.
