My First Time in Paris

Well, it wasn’t actually my first time.

Growing up, the norm in my house was and still is to travel as early in life as possible. To put it into context, my niece Rayelle turns 2 next month and my parents can’t believe that she’s not a passport holder yet.

My first trip to France was a family vacation. We stayed with my mother’s cousin and her family in Montmagny, a clean, quiet town north of Paris. Until 2007, my travel experience was limited to Virginia, the Dominican Republic and my parents’ native Haiti. A summer job that turned into what is now a 15-year career in the airline industry changed all that.

I instantly fell in love with France as I quickly discovered that they actually do all the things we see in movies: pick up fresh bread from the boulangerie each morning, tend to the flowers in the window boxes at their homes (even their apartments!) and open and close their shutters (apparently they’re not just for decoration). I only had 1 issue with that trip.

It was a 10-day vacation and we didn’t leave the house until day 6.

I know what you’re thinking. Please stop screaming at me. There was a time in my life when I didn’t grab life by the horns. I just went with the flow, even if it meant sacrificing my own fun. You’ll be happy to know that I’ve since changed. Stay with me.

When the offer was finally extended to go to the city center, I jumped on it, but my balloon of joy was quickly popped when I realized that what I thought would be a day of sightseeing turned out to be a Paris “drive-thru” experience. We literally drove past some of the tourist spots and only got out of the car to take a couple pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower. To add insult to injury, on another day, my sister and I were taken to the Grévin Museum. Seriously?!?!

That being said, I still had no regrets, because the few glimpses I saw of Paris were amazing, and from the moment I returned home to New York, I was on a mission to see Paris again on my own as a young woman. And I did just that with my friend Rochelle in 2008.

And this is where the fun begins…

I’ve always been a planner, so once Rochelle and I nailed down the dates, my A-type personality got to work. I researched EVERYTHING: “best places for breakfast in Paris”, “best places for lunch in Paris”, “must-see tourist attractions in Paris”. And when I wasn’t on Google, I was on TripAdvisor. I looked at the hotel rankings, compared the traveler photos to each hotel’s stock photos, and once I narrowed my list down to about 20 hotels, I read the best and worst reviews. You’d think we were moving there and not just staying for 3 nights.

This trip to Paris marked my independence, in a way. It’s where I learned about what kind of traveler I am and what kind of travel experience I want. Mistakes were made, but I also held on to some good practices, which I’ll share.

We underestimate the importance of keeping the right company. On vacation, the right companion can mean the difference between a fabulous trip and trip that you just want to end. You want to travel with someone who is similar enough to you that you don’t clash, but different enough from you that they’ll entice you to try things outside of your comfort zone. Rochelle is such a friend. She shared my excitement and entertained my cheesy tourist ways, and I was up for taking a walk on the wild side of Paris with her. And the trip was short enough that we could remain in that “honeymoon phase”. On the plane while we gushed over what we were going to do, I knew she’d pass the test. Rochelle knew (and still knows) how to live in the moment.

When I made my final decision on where we were staying, I immediately researched how to get there by train from the airport. The metro was tricky, but luckily being from a place like New York, Rochelle and I knew to stayed focused and remain aware of our surroundings. We took the Metro #7 to Opéra and we had absolutely no idea what was waiting at the top of the stairs. Palais Garnier, which is probably the most famous opera house in the world, is still one of the most beautiful buildings I’ve ever seen. Anytime I seen it, whether in person or in a movie, I’m flooded with warm feelings, almost like remembering a first crush, and I’m taken back to that day at the top of the Metro station steps in 2008.

Here’s some of my trip in pictures, as well lessons that I kept going forward.

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So many buildings in Paris are pieces of art all on there own. The Galeries Lafayatte was no exception. We felt like we were in a museum loaded with character…and couture. There’s something for everyone’s price range. Even if you’re not looking for a new handbag, browse, walk around then have a well-deserved lunch.

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When I read that Paris was known as the “City of Lights”, as a native New Yorker, I rolled my eyes…hard. But when I got there, I realized that there’s really something to it. The lights are not as bright as Times Square, but are more romantic than any I’ve ever seen. Paris at night is not New York City at night. It isn’t electric. It’s magic.

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There are a few places I can go, spend an entire afternoon doing absolutely doing nothing and still be in bliss: IKEA, any bookstore, and the Louvre Museum (Musee du Louvre). I loved the smells (don’t judge), the sometimes creaky wooden floors, and the variety of art. There’s a piece in there that will speak to any and every individual. My piece is Antonio Canova’s Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss. I still visit the Louvre every time I go to Paris. And every time, I discover something new.

There were a gazillion tour options; shopping tours, walking tours, wine tours, food tours, segway tours and more. Rochelle and I chose an evening bike tour for nostalgia’s sake. It was cool because we got to watch the sunset, we took a cruise on the Seine, we learned interesting facts about interesting places in the city and we also met tourists from other countries. Like us, some of the tourists were new to France, while other were much more familiar and shared their experiences as well as tips on places to check out.

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The Eiffel Tower (La tour Eiffel) is one of those monuments that made realize what a speck I am in the universe. Pictures will never do it justice. It’s not a world wonder or anything, but it’s HUGE. I enjoy seeing the different lighting used to commemorate different holidays and events. In these particular photos, the lighting and the stars were to celebrate France’s Presidency of the European Union. But what I love seeing most is the tower sparkling every night at sundown. Although it didn’t become one of my “must stop by” spots since my first trip, when I travel with friends who have never visited Paris I take them there and get a kick out of their reactions.

And I mean this church in particular. Rochelle and I followed directions, hopped on the Metro #12 and got off at Abbesses station. Once the train stopped, riders sprinted out which was odd. We walked off the train and onto the platform and spotted what everyone was running to catch: and elevator to street level. We thought that was lazy and so we proceeded to take the stairs up. And up. And up. Still going up. Later on we would find out that the Sacred Heart Basilica (La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur) sits on the highest point in Paris, which explained the 118 steps we had to take up the underground staircase.

After taking a long breather above ground, Rochelle and I discovered something else: We weren’t there yet. Yes my friends, there’s more. The funicular that was supposed to take us up the the basilica from the street level was out of service that night. And so up we went again. 222 steps. And I wouldn’t change a thing. In fact, I’d do it again, because the view was absolutely spectacular. People who visit Paris usually venture up the Eiffel Tower for the view of the city. But a true view of Paris includes the Eiffel Tower. Especially at sunset.

We arrived at the basilica just before it closed, so we were allowed inside, but not until I put something on to cover my shoulders, as instructed by an usher’s none-to-subtle facial expression. As I put my sweater on, I remembered that although Sacré-Coeur is a tourist attraction, it is a church first and foremost. Being raised Roman Catholic, the interior of the basilica was what I expected: beautiful and peaceful. The exterior had a different vibe entirely.

30, maybe 40 feet away from the basilica sits a huge stone staircase. It’s the staircase where most tourists go to capture that “iconic” view. On the stairs sat families, friends and lovers. People sang, danced, played cards and played music. The energy was fun and romantic. To our left on the lawn, a pair of lovers were caught up in a horizontal embrace that surely would’ve made the usher that eyeballed me turn red. We directed our attention back to the amazing view and the revelers, and Rochelle and I gave each other a knowing glance. The glance said “we’re lucky to be here”.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years since my first trip to Paris. I also can’t believe that I’ve returned so many times since. But just like falling in love, when I go back to Paris, every time is like the first time. Paris is not an enormous city, but every I go I discover something new. If it isn’t a café or restaurant, it’s a gorgeous cobblestone street I’ve never seen before. There are so many treasures. I’ve been to many cities around the world, but none make me feel like “me” more than Paris.

Thank you for taking the time to read my first post. Whether you’re someone who is thinking about going Paris for the first time, or someone who has been there many times, I hope my story made you smile. I have more pictures and stories to share from with you from my travels, so stay tuned!