I love Paris. I was excited to write about Paris. But then it hit me! What could I possibly write about Paris that hasn’t been told before? What adjectives and metaphors can do Paris justice? I would have to invent new words to write about a Paris the world doesn’t yet know.
Or I could write about my own experience with Paris. The Paris through my eyes, adorned with my memories. Paris demanded more than 20,000 steps a day to be discovered. Paris was crowded and loud, romantic and bohemian, hypnotizing and magic, arrogant and proud. My Paris! Because if there is one thing I am sure of is that my Paris story has never been told. Here goes:
My crowded and loud Paris
Paris is a metropolis. It’s only natural for it to be crowded and loud. It is also one of the most visited capitals in the world, a destination always in demand and always popular. There is no best time to visit Paris. My crowded and loud Paris is always crowded and loud. Paris is glorious regardless of the season, the time and date, or the weather.
Yes, you will find queues almost everywhere. But you will also find beautiful rewards at the end of every queue. You’ll stay in line to wait for the Bateaux to take you along the Seine, you’ll stay in line to visit the Louvre, and you’ll stay in line to eat at a chic bistro. But that’s alright. You’ll instantly forget about the dreadful queues once you admire the landmarks of Paris from the Seine, stare into the eyes of the Mona Lisa or eat that delicious croissant.
My Paris is crowded and loud. You’ll bump into people and hear them curse. You’ll find that everyone is always in a hurry, and no one has time for the light to turn green to cross the street. But you’ll soon get caught up in its rhythm and eventually feel that Paris is not that crowded and loud. It’s just Paris!
My romantic and bohemian Paris
Will you be visiting Paris in the spring? Expect cherry blooms in the parks, romantic rain – because there is no other kind in Paris, a busy Champs Elysees, and fascinating museums.
There is no better time to visit the Louvre, Orsay, Jacquemart-André, L’Orangerie, or Carnavalet Museum than spring. Imagine this! Outside it is raining. The air is still crisp, reminding everyone that winter was just there. You are admiring the work of Cezanne, Monet, Manet, Degas, and Renoir in a former Belle Epoque train station, currently known as Musée d’Orsay.
But the time when romance blooms in Paris is autumn. Autumn is the season for days spent in Montmartre. Romantic and artistic, vintage and chic, Montmartre is the land of street artists, historic cafes, waiters proud of their waiter attire, mussels and fries, and, of course, the Sacré Coeur Basilica standing proud on her hill looking down on silly mortals.
My hypnotizing and magical Paris
The summer sun’s heat bounces off the Paris buildings, giving the city an almost surreal feel. The hustle and bustle of people going about their day feel like a distant memory, and you can almost hear the laughter in the air. Despite the intense heat, Parisians seem to enjoy every minute of it.
When summer comes, the beaches of Paris arrive, and the quiet month of August, when many Parisians have fled to the countryside, hypnotizes you with its chillness. Now it’s time to have a beer on a terrace by the Seine and admire the little boats floating on the pond in Jardin du Luxembourg. You can also dedicate a few moments to the Pantheon nearby or relax at one of the many cafes in Saint Germain des Prés or the Latin Quarter and admire the Parisians showing off their fashion style.
And then we have winter! The Ferris Wheel in front of the Jardin des Tuileries is once again allowing you to admire the above Paris roofs and see the magical Eiffel Tower glowing in the distance. Paris gets all dressed up to celebrate the winter holidays and puts on shiny clothes that add an extra layer of magic to its persona. As if Paris, the City of Lights, would need more lights to charm its audience?!
You’ll have Christmas markets ready to convince you to give up veganism for a bite of raclette or tarte flambee, and you’ll also have a busy Champs Elysees with people buying presents for their loved ones. But the best of Paris is to be captured when the night sets in and the lights come to life!
My arrogant and proud Paris
To be fair now, if you were to be Paris, wouldn’t you be arrogant and proud? You are Paris, a city known by the entire planet and possibly beyond, and a destination everyone dreams about. You would be arrogant and proud, and it would look good on you.
No version of Paris is polite, humble, and modest. And, to be honest, no one would ever want to visit one. Proud Paris is home to suit and tie Michelin-star restaurants, posh brasseries, luxurious brands, and costly hotels. Arrogant Paris is home to Parisians who smoke while going to work, talk loudly, stare at you with a slight hint of judgment, and have wine well before 5 o’clock.
Arrogant and proud Paris is authentic Paris, and everyone loves it! It is Paris, where no one smiles just because it is the polite thing to do, where Chanel dresses go perfectly with Stan Smith sneakers, and where expensive perfume is a must even if you have a low-paid job. Women wear red lipstick with everything, even when walking the dog, and men have made business style their casual attire. Paris reinvents good manners, elegance, and common sense. Often. And all the rest of the world can do is smile politely and bow.
Oh, how I love my Paris!
