Thursday, December 6, 2012

Paris, France--One of My Dream Vacations!

Every since I took French in high school, I have had a dream to go to France one day--specifically Paris, France.  Why did I fall in love with Paris?  I suppose it is my love for history, art, culture, and travel.  I have never forgotten much of what I learned in French class, and A Tale of Two Cities (which partially takes place in Paris) is still one of my favorite books.  Who knows--maybe one day I will get to fulfill this dream!



Paris
Copyright by Moyan Brenn

When most people think of Paris, I think the Eiffel Tower is the first thing that comes to mind.  And I will admit that it would be one of the top things on my list.  Even after all these years, it is still a gorgeous landmark, and the idea of seeing it at night sparks my interest.


L'Arc de Triomphe - 02

But this is the top landmark I love to see--the L'arc de Triomphe.  I remember studying about it and always finding it so fascinating.  And, of course, that puts me right on the Champs Elysees, the famous path in Paris. For me, this has always been more a symbol of Paris because it is more centralized.  And I guess it makes sense.  My love for history comes through when I consider this since it is a symbol both of the Revolutionary War and Napoleon!


Louvre

And, of course, what is a trip to Paris without visiting the famous Louvre, probably the top art museum in the world!  Even though visual arts have never been a strength of mine, this is so historic that I have no choice but to visit it.  

Now, I have shared the top three sites, but I must admit that I don't want to just be caught up in all the "tourist" things in Paris.  I want to discover local culture and flavor, and so let me turn to the places where I would love to eat.

When I think of Paris, I think of going to local cafes and local cuisine.  Le Cafe Marly, which overlooks the Louvre, sounds exactly like my style.  It is a cafe, and it is near one of the places I long to see.  According to what I have read, they offer something for everyone including children.  That would be important because I would love for my daughter to come with me.

And what is a trip to Paris without visiting a bakery?  I would love to try Rose Bakery since it sounds reasonably priced and casual.  And everything is organic and fresh.  This is definitely on my list!

Now we come to the most important part of the trip--the accommodations.  I don't want to stay at fancy hotels, but I want it to be clean and offer enough amenities for me to be comfortable.  I know it sounds strange, but I still remember my French teacher preaching at us that it was worth our while to stay in hostels if we visited France.  And I am pleased to see there are some right in Paris.

The Peace and Love Hostel has really good reviews, and it is under $100 a night.  So it sounds good to me. I might have to reconsider if my daughter truly did come with me because they say hostels are best for singles.  So I might try the Leonard de Vinci which has five star user ratings and is still under $100 per night.
I might even stay at the Hippodrome Hotel which is classic and described as "not an American copycat."  It might be the best bet merely because it sounds like I would have a chance to be a part of the local culture and not just be surrounded by tourists.  It does seem that the options are endless!

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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gogobot. The opinions and text are all mine.



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