The Girl who went to Paris… and Lyon

Paris! The city of love! In a super fun turn of events, Paris was my first stop after a breakup. What could go wrong, right?

This was not my first time in Paris. I had visited for a few days once before and it coincided with a terrible loss in my life. Feeling like I missed out on experiencing the beauty of this city previously, I was determined to redeem this place in my mind. Thanks to the amazing people I met while visiting Paris, I ended up having the best time.

I stayed at St. Christopher’s Paris Canal Hostel. It wasn’t exactly central, but the location near the canal was really nice. It had a bar and club, along with different events each night so it had a very social feel to it. There was a mojito making class and a big beer pong competition while I was staying there. Those are the only ones I remember because I’m pretty sure I left quite a few critical brain cells in Paris. One tip that I learned is to book directly through their website, rather than through the HostelWorld app, to receive free breakfasts during your stay. That’s something that can be good to check up on no matter where you’re planning to stay.

Paris seemed like it would be the perfect place to be boujee and book a photo shoot with AirBnb Experiences. I was nervous but Julia, the photographer, put me completely at ease and got some great shots while showing me some parts of Paris I might not have seen on my own. A majority of my sightseeing was while taking these photos so the experience was very quick but we covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time.

While in town, I saw the Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, and the Trocadero (an excellent spot to get photos in front of the Eiffel Tower.) I found Paris to be very walkable but a lot of points of interest are a bit of a hike away from each other. The metro was pretty easy to navigate. Just don’t make my mistake and buy a metro pass that works for all the zones when you only need the central ones. I was rushing because I didn’t want to look like a clueless tourist and ended up overspending (like a clueless, albeit polite tourist). Before you buy the pass, do some research on where you plan to go and that will help you choose the right one for you.

During this trip, I was able to see the Eiffel Tour during the day for the first time. I’d recommend seeing it during day and night. The tower has a light show every hour from sunset until two in the morning during summer. Bring some wine and a blanket and watch the show. If you forget drinks, there will be people selling them (rather aggressively at times), so make sure you have some cash. One of my favorite memories in Paris is sitting with all my new friends mesmerized by the lights and haggling with wine vendors.

Paris was exactly what I needed and while it’s not on the top of my list of favorite places, I would definitely return there. If and when I go back, I promise to be a better food blogger and eat something besides drunken kebab meals in the early hours of the morning. As you can see, there is photographic evidence of me eating a croissant. Very French. I tried.

I was very glad I chose Lyon as my next destination. I arrived there on an insanely delayed bus and, thanks to the kindness of a fellow traveler, was able to get to my hostel without much hassle despite getting to town around three in the morning. It was chill enough in Lyon that in just a couple days, I was able to recuperate from my partying in Paris. I can’t say I accomplished very much but the food was delicious. The burritos at So Food were fantastic- they had melted cheese on top and fries inside. What more could you ask for?

I’d love to return to Lyon one day and see more of what this beautiful city has in store when it isn’t just a quick stop. Next up will be Naples, Italy! I have a feeling the pizza will be worth the eighteen-hour bus journey.