The winter can be a slow time for a wedding photographer. So when I saw flights to Paris for $250, I couldn't get it off my mind. My sister-in-law, aunt, and mom were quick to jump on board and before I knew it, were were planning a weekend trip to Paris. Our planning had some hiccups. Our initial airline went bankrupt (we were able to get our money back through the credit card company) and our followup airline changed our flight last minute. When you fly budget airlines, you have to be prepared for anything. So our initial 4 day trip turned into a 6 day adventure. And it was spectacular!
Most of our trip involved long walks around the city. Each day we picked a different neighborhood to explore and landmarks to track down. We snacked all day at a variety of restaurants to make sure we tasted the city; macaroons, French onion soup, croissants, crepes, wine, champagne, cheese, cured meats, cappuccinos, baguette sandwiches, quiche, and truffle dishes.
Nothing beats the quiet streets of Montemartre. This adorable neighborhood is tucked behind the basilica and we almost missed it. Other favorite locations were a little more cliche but so beautiful: L'Hotel de Ville, Le Palais Royal, and the Louve.
The best kept secret in Paris was a rooftop lookout in Printemps Haussmann, a huge department store. It was one of our favorite places and we visited twice to see the daytime and nighttime view.
Given our extra day, we took a train to the city of Reims at the end of our trip. Here we sampled true champagne and enjoyed the less busy streets of French architecture.
