FRANCE TRAVEL

Paris Is Meant to Be Seen On Foot

But is it better in Spring or Fall?

Paris in the springtime sounds oh so romantic. But if you ask me, fantasy is better than reality.

Millions of people have the same idea every year and every year the city is packed cheek to jowl with tourists. And the weather isn’t really all that great in the springtime either. It rains au Printemps and sometimes it rains a lot. It’s also a good idea to have a warm jacket.

Maybe I was just unlucky. And I’m sure those that live there or visit often have a completely different take.

Paris in the fall is a totally different experience. The crowds have thinned, and the weather is perfect with a mix of cool days and nights and still some very warm days and lots of sunshine.

I was in Paris in September 2022 and it was a special trip, a reunion of sorts. My friend and I would be meeting my sister and two nieces, thirteen years after we had our last trip to Paris together.

At that time, I surprised my sister during her mother-daughter Paris vacation for her sixtieth birthday. My nieces and I had it all figured out. I wanted to give them some time together before I crashed the party.

As my sister posed for pictures outside Notre Dame Cathedral I snuck up behind her and put my arm around her shoulder. Without flinching, she continued to pose with a smile on her face. When she slowly turned she was shocked to see me standing there. She screamed and I’m sure that people nearby were wondering what was going on.

Just ten years later the Cathedral would be almost destroyed by a devastating fire. On my most recent trip to Paris, Notre Dame was still in the midst of a massive rebuilding project. We could look at it from afar but we couldn’t go inside.

That first time in Paris I rented an apartment on the banks of the Seine on Ile Saint Louis, just a few minutes from Notre Dame and the Latin Quarter across the river on the Left Bank. This was in 2009 when short-term home rentals were just getting started so I managed to get a modern and clean but minuscule apartment for a reasonable price. And while it was up three flights of stairs and was close quarters (the bed took up most of the room), it had a huge window that opened up onto the Seine.

I only had a couple of days with my family on that visit so we didn’t get a chance to do a lot together. But I stuck around for another couple of weeks and got to see and experience much more of what Paris has to offer.

So when we all went back, thirteen years later, I had a good idea of what we should see and how to get around. Paris is definitely a walking city and you can easily see a lot of it on foot or by jumping on the Metro.

There is no better view of the Champs Elysees and the Arc d’Triomphe than from the top deck of the tour bus. The huge monument stands like a sentry at the end of the thoroughfare with modern buildings and the giant arch of La Defense, the business district, in the other direction.

I don’t know if it was because it was the shoulder season or because preparations were underway for the 2024 Summer Olympics, but Paris was one big construction zone. In fact, there were construction projects underway all across France.

Without a doubt, the Eiffel Tower is the most popular and iconic structure in Paris, and is visible from everywhere in the city. On my first visit to Paris, I ran up the stairs of the Eiffel Tower but thirteen years later (and thirteen years older) I decided I wasn’t going to do that this time.

The best views of La Tour are not at its base, but across the Seine at Place du Trocadero. Despite all the construction around the base of the tower and even across the river around Trocadero and Palais de Chaillot, the views were still awe-inspiring. Some of the construction windows were covered by chicken wire which made it a favorite place for people to hang their love locks.

Paris’ bridges are magnets for love locks. People have been hooking their locks on bridges around the world for many years and they have taken it to a whole other level in Paris, the City of Love.

Another iconic structure on the Paris skyline is the Sacre Coeur Basilica which sits high above the city on top of Montmartre. Just look up and you will see the white domes from anywhere in Paris. And the views from on top of the mountain are magnificent.

But Montmartre isn’t just about the basilica. We hopped on the tourist train for a trip around the neighborhood. I wanted to see the relatively unknown vineyard behind the church and while I didn’t sample any of the wine, it is available for sale.

Just a few blocks away are the sex shops and burlesque shows of the Pigalle district, always a big draw for tourists, especially the iconic Moulin Rouge. Tickets for the show were too rich for my blood.

One of the things I wanted to make sure I did on this trip to Paris was to take a sunset cruise up the Seine. It gives a different perspective to look up at the city as we cruised past the Left and Right Banks where people were unwinding after their work day.

But you do get a better view of the ponts or bridges when you are on them and can better admire the decoration.

Paris is a city of neighborhoods or arrondissements, each with its own distinct character. The Marais (4th arr.) is my favorite. There’s always something to see in this neighborhood that is full of arts and culture including the Pompidou Centre. There are also many cafes, bars, and dance clubs in the area which is considered Paris’ gay-borhood.

But there are also some solemn sites in Le Marais. The former Jewish Ghetto has plaques embedded in the cobblestone streets and on buildings honoring Parisians who were taken away and killed in the Nazi death camps. The Holocaust Museum is also located in the neighborhood.

In the Opera district (9th arr.), Galeries Lafayette is like no other department store I have ever seen. Its Art Nouveau architecture and design are amazing. One of the best things to do is to step out onto the glass walkway in the center of the massive atrium, which gives you a perfect view of the spectacular stained glass and iron domed ceiling. Unfortunately, it was closed, both times I was there. But there is a rooftop patio where you get spectacular views of the City of Lights.

Just across the street is Opera Garnier, an exquisite Beaux Arts building with extravagant decoration that was built in the 19th century for Napoleon. The theatre ceiling was painted by Marc Chagall in the 1960s.

There’s no doubt that Paris features some of the best art in the world with its museums highlighting every art style imaginable. One of the world’s most extensive collections is in the Louvre which also houses works by some of the greatest masters of all time. The Louvre Palace is the largest museum in the world and is really worth spending a couple of days exploring.

Don’t miss Musee d’Orsay across the river which has its own, smaller but still outstanding collection. It is housed in a magnificent Beaux-Arts building which is a former railway station. Besides the art, my favorite part is the giant clock on the top floor with amazing views looking out.

Because Paris is a relatively small city it is perfect for riding a bike to get around. And there are a number of options. There are bicycle rental shops all over the city, but most people now use the public Velib system. Operated by the city, there are bike racks in every arrondissement and visitors can get a 24-hour or a three-day pass. It’s easy to track down the nearest bike rack, either on the app or the website.

Another option is to take one of the dozens of bike tours that are available for tourists. During my last trip, I took a bike tour of Versailles and on my first visit, I booked a 10.5-kilometer tour that led me around some of the Paris highlights.

When you take a tour you never really know who you‘ll be riding with and if you’ll get along with them. I got lucky. The rider I was paired up with was TV actress Stana Katic, co-star of the TV show Castle, who was trying to look inconspicuous. At the time I didn’t really know the show, but some of the others in the group were starstruck. We discovered we had a few things in common since she’s originally from the Toronto area. She’d also been interviewed at the TV station where I worked.

I tried jogging in Paris, which is not as romantic as it might sound. Don’t even think about jogging along the banks of the Seine, at least on the cobblestone paths. They gave my back and knees a pounding that hurt for days.

If you still think you need to work off some of that unavoidable French food, some of the parks are the best option and will save your joints for another Parisian adventure.

Thank you for reading. I couldn’t get enough of the amazing food in France and I wrote about some of my Paris favorites here.