Welcome to A Girl’s Guide to Paris (Sophie’s Version).
Paris is a city that makes you want to slow down and savor every moment of the day— in a great outfit. This guide is for the traveler who wants to eat every meal like it’s their last and ponder life with a crisp glass of wine in their hand. It is impossible to see Paris at its prime when you’re running around the city to snap photos of famed monuments. Paris a love letter. It’s romantic, but can break your heart. It’s fast-paced, but slows you down. I don’t think there’s any city quite like it.
Girlies, before reading this guide, you should know that, while in Paris, you obviously need to see Ms. Mona at the Louvre and take a walk down the Champs-Elysées. I preface this because this guide is less about monuments and more about fabulous, actually cool, experiences.
Whether you’re planning on taking a solo trip, mother-daughter trip, or group trip with the gals, this guide is here to help you plan the perfect trip to the City of Love.
Sit your a** down at a café and live as the French do
Parisian café culture is an art. It’s fabulous. It’s leisure. It’s nice to pretend that you’re a tortured artist or writer smoking cigarettes and drinking your body weight in espresso. (I don’t know why you have to be tortured, but Paris makes me hyperbolic).
Go ahead and seat yourself, while you watch the day go by. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, or dinner, just say “Oui” to an outside table.
Jardin du Luxembourg
There are gardens and then there are Parisian gardens. Jardin du Luxembourg is one of the most extravagant in Paris. I don’t know if it’s the smell of butter croissants in the air, but Jardin du Luxembourg captures that Paris je ne sais quoi that everyone goes on about. The garden’s perfectly manicured lawns and rose bushes make you want to stroll with a lover in one hand and a baguette in the other.
Tip: Jardin du Luxembourg is a quick 15-minute walk from Shakespeare and Company. So, plan a trip to the famed bookshop before or after your time at Jardin du Luxembourg.
Steak Frites Heaven at Le Relais de Venise
Le Relais de Venise is an i.c.o.n.i.c French restaurant that serves one thing on the menu: steak frites. And girl, they serve it to perfection. There is a queue out the door every night, which is frightening (especially when it’s cold). But their no-frills menu and mouth-watering mustard steak sauce make the long wait entirely worth it.
Palais Galliera
Located in a gorgeous Romanesque building that is worth the visit alone, Palais Galliera is a spectacular fashion museum in the 16th arrondissement. Not only is it informational, but the gowns. THE GOWNS. The pieces on display are to die for. For the first time in my life, I was envious of mannequins. When I visited, there was a Lanvain exhibit that I still think about quite often. This museum is not as talked about as, of course, the Louvre. But, there is no better city to immerse yourself in fashion history than Paris.
Pink Mamma for the Mamma’s
If you’re craving some Italian while in France, keep an eye out for some hot Italian expats in the city. Lol, just kidding. But do book a table at Pink Mamma for one of the most glamorous and grandiose meals in Paris. This Big Mamma Group restaurant excels in ambiance and romance— it’s what the mega-restaurant group does best, after all. Their menu is full of Italian comfort dishes that are good for the soul.
Hot Chocolate at Angelina Paris
This classic Paris establishment has spent the last 120 years perfecting its hot chocolate recipe. Their hot chocolate is the crown jewel of… the world? I’ll say it— the world!!! It’s seriously so good. One sip of that extra thick, creamy chocolate and you’ll understand why Angelina’s is known as the best hot chocolate in Paris.
Picnic by the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is so beautiful that it can actually bring you to tears (not that that’s ever happened to me or anything). There is something surreal about snacking on a baguette and wine while sitting underneath the Eiffel. It may be touristy, but who gives a sh*t (pardon my French). We’re just here to have fun.
Watch a Cabaret Show at The Moulin Rouge
Move aside Nicole Kidman, we’re going to the real Moulin Rouge. Located in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris, the Moulin Rouge is the world’s most famous cabaret show. This spectacular show plays every single night, twice a night. The Moulin Rouge is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that is the perfect nighttime activity for your girl’s trip.
Luxury Shop or Window Shop or Both
Chanel, Dior, Saint Laurent— you want it, Paris has got it. Paris is the fashion capital of the world. For God’s sake, the pedestrian streets are like a couture fashion show because Parisians know how to show up and show out.
On the one hand, luxury shopping is expensive to a sad degree. But, if there is any city you’re going to splurge in, it has to be Paris (and hey, if you’re American you can get a tax refund). Lines can be very long at the luxury stores, so I recommend arriving early or closer to closing time.
