MY LONG-DISTANCE travel romance

Posted: 09/04/2014 | September 4th, 2014

As I exited the subway and stared, first, at the Arc de Triomphe and then down the Champs-Élysées, fashionably dressed people in their fitted pants, stunning dresses, and black jackets moved around me, a tourist too lovestruck to move.

The city was everything I thought it would be: beautiful, sophisticated, historic, and filled with a sophisticated energy that enticed me with its charm like a Siren’s song. It was cliched. Yet there I was. falling for it all.

Subsequent check outs only deepened my love for Paris. Paris has been written about countless times over the centuries – and will continue to be until humans lose the ability to create words. It is a city that enchants and captivates us.

As Hemingway said, Paris is a moveable feast. It stays with you no matter where you are

To me, Paris is smart, classy, sophisticated, and soulful. Its seemingly endless history mixes effortlessly with modern life.

Paris constantly reveals herself through solitary walks through her history, from the place de la Concorde where Marie Antoinette, King Louis XVI, and countless others lost their heads, to the Tuileries garden built to accompany its namesake palace that burned down in 1871.

There is the Louvre, a centuries-old royal residence turned art museum; the ancient Sainte-Chapelle, home to stained glass windows dating to the 13th century; Notre-Dame, whose presence looms over the city’s historic center; the Jardin de Luxembourg; Montmartre; and the Eiffel Tower. The Latin Quarter, with its patchwork of winding streets that used to be home to working-class Parisians and artists, always seems to reveal something new.

And, while my mind loses itself in history, my senses pull me back into the present. Sharply dressed Parisians make me reconsider my drab backpacker uniform of a t-shirt and jeans. The smells from the patisseries turn me, a hater of desserts, into a lover of them. how can one deny such exquisitely glazed and decorated tarts? These are a delicious work of art.

All the fromage shops, bakeries, and markets where one can fill up for only a few euros make expensive Paris a foodie’s budget dream.

A trip to Paris is nonstop eating, with rich food washed down by smooth red wine. In Paris, gluttony is not excess but a way of life.

Although I love my home in NYC, the city’s hustle and bustle and dog-eat-dog mentality typically clashes with the go-with-the-flow attitude I’ve learned from traveling.

Paris does not.

Here people stop to appreciate the little things in life — lunches that linger over wine, two-month vacations, picnics in the park, shops closing early, and daily market outings.

In Paris, life is a play and each act is dedicated to what matters most: food, wine, friends, love, and conversation. here one lives life rather than racing through it.

I idealize Paris. I know this. My romantic notion of the city, born of books and movies, is only reinforced by each visit. And, like any long-distance love affairs, we idealize the good and gloss over the bad. daily life in Paris may not be as romantic as I believe (Update 2019: I spent months living in Paris. It wasn’t perfect but it was close).

The city has its flaws, especially it comes to race relations and class divide. It has problems.

But we all need some romance in our lives.

Paris is mine.
 

Get Your in-depth budget guide to Paris!

For more in-depth information, check out my guidebook to Paris written for budget travelers like you! It cuts out the fluff found in other guides and gets straight to the practical information you need to travel around Paris. You’ll find suggested itineraries, budgets, ways to save money, on- and off-the-beaten-path things to see and do, non-touristy restaurants, markets, bars, transportation and safety tips, and much more! Click here to learn more and get your copy today!

Book Your trip to Paris: Logistical tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a low-cost flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!

Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and low-cost hotels. My favorite places to stay are:

St. Christopher’s Canal

3 Ducks Hostel

Les Piaules

If you’re looking for more places to stay, here for my favorite hostels in Paris. If you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood breakdown of the city.

Don’t forget travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)

Insure My trip (for those over 70)

Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)

Looking for the best companies to save money With?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want more information on Paris?
Be sure to check out our robust destination guide on Paris for even more planning tips!