This week, I have been discussing the magic of Christmas in Paris and getting a little bit more personal on this blog. Paris is a city that I adore and, in all my visits to the city, I have come to love it most at Christmas. I have only been twice during the festive season but memories of both trips make me want to book a vacation rental in Paris and visit every December to enjoy the particular charms of the city in the run up to the holiday season.
In the last two posts, I recounted the most traditionally romantic experience one could have of the city but in this one I want to talk about my favourite trip to Paris over Christmas.
In the last two posts, I recounted the most traditionally romantic experience one could have of the city but in this one I want to talk about my favourite trip to Paris over Christmas.
While researching for an article around this time last year, I came to realise that the famous fashion boutique, Colette, was closing down. Somewhere that I have always visited and taken a commemorative photo in front of, pointing to our shared name, I was horrified to learn that such an institution of the fashion world, that I had such a personal connection to, would be closing down. It made me sad to think I would never see it again but I had no plans to be in Paris and I was trying to save money in the run up to Christmas. On a whim, I threw caution to the wind, found a window in my schedule, and decided to head to Paris for just 24 hours to say goodbye.
I flew in on a Thursday evening and was met by a friend with Champagne. We sat up half the night talking, even though he had work the next day and, the next morning, my other friend met me at the door to begin our “Before Sunset” wandering of the city. We grabbed pastries and coffee at a corner shop sat outside under a heater and watched bundled-up Parisians walk past. As my guide, he took me on a scenic route through pretty little streets and some of the oldest parts of the city to get to Colette. I made my purchases, we took one last photo, and I bid the store adieu.
Then we continued our wandering, talking and walking all day (some 12 hours or so), eating falafel in Le Marais (across the road from the most famous place which is busy even in December), walking along the Seine, and heading to the Louvre. It was my first visit as the queues had always frightened me but we entered right away, a big bonus of visiting in winter. As an Art History major, I floated around in a haze, utterly overwhelmed and fascinated. Then, as sunset fell and our time together came to a close, we grabbed a mulled wine in a Christmas market and chatted until we had to part ways for our respective metros. Rarely do we ever get so much time with friends as adults and as I walked to my station, warm with joy from a day well spent, the lightest snow shower kissed my face like one last gift from the city.
Even with just 24 hours, I was on a high from the magic of Paris at Christmas with a good pal and I cannot recommend the city enough. If you spent weeks simply wandering around, you'd surely never get bored or tired...
I flew in on a Thursday evening and was met by a friend with Champagne. We sat up half the night talking, even though he had work the next day and, the next morning, my other friend met me at the door to begin our “Before Sunset” wandering of the city. We grabbed pastries and coffee at a corner shop sat outside under a heater and watched bundled-up Parisians walk past. As my guide, he took me on a scenic route through pretty little streets and some of the oldest parts of the city to get to Colette. I made my purchases, we took one last photo, and I bid the store adieu.
Then we continued our wandering, talking and walking all day (some 12 hours or so), eating falafel in Le Marais (across the road from the most famous place which is busy even in December), walking along the Seine, and heading to the Louvre. It was my first visit as the queues had always frightened me but we entered right away, a big bonus of visiting in winter. As an Art History major, I floated around in a haze, utterly overwhelmed and fascinated. Then, as sunset fell and our time together came to a close, we grabbed a mulled wine in a Christmas market and chatted until we had to part ways for our respective metros. Rarely do we ever get so much time with friends as adults and as I walked to my station, warm with joy from a day well spent, the lightest snow shower kissed my face like one last gift from the city.
Even with just 24 hours, I was on a high from the magic of Paris at Christmas with a good pal and I cannot recommend the city enough. If you spent weeks simply wandering around, you'd surely never get bored or tired...
