I went to Paris in March 2023 for my second visit—the first was a family circuit around France in summer 2018, when I was five. That earlier trip is what made me want to learn French. This time I traveled with my aunt and cousin, and we stayed near the Champ de Mars by the Tour Eiffel. The culinary highlight was the little boulangerie around the corner: morning pastries every day (hello, pain au chocolat) and a baguette for later—maybe not the “best-of-Paris,” but perfect because it was ours.
Versailles was a major highlight. Walking through the palace felt like stepping into an 18th-century dream—ornate rooms, painted ceilings, and spaces dedicated to Greek and Roman gods. Outside, the gardens stretched forever with fountains, groves, and long, perfect lines of trees. It helped me imagine what “royal life” might have felt like (minus the powdered wigs).
The Louvre was overwhelming in the best way. I remember the Winged Victory of Samothrace overlooking the staircase, seeing the Mona Lisa up close, and getting lost in the Greek and Near Eastern galleries. I love mythology, so meeting those marble gods and classical friezes made the stories feel real. It’s the kind of museum where you think you’ll see “everything” and then realize you’ve barely scratched the surface.
The Musée Picasso was also very cool. I’d studied a few of his paintings at school, but seeing a broader collection in one place made the range of his styles click—from playful and simple to sharp and experimental. It felt like watching someone reinvent their own voice over and over.
Some of my favorite moments were just walking: up to Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur, across the Place de la Concorde, and onto the Île de la Cité for the glowing blues of Sainte-Chapelle. Notre-Dame was still under reconstruction, so I only saw a bit from the outside—but I want to come back when it reopens. We also did the Catacombs, which were eerie and fascinating, and then wandered the Left Bank back toward the Seine to see a quieter side of the city.
For fun we went window-shopping on the Champs-Élysées—so much fashion, so many people ducking in and out of shops in blustery March weather. I learned that the fashion styles of Europe were really leading US styles and it was fun to see the attention people put into their own styles. Paris felt inspiring and alive, from croissants and statues to stained glass and street views. I loved this trip and can’t wait to go back.
