Galerie Vivienne

Here's a comprehensive guide to making the most of your Parisian adventure, whether it's your first visit or you're returning to this enchanting city. I've curated a diverse selection of recommendations, featuring both well-known tourist spots and hidden gems that capture the true essence of Paris. Having explored Paris on five separate occasions, this guide represents countless hours of dedication, research, and personal discoveries. If you find it valuable, you can show your appreciation with a tip of your choice, as even the smallest contribution means a lot to me. Another way to support me is by booking your accommodation through the links provided in this guide. I've diligently selected hotels that offer prime locations, good quality, and reasonable rates. I genuinely hope this guide enhances your experience in one of the most captivating and culturally rich cities in the world. Enjoy your time in Paris!

Enjoy some “tres jolie” days walking around the Parisian streets and boost up your energy level 🔋 with some coffee just after/before a “little” shopping spree. This list includes many of the city’s cafes (Paris is now a specialty coffee - and pastry - capital) and all the good spots to shop something that will surely indulge all of your needs/senses (main focus on French brands). 💡Be sure to check the vintage selling gems spreaded all over Paris!!! 💰 By the way, massive sales happen twice a year in France: in July and January. Called “les soldes” in French, the sales normally last around four weeks and the discounts increase as the weeks pass. Even if you don’t catch the sales, designer shops give you the opportunity of buying small accesories (keychains for example), leather goods (belts, gloves, card holders, passport covers, etc) or scarves/caps/ties - even umbrellas, which make for exceptional souvenirs. Perhaps you can even get the chance of seeing the “art of making” a product in the workshop/workroom of the artisans. Plus, visiting the shopping venues could turn into an amazing experience as many of them are soooo Instagrammable! Highlights: 🥐 Croissant - is a buttery, flaky, viennoiserie pastry inspired by the shape of the Austrian kipferl but using the French yeast-leavened laminated dough. Croissants are named for their historical crescent shape. The modern croissant seems to have been created by the French chef Sylvain Claudius Goy. 🥖 Baguette - is a long, thin type of bread of French origin that is commonly made from basic lean dough (the dough, though not the shape, is defined by French law). It is distinguishable by its length and crisp crust. 🧀 Fromage de France - there are more than 1,000 kinds of cheese in France! Being in Paris is being in the Ville des Fromages, the City of Cheese. Some of the most known: Camembert, Brie de Meaux, Roquefort, Reblochon, Munster, Pont l'Évêque, Époisses de Bourgogne, Comté. Tip: go for a “cheese and wine” tasting. 🐌 Escargot - any of several species of edible land snails, a delicacy of French cuisine. Although the snails eaten as escargots are terrestrial, they are technically mollusks and therefore classified as seafood. 🍷 French wine - France is one of the largest wine producers in the world. Red wines from grape varieties like Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel. Rosé wines like the Provençal rosé and the sweet White Zinfandels. White wines like a Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or a Moscato. Sparkling wines from Champagne and Vouvray.

During my Erasmus exchange period in Lille (for those who do not know, Erasmus is the European university exchange program), I had the opportunity to visit Paris many times, because it was close and as it is a city that I deeply love and that ravishes my heart every time. Of course, at that time I did not have a particularly large budget, and, let's say that, Paris is not exactly a low-cost destination. However, I looked for the best solutions to be able to fully enjoy this wonderful city without having to spend a fortune. The most surprising thing is, that I ended up having extraordinary experiences that I would not have had otherwise. Here I have created a list of all the coolest free or low-cost activities I did in Paris, the hotel I stayed at, and the places I ate.