While everyone’s watching the Olympics, thoughts about visiting the French capital might start crawling into your head. As an avid Paris lover, whenever someone mentions or implies that they want to visit the city, I go berserk and flood them with all the recommendations. So before you jump on your red eye Ryanair flight to Beauvais, here are a few things I would recommend to a good, type-B friend visiting Paris for the first time.
1. Skip August and book September instead
While the Olympics are ending soon and people are leaving for their home countries, Paris in August is hot and empty. French people usually take a long time off and travel around Europe. If you don’t want to kiss the closed doors of a cafe you saved on Instagram years ago, it’s better to pick another month. September is less hot, and everything is back in action!
2. Have an honest conversation with yourself
What are your expectations? Day trip to Versailles or Disneyland? Having an honest conversation with yourself will set you free from unfulfilled expectations. The main complaint I hear from friends visiting Paris for the first time is that it didn’t match their expectations. There was no magic, no theatrics, or their phone got stolen. In order to make Paris show you his secrets, you do need to prepare for it.
Formulas work great while planning a trip. Check out any possible scenarios - tired and don't want to go out but still up for fun? Tired of French food? Need a cheap drink? Doing some proper research - or, as we call it, scrolling Instagram for hours - indeed works.
3. Plan, plan, plan / Write a no-go list
While I am usually totally up for spontaneous trips (I'm lying), Paris does not forgive bad planning. Not for your first visit, at least. One of the most important things to do is to create a list of places you do not want to visit. I am sure that the Louvre will survive with one less person in the never-ending queue. Have a good browse of creators that live in Paris. For example, Lindsay Tramuta - an American author who made Paris her home years ago, shares places worth visiting. No Champs Elysees for you. Or Lauren Collins - staff writer for The New Yorker. Writers surely know best.
4. Ask your friends for advice
Many of them have probably already visited Paris. Are there any bars they remember? What was the weirdest thing they have encountered, or maybe a place that was overrated? Getting as much information as possible will help you have a clearer outlook on your trip.
Now, imagine I am your friend. My best advice? Take things slow and explore neighborhoods that are slightly out of your comfort zone. Not extremely, but slightly. I love Marais for its charm, little perfume stores, and how cheesy and comforting it is. For many, if they want a cool, stylish Paris, I would send them there. Come explore Merci - an infamous concept store in the heart of the district. After that, get a coffee at any place nearby. Your main goal is not to have coffee but to people-watch. Let your eyes feast. After that - Marché des Enfants Rouge - France’s oldest covered market with lots of stalls and little restaurants that somehow gets forgotten by first-time visitors.
After that, I would explore the 11th district. If I ever had to draw parallels between Paris and Tallinn, 11th is the Telliskivi of Paris. It has the edge, the bars, and the students. If I had to bust into a bar with a group of friends and talk about everything and anything in between, it would be that. Like a messier, more casual scene from Sex And The City. If you feel adventurous, head to Strasbourg Saint-Denis and explore. This place has it all - gorgeous Lebanese places, Parisian classics like Chez Jeannette, and my favorite bar in the world, Le Syndicat. The place that I would drag you to. If it ever had to be described, it would be the friendship between Paris Hilton and Charli XCX. Sveta bar (RIP), but make it posh. It is an internationally acclaimed place that looks like a shack in someone’s backyard. A shack I would always come back to. It is a beautiful blend of your “I know what I want to drink” and “I'm here for the vibe” friends.
5. Do not read any lists!
After all, this is your trip. Personally, I could go on and on about things I love and hate in the city of love. I would romanticize the living shit out of this trip. Be absolutely lost, delusional to the core. Embody Carrie Bradshaw, Remi from Ratatouille and Emily in Paris at the same time. Be as romantic, cringe, and stupid as you want.
First visits are always memorable, whether they’re good or bad. You may fall in love, kiss a stranger at the party, or take a day trip to Versailles.
Make it count.
