Back in July, my cousin asked if I wanted to go to France with her — in a month.
We’d been dreaming of a girls’ trip for the past two years, but nothing had ever materialized because of our clashing schedules. Luckily, though, we finally found a time when we were both available.
Because we aren’t huge planners, we were excited about the idea of a last-minute trip. After a truly exhilarating week, here are three things I enjoyed about the experience and three I’d do differently next time.
I loved visiting the Eiffel Tower twice.
We landed in Paris on my birthday, which was a great excuse to visit the Eiffel Tower on day one.
I loved seeing the massive marvel in person, but I also enjoyed the surrounding environment. My cousin and I really embraced being tourists as we walked around and took pictures.
Then, we sat by the Seine with food and glasses of prosecco to commemorate the occasion, watching the sunset and the tower turn into a spectacle of lights. It became a core memory for me, and I promised myself that I’d return.
My second visit was memorable in a different way. As it began to drizzle, I grabbed coffee in the crisp weather, listened to live music, and enjoyed the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadéro, a space across the Seine. This time, there was no pressure to take any pictures, and I could really live in the moment.
Going to the Eiffel Tower at least twice — once to get the touristy desires out of the way and again to deeply observe and absorb the culture, romanticism, and environment — was worth it.
Touring without an itinerary turned out to be one of my favorite things about the trip.
Because of our last-minute travel plans, I only had a vague idea of what I wanted to do in France.
A relative who’d spent significant time in Paris shared some must-dos, including visiting a jazz club near Notre Dame Cathedral, wandering around Montmartre, and seeing the Canal Saint-Martin, which we stuck to.
But overall, not having a tight itinerary turned out to be one of the best parts of the trip. I felt more relaxed, and we were able to do things as we pleased, rather than just checking boxes.
Talking to strangers was a great way to get to know the people and culture.
My cousin and I sought help from locals for things like directions and public transportation, and I was amazed by how forthcoming everyone was.
People went out of their way to help us, were generally friendly, and seemed to appreciate the basic French I tried to speak.
When appropriate, I also enjoyed initiating conversations with strangers seated next to me at cafés and restaurants.
However, I regret only taking a backpack to Nice to avoid baggage costs.
Despite being about a one-hour flight, our trip from Paris to Nice was expensive, so to save money, I decided to forgo a checked bag and only take a backpack.
However, once we were in Nice, I wished I’d packed more clothes and put more thought into planning my outfits. Plus, I couldn’t purchase any souvenirs during a tour of the French Riviera because there wasn’t enough space in my bag.
Next time, I’ll definitely bring a bigger bag to accommodate extra clothes and memorabilia.
I wish I’d eaten at more local restaurants instead of places hyped up on Instagram.
At the beginning of our stay in Paris, I often turned to Instagram for restaurant recommendations. However, many of the suggestions turned out to be disappointing.
So, I started to seek out more local mom-and-pop cafés for croissants, coffee, and even larger meals. Some of my favorites in the city were Acà and Café Lulu.
Not only was the food incredible, but it was also reasonably priced. Looking back, I wish I’d sought out more places like this this from the start.
I should’ve left more time for shopping.
During my trip, I realized luxury brands are priced better in Paris than at home in Canada. But unfortunately, I didn’t have much time to shop.
From pharmacies stocked with French skincare to the Galeries Lafayette Haussmann — a stunning department store and architectural landmark with panoramic views of the city — there’s so much to see.
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