A trip to Paris is always a good idea, isn’t it? So when I heard that my friend and her family were coming for a visit, all the way from Poland, it was the perfect excuse to organise a trip to Paris. Given the tight schedule however, after all, there is Colmar, Strasbourg and the Schwarzwald to see as well, we only had time for one day in Paris. Better one than none.
So, what do you do during one day in Paris? Walk of course! We walked approx. 22km, from one main tourist attraction to another. I don’t think I have to list them here as we all know the ones to see in Paris.
And for me, the best way to explore a big city is by foot. It was the same in London and Bangkok, just to name a few.
Luckily there are fast trains in France. We had to get up early to catch the TGV from Strasbourg but it was the right decision. We arrived at the Gare de l’Est train station around 8.40am, just as Paris was waking up. So, upon arrival, of course we started with a coffee for us adults.
Walking all day with three kids is not for everyone. However, everybody was excited to be in Paris and so we all took on the challenge and nobody complained.
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One day in Paris
After a very delicious Parisian coffee, the Louvre Museum was our first stop. It was still early in the day but the queue to get inside was very long already. Luckily we all decided not to go inside. There is not enough hours in the day for it all otherwise.
After taking our first photos, from there, we walked along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Thriomphe. It is a very touristy walk but one that has to be done. I was in Paris two years ago (2020), amidst the pandemic, with hardly anyone around, and so this time, it felt very busy and crowded.
Read my previous Paris blog here.
Of course everybody was keen to see the Eiffel Tower. Even myself, who has seen it many times before, I am still amazed by it. Did you know it is still the tallest building in Paris? Not bad for a big city. So, let’s keep walking…
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It was a very hot day and so we took the last walking route, towards the Notre Dame, amongst the buildings rather than along the river. We might have missed out on some of the pretty river views but at least we stayed cool. I don’t know how many litres of water and coke we drank that day.
And finding a public toilet in a big city like Paris is not very easy. We had to share a few ‘expensive’ juices, just to access a toilet in a restaurant/bistro.
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And so…
It was a big day, our one day in Paris. At the end of the day, although we were all exhausted from walking the streets of Paris, we were also very happy and excited to have seen it all. And the kids always had energy for a playground.
After asking the kids what they liked the best about Paris, they all said: ‘The train ride and the Eiffel Tower.’
I probably agree.
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My week with Ania
The day after Paris we were all happy to relax at a local lake and do nothing. At least for a few hours. In the evening we went to see a Notre-Dame much more impressive than the one in Paris. We all agreed, the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Strasbourg is definitely stunning. What an amazing piece of medieval architecture!
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It was a busy week with my friend Ania and her family but it was amazing! Ania is my earliest friend from childhood, whom I left behind in Poland when my parents moved to Germany. I was nine years old.
It was so great to have them here and show them this part of Europe. I can’t wait for the next visit and maybe another day in Paris. Or two? After all, there is soo much more to see in this beautiful city.
À bientôt!
