One Week. Five amazing cities.
Welcome to Paris, Dijon, Chartes, Giverny, and Versailles.
All five cities are known for different unique and lovely reasons.
Paris is the city of love, romance at every corner- especially under the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower at night and enough infamous art pieces to make you swoon.
Dijon, small but packs a mighty punch. By that I mean it packages tangy Dijon mustard here (I’m sure you could have guessed).
Chartres, not as well known but the Cathedral is spectacular and there are many conspiracy theories to its “higher meaning.” It combines paganism and mythological creature with stringent Christianity doctrines of the dark ages.
Giverny- home of impressionist painter Claude Monet and his wonderfully up-kept gardens.
And Versailles, the sun king’s palace filled with gold and mirrors.
Paris
What to do: Eiffel Tower, Catacombs, multitude of museums, and the Notre Dame Cathedral
Everyday that I was in Paris was filled with new and exciting things to do- but every night, I could not help but go to the Eiffel Tower. I could spend hours there under the sparkles- the man-made ones on the Tower and the stars above. My friends and I brought a blanket, some Champagne, and picnic food here each evening for a truly Parisian dinner.
As I said, by day was super busy. One day, we visited the Catacombs and I highly recommend doing so. Just try not to think about the fact that you are crouching in a tiny corridor, hundreds of stairs underground, surrounded by six million dead people with only 1 exit a mile and a half away. How’s that for claustrophobia? Personally, I was too busy being mesmerized by the ossuary decor and the history of the place to get too freaked out. It was damp and chilly in the corridor despite the fact that it was 80 degrees fahrenheit up in world of the living. I felt like I was in an Edgar Allen Poe book or in the Chamber of Secrets- and of course this excited me more than it scared me. Latin inscriptions and memorial plaques lined the corridor so I had a ball dusting off my four years of high school Latin knowledge. Some of the bones were 14th century plague victims!
I was in Paris to study art and architecture so the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre was an absolute MUST. As is the Rue De Rivoli for all of your fashion needs.
Lastly, don’t forget to make it to the other Parisian spectacles: get yourself to a delicious bakery, visit the Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triumph, and the lovelock bridge
Chartres
What to do: Take me to Church
One big suggestion I can give for traveling France is to go to an authentic French mass. Even if you are not religious, but of course only if you are respectful, open minded, and have utmost tolerance to other viewpoints. It was one of the most sublime experiences. This for me, was a Sunday mass at Chartres Cathedral. Chartres is a small town about an hour and some change away from Paris. It does not receive many tourists so it is the perfect place to get an authentic french experience. You will not find many English speakers but you will find some awesome vintage stores and hundreds of macaroons in every color.
Dijon
Dijon is also not very toursity. We passed through it to get to Switzerland and it is a quaint little place to take a stroll through. Unlike Chartres, there is not much to do here- unless you consider people/ dog watching as a hobby.
Giverny and Versailles are wonderful day trips from Paris- both less than an hour away and easily accessible via metro or train.
Giverny
What to do: Monet’s Gardens
In Giverny, we toured the gardens and house of the most expressive nature painter- Claude Monet. It was truly heaven on earth and extremely well maintained. I spent a whole day here so there is much to explore.
Versailles
What to do: Versailles Palace
In Versailles, we toured the Chateau of the Sun King (Louie the 14th). The palace and its grounds were exquisite but way too crowded. If you can, I would suggest going on the off season- to prevent heart palpitations and anxiety attacks. We ran into Kris Kardashian and her beau, Cory (and 10 body guards) while we were there, so that was neat! You will be amazed by the amount of gold decor… and by how many tourists can fit in one room exhibition.
