Posted: 09/04/2014 | September 4th, 2014
As I exited the subway and stared, first, at the Arc de Triomphe and then down the Champs-Élysées, fashionably dressed people in their fitted pants, beautiful dresses, and black jackets moved around me, a tourist too lovestruck to move.
The city was everything I thought it would be: beautiful, sophisticated, historic, and filled with a sophisticated energy that enticed me with its charm like a Siren’s song. It was cliched. Yet there I was. Falling for it all.
Subsequent visits only deepened my love for Paris. Paris has been written about countless times over the centuries – and will continue to be until humans lose the ability to create words. It is a city that enchants and captivates us.
As Hemingway said, Paris is a moveable feast. It stays with you no matter where you are
To me, Paris is smart, classy, sophisticated, and soulful. Its seemingly endless history mixes effortlessly with modern life.
Paris constantly reveals herself through solitary walks through her history, from the Place de la Concorde where Marie Antoinette, King Louis XVI, and countless others lost their heads, to the Tuileries Garden built to accompany its namesake palace that burned down in 1871.
There is the Louvre, a centuries-old royal residence turned art museum; the ancient Sainte-Chapelle, home to stained glass windows dating to the 13th century; Notre-Dame, whose presence looms over the city’s historic center; the Jardin de Luxembourg; Montmartre; and the Eiffel Tower. The Latin Quarter, with its patchwork of winding streets that used to be home to working-class Parisians and artists, always seems to reveal something new.
And, while my mind loses itself in history, my senses pull me back into the present. Sharply dressed Parisians make me reconsider my drab backpacker uniform of a t-shirt and jeans. The smells from the patisseries turn me, a hater of desserts, into a lover of them. How can one deny such exquisitely glazed and decorated tarts? These are a delicious work of art.
All the fromage shops, bakeries, and markets where one can fill up for only a few euros make expensive Paris a foodie’s budget dream.
A trip to Paris is nonstop eating, with rich food washed down by smooth red wine. In Paris, gluttony is not excess but a way of life.
Although I love my home in NYC, the city’s hustle and bustle and dog-eat-dog mentality often clashes with the go-with-the-flow attitude I’ve learned from traveling.
Paris does not.
Here people stop to appreciate the little things in life — lunches that linger over wine, two-month vacations, picnics in the park, shops closing early, and daily market outings.
In Paris, life is a play and each act is dedicated to what matters most: food, wine, friends, love, and conversation. Here one lives life rather than racing through it.
I idealize Paris. I know this. My romantic notion of the city, born of books and movies, is only reinforced by each visit. And, like any long-distance love affairs, we idealize the good and gloss over the bad. Daily life in Paris may not be as romantic as I believe (Update 2019: I spent months living in Paris. It wasn’t perfect but it was close).
The city has its flaws, especially it comes to race relations and class divide. It has problems.
But we all need some romance in our lives.
Paris is mine.
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Book Your Trip to Paris: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Use Skyscanner or Momondo to find a cheap flight. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned. Start with Skyscanner first though because they have the biggest reach!
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels. My favorite places to stay are:
If you’re looking for more places to stay, here for my favorite hostels in Paris. If you’re wondering what part of town to stay in, here’s my neighborhood breakdown of the city.
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Want More Information on Paris?
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Balaka Basu
Paris is truly a romantic city. Loved your post. Hope to visit one day.
Anthony
One of those cities that have been seen in countless movies! I love the send up of Paris in Team America World Police which makes fun of the Paris cliches – some true, some not so much!
Clay
I love the beauty in how you talk about Paris. Paris has long been one of my favorite cities and you’re increasing my wanderlust! By the way, you’re writing has been phenomenal lately!
Dan
Paris has stolen my heart. I try to visit every year.. but I can’t promise that I won’t eventually move there for a little bit. There’s just something captivating about it. I guess it’s the details.. the beautiful balconies, rooftops, doors.. heck, even the streets in the rain are pure art.
Kate
Thank you for saying exactly how I feel about Paris with far more eloquence than I could string together. I’m out of my element in cities, but Paris is one that I fell head over heels for.
Great post!
Marie
It took me a looong time to warm up to Paris. I first visited in December when the weather was miserable and so were Parisians. I found the city to be incredibly dirty and unwelcoming. But now that I visited 4-5 times I see what the fuss is about, and I’ve come to appreciate it more. I also steer clear of tourist hotspots, so that helps!
Alison
Ahhhhh Matt, I know exactly what you mean. I can’t remember the number of times I’ve visited Paris (6 or 7 I think) from a couple of days to 3 weeks. I will never tire of it. It is my favourite city in the world.
Well almost. I have to say I love Vancouver, and I spent only 5 days in NYC many years ago and totally fell in love with it.
But still, there’s something about Paris that is so special. I would go back in a heartbeat.
Poorna
Hey Matt, You are absolutely correct. Paris is quintessential romantic city. Your comparison of NYC with Paris is apt. NYC is fast, typical American whereas Paris oozes with old world charm!
Brenda
Ooohh la la Paris, I like you Matt, am a New Yorker who loves Paris and yes, we idealize Paris but she really deserves our romantic dreams of her! Each time I plan a trip to Europe, I stop to think if I can make Paris a stop. Thank you for reminding me of her magic today.
Oksana
I can completely relate. I fell in love with Paris on my first ever trip to Europe. I was so smitten that I ended up cancelling my trip to Berlin later on in my itinerary just to come back to Paris and spend more time there! Love it!
Gloria
Paris was my first European city. As a traveller, I have always thought about the World as my Love and Paris my great mistress.
I try to return to her as much as possible, but sometimes that magic of the first instance, the first time, the first great love eludes me and I am left depressed grasping at old memories to rekindle my love for this amazing city.
I’m happy that your love affair with Paris continues. Hopefully I can rekindle mine soon
Addie
Matt,
Your introspection in writing this post is to be HIGHLY praised. It’s all so true to me. When I was 19, I got the opportunity to go to Ireland for Spring Break, which I did, and it was amazing beyond my dreams. At the finish of the trip, my best friend Brian, who was studying abroad, asked me: “Wanna go to Paris???” We were soon in the Chunnel (have you ridden it?) and were giddy, playing the card game SkipBo, drinking red wine all the way. We were only there for only 23 hours: we didn’t sleep. We proceeded to do everything that can be done in Paris in 23 hrs. We did the Arch de Triumph, then walked down the entire Champs Elesee and got to the Lourve. We also Te French chocolate crepes.
Mona
I feel exactly the same way about Paris! My husband doesn’t quite get it, but I’ve been twice so far and each time has just made me fall more and more in love with this gorgeous city…and that’s saying something since each time I went the weather was gloomy! I’m moving to London in a couple of weeks and hope to be able to pop over to Paris and enjoy the sun there a bit. I can’t wait!
Lunaguava
Paris can be a difficult city to love, but when it opens itself to you, it’s just impossible not to be mesmerized by all that makes it beautiful. Truth be told, I’ve always visited it from a privileged position, since I speak French and have been fascinated by French culture (in all its many dazzling forms: film, literature, food, etc) since childhood. I’ve dragged many friends across Parisian streets, museums, bakeries and bars (oh so many bars), trying to impart my love for the lighted city, hoping they’ll fall under its spell too. I like to believe I’ve mostly succeeded 🙂 Thanks for this and good luck!
Alan
‘Loving’ Paris is such a cliche and any ‘intrepid’ traveller will arrive there determined not to be seduced by it – I tried, I’ve really tried! But every time I arrive there, I grin like a madman as I emerge from the metro into the iconic streets and architecture of central Paris. Each arrival holds great memories of past visits and the anticipation of the latest. I first visited 20 years ago and have been back 5 times. I bore people senseless with my long long long list of must-do’s and I while away hours on google street view reliving visits and planning the next. I can’t imagine travelling to Europe and not finding the time for a few more days of patisseries, boulangeries, fromageries, chocolateires and walking, walking, walking in that great city.
dmitry
I traveled to Paris once I turned 20. It was the culmination of finally seeing after reading so much. Hemingway and Remarque did the best job of sharing their love of Paris but you are right there is so much more. I wandered the streets for days just to experience it all. One day, while walking past the Notre Dame I turned onto some boulevard and got stuck in traffic jam of people all talking excitedly. I asked what was the commotion and they pointed towards a black car. Vladimir Putin got out from there and walked briskly towards some meeting. Paris is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you will get!
thank you so much for sharing your love for the city.
NomadicMatt
As Hemingway said, Paris is a moveable feast!
Hannah
I didn’t like Paris the first time I went. I think I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and didn’t see it as being much different than any other big city.
The food was amazing, and the museums and the Eiffel Tower are all incredible, but it just didn’t really do anything for me.
Then I went back.
The second time around, I got it. And I think the big difference was that I just wandered most of the time. I didn’t go to he touristy spots (much). I walked down streets and stopped in parks, grabbed something from a little grocery or bakery.
I think that’s how you really get to know Paris. The touristy stuff is cool, and worth seeing once, but Paris doesn’t really become Paris until you just wander through it.
I remembered being surprised how much I missed Paris after leaving that second time.
Nice post, thanks for sharing 🙂
NomadicMatt
Paris is best found down random streets.
Sigurdur Bjorgvinsson
I’ve been to Paris and I have to say that I agree with you 100%. The city is amazing, the culture, history and the relaxed atmosphere are good reason to visit the city of love. I enjoyed my time in Paris and I would definitely recommend people to visit the city.
Amanda
“Sharply dressed Parisians I see make me reconsider my drab backpacker uniform of t-shirt and jeans, and think, “I can do better.”” So many times I have thought this as a backpacker. SO MANY TIMES. Someone needs to invent a classy, backpacker fashion line, that is both trendy and comfortable 😉
Sam
Wow! In France we call this “une déclaration d’amour” 😉 your point of view is very interesting for the French girl that I am. Paris has beautiful areas that’s true, but everytime I go there, I keep focusing on the bad sides of it, the condition of the underground or RER for exemple. I think I would have appreciated paris differently if I were a foreigner
zarzuelazen
Oui, de voir la vie en rose!
Dylan Rowley
This brings back so many memories. I love this city, full of passion and romantic beauty. That’s why I will keep turning back, just to be a part of this whole magic for a day or two.
Laura
Came across this post while browsing through your site and just need to say that it brought tears to my eyes. It echoed every sentiment that I have ever felt about Paris- my favourite city in the world. I moved there for 3 months several years ago while going through a hard time in my life and it healed my heart and soul. Thank you for the memories that these words evoked!