Do you want to go out with just the two of you? Then visit Paris together by train, on a city trip. It is a great city with many beautiful sights and we loved every minute of it. From the train journey itself and of course from la vie de Paris and all the special sights of Paris that we have discovered.
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Some time ago my parents suggested we come and babysit Laura for a few days outside the school holidays. Then we could go out together. My husband and I came up with the idea of taking the train to Paris together. A city trip to Paris can be arranged in no time with the super-fast Thalys. You are right in the heart of Paris. We book the train and the hotel and we leave.
I was really excited to go abroad after six years as a couple without my daughter. But once we were on the train to Paris, it felt like old times. It's wonderful to have the freedom to do what we want ourselves, without having to take into account a toddler who also has all kinds of wishes.
If you book the Thalys train to visit Paris, get off at the super beautiful Gare du Nord station. From this station you are really within a few stops by metro in the heart of Paris with all kinds of beautiful sights around the corner. Moreover, it is a nice, relaxed way to travel by train and it is also more environmentally friendly than taking the car. From Gare du Nord you can easily get all over Paris by metro. This time we choose to really visit sights and do activities that we will not do with our family so quickly.
My husband and I both enjoy walking, so sightseeing on foot is just right for us. And also nice after the train journey. The advantage of walking is that you see much more of the city than with the metro.
We start our walk in Jardin des Plantes when we visit Paris. A park that blooms beautifully at this time of year. From Jardin des Plantes, you can take a very nice walk along the Seine towards Notre Dam.
The view across the Seine to Notre Dam is beautiful. Moreover, you also get into a romantic mood, because everywhere you see couples in love on the quay along the Seine. Visiting the ultimate Paris 😉 .
Do you like art and do you want to visit a museum other than the Louvre? Then Museum D'Orsay is highly recommended. This museum is so beautiful because here you can see many beautiful, colorful and romantic paintings from the Impressionism period. If visiting Paris is on your list, add this museum too.
Many famous paintings by artists such as Gauguin, Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne and Van Gogh hang here. Scenes such as picnicking in the park, taking a boat trip or walking in a flower meadow, that is really typical impressionism.
When you visit this museum, don't forget to stop by one of my favorite paintings by Renoir of two girls playing the piano. Incidentally, the museum itself is also a special place to walk around. It is an old train station and if you are on the first floor you have a beautiful view over the sculpture gallery with a large impressive clock on the ground floor.
⇒ Do you want to book tickets in advance to avoid queues? We booked our tickets here.
You can do this quickly and easily via your phone and pay with your debit or credit card. You will then receive the tickets via email and you can walk straight through the entrance and no longer have to queue for tickets. We thought it was nice and easy that we already had tickets for this museum in advance. You pay a little more than a normal ticket at the box office, but it is well worth the money. You can also book all kinds of other tickets and activities in Paris via this site.
During a city trip you often have so many activities that it is wonderful to go to a park to get away from the crowds. If you are going to visit Paris, take a walk in the Luxembourg Gardens. You can enjoy a nice walk here. Take a cup of coffee with you from one of the coffee shops and sit down in one of the nice chairs that are everywhere in the park. Really enjoy, and especially if the weather is also lovely.
Between 6:00 PM and 9:00 PM, many Parisian cafes have happy hour. It is then not that expensive to grab a terrace or go to a pub. In my opinion, the best neighborhoods to go for a drink are Monmarte, where you will find the beautiful and famous Baselique du Sacre Cour. You can enjoy walking in the charming Parisian alleys here and it is a super nice place to pop into a bar, such as café La Chope du Chateau Rouge on the way to the Sacre Cour. What I also think is a nice neighborhood to have a drink is La Marais, the district of Center Pompidou. You can also enjoy shopping here!
Before we left, my husband said between packing:'By the way, bring clean clothes and shoes, because we are going to have dinner at the Eifeltoren'. I was completely perplexed, what a very nice surprise! On the last evening of our city trip, we were expected at 21:00 in the restaurant on the Eifeltoren on the first floor. We were welcomed with champagne and while we enjoyed our dinner we had a view over the Seine with the setting sun. After dinner you can take a nice walk under the illuminated Eifel Tower. How romantic!
It's not cheap, but we think it's well worth the price. Just don't forget to book well in advance on the website of the Eifeltoren, because the tables in one of the restaurants are very popular.
Do you ever go abroad together without children? Visiting Paris was a really special trip for us. What is your favorite place to go as a couple?
