Discovering Paris in 24 Hours
Deemed by many as the greatest city in the world, Paris inspires romance and art like no other place on Earth. The timeless City of Light has it all–delectable cuisine, world-class art and architecture and a palpable joie-de-vivre that permeates every aspect of French living.
I’d visited Paris in elementary school with my family, as one of my first trips abroad outside of Italy. We spent a few weeks exploring the nooks and crannies of France and taking in the history, art and architecture of the country.
As years passed, however, my recollection of Paris began to fade and all that I was left with were fragmented images. The creaking elevator ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower. The light pouring through the stained glass windows of Saint Chappell. The train ride to Versailles. My regrettable decision to forego the Musee D’Orsay for Euro Disney.
I had a mental image of what Paris was like, but when I revisited the city over a decade later on a 24 hour layover, I found myself exploring Paris again as if for the first time.
And though I only had 24 hours in Paris, I rediscovered the joys of visiting one of the world’s most beautiful cities.
Somewhere along the years, I had forgotten what it was like to walk down the streets of Paris. I forgot about the outdoor cafes, the maze of art galleries in Montmartre, the booksellers lining the Seine near Notre Dame, and the views from Sacre Cour.
Getting to know Paris in 24 hours is a nearly impossible feat. Known both as the City of Light and the City of Love, Paris inspires romance like few other places in the world.
The timeless city has an infinite number of things to do and places to see. So, given that I only had a short amount of time on my layover, I hit the ground running and tried to make the most of my limited sojourn.
As a budget traveler, I often do my best find cheap accommodation in the cities I visit. Had I not been traveling for work, I would have opted to stay in one of the many hostels in Paris. However, given the opportunity to stay for free in a four star hotel downtown, I enjoyed my luxurious hotel near the Luxembourg Gardens.
I didn’t have time to visit the interior of any museums during my 24 hour layover. I merely had time to walk down the streets, marvel at the wonders around me. I explored the city with a fellow crew member named Sara. We started by traversing the Luxembourg Gardens and heading toward the Seine–the heart and soul of Paris.
The Seine River snakes through the French Capital and is flanked by artists, street vendors and booksellers. I spent time perusing the stalls of well-worn paperbacks and chatting quite extensively in broken French with a the many booksellers. In the background, lovers and tourists meandered along the riverbanks, snapping photos of the architecture and admiring the Notre Dame Cathedral in the distance.
We visited the interior of Notre Dame, the exterior of the Louvre (foregoing a visit to the museum due to lack of time) and the Champs Elysees. Then, at around dinner time, we headed up the hill toward the charming artists quarter of Montmartre.
Montmartre’s name means “Mountain of Martyr” in French and was derived from the martyrdom of Saint Denis. Saint Denis was a bishop of Paris who was decapitated at the top of the mountain overlooking Paris in 250AD.
During the mid to late 1800s, artists began calling Montmartre home–artists like Pissarro, Matisse, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir and Pablo Picasso. Yet, in addition to being a haven for visual artists, Montmartre has also attracted composers, actors and performing artists. The area is home to the renowned Moulin Rouge–a performance venue made even more famous after the release of the 2001 hit musical starring Nicole Kidman.
Montmartre’s most recognizable landmark is the basilica of Sacre Cour. Sacre Cour was constructed in the late 1800s and overlooks the city’s sea of architectural wonders.
When we visited the basilica, crowds of tourists and Parisians had already gathered to see the sun set from the steps of the mountaintop cathedral. Sara and I were tempted to stay, but felt the need to carry on with our day in order to make it to the Eiffel Tower by nightfall.
We saved Paris’ most iconic monument–the Eiffel Tower–for last. Designed in 1889 by Alexandre Eiffel and constructed as the entrance arch to the 1889 World’s Fair, the Eiffel Tower has become one of the most recognizable monuments in France–if not the world. It attracts millions of visitors annually.
Sara and I arrived at the Eiffel Tower just after sunset. We admired the lace-like lattice of steel, snapping pictures and taking in views of the architectural masterpiece from nearly every angle.
Visiting Paris in 24 hours allowed Sarah and I to merely scratch the surface of the city’s offerings. One could spend a lifetime discovering Paris’ picturesque neighborhoods, its world-class monuments and its vast collection of museums.
The trendy French capital is the type of place that other cities try to emulate. The street vendors selling nicknacks along the waterfront, the vintage shops and the rare booksellers seem ostentatious to some, but I didn’t find them pretentious at all. Paris is hip and trendy without trying too hard. It is what so many other cities are trying to become.
Yet, in the City of Light, collecting paperback books, eating well and vintage shopping are not merely new and trendy fads. They are and have always been a way of life in Paris.
As a flight attendant for a major airline that flies to Paris from a variety of US cities, I know I’ll be back. And each time, I’ll take it upon myself to discover a different corner of the city, step into a new museum and, slowly, piece together my memories of the places that I visited over a decade ago.
***
Further Reading:
- Check out Anna’s blog for more tips on visiting Paris.
- Paroma has put together a handy arrondissement guide for those who have more than 24 hours in Paris.
