A few weeks ago I spent 5 days in Paris and visited for the very first time, checking off a few of the goals from my 40 before 40 list as I did so.
I was actually there for two press events, one at Roland Garros and one in Chantilly, and thankfully I was able to extend my trip by a day or two to explore a bit more. If you follow me on Instagram, you might have already seen a few photos and videos. But with it being 32 to 34 degrees each and every day that I was there, (as a pale, freckly redhead), it was a trip like no other, for quite a few reasons.
So, I thought that I would get back to blogging and show you what I got up to. Here's how I spent 5 days in Paris/France.
Day one: Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées
After a quick flight from Glasgow to Charles De Gaulle, getting me into Paris around 2pm, I was chauffeur driven (someone was even waiting with a sign for me, which made me feel like quite the VIP) to the first hotel of my trip. Which just so happened to be a fifteen minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. So I dropped off my bags and headed straight there. Did I immediately regret not changing into something cooler as soon as I walked out into the intense heat? Yes. But I did make it all the way along the Champs-Élysées, even if I mostly stuck to the shaded side of the street.
It felt a bit surreal seeing the Arc de Triomphe in person, and I quickly got comfortable asking complete strangers to take my photo, aka, the solo traveller must. It is obviously a very touristy area, as is the entire stretch of the Champs-Élysées. And that's probably why it gave me London and NYC vibes. I also definitely dipped in and out of the shops (from Monoprix and Sephora to Miniso and a Renault car museum/shop, where I took plenty of photos for my Dad) just to get some cool air.
Then it was back to the hotel for a quick drink with the team, before I took it easy with some French snacks (sadly our baguettes just don't compare) and a movie in bed, so that I was ready for a very exciting second day.
Day two: Roland Garros
If you know me, you know that the one sport that I watch and follow religiously is tennis. And I've always dreamed of sitting in the crowd at one of the Grand Slams.
Rafael Nadal will forever be the greatest player of all time for me. Side note: If you've not seen his four-part documentary, which just dropped on Netflix, it is a must-see, even if you don't watch tennis. So, you can imagine my excitement when Haier invited me as their guest to the tournament this year.
Not only did we have tickets for centre court (Court Philippe-Chatrier), but we also got a chance to visit the Tenniseum museum, before sitting down to find out all about Haier's latest and upcoming product releases. From their new Couture Care collection, to plenty of other innovations, they are always at the cutting edge when it comes to the latest and greatest tech.
Then it was time to take our seats in the Haier box, which just so happened to be some of the best seats in the house, right behind the umpire. Normally this would have meant hours of watching the different sets, however, the blazing sun and heat, with zero shade meant that I could only really sit for about 20 minutes at a time before having to retreat back to the air con of the hospitality area. I did get to see some excellent points from Tsitsipas and a few sets of the Gauff match, which was incredible to see in person.
Thankfully there was a tiny bit more shade later in the day, so I could explore more of the village and take in some of the nods to the king of clay, before we headed for the cars home. But instead of catching a flight, I got dropped at the airport ready to drive about an hour away from the city, to Chantilly. That meant checking into the gorgeous Le Grand Pavillon Chantilly to get ready for the Dreame event the following day.
Day three: Chantilly
Now, I've already shared it on my Instagram, but what a hotel that was. After a busy few days, I definitely enjoyed taking it easy in the room, sitting out on my balcony and having a wander of the bucolic grounds. What an experience it was.
Then the next morning we were up bright and early to make our way to Château de Chantilly, where the Dreame event would be held. As a freelance journalist who does a lot of tech product reviews, I was genuinely blown away by what they have coming in the next few months. I mean, there's a robot vacuum -- that can climb and clean the stairs -- coming our way, as well as a stylish smart ring and so much more.
Day four: Checking off some of the big sights
After doing quite a bit of research when it came to where to base myself on my very first visit, I ended up staying about a five minute walk from the Louvre, which meant I could explore quite a few places by foot. I headed straight to the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF), which was breathtaking, as was the entire building and grounds, before walking through the Jardin du Palais Royal and taking in the Colonnes de Buren/Les Deux Plateaux.
There are also so many lovely independent shops in the area. Obviously, I had to stop in at Merci #2, La Bonne Brosse and more.
And I've got to admit, I had absolutely zero desire to actually go into the Louvre itself. But I did take plenty of photos outside, before heading for an ice cream to cool down a bit. Not pictured, how burnt my bum felt sitting there for that photo. Haha.
After chilling in the hotel for an hour or so, and cranking the air con up to its maximum, I walked to Galleries Lafayette. And as someone who is always up for a wander around the shops, this was a shopping trip unlike any other. Of course, I had to see the stunning dome in person and I made my way around each of the floors, having a good look at all the wonderful brands and souvenir ideas as I did.
You really could bankrupt yourself in a department store like that. And I had to stop myself from grabbing this little madeleine Jellycat, especially after the amount of those magnificent cakes I had that week. Breakfast back home is not the same without one, that's for sure.
And, if you do go, don't miss out on The Terrace rooftop, where you'll find some breathtaking views of Paris, as well. And thankfully I asked someone who had a pretty good eye to take a few photos of me, too.
Day five: Wandering around the shops and Notre Dame
At this point I was definitely starting to flag a bit, so much so that I even lay in bed until I needed to check out of my hotel at midday. Again, the sun and heat was so intense, which is why I started my morning with a wander around the nearby shops, after stopping in at Baguett to see the Hello Kitty collaboration that they had going on.
I was completely besotted by the Uniqlo x Cecilie Bahnsen collection, but my case was already stuffed. So, I may need to place an order now that I'm home.
Then I walked across the Seine, taking in the JR Pont Neuf installation, to Notre Dame, which again, felt so surreal. As there wasn't really any shade on the way over the water, at this point I was starting to feel very overheated and nauseous, and I knew I still had to cross back over, so I headed back to the hotel to have some water and grab my bags before going to the Westfield Forum Des Halles shopping centre, which is where I caught the packed RER train (which had zero air con, of course) back to the airport.
Overall, I'm so proud of how much I managed to pack in and that I managed to do some more solo travelling. I'm already thinking of visiting again in the cooler months and maybe even going to Disneyland Paris next time, too.
Have you been to Paris or had it on your list of places to visit? And what should I make sure to have on my itinerary for my next trip?
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