Not Down but Out in Paris

The 24hr Tourist Guide to Paris

So you find yourself in Paris. The city of love and romance - yet as always you are travelling alone. Fear not, the 24 Hour Tourist has a busy schedule to keep you entertained.

Getting There and Away:

Charles de Gaulle Airport to Gard Du Nord:

RER Train: 10.50EUR

(https://parisbytrain.com/charles-de-gaulle-airport-cdg-to-paris-by-train/)

The Grand Tour:

New Arrivals: I usually begin my visits to a new city with a quick moment in a park or green space to decompress from my travels but it won't take you long to realise that the area around Gare Du Nord doesn't offer much opportunity for this, so instead head first for a coffee.

Pit Stop: Anticafé la Fayette is a new breed of pay per hour cafe, and as such represents the continued forward thinking and innovation associated with the French republic. By providing an accessible and affordable community space the anticafe culture reignites the ideals of the grassroots coffeehouse. Enjoy all you can eat-and-drink refreshments for just 5EUR per hour.

While born in North-Africa in the 15th Century, coffeehouse and cafe culture has been made famous by Europeans, particularly the French. Coffeehouses became popular as an alternative meeting place, away from the usual religious gatherings or beer drinking in alehouses. The stimulating properties of caffeine combined with a space where knowledge and ideas could be shared freely among people from different cultures and backgrounds is said to have played a central role in the birth of the enlightenment. So, Relax, write, read, contemplate how we might better the establishment over a freshly made barista coffee and a snack.

Escape to nature: Take a coffee to go and continue down to the famous Arc De Triomphe, a first stop for many visiting the city, and after an in-at-the-deepend start to the city chaos it's definitely time to escape to nature. Heading down the Avenue Foch, lined with Chestnut Trees, admire the palaces famed as one of the most expensive places to live in the world. At the end of the street head into the Bois de Boulogne for a stroll around the wooded grounds, botanical gardens and rose beds. On a summers day you can even hire a rowing boat and head out onto the water. Watch the world go by and enjoy the moment in relative peace and tranquillity.

Cultural injection: It simply wouldn't be a trip to Paris without a visit to the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and Notre Dame. All with in a short walk from each other you can enjoy the sites while strolling down the banks of the Seine. Forgot your selfie stick for that all important insta pic? Fear not, as you join the menagerie you won't get far before being bombarded with offers of tourist tat. It's worth persevering though as this city has some truly spectacular and historic architecture.

An evening to remember: Self proclaimed as world-class foodies you will not be short of choice when it comes to finding an evening meal to suit all budgets. Many busy Parisians will chose to grab a more informal snack from one of the many boulangeries or patiseries, but for something more substantial it is worth trying something from the Middle-Eastern inspired falafel houses.

World food influence doesn't stop there in the capital city of this once-global colonial superpower. With a strong history in the slave trade, and still-present occupation in the the Americas it's not surprising that cultural influences from both the Caribbean and Africa can be found spotted all around this city. One of these hidden gems is Le Comptoir General. With drinks and food served in a beautiful setting you can while the hours away over a cocktail, transported briefly to a little piece of paradise. This really is a unique place, with an impressive attention to detail throughout the menu, music, and decor. I'll say no more as I won't do it justice, first hand experience is a must. This place can get busy at the weekends and it is a little pricey but you are after-all in Paris! Open everyday 'til late.