Un petit pause a Paris

For my 21st birthday back in October, I was surprised with the most thoughtful and generous gift I could have asked for. Joe booked a week away for us to spend together in Paris! Since I was a teenager my dream has always been to visit, and my wish finally came true. 2019 has been a challenging yet rewarding year; I've overcome many obstacles and feel as though I've become the best version of myself, after tackling very stressful and exhausting mental health issues that had taken over my life for so long. I knew that Paris was the best way to end 2019, and so we decided to go all out on the sight seeing to make the most of our trip.

So, I've decided to post a blog about what we got up to, and share our journey, as many people have commented on how amazing the trip looked from my posts on Instagram and even asked for recommendations. As I am working towards gaining an insight about what the world of marketing and PR is like, I have decided to do my blog post as a guide-style piece of writing, as if to promote all of the restaurants, attractions and hotel I stayed at. The pictures included will enhance the aesthetics of the post in order to look inviting and most importantly, to promote the things I'm talking about.

We arrived at our hotel Plaza Tour Eiffel and were greeted with an amazing offer to spend our time in the "Eiffel tower view" room. Obviously, we took it, and we weren't disappointed.

The hotel was stunning, clean and cosy. We literally melted into the pillows every night. Due to its amazing location, we barely had time to spend there, which can't be a bad thing! We were in walking distance of many iconic, tourist destinations such as the Eiffel Tower, the Arch De Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. So we were able to be out and about, exploring the streets of Paris constantly.

When we arrived, we decided to get our bearings and see what Paris was really like. As typical tourists, we ended up visiting the Eiffel Tower and the Arch De Triomphe, we drank coffees and ate our body weight in crepes. Our first official destination though, was the iconic Moulin Rouge.

I was blown away by the performance, the dancers had such talent, it was impeccable and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Joe wasn't particularly bothered about going initially, as it was more my cup of tea than his. But by the end of it he was astounded, so I would definitely take his word for it! Not only did they perform the traditional cabaret dancing and singing, they showcased modern twists to the show that added to magic of it. Acts such as contortionists, jugglers and contemporary dancers hit the stage, incorporating all areas of the performing arts into one show. The champagne we had was a nice touch, too!

The following day was spent exploring the art at the Louvre, which was amazing to actually see in real life! the grand rooms and exhibitions they had was eye opening, but the star of the show was the Mona Lisa. Afterwards, we ventured down to Les Caves du Louvre for some wine tasting, sadly didn't take any pictures though (to Joe's delight). We found out that the chambers were once owned by a wine merchant that served King Louis IV and Napoleon, who lived in the Louvre at the time. They had underground passages that transported the wine directly to the Louvre, so that it was never tampered with en route! I would definitely recommend purchasing a Paris Pass that allows you to travel upon a hop-on-hop-off bus, giving you free entry to countless attractions (such as the Louvre and the caves) and also a free metro card!

That same night we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, which could quite possibly be the pinnacle of the holiday. It was such a memorable and magical moment. I would definitely recommend going at night to see the beauty of Paris in all its glory, lit up! I channelled my inner Blair Waldorf the whole holiday, however this night was definitely a big homage to her.

To end our perfect week, we spent our final day exploring the Champs Elysees and the Arch De Triomphe. I didn't realise how long the Champs Elsyees actually was, and so my feet were in agony after a long week of exploring. I had to throw away the boots I brought with me because I'd worn them out! So if you ever go to Paris definitely take shoes you know will be reliable, because it will be worth it! An extra positive note to the holiday, the weather was incredible as far as winter weather goes. We were able to enjoy our time without being wet and freezing, and our last day was especially good. Whilst on top of the Arch de Triomphe, we were able to see for miles around Paris.

After a full day (and week) of exploring we went back to our gorgeous hotel room and got ready for our dinner cruise to top our week off. I can't express how incredible it was! The fine dining food was increible and has definitely made me want to be a proper foodie! I tasted things I had never tried before and loved them, so trying new foods is definitely going to be one of my many New Year's resolutions for 2020 (blog post to follow...). We boarded the boat near the Louvre and travelled up the Siene, taking in the extraordinary sights and architecture. It was a phenomenal experience and I couldn't recommend it enough. The cruise we went on was the Marina de Paris that we found on TripAdvisor, which I believe is one of the best places to find attractions, tour and tickets. Not only do you get an array of possible places to pick from, you also get reviews about the places. You can book safely and directly with TripAdvisor too, so you know you aren't being scammed into something.

Our little break in Paris was a truly incredible experience and I can't wait to go back!