Le gai Paris!

Our tiny (perfect) little apartment!

I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in the beautiful city of Paris at the start of this year, so I thought I'd write a little post on the adventure!

I actually managed to get very cheap (£60 return) plane tickets with EasyJet, which worked out as quicker and cheaper then taking the Eurostar! My boyfriend and I stayed in a lovely little apartment a five minute walk away from Notre-Dame and packed as much as we could into the three(ish) days we were there. 

The first thing we did was go and look at the Eiffel Tower (#tourists). We'd both been up it before, and were planning on climbing the Arch de Triumphe, so decided to save on the entry tickets and instead had our first crêpes of the trip. We didn't actually manage to make it up the Arch either, because it was so foggy the entire time we were there that it probably wouldn't have been worth it.

From the Eiffel Tower we wandered over to the Champs-Élysées (my influence!) and I even got to visit the very first Christian Louboutin boutique! We have a friend, Christina, who lives in Paris and we met up with her for dinner - it may not have been traditional French cuisine but we went to an excellent burger restaurant named Blend that she always raves about, and then onto cocktails. 

Our second day was all about our mutual love for the happiest place on earth - Disneyland! It was probably the funnest and most stress-free day I've had in a really long time - I love that my boy adores Disney as much (if not more?!) as I do. 

On our last day we continued the sappy tourist streak and walked over the Pont des Arts (leaving a love lock on the way) to the Louvre. I won't lie to you, most art is lost on me, but my boyfriend loved it, and I was happy enough wandering around. We had to go back to the apartment for our bags so went home via Notre-Dame and Shakespeare and Company, which is a bookstore once frequented by the greats such as Hemingway. 

Although I'd been before (albeit when I was about seven or eight), I fell madly in love with Paris over the course of this trip. Normally I get quite anxious travelling, but I was at ease and happy exploring this gorgeous place - especially with someone I love. I'll leave with with one of my favourite poems that features this beautiful city - 'I'm in Paris With You', by James Fenton (having just reread it, it also mentions all the places we went, spooky!)

Don't talk to me of love. I've had an earful
And I get tearful when I've downed a drink or two.
I'm one of your talking wounded.
I'm a hostage. I'm maroonded.
But I'm in Paris with you.

Yes I'm angry at the way I've been bamboozled
And resentful at the mess I've been through.
I admit I'm on the rebound
And I don't care where are we bound.
I'm in Paris with you.

Do you mind if we do not go to the Louvre
If we say sod off to sodding Notre-Dame, 
If we skip the Champs-Élysées
And remain here in this sleazy

Old hotel room
Doing this and that
To what and whom
Learning who you are, 
Learning what I am.

Don't talk to me of love. Let's talk of Paris, 
The little bit of Paris in our view.
There's that crack across the ceiling
And the hotel walls are peeling
And I'm in Paris with you.

Don't talk to me of love. Let's talk of Paris.
I'm in Paris with the slightest thing you do.
I'm in Paris with your eyes, your mouth, 
I'm in Paris with...all points south.
Am I embarrassing you? 
I'm in Paris with you.