After my five-week Eurotrip across Italy, Switzerland, England, Wales and Spain, I knew there was one place in Europe I still had to drop by- Paris.
As long-time readers know, I spent a year in Paris working as an au pair, drinking cider on the Seine and becoming the oh-so-clichéd American expat in Paris. I made a lot of close friends during that year, both French and foreign, so I knew I had to pay them, as well as the city I called home, a visit.
My week in Paris felt… exceedingly normal. A friend even commented, “Honestly, it feels like you just never left and still live here!”
And as I remembered, there is nothing like spring in Paris. Between the pollarded trees and the plentiful picnics, a huge part of me just wanted to say, “Forget the rest of the world trip! I’m not leaving!”
Here’s how I spent my week in Paris.
The view from my friend’s apartment! Pas mal !
Seeing Friends
As I’ve mentioned before, this year’s visit to Europe was all about seeing friends. And see friends I did, from picnicking in Parc Monceau and the Bois de Vincennes to partying until the dawn in Oberkampf and getting a ride home on a French guy’s motorcycle. Let’s just say not much had changed.
While some nights I crashed at “The Cupboard”, my friend’s shoebox apartment, I spent most of the week with my friend Vens at his place in Puteaux. Vens was an excellent host, and we spoke about 80% French- exactly what I needed to brush up!
A weeknight picnic in the Bois de Vincennes with my former au pair family. Ah, just look at those rillettes!
Pre-gaming on the Seine like old times. Though I have to say, the Seine’s a lot busier in summer!
Picnicking and painting nails in Parc Monceau on my last day in Paris. Wahhh.
New Sites Around Paris
Although I tried my damndest, somehow I still have not seen all of Paris’ sites. So this year I checked a few more of my list: Sainte-Chapelle, a tiny Gothic chapel, the Promenade Plantée, a railroad track turned park, and Musée Carnavalet, a museum dedicated to the history of Paris.
Thoughts? I loved both Sainte-Chapelle and the Promenade Plantée but would give Musée Carnavalet a miss.
And on my next visit I still need to see the Picasso Museum and the Catacombes. Good God there are way too many tourist attractions in Paris.
Views from the Promenade Plantée
Sainte-Chapelle’s famed stained glass
Paying Saint-Germain-en-Laye a Visit
I couldn’t very well visit Paris and not stop by the town where I lived, now could I? I popped over to Saint-Germain-en-Laye to visit my au pair family and was pleased to see not much has changed. The château still stands proud next to the métro, the rôtisserie chicken still turn in the streets and the teenaged girls are still rocking the I’m-so-effortlessly-thin-and-gorgeous-I-don’t-even-have-to-brush-my-hair look.
I can’t help but miss my snooty but stunning little town.
Eating French Food
While in Paris, I ahem, attempted eat light- did you see what I scarfed down in England and Spain? I still made room for lots of my Parisian favorites: duck confit, gâteau basque, baguette, my favorite yogurt ever and steak frites with a glass of red wine.
And although I’m far from a pastry lover, one morning I even had pain au chocolat. Because, Paris.
Cardiac arrest-inducing duck confit with potatoes and salad. Why are salads in France SO delicious?
Gâteau basque with a pistachio filling
The obligatoire pain au chocolat
Discovering My New Favorite Bar
While I admit I filled my week with lots of unblog-worthy things, this one is worth sharing!
Blog readers, meet Café de l’Industrie. If Hemingway were still alive, this is where he would hang. From the neo-colonial décor to the inexpensive wines by the glass, it’s everthing you want in a Parisian café/bar/restaurant.
Overall writing this post and seeing these photos makes me sad- I have no idea when I’ll next see Paris, a city where I’ve made some of my fondest memories. But I’d like to think I’ll be back soon enough- there’s too much calling me back not to visit.
Have you ever returned to a place where you lived abroad? What was it like?
Thank you to Vens, Laura and Rach for letting me crash! Come visit soon!
Ashley
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This post makes me miss France so much! The food, the scenery, and how savoring the simple pleasures is embedded into the culture.
Le sigh… this post makes me miss France too! If only the work visa weren’t such a pain!
Aww, feels like a Throwback Thursday post!! I really enjoyed following along while you were in France. Glad you got to get back for a little visit :)
Thanks, Rika! It definitely felt like a throwback Thursday post as I realized (thankfully) that not much had changed when I was gone! Except perhaps the level of my French, haha.
That gâteau basque with the pistachio filling looks DELISH!!! Also, love that spread you got of the picnic ingredients.
Thanks! After all the time I spent in France I’d like to think of myself of something of a picnicking expert :)
I’m so glad that you got to enjoy your temporary return to Paris! I head back for a brief visit next month and am so excited. Thanks for the reminder about the Promenade Plantee. Is the cafe that you mention one where it would be okay to spend the afternoon typing? I’m hoping to branch out from my usual haunts.
I’m not sure if it has wifi (it probably does though!) but yeah, the atmosphere was so chilled out I think it would be a great spot for a working lunch!
Yes, I have visited, returned, and it was Paris. My first time there I felt
everyone wants a lover when in Paris, and I returned with my
wonderful husband, Lou, who knows and loves Paris more than
anyone I know–your Papa Lou. we are glad you love it and certainly
it is a magical city that you never forget–so many good times and
friends you miss, having shared Paris–but you will always have them,
and you will always have Paris.
Love you so much,
Gamma
I know you and Papa adore Paris more than anything. I would still love to see his photos and videos of Paris in the 1950s- I think my readers would love to see them too! We had a wonderful time at the show the other night, thank you so much for inviting me! Love, Ashley
I think I would spend all day every day at a picnic eating!
I won’t even lie, I think I had a picnic every day. Oops!
I lived in South Korea between 2006 and 2008- last year I went back for the first time since then. I absolutely loved going back. We still have friends there so it was great to catch up with them. I was worried we might be disappointed when we returned, but it was actually even better than I remembered! Glad to see you had an amazing time revisiting your home in France!
It’s great you still have friends there! Admittedly quite a few of my friends left Paris when I did but I still had a handful around, which was great!
I want all the food in the photos!! I cant wait to return to Paris. :)
Returning to Ibiza for the first year after I lived there was sad but still amazing. It felt weird to be a tourist there and not a worker anymore!
Wow, you worked on Ibiza? How cool! I studied on Mallorca and had the absolute time of my life so I can imagine Ibiza would be even more fun :)
Ahh Paris! It’s so nice to see you back there, and I’m glad you even managed to force down a pain au chocolat!
Haha had to! It was great being back- though I wish I would’ve had time to see a bit more of France, like Normandy or Brittany!
I have never revisted previous places that I’ve lived abroad, but I think I would feel the same way about returning to Sydney one day. All of your European food posts are making me seriously want to get back over there ASAP.
Glad to hear it, that’s what a travel blogger loves to hear! And I imagine Sydney was incredible.
It looks like you had a wonderful visit back! How have I not had a gâteau basque?! Did you just pick that up from a boulangerie or a specialty place?
I just picked it up from a boulangerie! It was so good, I’d love to make it at home :)