My friend and travel buddy, Patricia Sands, and I turned 80 this year. For many people, reaching that milestone means traveling less. For us, we’re traveling differently. We’re slowing down, staying longer, and enjoying the journey as much as the destination.
No Rush, No Checklist
Over the years, Paris has become the place where Patricia and I like to begin our travels together. More recently, however, we’ve stopped trying to see it like tourists. Instead, we’ve learned to leave room for long walks, cafe stops, and unexpected discoveries. It seemed like the perfect way to begin this year’s Epic & 80 road trip, which would eventually take us more than 5 weeks and 5,000 kilometers across France.
For many visitors, a few days in Paris mean trying to fit in as many famous landmarks as possible. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Notre-Dame, Montmartre and the Champs-Élysées deserve their place on every first-time visitor’s itinerary. But for me, I’ve discovered that Paris changes once you’ve been there a few times. The pressure to see everything disappears, and the city begins to reveal itself in a different way.
Without a schedule to keep, the city unfolds naturally.
Because we were in Paris on May Day, Patricia and I wandered over to the Hôtel de Ville to see whether anything was happening for the holiday.
While there was no official celebration, a bubble artist had taken over the square, filling the air with enormous floating bubbles that children chased, laughing beneath them.
The weather was beautiful, cafe terraces overflowed onto the sidewalks, and parks were filled with families. Every neighborhood seemed alive with people enjoying a spring day outdoors. It wasn’t a major event, yet it captured something I appreciate every time I return to Paris — the way people embrace everyday life.
Looking Beyond the Landmarks
During our visit, we wandered through Galeries Lafayette Haussmann, where I was once again amazed by the magnificent stained-glass dome. We walked past the Palais Garnier (the “Opera”) and strolled by the Louvre. — without feeling compelled to join a queue.
After several visits to Paris, I’ve learned that these landmarks don’t always have to be destinations. Sometimes they’re simply part of a wonderful walk through the city.
What caught my attention most, however, were the ordinary details around the landmarks. Street art appeared on the sides of buildings. Small boutiques invited a stop for window-shopping. Fruit and flower stalls brightened the streets. Cafés filled the sidewalks, giving us every excuse to stop, sit, and watch Paris go by.
Paris also seemed to have a new food obsession. Long lines formed outside tiny sandwich shops and bakeries, prompting the obvious question: What are they waiting for? Whether the latest food craze deserved the attention almost seemed beside the point. Watching what attracts Parisians today is part of understanding a city that continues to evolve.
Some stops were familiar. Notre-Dame, once again welcoming visitors after years of restoration, looked magnificent. The booksellers along the Seine continued a tradition that has survived generations of change. Near Notre-Dame, I was surprised to see love locks again. I couldn’t resist stopping for a photograph.
Other discoveries were new—and stumbled upon. Although I’ve visited Paris many times over the years, I had never been inside Victor Hugo’s home on Place des Vosges. Walking through the apartment where he lived and wrote part of Les Misérables added another layer to the experience of one of Paris’s most beautiful squares. It also reminded me how naturally writers and literature are woven into the fabric of Paris—not confined to museums, but very much a part of the city’s everyday life.
That connection became even more apparent one afternoon when Patricia and I met up with friend and author Janet Skeslien Charles.
Janet was introducing her newest novel, The Parisian Chapter, just as Patricia was celebrating the publication of The French Effect. It seemed entirely fitting that two contemporary authors would be celebrating their latest books in the same city where Victor Hugo left such an enduring literary legacy.
The Road Ahead
Four days in Paris passed quickly. Looking back through my photographs after returning home, I found my camera had captured architecture, cafés, shop windows, flower markets, street art, bridges, and scenes of everyday life. Perhaps that’s because, after many visits, those are the things that now distinguish one trip from another for me.
Paris had quietly done exactly what I hoped it would do. It eased me into the journey ahead and reminded me that one of the world’s great cities isn’t experienced only through its famous landmarks. Some of its greatest pleasures are found in the streets, cafes, and neighborhoods that connect them.
Next stop: Rouen.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll be sharing more stories from the “Epic & 80” road trip. Having already published our Normandy story to coincide with the Memorial Day holiday, we’ll visit Rouen, Honfleur, Saint-Malo, Mont-Saint-Michel, Antibes, Sanary-sur-Mer, and Nice in the weeks ahead. Each stop adds another piece to the puzzle of a country that continues to surprise me, even after more than a decade of living here.
“Three Icons. Three Centuries. Why Rouen is Worth the Visit.”
Stay tuned …
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7 Responses
Hi Deborah, thanks for this post. What a lovely way to experience Paris! We have a couple of short trips there this fall, and I will take your advice to heart. I’ve always enjoyed simply strolling, and there is always something wonderful to see. Another thing my husband and I like to do, that your readers might like to try, is to have a cocktail at one of the fancy schmancy hotels we could never affort to stay in. We’ve done that in London, New York, Paris, and elsewhere.
Yes, Sandy, we generally do try to do something special or a meal or drinks… Last visit was to Le Train Bleu and Le Procope. What a treat! Let me know where you go so we can put it on the list. Thanks so much for your note, and for following!
Very pleasant review of Pris, to which I would personally add the Luxembourg gardens, place de Fursrenberg, Trocadéro and the quays of île Saint Louis.
And your very eclectic program for the rest is rather tempting.
Jean-Francois, I totally agree. We have wandered through each of those spots on our various visits. Some I haven’t written about. Thanks for reminding me. I should really create an “Epic & 80” Tour Guide of Paris with your additions. Thank you so much for following the Barefoot Blogger. You and your comments are always happily received. Stay tuned …
Your comment about traveling at 80 years old made me think of a book co-authored by Ellie Hamby. The book is called “Here We Go Again”. It is about her journeys around the world with another widow and traveling around the world. They wanted to do 80 days around the world at 80 years old, but they had to delay their travel by one year because of COVID.
Deborah, thank you so much for the recommendation. I’ll definitely look for the book and inspiration. I’m hoping that travel beyond the US and Europe is possible for me, even a few years from now. It’s getting more difficult, but we have to learn how to travel “differently.” Stay tuned … I think you’ll enjoy all that’s coming up next.
Debby,
Mary Anne, Celia and I rented an Airbnb just around the corner from Place des Vosges and found it to be an ideal place to stay.When we first arrived, MA wanted to take us to see Place des Vosges. Without a map, it took us 2 hours to find it! She was a great tour planner, not so great as a guide!