Travel: Paris Recommendations & Day Trips
Irene Khin Wong
Being in Paris, you can’t miss the exciting colorful neighborhood of The Marais; reminded me of the East Village, New York City, with talented artists and one of a kind shops. In the vicinity, you must stop for lunch at my all-time favorite classic place, Mariages Frères, which offers more than 400 different teas, ranging from Cameron Highland, Malaysia to Darjeerling Mountains of India.
Mariage Frères at Marais
In between the visits to incredible museums, a few afternoon delights that one should not missed. The well-known pastry shop le Nôtre where you can find succulent kouglof. Or stop by your local fromagerie and have a picnic with a slice of Poilâne, a famous bread manufacturer who bake his bread like an old tradition. During my visits, I enjoyed the lively restaurant Chez Omar; if you like Moroccan food, they make succulent lamb shanks, great tagine and couscous.
If you have a sweet tooth, Berthillon at L'ile St Louis is one of the must-vist Parisian spots for great gelato and a stroll around the charming island.
If you want to travel beyond Paris, there are many excursions within a day’s trip. Some of my favorites:
- Versailles's glass palace and his beautiful gardens, where Marie Antoinette resided.
Marie-antoinette at Versailles
- La Normandie - walk on the beaches of Deauville and lunch at restaurant Les Vapeurs in Trouville.
- Other well known places such as the house of Jean Monet in Giverny.You can visit the garden which inspired him for his famous paintings.
- If you like wine, do visit the beautiful wine road with region like Val de Loire and the castle of Tourraine, only at 1 hour from Paris by train, with its enormous chateaux.
- One can also take a break in Bourgogne to taste Macon wine. One of the most famous roads is Champagne, near Reims, which is only 45 min by train.