Les Journaux de Paris

I spent a week in Paris at the beginning of December 2025, and honestly, I still don’t know where to begin.

Unlike a typical blogger, I don’t write every day or every week. I also don’t write to impress others with complicated words or ideas. I simply write about experiences worth sharing.

Getting to Paris was not easy. Finding a visa appointment was a challenge, and receiving my visa took a long time. However, once everything was ready, I flew from Istanbul to Paris. If your hotel is located in the city centre, I highly recommend flying to Orly Airport. The journey to central Paris takes only about 20 minutes by taxi.

I stayed in a hotel near the Luxembourg Gardens. It was also very close to the metro and some of the city’s famous Christmas markets, including those in Saint-Germain and the Tuileries Garden. As this was my first visit to Western Europe, Paris could not have been a better place to start.

After a three-and-a-half-hour flight, I arrived at my hotel by licensed taxi in about 20 minutes. After leaving my luggage in the room, I headed out to explore the city. Before my trip, several French friends gave me one important piece of advice: don’t plan every step with map applications. Get lost in the streets, discover hidden corners, and experience the real Paris. They were right. Instead of following tourist routes, I wandered through back streets and enjoyed restaurants far away from the crowded attractions.

That same evening, I came across a ceremony at Notre-Dame. Afterwards, I walked around the cathedral and found a boulangerie that was selling its last croissant of the day. I then crossed Notre-Dame and wandered through the charming streets of Saint-Germain. After enjoying raclette and crêpes, I grabbed one last coffee and returned to my hotel. During the week, I spent my evenings watching French news and television series, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

On my second day, following another recommendation from my friends, I walked along the Seine towards the Musée d’Orsay. There, I admired masterpieces by Van Gogh, Édouard Manet, James Tissot, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, as well as the museum’s famous clock. The museum restaurant is also worth trying, but I didn’t want to wait for it to open.

Instead, I spent some time in the Tuileries Garden before stopping by Angelina and Ladurée for macarons. Later, I walked down the Champs-Élysées and continued to the Arc de Triomphe.

After all that walking, I was exhausted. Before visiting the Eiffel Tower, I stopped at Trocadéro and had dinner at Schwartz’s. Then I headed to the Eiffel Tower and joined a sightseeing cruise on the Seine, departing from the area in front of the monument. Watching the sunset over Paris from the river was unforgettable.

Later that evening, I explored the quieter streets around the Eiffel Tower and enjoyed my first French onion soup in Paris. Before returning to my hotel, I used the Paris Metro for the first time and purchased a weekly Navigo Easy card.

Like many visitors to Paris, I couldn’t leave the city without visiting Shakespeare & Company. I bought several gifts for my family and, naturally, a few for myself. A short walk later, I found myself standing in front of Odette. Unfortunately, it was already late, and the café had closed before I had the chance to sit down and enjoy it.

On another day, I spent my morning at the Louvre Museum. I was truly impressed by the portraits, The Raft of the Medusa, The Coronation of Napoleon, and the magnificent ceiling decorations. Every detail felt extraordinary.

I entered through the Carrousel entrance, which saved me a great deal of time. Otherwise, visitors often face long queues regardless of whether they have a reservation. Since I had booked online, I waited only about ten minutes before entering. Naturally, the first artwork I went to see was the Mona Lisa.

After spending three and a half hours in the Louvre, I walked to Galeries Lafayette and had a meal at La Brigade. I would definitely recommend this place for lunch.

For the rest of the day, I explored the area around Stohrer, one of the oldest pastry shops in Paris. Nearby, I stopped at Café Florida for a break. The area is also ideal for shopping, and it’s a great place to pick up French cookies, jams, and butter.

In the evening, I recommend taking a walk around the Louvre. The atmosphere after sunset is completely different and equally impressive.

And then comes my favourite part: the Christmas Market in the Tuileries Garden. If you visit during the holiday season, don’t leave without trying the raclette. It was one of the highlights of my trip.