Top 10 things to do for a weekend in Paris

Weekend in Paris

I have been to Paris, the capital of France, several times but this year was the first as a tourist. We went for a weekend trip to lovely Paris.

These are my top 10 favorites while visiting during a weekend.

Top 10 things to do in Paris 

1. The view of the Eiffel Tower is amazing. Taking a picture of yourself in front of the Eiffel Tower with the lovely fountains, is a must.

2. Visiting the museum Musée Marmottan Monet was one of the best museum moments in my life. It is the world´s largest collection of Monet paintings. Wow! I was totally stunned by all the beautiful paintings.

One of Monets sons had no children and he donated all his fathers paintings to this museum. It has a collection of over 300 hundred Impressionist and Post-Impressionist works by Claude Monet.

3. If you like to go shopping you can visit the Lafayette department store to buy some expensive designer label souvenirs. (The word souvenir comes from French word for memory). Another nice department store is Printemps.

And go up on the roof of the department store Lafayette. There is an public area with  a possibility to a fab view of Paris roof tops. In the summer there is a restaurant and bar. Fee entrance, fab view!

There is also a big shopping mall called Forum des Halles on Rue Saint Denis. If you are hungry go to one of the nice restaurants and sit outside in the sun on the square next to the mall.

4. Montmarte is a lovely part of Paris, it is an old art district. Visit it to buy art in the street, eat at cozy restaurants and enjoy the atmosphere. Many famous painters worked here, such as Dalí, Monet, Picasso and van Gogh.
When in Montmartre you should also visit the beautiful church Basilica of the Sacré Cœur. It is definitely worth the walk up the hill.

5. If you like fashion, go to the museum of fashion. Afterwards have lunch at the libanese restaurant Noura close to the museum. Great food and friendly people. If you are unsure on what to order. Ask the people by the next table for advice.

6. After walking on the famous street Champs-Élysées go to the beautiful monument the Arc de Triomphe and take some pictures.
It stands on the Place Charles de Gaulle and is the second largest triumphal arch in the world. The monument is huge, 50 m in height and 45 m wide and I read that Charles Godefroy flew with an airplane through it in 1919.

7. The Louis Vutton Fondation is a museum in an extraordinary building. It has different exhibitions which are very popular. Book you ticket online in advance to avoid the queues. Next to it is a large park for a nice walk in the sun.



8. Notre dame is a large church which is also on the must-see-list when visiting Paris.

9. The perfect ending of a day in Paris is a dinner at the Eifel Tower, followed by a slow one hour cruise on the Seine River. You can book it through a tour operator.

or have a romantic dinner for two at gourmet restaurant Les Bacchantes, Rue de Caumartin 21.

10. A visit at a roof top bar is nice after dinner, or for some before dinner-drinks.

In style: Enjoy a drink and watch the sun set at lux hotel Shangri-La Hotel on 10 Avenue d’Iéna. It should be open to the public from 4pm to 11:30pm during the summer. 

Trendy: Nüba is a roof top bar and café during the day and a club with dj:s at night. The trendy largest terrace in Paris above Cité de la Mode et du Design (The City of Fashion and Design), which houses the French fashion institute, shops, and exhibition spaces. 

Where to stay? Well if you trust Coco Chanel´s good taste, the Ritz Paris hotel is the choice for you. She lived here for many years and it is one if the most luxurious hotels in Paris.

More shopping?
The best markets in Paris are Marché Pual Bert and Marché Serpette, The market in Saint-Quen Paris 18e.
Didier Ludot, 33 rue Valois Paris 1 for vintage clothes, close to Palais Royal.

I also got a recommendation for these restaurants but I haven´t tried them yet.
* La Tour d´Argent is apparently the most famous (and expensive?) restaurant in France. A Tsar and a few Kings and Queens have dined here.

* A lunch in the garden of restaurant Laurent looks marvellous and the beautiful pictures on their website makes me want to call them to reserve a table immediately.

PS. Did you bring your kids? 

Stay an extra day and go to Eurodisney, totally fun for the young ones. But avoid to go there in July-August when it is totally overcrowed. 

Another must visit with kids are the huge park with a lot of attractions next to The Louis Vutton Fondation museum. The park is called Jardin d acclimatation.

Do you know a restaurant, shop or an must-see in Paris that should be on my top list? Please leave a comment here.