The LeBrun Instagram Diaries: Promenade in Paris

Paris is one of the most romantic cities in the world. The city lights, the elegant French cuisine, and the faint sounds of accordion playing in the street. It’s undoubtedly the perfect city for lovers and honeymooners. In spring 2016, my husband and I left our jobs to hop around the globe for a year. We started the trip by backpacking through Bali, then we stopped in Paris to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. Here’s a peak at our Parisienne trip in the second episode of The LeBrun Instagram Diaries.

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We fell in love with Paris the instant that we arrived. Who wouldn’t be dazzled by grand architecture, patisseries packed with decadent baked goods, and cozy cafes with tables spilling onto the sidewalk? On our first night, we checked in to Hôtel Clairefontaine in the 14th arrondissement. It was conveniently located just a few minutes walk from the Gaîté stop on Line 13 of the metro. The next day, we decided to see the Eiffel Tower before anything else. After going through the security line, we stood underneath the massive tower in awe. It was hard to believe that we were actually there! Standing below one of the most iconic monuments in the world.

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To experience the classic Paris charm, you have to check out the Latin Quarter. The area is filled with brightly lit cafes and quaint little shops. We explored almost all of the arrondissements, but this was by far our favorite. We snacked on fluffy croissants at Paul, ate mouthwatering croquet madames at Le Bar Du Marché, and sipped bold French wine at Café le Buci. The food and drink were absolutely incredible. It’s no wonder that this is one of the most common sought out neighborhoods to live in.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJQGhsJhfyH/?taken-by=lebrunsontherun

Most people dream about climbing the Eiffel Tower, but we stumbled across an arguably much better option. To get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, you must climb 700 steps or wait in line (sometimes hours long) to take a series of lifts. Both options require quite a bit of energy and time. If you’re like us and you want an incredible view of Paris without any hassle, then skip climbing the tower and go to Sacré-Cœur instead. We purchased two tickets to climb to the top of the church and it was a much less than 700 steps to get to the dome. Once we arrived at the top, we were blown away by the view. You can walk around the entire circumference of the dome, which gives you a 360 degree look at Paris—including the Eiffel Tower! It’s the most beautiful site we’ve seen on our trip yet.

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On our first wedding anniversary, we decided to celebrate by visiting Disneyland Paris. Back in 2014, my husband proposed to me in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland, so naturally we had to pay a visit to that castle’s twin. We had a blast experiencing Disney in a new way. The characters spoke French, the food carts served crepes, and Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty Castle) even looked more storybook-like than the original. This park has many of the same rides as the original park, but they have their own unique twists and turns. We also loved Parc Walt Disney Studios, which is the second park next door. It was packed with movie magic attractions, Pixar-themed rides, and a new stage show called Mickey and the Magician. We spent three days at the parks and we didn’t want to leave on our last day!

Overall, our time in Paris was much more than we imagined it would be. It will be hard to top our experience there. Our next stop is Alsace where we will be doing a bit of wine tasting. We look forward to sipping French Reisling wine and eating way too many tarte flambées. Feel free to keep following our #365daysoftravels!

Which special occasion would you celebrate in Paris?