Paris Travel Guide

This post in partnership with The Gay Passport

Aw Paris, The City of Love. How can someone not have an amazing time in Paris? We recently spent a week in Paris and absolutely loved every minute. There is so much to do, we honestly could’ve spent another month exploring and still miss things.  This trip we focused mostly on visiting its landmarks and eating lots pastries. It was Harper’s first time in Paris, so I felt like this would give him the best representation of the city ;)

Sights to See

Eiffel Tower

Of course a trip to Paris isn’t complete without a stop at the Eiffel Tower. It’s an icon for a reason. We picked up a baguette, cheese and wine, and set up a cute little picnic at Champ de Mars.

Then we made the trek up to the top! Make sure you book your tickets in advance to avoid crazy lines. We took the stairs, and it really wasn’t crowded at all. Unfortunately we didn’t book in time to go up to the tippy top, but the second level is pretty grand in its own right. I definitely recommend!

Another great view of the Tower is across the Seine at the Trocadero. I loved coming here at night and watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle. The tower lights up and sparkles at the top of every hour after sunset. It’s truly magical and very romantic.

The Lourve

The Lourve is another no brainer, and I truly wish we had more time to explore it. I explored it the last time I was in Paris, and it is truly MASSIVE. You could easily spend your whole day (or three) here, no joke. We sadly didn’t have time to go inside, but we made sure to stop by and visit the famous pyramid. Very beautiful in its own right especially at night.

Palais Royal

We came here for the gram haha. It’s famous for its candy striped columns in one of its courtyards. It was a controversial art installation in the late 80’s, and has since become another instagrammable spot in Paris. There are also some beautiful gardens to explore within the palace grounds with plenty of cute lounging chairs to sit back, rest and hold the hand of a loved one.

Arc de Triomphe

This city is just full of iconic landmarks. It’s almost as if the entire city is a museum. The Arc de Triomphe was a fun stop. We didn’t go to the top, but from the photos it looked like there were some incredible views up there. Maybe we’ll get tickets next time. It is still quite impressive from the ground level. Another massive monument. Just be prepared to elbow your way through a few tourists ;)

Montmarte and Sacré-Cœur

Another famous and beautiful area. Montmarte is a neighborhood on a massive hill, with the stunning Sacré-Cœur Basilica situated at the very top. This area is very charming, with its cobblestone streets, cafes, and amazing hilltop views of the city. Fun fact, many scenes from Amelie were filmed here! It’s a must visit spot on your next trip, we just loved getting lost here.

Jardin du Luxembourg

This spot! One of my favorites during the trip. I wish we could’ve stayed longer and had a cute picnic. The gardens were so beautiful, and there was a giant fountain in the middle with cute little model sail boats floating around. This is how I want my future home to look :)

Le Marais

Our favorite neighborhood. We stayed here for half our visit in a cute little AirBnB. It’s one of the most beautiful areas of Paris, filled with adorable cafes, high end shopping, and various museums. It is also the gay neighborhood, so lots of cute boys and fun gay bars. They shut down some of the streets on the weekend so people can enjoy the neighborhood and shop. It’s beautiful.

Promenade Plantee

The original Highline. This is a beautiful park that follows a 3 mile long stretch of an abandoned elevated rail line. Harper and I walked a short bit of it, and it was very beautiful (even in the rain). It seems like it is a very popular jogging path for the locals, and it is easy to see why. I hope more cities continue to turn these type of spaces into beautiful green parks. Such a great concept.

Where to Stay

25 Hours Terminus Nord

Our friends at The Gay Passport set us up with an amazing stay at 25 Hours Terminus Nord. This hotel is stunning and so hip. I loved all the details in its interior design. The rooms were super cozy, and we had this AMAZING balcony view of Montmarte and the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

The hotel also has a delicious restaurant, complete with a complimentary breakfast buffet in the morning. So so tasty. Additionally, there is a sexy bar on the second floor, where we happened to find ourselves each evening before bed.  The hotel is located in a vibrant neighborhood, perfect for exploring the Pigalle and Montmarte areas. It is also located directly across the Gare Du Nord, one of the city’s largest train stations. It was super convenient, as this was the train station we arrived on from Amsterdam. All we had to do was cross the street. Anyways, check out these shots. Highly recommend a stay here :)

Where to Eat

Honestly, we just ate at a lot of random and lovely cafes and they were all amazing and delicious. We loved Paris’ café culture. Practically every street has one, two or three café’s. One of the things we loved most was that all of the outdoor seating faced outwards to the street. You sit side by side looking out over the cute streets to take in all the city has to offer.  There were a lot that we didn’t have bookmarked, but here are a few of the ones we intentionally visited.

Café Du Flore

Cute café with an instagrammable exterior. This spot was super busy (and a bit touristy), but we were able to snag a table during lunch. It’s a quintessential Parisian café experience.

Maison Sauvage

We actually didn’t eat here, but we happened upon it, and I took this fun shot of Harper in front J

Fragments

We bopped in here for a couple shots of espresso. Very cute coffee shop in the Le Marais neighborhood.

Le Loyo

Ok, this restaurant was sooooo delicious. It was recommended to us by Harper’s sister who used to live in France, and we are so glad we found it. Tucked away in the Montmarte neighborhood, this family owned African/Caribbean inspired restaurant had some of the most delicious chicken we have ever tasted in our lives. It was one of our favorite meals in Paris. Absolutely go here!

Café du Trocadero

We had our first night’s dinner here, after watching a romantic sunset over the Eiffel Tower. The food was delicious, and we had a decent view of the tower. It was fun to watch it light up at the top of the hour, and remind us that we were indeed in Paris.

Summary

And there you have it, our recommendations for Paris! We had the most incredible time, and believe me, there is so much more to see and do than what we have on this blog. We spent a lot of hours sitting at cafes and people watching, which was perfect for what we were wanting to experience. Can’t wait to go back and explore more! If you’re looking for more Gay friendly travel tips, I suggest you check out The Gay Passport. Their site is full of awesome travel guides, like these guides to Gay Paris, Singapore and Lisbon. Hope you all enjoyed this guide. Let me know what we missed in the comments below :)

This post is sponsored by The Gay Passport, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.