Ayla’s Adventures: Paris is not for the weak

As soon as I found out that I would be studying in Luxembourg for the fall semester, I immediately started planning one trip: going to Paris for my 21st birthday. Over the weekend of Sept. 12, my plan finally came to fruition.

On Friday, after two transfers and a ride on the high-speed train, we made it to Paris. My friends and I had a jam-packed schedule, and we were trying to see as much as possible. We stopped at our Airbnb and changed before heading to the jazz bar featured in “La La Land,” Caveau de la Huchette. After reading reviews and advice online, we arrived an hour before the doors opened, as the line can sometimes wrap around multiple blocks.

Ayla Peden

The sign outside Caveau de la Huchette in Paris. Photo by Ayla Peden.

When we walked in, we were met by a room that could’ve once been a wine cellar. The walls were made of stone, and the ceiling curved overhead. Throughout the night, we danced to a live jazz band. However, heed my warning if you ever decide to do this yourself: Bring a portable fan. I think the entire club would’ve burst into flames if another person stepped on the dance floor.

The next day we got up bright and early and made our way to La Maison d’Isabelle for pastries. I had a strawberry tarte, and it was divine. It was covered in a light sugar glaze that was the perfect balance of sweetness.

Along our walk, we took in the city. We saw the Panthéon, Notre Dame and the Seine on our way to the Louvre, where we had tickets for a 10:30 a.m. visit. Before leaving for Paris, I was told that as someone with a student visa in the European Union, I could get into the Louvre, or any museum in Paris, for free.

Even though I had been to the museum before, I was just as stunned to see it again. Photos and written accounts don’t do its size justice. We spent three hours walking through its halls, and we only saw the third floor.

We mostly stuck to the places that I had already seen, like the Italian and French galleries where the “Mona Lisa” is held. However, we did get to see the Napoleon Apartments, which I had looked forward to seeing ever since I heard about them. The walls were covered in paintings and velvet, and the trim was covered in gold. Truly the most lavish room I’ve ever been in.

Ayla Peden

The Napoleon Apartments in the North Wing of the Louvre. Photo by Ayla Peden.

After making it out of the maze that is the Louvre, we decided to grab lunch on the go, as we still had many shops and activities lined up for the day.

One piece of advice for anyone who plans on seeing Paris in less than 48 hours: See everything you really want to, but remember to sit and enjoy the city that surrounds you. We didn’t relax much on this trip — we walked around 26,000 steps on Saturday alone — and that worked for what we wanted to see in the short time we had. However, if I had to go back and redo one thing, I would stop every once in a while and take in the fact that I was standing in Paris with my friends during my birthday weekend.

For the rest of the day, we walked around the town, stopping in shops we had been dying to see, and eventually we made our way to the Eiffel Tower and got on a Seine River cruise. When we got there, the line to board the boat seemed to be a mile long. The tickets for this cruise line, Bateaux Parisiens, let us board anytime from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. So, when we got there for the last cruise of the day, everyone else had the same idea.

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Somehow, we managed to get on a boat. While on the boat, we got to see the tower sparkle at the start of every hour. It was just as magical as you would imagine.

The next day, we didn’t have nearly as much planned. Most of the shops in Paris and across Europe close on Sundays. However, that didn’t stop us from hitting up some more notable spots.

In the morning, we headed toward the Arc de Triomphe. It is so much bigger than I could have ever imagined. There are statues on the sides of the arch, and I believe I was about the size of one of the statues’ legs. It truly astounds me that someone had to chisel that out of stone.

Ayla Peden

Asst. Culture Editor Ayla Peden in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Photo by Emily Clark.

Just before we left, we took a tour of the Catacombs of Paris. I didn’t realize just how many bones were held in the tunnels. Behind the initial wall of bones, which were held together by femurs and skulls, there were piles and piles of human remains. Let’s just say I enjoyed my time, but I’m not eager to visit the Catacombs again.

Despite just leaving the city, I cannot wait to go again. Paris is one of those places you can’t just see once, or, I guess, twice.

pedenae@miamioh.edu

Ayla Peden is a junior sociology and journalism major with plans to pursue a career in law. She is the assistant editor for Culture and spends way too much time in the newsroom. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, reading and chatting with friends at a coffee shop — basically any old-lady activity.