Fall in Love with Paris for the First Time

Check into the lovely 4-star Hotel Recamier  in the heart of Saint-Germain-des-Près (6th Arrondissement). For centuries, Saint-Germain-des-Près was its own little village, and it still feels like it.

We’ll meet in the hotel’s lobby at around 4 pm for tea and introductions. Then, we’ll head out for a leisurely stroll through the Saint-Germain area so you get to know your neighborhood. 

In the late afternoon, we’ll return to our hotel to freshen up. Perhaps on the way back, we can stop at the famous bookstore, Shakespeare and Company. 

Back at the hotel, you may want to take a short nap to ward off jet lag. If you feel energized, we can direct you to some of the best nearby shopping areas or relax in a café and watch Paris pass by. At this time of year, it stays light until after 9 pm, so we can extend our time out for a while.

We’ll reconvene in the hotel lobby at around 7 pm for some welcome champagne before heading out to a convivial neighborhood bistro, Chez Fernand, in business since 1970. 

After a sleep-in (kick that jet lag to the curb!) and breakfast at the hotel, we’ll take the Metro to the Eiffel Tower. There, we’ll meet up with Krystal Kenny, photographer extraordinaire, for a personalized and group photo shoot! Imagine having professional photos to commemorate your first trip to Paris!

After our photo shoot, we’ll take a quick trip to the top of the Tower with our skip-the-line tickets. What first trip to Paris would be complete without a ride to the top of La Tour Eiffel for a birds-eye-view of the city?! Suitable inspired, we’ll stroll over for lunch at La Fontaine de Mars, one of our favorite Paris restaurants.

We’ll walk off our lunch with a stroll to Esplanade des Invalides, where we’ll marvel at the extraordinary Hôtel National des Invalides. FYI, It’s not a hotel at all. It was built in the 17th century by Louis XIV for those who had served in the royal army. Containing a hospice, barracks, convent, hospital and factory, the Hôtel was a veritable city. It’s now a military museum and houses Napoleon’s tomb.

We’ll continue our walk to the extraordinary Musée d’Orsay, one of the world’s most enticing fine art museums. Its permanent collection houses hundreds of breathtaking original works created by masters of Early Modern and Impressionist art. We’ll focus on the Impressionists with a guided tour to see masterpieces from Henri Matisse, Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Vincent Van Gogh and Auguste Rodin.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to rest, people-watch from a café, or do a little shopping around St.-Germain-des-Près.

Dinner tonight is at Restaurant Georgette, a classic bistro serving modernized farm-to-table French cuisine. 

After breakfast at our hotel, we’ll take a scenic walk across the Pont des Arts to the right bank to discover Le Marais, one of Paris’ most delightful areas. We’ll start with a visit to one of Paris’ many outdoor food markets, Marché Baudoyer, to see how Parisien’s have shopped for centuries. You’ll marvel at the variety and presentation of the produce, cheese, meat and fish, and almost anything else you can imagine. (Most Paris apartments are small and have small refrigerators, so a daily visit to a local market is not uncommon).

We’ll continue on to The Carnavalet Museum. Opened in 1880, it’s the oldest City of Paris Museum. For over 140 years, the continuously enriched museum collections have told the story of Paris from prehistory to the present. Recently revamped, the museum sparkles. 

We’ll have lunch at one of the best crêperies in Paris, the Breizh Cafe. Not only will you find extraordinary crepes at Breizh, but the staff are also committed to the development of organic, local and sustainable agriculture from their home region of Brittany.

This afternoon, we will get to "Be our own perfumer!" We'll visit Candora, the first French brand fully dedicated to offering visitors the opportunity to create their own fragrance. 

You’ll have free time after the class to explore the beautiful Marais, home to some of the best shops in Paris. Wander down Rue des Rosiers, stop in at Buly for some perfume, sit for a cafe and a Pastis in Place Ste-Catherine, and stroll through the Place des Vosges. Make your way back to the hotel by taxi or Uber, both of which are plentiful.

Tonight, we’ll have a lovely dinner. It's sure to be a highlight of the trip at Le Bon Saint Pourçain.

This morning, we’ll visit Monet’s home and gardens in Giverny, about an hour’s drive from Paris. Monet claimed that the legendary garden, planted and tended by the great man himself, was his greatest masterpiece. His home is a museum, a place that turns back the clock. It contains the artwork and artifacts Monet collected over a lifetime. His passion for beautiful things is evident all around. The house also contains the artist's studio-sitting room and an exceptional collection of his Japanese prints.

After exploring the house and gardens, we’ll stroll to the historic Ancien Hotel de Baudy for lunch. Hotel de Baudy was open in Monet’s day – can you imagine him sitting at the table next to you?

We’ll return to Paris to visit a jewel box of a museum, L’Orangerie, on the edge of the Tuileries Gardens. L’Orangerie designed and built special rooms to exhibit Monet’s famous “Water Lilies.” They are extraordinary. You be the judge: which is better, the gardens themselves or the paintings?

Suitably inspired, we’ll stroll to the famous Ladurée to savor their world-famous macarons over tea.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax and explore. Perhaps enjoy some quiet time in the Tuileries Gardens reading, writing postcards, or updating your travel journal.

After a big day, dinner is on your own. Order room service or pop out and convene at one of the nearby cafés. 

After breakfast, we’ll conquer the Louvre, the world's largest and perhaps most famous museum. Our private guide will lead us through the daunting collection, spanning several thousand years of history and culture. We’ll come away with a better appreciation and understanding of the world's greatest masterpieces.

After our morning at the Louvre, we'll have lunch at Willi's Wine Bar. Since the menu changes daily, we are in for a treat!

 We'll return to St-Germain, passing by our favorite landmarks, including the Jardin du Palais-Royal, Jardin des Tuilleries, Place de La Concorde across the Pont Royal, past Ladurée, Place Furstenberg and Les Deux Magots Café. 

Our final destination will be Pharmacie du Four to shop for skincare and cosmetics. They have the largest selection at the best prices.

We’ll take a break from French food tonight and journey to Morocco at Le Méchoui du Prince.

We’ll start our last morning with a tour of our favorite foodie sources in Saint-Germain-des-Près, featuring some of the city's finest cheese, charcuterie, and gourmet produce. 

After lunch, we'll explore the magnificent Luxembourg Gardens with Casey, learning about its history and discovering its sculptures and horticultural treasures. 

This afternoon is yours to do some last-minute shopping or see any sites you haven’t yet visited. You can’t see all of Paris in a week. You’ll just have to come back again!

Tonight, we'll have a farewell sunset dinner cruise on the Bateaux Parisiens, a spectacular riverboat restaurant along the Seine. La pièce de la resistance is seeing the City of Light illuminate before your very eyes! 

Sadly, it's time to say goodbye and head home. But first, we'll have a hearty breakfast together. May this be the first of many trips to Paris and la belle France. 

“America is my country, but Paris is my home,” Gertrude Stein.