The enchantress called Paris

What I love about Paris is its perpetual ability to assimilate a visitor into its own ways. I find myself grabbing stuff from the deli, sipping wine by the Seine, taking strolls around the Notre Dame, setting up picnic lunch in a new ‘jardin’ everyday, chasing the metro at subway stations and trying to wish Bonjour! the proper way each time someone is in my proximity.

I am in love with the air that is so liberating, the culture so rich, encompassing art, music, fashion, architecture and cuisine built passionately in to the city.

It will probably take a lifetime to see-it-all in Paris, nevertheless, I list here my favourite things to do in Paris, the ones that left their imprints on my heart.

1. Sample street food It’s Paris, so even the street food joints are chic. I indulged in some mouth-watering falafels, cream rich intense coffee, savoury crepes and out-of-the-world pastries, all discovered in the nooks and crannies of the city. If you have gained extra pounds by the end of your trip, you have done Paris right.

2. Catacombs of Paris After descending a narrow spiral stairwell, I am standing several metres down in an underground quarry and gazing in awe at the remains of around six million Parisians, buried deep down in these alleys.

3. Lunch and Siesta in the manicured gardens Paris is as much the ‘city of gardens’ as it is the ‘city of love’. With so many options available, it is fun to drag your picnic blanket, lunch bag and a book to one of them. I liked Jardin des Tuileries, Jardin du Luxembourg and Promenade Plantee (this one’s created on an abandoned railway line, yes! you heard that right). And why only lunch, you can grab a sweet siesta amid the fragrant surroundings.

4. Soak in the panoramic views of Paris Imagine when all the beauty of this city comes together in a single frame and spellbinds you! You must climb at least one of the many structures in Paris that offer 360 degrees unobstructed views of the city. We went up both the Eiffel and Arc de Triomphe in our pursuit of panoramas and for some inexplicable reason, found the latter giving more mesmerising views.

5. Explore the countryside France has the most beautiful countryside ever and with great accessibility from Paris, we decided to seize the opportunity and hopped the train. We picked the Champagne region, an hour’s ride from Paris with the hope of getting high the french way and staying tipsy all day long. We visited a local champagne house in Reims, the most impressive part was to visit the underground caves where champagne is aged. It’s worth devoting time to the ‘sparkling’ experience.

6. Unwind by the river This is probably the most french thing to do. There are quite a many spots on the banks of Seine, Pont des Arts bridge, Pont de la Tournelle and Canal Saint-Martin being our favourite. Young crowds gather over music, food and wine in the evening and create a great ambience.

7. Take a moment to appreciate art Paris is synonymous with art. Every element of the city exhibits some form of creativity, provided you walk with an eye for it. It is astounding to see an entire city dedicated to making this world a beautiful place with some form of creative contribution. We had to stop at so many places to witness Parisians consumed with this passion.

8. Stop by to say Bonjour! to Monalisa Louvre is one big museum with not so cheap admission ticket, endless exhibits, crowded halls but unique nonetheless. And remember, Monalisa awaits you somewhere inside so you better pay a visit! Funnily, it’s a ruckus in front of a 30 X 21 inches painting, but still worth for some strange reason. Just jump like others are jumping, push like others are pushing, but don’t miss the experience for the world. Other than that, I found Napoleon III Apartments unbelievably beautiful!

9. Architectural prowess With a long history stretching all the way back to 3rd century BC, Paris is full of breathtaking monuments, many of them being pristine white structures; Notre Dame Cathedral, Sacré Coeur, Pantheon, Pere Lachaise cemetery being the ones we completely adore.