NIGHT 2
Nothing says ending a beautiful day in Paris by sitting along the Seine River drinking champagne by the Eiffel Tower. We found some vendors selling 5 Euro bottles of Champagne which yes sounds very sketchy but when you're on a budget you do what you must. Words can not describe the feeling you receive while watching the twinkling lights of the Eiffel Tower as you're getting drunk off of cheap Champagne by the Seine River. This moment was definitely spectacular.
Popping the Champagne
Group Shot
Eiffel Tower Twinkling
However, the night definitely took a turn when I ended up as the least drunk friend and all of my friends have gotten smashed. We had plans to experience Paris nightlife and at this point everyone was still interested. Until we ran into several problems. Problem 1: We went to the Metro to go into the city and as we were waiting for the train my friend starting getting sick. This was great timing because we missed the last train into the city and the last train to return to the Airbnb. Problem 2: I was the only one with phone service and my phone had died, so we could not order an Uber (which is way cheaper than a taxi in Paris). Problem 3: Multiple friends at this point were getting sick and so we had to get a cab to return to the Airbnb. End result was that we did not experience Paris nightlife and the night ended up being a very long and gross experience. Conclusion: 5 Euro Sketchy Champagne = Very Bad Idea.
DAY 2
After everyone had recovered from the night before, we got up and started our second to last day in Paris (hungover). Our day was a very relaxing day where we split up as a group and did different things of interest. My group and I decided to head towards The Marche aux Fleurs which is a beautiful flower shop near Notre Dame Cathedral. There is actually a Metro station right next to the shop. Head to Cité Metro stop and make a left at the exit and you will arrive at the flower shop. Also there are many cafes and restaurants near this area as well with amazing food and coffee.
As we woke up late in the day today we did not see as much but we decided to all meet up and end the day with a sunset view at Montmartre. Montmartre is my favourite place in Paris. The views are stunning. The town is set up as a market where you can shop and buy locally made art. The cafes and restaurants are incredible. Montmartre also provides you with a great cultural perspective of France. The streets are filled with street performers. The views are spectacular. The atmosphere is wondrous. Lastly, Montmartre is home to The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris, known as, Sacré-Cœur Basilica. I suggest spending as much time in Montmartre as possible. Its absolutely beautiful.
DAY 3
On our last day in Paris, I took a bus to see the infamous Palace of Versailles which is located outside of Paris. The Palace was an incredible sight. Taking the tour of the Palace was unbelievable. This is one of those places you learn about in History class in High School and to walk around the palace in person was surreal. The Palace of Versailles housed French royalty during the reigns of Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI. The palace ceased to be a royal residence after the French Revolution.
BYE PARIS
Paris is absolutely an amazing and beautiful city that I highly recommend you visit at least once in your life. However, once you go the first time you will continue to want to return again and again (I've been three times and that is not enough).
Travelling to and from Paris in Europe can be really cheap. We travelled back to London by Megabus and the fare was about 36 Pounds/42 Euros/47 US Dollars roundtrip. Its really cheap and Megabus offers free wifi and charging ports on their buses. Its a very convenient way of travelling and you receive great views of the French countryside.