Paris... travel tips!

I am not a very good writer, but about Paris I wanted to say something more than a few sentences. I did my best and hope something from what I wrote will be useful. :-)

You know what was my first reaction when we started to plan our trip to Paris - "oh, what should I wear?!" Really!!! :-) It is not that I am very fashionable person, or that here in Italy people are dressed very differently, but Paris is that very special place where you are supposed to be dressed well. It is a place where you don't really want to look like tourist... you just want to be a part of the city, be in harmony with it and enjoy it as much as possible. In my case I went on the safe side (also because of the weather) wearing most of the time jeans, trench and ballet flats. But here are some tips if you want to look a little bit like parisienne:

• you are always safe wearing black and neutrals; somehow they don't wear bright colors that much, but they like to add some brigth pieces to their outfits - like jewels or scarf! Yes, scarf is must have in Paris! :-)

• you can't go wrong wearing ballet flats; everyone wears them, they are just the right thing to feel comfortable and well dressed at the same time!

• if you really don't want to look like tourist and want to hide your camera when you don't use it, instead of carrying it around your neck put it in a messenger bag (the one which is just in the right size for your camera). It will be still very easy accessible but it will be hidden as well.

• if you make a small research on google what people wear and don't wear in Paris you will find quite long list what you shouldn't wear, like - no shorts (don't agree), no capris (cropped trousers are allowed :-))) ), no tennis shoes or flip flops and so on! I don't agree that there is a real dress code in Paris and for sure nobody will say anything. I also don't agree that you can seriously say what you should and what you shouldn't wear. It doesn't seem right. But I think the key to look good in Paris is simply to dress yourself not too casual (at the end it works for any other big city as well). For example, if you wear shorts with ballet flats you are ok; with tennis shoes - not so much... it will look like you are going to make jogging. If you wear capris with wedges - it is ok, with flip flops - not so much... It is all about styling things in the right way. I am not a fashion expert though... haha... I just tell you my observations... :-) 

I will skip the part about what to see in Paris, because there are just too many things to mention. Of course Eifel Tower is the first must see, as well as Notre Dame de Paris, Champs Elysees, Montmartre, Arc de Triomphe, Louvre and so on... but the best part of visiting Paris is just getting lost in all those beautiful streets and walk and walk... having a cup of coffee (though the coffee in Paris is not that as good as in Italy, I know what I am saying! :-) ) in some small café, with croissant or pain au chocolat, or pain aux raisin (my favorite by the way). 

What to eat in Paris? Oh, there are so many delicouse things that I would gain some kilos at once if I would stay there for longer time. If you are cheese lover, it is just the right place for you. I am not, so I wasn't very interested in that part. I was much more interested to try fishes and other sea foods. They are so good at preparing them! Confit de canard is also very traditional dish made from duck. It is quite heavy but you usually it with salad so it gets more balanced. :-) All soups are worth to try! And crêpes! I came to conclusion that in general French cuisine is not very healthy :-) - too much fat, too much sugar, too many delicious things which you can't stop to eat, like macarons or pain aux raisin ... but ok... for a few days you can eat what you want, right? :-)

Where to make shopping? It is sale time in France as well as here. And of course I wanted to make some shopping in Paris. Usually I like to shop in known places and I have my favorite shops, like this I know the price range, what and where to find. And lately anyway most of the time I shop online (it is not easy to make shopping with two little children). But in Paris... oh, I just had to go to some shops, but as we were traveling with both kids I was quite limited in time. While Sophie was having a nap and Alex was busy with his new LEGO I went to Galeries Lafayette. And it was the right choice! There is everything and it is really huge! Great selection of children shops (for both - toys and clothes). There is huge amount of women's fashion shops. You can just get lost there for hours and hours... 

And we also visited our favorite tea shop. It such an interesting place. You can have cup of tea there as well. And then handsome French young man will explain you everything about the tea, and he will be so nice and the tea will be so good that you will be ready to buy everything he offers you! :-) If you are tea lover you must visit it! In Italy people almost don't drink tea and such places don't exist and I am so sorry about it... I would go there everyday if I could... and not because of handsome young French man, but because the tea is soooo good! :-) 

Well, there are so many other things to tell... but I think it is already the longest post I ever wrote and if you arrived till the end - thank you for your patience! :-)

I think I should make a separate post about traveling with two small kids, but as I said I am not a very good writer... we will see. At the end just some more pics of Paris. Have a good day! And go to Paris!!! :-)

P.S. Some very exciting news coming on Monday! :-)