For more than a decade, I’ve spent a month in Paris every year. This summer and fall, I’m taking it a step further and spending three months there. People often assume this happened because I love Paris. I do. And that’s only part of the story.
The bigger story is that years ago, I made a decision: I didn’t want to work just for the sake of building a business. I wanted to build a life. A life with MORE.
- More freedom.
- More family time.
- More health.
- More wealth.
- More travel.
- More experiences.
- More margin.
- More time, space, and money to give to others.
Paris became one expression of that vision. For someone else, the dream might look completely different.
- Maybe it’s starting a business.
- Maybe it’s launching a nonprofit.
- Maybe it’s taking an African safari.
- Maybe it’s becoming a philanthropist.
- Maybe it’s spending more time with grandchildren.
- Maybe it’s buying your mom a house.
- Maybe it’s writing a book.
The specifics don’t matter. The process does. That’s why I created the Vision Your Future Like a Boss Workshop. It’s the exact framework I used to get clear on what I wanted, align my decisions around that vision, and build a business that supports my life instead of competing with it. Before I head to Paris in August, I want to teach that process one more time. It will be the only time I teach it virtually this year.
Join me June 17 for Vision Your Future Like a Boss Workshop.
And because so many people ask, “What should I do when I go to Paris?” here are a few of my recommendations.
My Unpopular Paris Opinions
The first thing you should know is that I don’t do Paris the way most tourists do. When you’ve spent a month there every year for over a decade, your priorities change. You stop trying to check boxes and start trying to experience the city. So here are a few of my favorite recommendations.
Skip Going Up the Eiffel Tower
I know. I know. This is probably travel blasphemy. But if I had to choose between spending hours in line to go up the Eiffel Tower or seeing her from below, I’d choose the latter every single time.
One way is on a Seine River Cruise. You get incredible views of Notre Dame, the Louvre and more. You start to understand how Paris is laid out. AND you get to see the Eiffel Tower from where she is most beautiful: from below.
Another option is to picnic underneath her. One of my favorite evenings in Paris is grabbing food and a bottle of champagne from the market street Rue Cler, finding a spot on the grass near the Eiffel Tower, and waiting for her to sparkle after dark. (Make sure you kiss whomever you’re with!) That’s a memory.
Skip the Champs-Élysées
If you’re looking for luxury shopping, many people automatically head to the Champs-Élysées. Personally, I’d skip it. Most of the stores are the same international brands you can find in major cities around the world. Instead, spend your time wandering the Marais. It’s one of my favorite neighborhoods in Paris. You’ll find boutiques, cafés, vintage stores, estaurants, bars, galleries, pop ups, incredible people-watching, and streets that actually feel Parisian.
If I only had one afternoon to shop and wander, that’s where I’d go.
Don’t Feel Like You Have to Do the Louvre
The Louvre is amazing. It’s also enormous. If seeing the Mona Lisa is on your bucket list, absolutely go. (Even then, I might encourage you to revise your bucket list.)
If your goal is simply to enjoy art and culture, there are other museums I often recommend first:
- The Musée d’Orsay is one of my favorites. The building itself is stunning, and the collection is much more approachable than the Louvre.
- Another hidden gem is Musée Carnavalet, which tells the story of Paris herself. It’s fascinating, beautiful, and best of all, free. It also has a lovely outdoor café in the garden.
- Le Petit Palais is another fantastic free museum with an incredible art collection, a beautiful hidden café and the building itself is stunning.
- And if you love fashion, don’t miss the Dior Museum. Even my husband, who wears jeans and T-shirts nearly every day, enjoyed it far more than he expected, and that’s saying something. Just make sure you book tickets in advance.
My Favorite Places to Eat
People ask me for restaurant recommendations all the time. Here are a few that are approachable (not 3 * Michelin by any means), consistent and feel Parisian:
Wonderland Pâtisserie
This is probably my favorite pâtisserie in Paris. It’s a little off the beaten path in the 14th arrondisement, but it’s internationally recognized and surprisingly unknown to many tourists. It’s not far from the Catacombs and the Musee de la Liberation.
Bonus: If you’re vegan or gluten-free, they have quite a few options. They also make their own ice cream, which is a must during the summer months when air conditioning can be hard to find.
Breizh Café
Our favorite spot for crêpes. We love the location near Odéon, but there are several throughout the city. Perfect for lunch, dinner, or dessert. (And shhh! don’t tell, I’ve even had crepes for breakfast: ice cream, bananas and chocolate sauce!)
La Jacobine
A classic Paris dinner spot with a cozy atmosphere and consistently wonderful food. It’s tucked into a charming passageway in the 6th arrondissement and is always bustling. One tip: They often don’t answer the phone, so you’ll need to stop by in person and make a reservation for the following day.
Cafe du Clown
our favorite place for coffee. (real coffee, not the stuff Parisians call coffee). Get a cappucino and some banana bread and make sure you melt butter all over the banana bread. French butter has a higher fat content than is allowed in thhe US and it’s to die for. You’ll walk it off in the afternoon. Make sure you pet Taize the resident dog.
Hotel or Airbnb?
We’ve done both and enjoyed both. But Paris has changed significantly over the past two years.
New short-term rental regulations have become increasingly strict, and many travelers are experiencing last-minute Airbnb cancellations. I’ve heard stories of people receiving cancellation notices literally while on the plane to Paris. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use Airbnb. It does mean you should go in with your eyes open. Make sure your rental has a 13-digit registration number. And read the reviews carefully.
Hotels offer security, consistency, and someone at the front desk if you need help. (That came in handy the time I fell and got a concussion.) They also often have air conditioning. Airbnbs can be less expensive, offer a kitchen and washer, and provide that wonderful feeling of living like a local. If you choose Airbnb, I strongly recommend having a backup plan.
Which Arrondissement?
As for neighborhoods, I personally love the Left Bank, but there are wonderful options throughout the city. For first-time visitors, I generally suggest staying in one of the arrondissements bordering the Seine. You’ll be close to many of the things you came to experience. Either bank is OK. And there’s no need to stay near the Eiffel Tower as most of the other things you’ll be seeing are not necessarily close to there
Over the years we’ve stayed in the 5th, 6th, 9th, 13th, and 14th arrondissements and enjoyed all of them.
A Few More Favorites
If you have time, I also recommend:
- Exploring Rue Mouffetard, one of Paris’s original market streets
- Spending an afternoon in Luxembourg Gardens. We love sitting by the Medici Fountain. Paris is about slowing down to appreciate beauty. This is the ideal place for that.
- Visiting Atelier des Lumières, a fantastic multi-sensory digital and immersive art experience. Shows change. But they’re always an amazing combination of art and music.
- Taking a creative workshop at Minime Paris, where you can design your own hat, purse, or upcycled denim jacket I love the jacket I created (and helped sew) with it’s Chanel looking collar and cuffs.
- Trying a graffiti workshop if you want something completely different. We really enjoyed this! (Before you do this, take a walk around the 13th arrondissement where you’ll find a ton of creative street art.)
- If you’re Catholic, you might want to know that on the first Friday of every month, you can venerate the Crown of Thorns at Notre Dame. We did that last year and there are no words to explain the experience.
My Best Advice for Your First Day
Stay awake. (Or at least don’t let yourself sleep for more than an hour.) Then take a boat ride on the Seine. Seriously. Do it on your first day. You’ll get your bearings, understand the geography of the city, and immediately begin connecting landmarks to neighborhoods. It’s one of the easiest ways to make Paris feel smaller and more approachable.
The Real Point
As much as I love Paris, Paris isn’t actually the point.
The point is that years ago, I decided to stop building my life by default and start building it with intention.
Paris simply became one result of that decision.
Your vision may look nothing like mine. Good. It’s not supposed to. The goal isn’t to copy someone else’s dream. The goal is to get clear enough on your own dream that you can begin taking actions that move you toward it. That’s exactly what we’ll be doing in Vision Your Future Like a Boss on June 17.
Whether your dream includes Paris, a safari in Africa, launching a nonprofit, writing a book, creating generational wealth, spending more time with family, or something you haven’t fully articulated yet, it starts with vision. Because when you know where you’re going, your actions begin to align. And when your decisions align long enough, your life starts to change.
I’d love to help you create that clarity before I head to Paris this summer.
Sign up here:
PS: Here’s a peek at “My Paris”.
