Girls Trip to Paris: Planning the Ultimate Visit with Your Besties
Leave the boys at home, here's our guide to the ultimate girls trip to Paris...
While Paris may be one of the most romantic places in the world, it's also one of the best cities to escape to with the girls. It's got everything: amazing sights, food, shopping and it's a great excuse to brush up on that French you learned one semester but never picked back up again. Here's everything you need to know about planning a girls trip to Paris.
What to see in Paris
The French capital is teeming with gorgeous architectural sights, museums and day trips prime for a girls trip to Paris. Even if you aren't a culture vulture, the Louvre Museum is a must-visit on any list with thousands of artworks - including some of our favourite girls Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. For a different change of pace, the grand Palace of Versailles is ideal for channeling your inner Marie Antoinette and exploring its breathtaking Hall of Mirrors (a site that'll interest any avid history buffs in your group). And naturally, you're going to want to visit all the postcard-perfect attractions for the ultimate Paris Instagram shots: think the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Opera Garnier...
If you're strapped for time though, it's worth considering a guided tour that'll whizz you through the city's highlights without having to figure out the metro. The Hop On Hop Off Big Bus tour is one of the most popular and will take you from the Notre Dame to Trocadero, with nine stops along the way and an open top to really enjoy those crisp summer days. The Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise is also a great shout and only an hour long - you'll sail along the Seine and see Paris' most beautiful sights including Tuileries Garden, the Louvre and score the ultimate Eiffel Tower shot.
Shopping in Paris
Paris is undoubtedly one of the most stylish cities in the world and there's something for everybody, from its gigantic flagship designer stores to the wealth of vintage clothing tucked away in nondescript shops. For those looking for luxury, Saint Honore is lined with French masters like Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes, Louis Vuitton and more. Thrifters and vintage hunters can find some real treasures at Paris' wealth of dedicated stores. Bargain hunters should make a path for the city's depots-vente, secondhand stores which count the brilliant Chercheminippes chain and hot pink Sissi's Corner amongst its ranks. Discerning minds can hunt for designer in Kiliwatch Paris and the Rose Market Boutique, which line their racks with Chanel, Givenchy and all our favourite names through the ages. Not super into fashion? Colette, a big concept store, is always packed with exciting and chic pieces ranging from homeware to tech. The city's also packed with stunning markets - foodies can get their fill at Bastille Market while the sprawling Marches aux Puces de St-Ouen is a flea market you'll never forget.
Where to eat and drink
And onto arguably the most important part of this guide, where to get involved in Paris' amazing culinary scene. Do as the Parisians do and grab a street-side table at one of its many cafés, pop by Angelina with its world-famous hot chocolate and visit literary favourite Les Deaux Magots which counted Simone de Beauvoir, James Joyce and Pablo Picasso amongst its fans. Classic French cuisine doesn't get any better than the picturesque Le Train Bleu, a restaurant housed in the former Gare de Lyon train station, or the ultra cool Le Chateaubriand which you'll have to book in advance for. Steak frites doesn't get much better than at Relais d'Entrecote and for those with a sweet tooth, Pierre Herme's macarons or the adventurous eclairs at L'Atelier de l'Eclairs. If it's a glorious sunny day, grab some artisan cheese from Bastille Market, a baguette from one of Paris' many boulangeries and a bottle of wine and find yourself a cosy picnic spot in one of Paris' many green spaces which undoubtedly will be full of others with the same idea. After dinner, swing by cosy rooftop bar Le Perchoir for champagne and views over the city at night. For cocktail-lovers, the Experimental Cocktail Bar does exactly what it says on the tin and is absolutely one of the most beautiful spots in the city for a drink. For those ready to take a hen party to the next level, the nightlife in Paris is incredible: you'll be able to dance the night away on a boat at Batofar, join the hipsters at ultra cool Wanderlust or slip into one of the city's most iconic clubs Rex Club for a marathon night.