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That time in Paris

A little R&R in the city of love.

By Life & Muse

June 15^th, 2019

Last week, I was invited to speak at a conference in Bristol for work. Knowing how long the trek was going to be from San Francisco (12+ hours of travel end-to-end), Hanna and I decided to take a few extra days in Paris to relax and unwind.

We stayed at the Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers, a charming and modern boutique hotel in the 2nd Arrondissement, just north of the ever hip and fashionable Marais district. Draped in clean lines, rich colors, and soft textures, the hotel was as beautiful as it was comfortable.

And after a few long weeks of hard work, some serious rest and relaxation was in order. Without regret, we slept more hours in our few days in Paris than we'd slept all year long. And it felt wonderful.

I've always enjoyed travel more for its escapism over its tourism. So in every way possible, this short trip was living out that mantra.

Photo courtesy of Hôtel National des Arts et Métiers.

Wanderings

Believe it or not, we did manage to peel ourselves out of bed and out of the hotel, even if it was only motivated by food and shopping. While I was deliberate about leaving the camera behind on most wanderings, I managed to capture a few highlights that characterized the historic beauty of Paris.

Off the beaten path

It'd been many years since Hanna and I were each in Paris, so we shamelessly felt it was appropriate to visit the iconic Eiffel Tower again. That said, we had little interest in braving the crowds and were hungry for some less conventional views instead.

With some minimal research (and advice from locals), we found ourselves roaming down Rue Saint-Domninique for a clear view of the landmark framed between quaint shops and cafes. No more than 10 minutes further, Square Rapp gave us another unique vantage point from a convenient dead end. Kitty corner to that view was another one from Rue de Général Camou. And finally, at the intersection of Rue de l'Université and Avenue de la Bourdonnais is where we found an epic crossing with the base of the Eiffel Tower nonchalantly set in the backdrop (bonus points for my usage of a French adverb here).

Click any of the photos below for a description of where to find the view.

View from Rue Saint-Dominique and Boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg.

View from Avenue Rapp and Rue de Monttessuy.

View from Rue de l'Université and Avenue de la Bourdonnais.

Of course, we eventually made it to Esplanade du Trocadéro for everyone's favorite classic view. Surrounded by more selfie sticks than we could count, we weaved our way through the crowds and made our way back to the hotel (to sleep, obviously).

I louv(re) museums

No visit to Paris would be complete without a trip to the Louvre museum. And if you know me well, you'll know that I mostly like museums for their grandiose architecture. The Louvre was no exception.

Though I wish I would have documented more of the meals, shops, and other in-between stops we made, I truly believe that vacations offer unique opportunities to disconnect and practice being present. It's taken many years to truly appreciate the power of rest, and it's a perspective that has, in turn, made travel that much more enjoyable too.