A Long Weekend In Paris | The Girls Guide

A long weekend in Paris, not just any long weekend in Paris, a girls weekend. Meaning more drinks, more coffee stops and more laughs and you guessed it, lots of shopping.

I’m no expert and this is only the second time I’ve ever been to Paris but I’ve put together a quick guide on the best places I went to, what to order on the menu, where to take the best instagrams and where to shop! I hope you find this useful!

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A Long Weekend in Paris

Where To Stay

HOTEL PHILEAS PARIS

This is where we stayed and it was pretty central and not a bad location at all. We were a 5 minute walk from cute cafes and Galerie Lafayette and the balcony view was pretty damn good! The room was really nice and apparently much bigger than the average Parisian room so I would 100% recommend it! You can check it out here!

ST GERMAIN 

St Germain is where we spent a lot of our time in the evenings. For us we found it a perfect location, right by the shops, lots of bars and restaurants and basically just ideal. I think for me, next time I visit, which I will for sure, I’ll be looking to stay in this area the next time I book a long weekend in Paris!

Where To Eat

So we didn’t really explore or research a whole lot before hand but we stumbled upon a few different restaurants and each night I had the best meals so I wanted to recommend them to you guys!

L’AVENUE 

Ok so starting with one that I didn’t go to but Lorna recommended me to go here for the snails which I really wish I had! One to add to the list for next time, trust me, this girls good for her word and a regular in Paris.

LA SANCERE – MONMARTE

So we randomly ended up in the red light district on the first night, bloody typical. Also typical that I wore over the knee boots which honestly is the worst choice for that area, modesty is key. And while were at it, people in Paris do not dress up. I wore heels once and felt extremely uncomfortable. Casual is key.

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that once we realised where we were, we wandered up to the Mon Marte area. Just up the hill from The Moulin Rouge is a hub of cute cafes and restaurants, way less seedy! We went to La Sancerre and I ordered the steak with dauphinoise potatoes and it was heavenly.

CAFE DE PARIS – ST GERMAIN

The second night we discovered the St Germain area which is littered with restaurants, cafes and bars. We chose Cafe De Paris and I went for the Burgundy Beef (Beef Bourguignon) which I would highly recommend.

ATLAS – ST GERMAIN

We spotted this the night before and all agreed that we wanted to go back for Moules Frites (Mussels and Fries). It’s a huge seafood restaurant with lots of outdoor seating under a cosy cover. The Mussels were amazing FYI and one of our group (the non seafood eater) went for the chicken and also said it was amazing so there’s something for everyone!

Cute Cafes

CAFE DE FLORE

We had to go here! Doing it for the gram! This place is so so pretty, originally apparently reserved for artists as a cool hangout but after it featured in a few films, the masses arrived. Now obviously it’s an instagram spot so we all flock there for the perfect coffee shot. Basically you have to go!

CAFE MARLY

This cafe is actually in the Louvre. We got an inside window seat where we could actually see into the museum and the art whilst sipping on our Irish coffees . . don’t judge we were on holiday. Alternatively you can sit outside where you get the perfect view of the famous pyramids and can also get the perfect insta shot. Plus theres literally an entire row of insta worthy tables so you don’t have to hope and pray that a certain table’s free!

The Landmarks

EIFFEL TOWER

We had to do the Eiffel Tower! I’ve done it before but my sister hadn’t so up we went! Unfortunately the top was closed for reconstruction so we only went up to the second level but it’s still an amazing view! Last time I went the had an ice rink on the second floor so it’s worth looking before hand what’s going on there!

ARC DE TRIUMPH

If you’re not feeling like you want to climb the Eiffel Tower or you’ve done it before then Arc De Triumph is a great alternative. We went up as I’ve never been before and someone recommended it as the best view in Paris. It really is. You can see the Eiffel Tower too! You can see my pictures at the bottom of the post but bear in mind it was raining a lot and it was super misty so I can only imagine what the views like on a clear summers day!

THE LOUVRE

You’ve got to go and see the famous pyramids even if you don’t actually go inside and see the Mona Lisa! Make sure you take a walk through the beautiful parks afterwards!

NOTRE-DAME

We didn’t go in or up to the top as our next stop was the Arc De Triumph plus it was absolutely pouring with rain so we basically went, we saw, we photographed and then we coffee-d.

Key Shopping Spots

 CHAMPS ELYSEE

So this is like the Oxford Street of Paris. All of the high street stores like Sephora and Zara with other mixed in like Guerlain and Louis Vuitton, great for a mix of high street and high end and also huge! we’re talking 10 lanes.

AVENUE MONTAIGNE

This is where I went to get my Gucci Loafers and the firstSee what I got here! Chanel I visited. (If you didn’t already know I got a new bag in Paris! )

GALERIE LAFAYETTE

HUGE department store, think Selfridges. I’m not a fan but make sure you go if only to go to the make up area, walk to the centra and look up. The architecture is insane.

31 RUE CAMBON

Chanel. THE Chanel. The first store that Coco Chanel opened that sold anything other than hats, where her old appartment still sits above alongside Karl Lagerfelds studio where all of the couture designs are created. A magical place you have to visit if you’re a fan of handbags and for me, I made the trip to get my Chanel from here as it just make it so much more special!

RUE SAINT-HONORE

The creme de la creme of Paris shopping. Every designer store you could possibly want lining the most beautiful, picturesque street. If you only want to go to one street and you’re looking to spend some serious money then head here!

I hope you find my tips helpful if you’re planning a long weekend in Paris and do let me know if you have any others! Make sure you leave a comment so others can discover your tips and we can all help each other out! I want your tips too for next time!

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