Gone are the days I would sleep at the airport for a 6 a.m. flight, having packed my own breakfast in a heavy backpack, heading for hostels and hectic sightseeing schedules.
At the old age of 27, I appreciate the comfort of taxi rides, checked luggage, peaceful hotels and a travel itinerary that doesn’t leave me with sore feet.
I once saw a Facebook post in which a man planning to visit Paris with his wife and toddler presented an Excel sheet of his itinerary with details on how many minutes he’d spend at each spot and how long the walk was to the next location. Someone wisely quoted Anthony Bourdain:
“The absolute worst thing to do when you come to Paris is plan too much.” — Anthony Bourdain,
World Travel: An Irreverent Guide
Itinerary
Day A – Castle and Montmartre
Vaux-le-Vicomte in the afternoon
Montmartre for sunset and dinner
Day B– Walk along the Seine and sightseeing
(Step bonus: Notre Dame )
Step 1: Louvre and its Pyramid
Step 2: Jardin des Tuileries
(Step bonus: Musée du Quai d’Orsay)
Step 3: Walk along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower
Step 4: The Eiffel Tower
(Step bonus: Arc de Triomphe)
(Step bonus: Champs-Élysées)
Day C – Castle
Visit Fontainebleau
Day A – Vaux-le-Vicomte and Montmartre
Vaux-le-Vicomte
Dodge the crowds for the peaceful and breathtaking Castle of Vaux-le-Vicomte.
If we avoided Versailles which has fallen victim to its popularity, I still wasn’t expecting Vaux-le-Vicomte to be such an escape from the bustling city.
When Chambord, Chenonceau, or Versailles emphasize cultural tourism, Vaux-le-Vicomte focuses on the experience by offering and encouraging activities around the Domaine.
Things to Do at Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Have a drink, crêpe, waffle, or an ice cream in the courtyard. Sit in the sun and enjoy a view over the Castle and its gardens.
- Have a picnic on the lawn – you can pre-order a basket and a Vichy-patterned blanket, or bring your own.
- Rent a golf cart and drive around the gardens (which ended up being our favourite memory in Paris).
- Visit the Castle.
- Enjoy a candlelight evening – Every Saturday night from May to September, the castle is lit by thousands of candles outside. Guests can enjoy a candlelit visit, followed by a gastronomic dinner in the yard and fireworks.
- Rent the dome for a 2-person dinner above the castle.
- Get married for the modest sum of 1 million euros. Please drive traffic to my blog to make this dream come true.
Vaux is also a must for its historical and cultural significance in France. Its charm sparked jealousy and intrigue, to the point where the Sun King Louis XIV imprisoned Fouquet, Finance Minister and owner of Vaux, and ordered the construction of Versailles in a similar style but bigger, taller, more impressive.
Podcast If you plan to visit Vaux, I highly recommend the dedicated episode of The Earful Tower: Paris. An interview with one of the current owner gives the main intrigues of the past, and the very fascinating modern history of how Vaux ended up in the hands of the de Vogüé family and was saved from ruin. Jean Charles de Vogüé explained how they are trying to think of ways to attract visitors while avoiding the site to become overcrowded and preserving the authenticity of the experience. As someone who values moments and art de vivre while travelling, I clap to that. The owners are doing it the right way and it’s so enjoyable to visit.
Access Vaux-le-Vicomte is easily accessible from Paris with a 40-minute train ride from Gare de Lyon to Melun, from where you can take a shuttle or a 15-minute Uber ride.
Montmartre
In the evening, head for Montmartre, one of Paris’ most charming neighbourhood. You can sit on the steps in front of the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, drink your own wine while watching the sun set over a panoramic view of Paris and, occasionnally, music performers.
Head to Rue du Tertre for dinner and use La Maison Rose as a point of reference to explore the neighbourhood further.
Day B – Walk along the Seine and sightseeing
(Step bonus: Notre Dame )
Step 1: Louvre – enjoy the Pyramid and beautiful buildings of the Louvre
Step 2: Head to Jardin des Tuileries – sit near the water and do a bit of people watching
(Step bonus: Musée du Quai d’Orsay)
Step 3: Walk along the Seine to the Eiffel Tower, enjoy views over Paris and stop at the Pierre Hermé on your way, right along the Seine.
Step 4: The Eiffel Tower!!!
(Step bonus: Arc de Triomphe)
(Step bonus: Champs-Élysées)
Step 1-4 are a must and the bonus steps are up to you.
The title of this article Slow Living was actually inspired by our second day in Paris where I forgot myself and took my poor boyfriend on an sightseeing adventure so long it left us with sore feet. I fell victim to the must see culture instead of creating moments.
Do what matters for you. If you’ve seen Cathedrals before, I would skip Notre Dame. I would not fight my way through the Louvre unless there is art you want to see. The Musée d’Orsay has world famous gems but way too crowded and overwhelming (Why are visitors taking zoomed-in pictures of the paintings? It’s on Google!). The Arc de Triomphe is impressive but the Champs-Élysées, which though very famous is actually…. a bit boring? It’s actually just an avenue with shops.
Day C – Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau is one of France’s most significant castle where most kings and queens lived. If Vaux-le-Vicomte is, in my opinion, more architecturally charming, the visit of the rooms in Fontainebleau is worth the tour of dozens of richly decorated rooms.
In Fontainebleau, you might get the chance to go on a ride through the Domaine aboard a little train, a horse carriage, a hot air balloon or a canoe.
Fun fact: During the visit, you will see several paintings of a white dog, which led me to naively say “imagine loving your dog so much that you commission several paintings of him”. Actually, the legend tells that a royal hunting dog named Bleau found a fountain of spring water there, and the Domaine was named after him. This led me to then say “Imagine being a random dog and a famous castle is named after you.”.
Access: On the same train line as Vaux-le-Vicomte, take the R-line from Gare de Lyon to Fontainebleau-Avron and take a bus or Uber to the castle.
Where to stay?
Hotel Mansart in the 1st arrondissement, close to Opera Garnier, Jardin des Tuileries, Louvre – centrally located, so you’re relatively close to everything by walking, taxi, or metro.
Hotel Le Monsieur in the 9th arrondissement, close to the Grands Boulevards. Modern style.
Where to eat?
Soon-Grill – a Korean restaurant in Le Marais that offers Korean dishes and barbecue. The restaurant is named after the grandmother of the chef, the staff is committed to the experience and the food is delicious.
I only have one restaurant to recommend since I myself fell victim to two tourist traps, but if you’re looking to experience the infamous rude Parisian waiters or drink warm wine, let me know and I can provide you with names.
Chapter 26
Chapter 26 
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