I turned 50 gradually, then suddenly.  My beautiful wife of 23 years, sensing the potential for a season of brooding, peremptorily whisked me away to Paris for a long birthday weekend to celebrate the milestone everyone who knew me in my 20s jokingly predicted I’d never make.

 

We’d briefly toured Paris together years before, but merely skimmed the surface – Eiffel Tower, Arc d ‘Triumph, Left Bank, etc. – but this time around, we opted to narrow the activity list and dig deeper.  Recently, leafing through the journal I kept of that weekend (a man my age remembers things better when they’re written down) I found inspiration to share some recommendations for an epic weekend in Paris:

 

Sightsee.  If you’ve already been to Paris and you only have a few days:

  • The Louvre.  A note of caution – this museum is a monster.  It’s more than 650,000 square feet of art, including nearly every famous painting and sculpture you’ve ever heard of.  The structure – once a palace – is divided into compartments by geographical areas of artist’s origin and historical period.  Roaming its chambers is exhausting and requires frequent rest, food and water.   If you aren’t willing to commit at least two days to grazing world famous art, cross the Louvre off your weekend list.
  • Pere-Lachaise Cemetery.  Cemeteries aren’t usually my bag, but this one is special.  This 17-acre plot features rolling hills, winding paths and thousands of trees; and is filled with amazingly elaborate sepulchers and tombs.  Not to mention some famous tenants – including 60s rock icon Jim Morrison, 19th century epigram artist Oscar Wilde and classical music composer Frederic Chopin.

 

Inside tips for those who’ve never been to Paris:

  • Visit Paris in the off-season, which is loosely defined as November – March.  Merchants and service workers are more relaxed and happy to have customers instead of being rushed and worn out during the summer vacation months.
  • Stay at the Marriott Champs – Elysees.  Surprisingly, the Marriott is the only hotel located right on the Champs-Elysees.  It is centrally located, reasonably priced, and a short walk to restaurants, museums, shops and amazing Parisian people-watching.
  • Ask your hotel concierge for dinner recommendations and allow them to make the reservations for you.  Each night we were treated to exquisite meals in warm and friendly restaurants we’d never have found on our own, within walking distance of the hotel.  The restaurant’s maitre d’ expected our arrival and whisked us to cozy tables where we were served by professional wait-staff who took delight in the opportunity to serve and interact with Americans.

 

Money Management best practices:

  • Using your debit card at the ATM takes dollars directly from your bank account back home and gives you Euros.  You cut out the middle-man fees charged by currency exchange kiosks and stretch your money further.  In the days of the devalued American dollar, every cent counts.
  • Inform your credit card company you’re going to Paris and will be making purchases.  I failed to do so and found myself unable to use my Visa after several purchases.  With identity theft and fraudulent charges as rampant as they are today, credit card companies are taking no chances and shutting down any activities that don’t match our buying habits.

 

You simply must:

  • Shop for clothes.  There are loads of great shops – expensive or not – with wonderful fashions that will make you the only one in your orbit wearing it this season.
  • Sleep when you get home.  After all, you’re in Paris!  Get up early, get out in the Paris air, and linger over your wine and dessert at night.  Hit the nightclubs and stay out as late as possible.  You’ll get plenty of sleep after you’re dead.
  • You don’t speak French?  Don’t worry about it – neither do I. I just asked the Parisians I spoke with if they knew English.  If they said, “non”, we used our hands, shook our heads, and spoke louder in our native language until we figured out what each other wanted to say.  It’s really fun!
  • Walk.  In February and March Paris temperatures average in the 50s during the day, and cool 30s and 40s in the evenings.  The average American, equipped with leather coat and pashmina, can look downright froggish (just check me out in the photo accompanying this blog.)

 

My wife and I agree the long weekend is our favorite format for visiting Paris, and we intend to revisit the city of light again next year to concentrate on other points of interest.   With this experience under our belts, we’ll be ready for an even more epic trip next time.

 

Oh, and during my annual check-up this month, my doctor informed me 50 is the new 40.  Sacre bleu!

 

 

Share and Enjoy