Oh Paris, you have my heart! The buildings, the flowers, the markets! Some of the best days of my life have been spent sitting in a little cafe in the Latin Quarter watching people stroll by on their way to the markets or school. Walking along the Seine where sweet little old French men hold your hand and gaze in your eyes as they try to sell you their art makes me feel beautiful and I always find myself giggling. And every time I step into Sainte Chapelle I audibly gasp as its majestic splendor literally takes my breath away.

Sipping coffee feels like an event on a tiny little hotel balcony with barely room for two. And I know Parisennes get a bad rap here in the US but I can confirm I have never had a negative experience with any local. It helps that I try to understand and speak their language first, and memorize certain phrases like, “I apologize if I murder your beautiful language”.  On one trip JohnnyM and I took, we visited the same boulangerie each morning where two lovely ladies always helped me with my pronunciation until one day I nailed it and they clapped and laughed saying, “bon bon”! Or the time on my very first trip there, walking through a store I said to my friend that whatever he was buying would only be “4 bucks” and the shopkeeper came up with a big smile and told us we could even pay in “bucks” – so much fun! Even our cab driver on our last visit – it was pouring at rush hour, he spoke no English and I hadn’t spoken French for, well decades actually,even he worked with me kindly and got us just where we needed to go.

Staying with a family for a week in high school and getting to really see life in France imprinted my heart with the love and kindness of the French people. The student I stayed with who took me to school on his moped where we had pain au chocolat at recess. The spirited grandma who took us on a hike and teased me when I made her take a photo with me. The mom who took me shopping each day for fresh bread for dinner. The older brother who introduced me to Strasbourg with its gothic cathedral and beautiful pathways, who patiently had an entire discussion with me in French about whether graffiti was art or vandalism – even though I am certain I butchered most of the words, he suffered through it and we ended up understanding each other and laughing all day. And of course the cute friend who stole a little kiss under a streetlamp. All of these intertwined in my memories of the romance of Versailles, the beauty of Sacre Coeur and Montmartre, the breathtaking scenery of Alsace, the bustle of the Metro and the Champs Elysees. Not to mention the music, the chocolate, the croque monsieur – mon d’ieu! 

I’m gushing I know but that’s just it – I canNOT think of France without gushing. I promise if you go with an open heart and a respectful mindset, France and its people will enchant you. I do recommend doing your research, learn about their culture and learn some French words and phrases – have fun learning with Cecilia at Hello French NYC, or listening to the podcast Coffee Break French (I have no affiliation with either, they are just two of my favorites). I think traveling to France or anywhere really, is so much more enjoyable when you have put some time into getting to know the language and culture before you get there – it’s like having a backstory you wouldn’t get from just a tourist guide, and it makes people watching that much more fun when you see the habits and traits played out in front of you. May all of your trips, anywhere, whether they are in person, in books, movies or tv touch your soul and leave you feeling full of the beauty, love and kindness that this amazing world has to offer. Je vous aime mes amis!