Part 2
Yes, this is Part 2 of my top nine things to do in Paris.
If you missed Part 1, be sure to see it for my top #1-5 after reading Part 2.
This is a very personalized list of things to do, not a list of the most visited sites in Paris.
These are the things that make my heart sing!
Here are my top #6-9 must-do in Paris.
#6
Visit a la Poste
French stamps are inexpensive souvenirs that are also
easy to pack, lightweight, and beautiful.
Vintage stamps can be bought at Passage des Panoramas,
a famous covered shopping passage.
However, my favorite stamps to buy are current ones for two reasons.
First, I need stamps to mail my postcards, and I like to choose
pretty stamps to make the postcards even more special.
Secondly, French commemorative stamps have exquisite details
and are souvenirs in themselves.
This Féte du timbre that celebrates strawberries,
part of the Collection Historique du Timbre series,
is printed on heavy card stock with four pages of
detailed colored and line botanical drawings
that serve as a background for the actual stamps.
By visiting a la Poste instead of buying stamps at the
corner tabac (tobacco) store, you can look through
all current commemorative stamps,
which may very well become tomorrow's vintage stamps of note.
Another reason to visit a la Poste is to mail packages home.
France offers international versions of "if it fits, it ships" boxes.
When my suitcase no longer holds all my clothes
and new purchases, I head to a post office to mail things home.
For years there was a la Poste on the 1st floor of the Eiffel Tower
that sold postcards, stamps, and special envelopes, and that
marked mail with a special Paris Tour Eiffel cancellation.
The Eiffel Tower website no longer lists a la Poste on the
1st floor, but research indicates there is a post office
on the ground near one of the pillars.
Recent postcards mailed from the ground post office
did not have a special Eiffel Tower cancellation mark.
Now that Eiffel Tower renovations are complete,
maybe a post office has reopened on the 1st floor.
It's worth a look while visiting the Tower.
A postcard with an Eiffel Tower cancellation
is a great souvenir to mail home to yourself.
#7
Have lunch on the Eiffel Tower
For many years, one of my top two things to do in Paris
was to have lunch in the 1st floor Eiffel Tower restaurant.
By making reservations by phone before leaving for Paris,
not only did we have a wonderful lunch with
fantastic views of Place du Trocadero and its fountains,
we were able to skip the long lines and go directly to the elevators.
To my dismay, I discovered from the Eiffel Tower official website
that the 1st floor restaurant now only accepts reservations for
parties of nine or more people, and that the once affordable
lunch menu price is now out of my budget.
Not to worry.
There are now 'fast food' buffets
and a patio for eating on the south side of the first floor.
The views will be just as incredible as
in the more expensive 1st floor restaurant.
If a la Poste is on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower once again,
then #6 and #7 can be done on the same day.
#8
Buy a tarte aux fraises from a patisserie
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| There are four tarte aux fraises with kiwis near the top of the photo. |
On my very first trip to France I discovered
tarte aux fraises (strawberry tart) at a patisserie in Amiens, France.
The berries with a thin glaze sat atop a rich custard
in a crunchy pastry shell.
Pure heaven!
The berries were the most flavorful I've ever tasted,
and the vanilla custard was so creamy and rich,
I bought tarte aux fraises all over France.
Though this is listed as my #8, it probably is my #1.
Whenever I arrive in Paris, I immediately
begin looking for tarte aux fraises
and eat them every day when possible.
Patisseries are in every neighborhood and
tarte aux fraises is a regular offering.
They are great for petit déjeuner (breakfast).
The strawberries have so much more flavor
than the ones here at home.
Now, if you are not a strawberry fan,
I am sure you will find another delectable
pastry in a patisserie shop that you will
want to eat every day in Paris.
Or, maybe you will eat a different pastry every day.
Don't worry; all the walking will burn the calories.
#9
Buy fresh flowers
Nothing says Paris like flowers.
Like patisseries, florists are in every neighborhood, and
many street markets also sell flowers like these bouquets.
The flowers last for many days and
make a hotel room smell divine.
Strolling through street markets is a relaxing treat,
and the florists in Paris should not be missed.
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If you missed my top #1-5,
you can see them in
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See the following websites for detailed information about my top #6-7.
Vintage French Stamps
Eiffel Tower
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Bon Voyage
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