I’ve alluded to my ever-growing To Do for Fun list in previous posts, but I never actually talked about what was on it. The list currently stands at 61 items, although a couple have been removed after further research (for example, tickets to the Moulin Rouge are outrageously expensive, so we decided we weren’t interested) and a few are big ol’ maybes (like the Grand Palais, which is beautiful from the outside but only worth going in if you want to see whatever exhibition is going on at the time). Generally I have not added restaurants or shops; I track those separately in Google Maps.
I have so many lists! It’s as though making lists and crossing things off is my full-time job these days! (Funny because it’s true.)
So anyway, by the numbers: We’ve been in Paris for about 7 weeks. Our list is 61 items long. We’ve accomplished 26. That’s an average of almost 4 per week, which I think is pretty darn good considering that 50% of our household is holding down a full-time job.
If you want the full run-down – which, I should warn you, is longer than a transatlantic flight – you can see the list below. To make things less overwhelming, I’ve organized the list into categories and added some photos and notes. I’ll post updates every now and then as things get added or accomplished, and if you have any suggestions for things that should be on La Liste but currently aren’t, let me know!
Museums: 7 accomplished, 7 to go
LouvreMusée Eugene Delacroix– this is free with a Louvre ticketMusee de l’Orangerie– home to Monet’s water lily paintingsMusée d’OrsayVictor Hugo’s house– free all the time!Centre Georges Pompidou– museum of modern and contemporary artPetit Palais– be sure to eat at the garden cafe- Grand Palais? – only open for exhibitions
- Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle
- Musée Picasso
- Musée Rodin
- Musée des Arts et Métiers – science museum
- Musée Quai Branly – indigenous art
- Dôme des Invalides – Napoleon’s tomb
Monuments and Landmarks: 9 accomplished, 5 to go
Place de la ConcordeChamps ÉlyséesArc de TriomphePlace de BastilleParis Point Zero– small plaque in the plaza outside Notre DameSainte Chapelle– go on a sunny day so the stained glass windows are maximally impressive!Conciergerie– formerly a palace and a prison; where Marie Antoinette was heldPantheonTower tour of Notre Dame- Audio tour of Notre Dame – we’ve walked through several times but never paid for the audio guide
- Eiffel Tower summit
- Montmartre, I Love You wall, and top of Sacré Coeur – we’ve walked by but haven’t yet gone into Sacré Coeur
- Paris Catacombs
- Ferris wheel at Place de la Concorde
Parks: 8 accomplished, 5 to go
Coulée verte– still want to run 5k from Bastille to Bois de VincennesJardin des PlantesPlace des VosgesJardin du LuxembourgSquare du Vert-Galant– tiny park at the western end of Île de la CitéParc des Buttes-ChaumontTuileriesEsplanade des Invalides- Bois de Vincennes – particularly the Paris Jazz Festival in June/July and Classical Music Festival in August/September
- Bois de Boulogne
- Père Lachaise cemetery – check out the guillotine stones nearby
- Parc de Saint-Cloud
- Walk the Canal Saint-Martin
Activities and Events: 1 accomplished, 9 to go
Paris Walks tours– Montmartre, Marais I, Marais II- Jazz club
- St. Sulpice organ concert
- Cinema en Plein Air in the summer
- Salsa/swing dancing along the river in the summer
- Show at Palais Garnier
- Show at Opera Bastille
- Fête de la musique on June 21 – free music festival with bands and performances all across the city
- Bastille Day, including firemen’s balls, military parade, and fireworks on the Champs de Mars
- Paris Plages in July/August, including swimming/canoeing in the Canal Saint-Martin
Train Trips: 0 accomplished, 6 to go
- Versailles
- Toulouse – city in southern France recommended by multiple friends
- Giverny – home to Monet’s gardens
- Cider tasting in Normandy?
- Fontainebleau? – a fancy château
- Château de Chambord? – another fancy château
Miscellaneous: 1 accomplished, 3 to go
Rue Crémieux– possibly the “most Instagrammed street in the world”- Marché aux Enfants Rouges – large covered market with lots of food vendors
- Thanksgiving grocery store – started by an American ex-pat, this store has every awful processed food item you could want, like PopTarts and Heinz ketchup
- Macarons from Ladurée
Looks like a very busy summer! Wish I could be there for some of the things. Just wait for your writing about it all.
Always love reading your writing.
LikeLike