Paris | Landmarks | Day 6

Day SIX

The civic buildings and boulevards of Paris live up to their reputation for being over size, over decorated, and over priced. On our first day in Paris we walked around the centre of the city to familiarise ourselves with our surroundings, and briefly saw most of the more famous landmarks. We arrived in time for the weekend and we were still a little out of sync from the jet-lag, which meant we were up early and could explore the streets for a few hours while the city was still relatively quiet. To avoid spending crazy amounts on things like food and entry fees we carried a packed lunch with us and decided which museums we would pay to enter, and which we would admire from outside only.

Beginners Tip: Sightseeing

Parisians don't like to get up early, and tour groups start to poor into the city when the galleries and museums open, so getting up early to walk through the city is the ideal way to see Paris, especially on the weekends. Apart form locals going for their morning run, the centre walks and gardens between the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre were deserted. If you feel comfortable being out in the big city at night, this can also be a good time to explore the landmarks as again there are less people, and they look amazing lit up.  

^ Tyler buying a selfie stick for the special reduced price of 8 euros

Beginners Tip: Street Vendors

No matter where you are, who you're with or what you're doing - these guys will be there too. Quite often they don't actually have a legal permit to sell product, so don't feel bad for not wanting to purchase anything! 

Successful ways of dealing with them: ignoring them, yelling at them, buying something. 

Unsuccessful ways of dealing with them: ignoring them, yelling at them, buying something. 

There really was no way not be approached by one, except maybe yelling in French. So if you you know French, let me know how that goes. BUT don't let them touch you (some operate as pick pockets), don't accept any 'free gifts', don't hold anything for them, and if you think the price is too high, it probably is. If you really want to buy something, settle on a price lower than first offered. Their merch is all the same and all extremely cheap so they will be happy with a sale at a lower price. I won't mention that Tyler bought a selfie stick for 8 euro and the next day I bought one for 6 euro... (yuss) Remember, you're not obliged to buy anything and you can walk away at any time!

Next: Paris | Notre Dame des Paris