Visiting Paris: Bakeries, Bullet Trains & Timeless Magic

Visiting Paris: Bakeries, Bullet Trains, and Timeless Magic✨

Paris is a city that instantly captures your heart. From the moment you arrive, it feels elegant, historic, and alive, where every street corner offers beauty, flavor, and culture. Whether you’re stepping off a train from London, gazing up at the Eiffel Tower, or indulging in pastries that taste like art, Paris delivers an unforgettable experience. Every corner feels historic, every meal feels special, and there’s something magical about simply wandering without an agenda.

Arriving in Paris from London by Bullet Train

One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to reach Paris is by taking the Eurostar from London. In just over two hours, you travel beneath the English Channel and arrive directly in the heart of the city at Gare du Nord. It’s comfortable, efficient, and eliminates the stress of another flight, making the journey part of the adventure.

We flew from Arizona to London, then connected straight to the train for a seamless transition into Paris. At the end of our trip, we used the Eurostar again to return to London, which made travel between the two cities incredibly simple and smooth. If you’re planning a London–Paris itinerary, this is hands-down one of the best ways to do it.

Bakeries & Pâtisseries: A Must Do Experience

Parisian bakeries are part of daily life, and enjoying them is one of the best things to do in Paris. Mornings started with a flaky croissant or pain au chocolat, while afternoons called for stopping into a pâtisserie filled with macarons, éclairs, and fruit tarts that look like works of art. No trip to Paris would be complete without stopping for crêpes! Quick, affordable, and delicious, they were the perfect grab-and-go treat between sightseeing stops and an essential part of the Paris experience.

Small neighborhood boulangeries deliver incredible quality, making every pastry stop feel special. TIP: Look for the places with longer lines, or those visited by locals, these are usually the best!

Seeing the Eiffel Tower for the First Time

No visit to Paris is complete without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Whether you view it from far away, catch glimpses between buildings, or watch it sparkle at night, it’s just as magical as you imagine.

Paris feels like an open-air museum. Grand Haussmann buildings with iron balconies, historic bridges, and charming streets make wandering one of the best activities in the city. Even without a set plan, walking through Paris is an experience in itself. Of course, Mitch had to check out the fire truck!

3-4 Day Paris Must-See List

To make the most of our time in Paris, we intentionally grouped sights by location each day rather than crisscrossing the city. Paris is incredibly walkable, and organizing our itinerary this way allowed us to see more without feeling rushed or overwhelmed. Aside from our day trip to Disneyland Paris, we explored the city entirely on foot, wandering between landmarks, neighborhoods, bakeries, and cafés at a relaxed pace. Walking everywhere not only saved time but also let us fully experience the architecture, street life, and unexpected moments that make Paris so special. Jayme did have a broken leg during this visit, but was able to walk everything in a cast boot!

🗼 Day 1: Eiffel Tower & Seine River

• Eiffel Tower

• Champ de Mars (picnic + photos)

• Trocadéro

• Walk along the Seine River

• Evening Eiffel Tower sparkle

🖼️ Day 2: Louvre, Gardens & Le Marais

• Louvre Museum

• Tuileries Garden

• Pont des Arts

• Wander Le Marais

• Place des Vosges

🎢 Day 3: Disneyland Paris (Day Trip from the City)

For our third day, we dedicated the entire day to Disneyland Paris, which made for an easy and fun change of pace from sightseeing in the city.

We took the RER A train from central Paris, which is the simplest and most affordable way to get there. The ride takes about 45 minutes and drops you off right at Marne-la-Vallée–Chessy, directly at the entrance to Disneyland Paris, no transfers or, complicated navigation required.

We arrived early to maximize our time in the park, spent the day enjoying attractions, shows, and the iconic castle, and stayed through the evening for the nighttime entertainment and fireworks. Afterward, we took the train back into the city, making it a seamless round-trip without needing a car.

Final Thoughts: Why We Loved Paris

Paris completely stole our hearts. From seeing the Eiffel Tower in person to soaking in the city’s deep history and breathtaking architecture, every day felt special. Simply walking the streets, surrounded by beautiful buildings, iron balconies, and historic details, made Paris feel like an open-air museum.

And of course, the food deserves its own mention. We ate our way through bakeries, pâtisseries, crêpe stands, and cafés, and after tasting truly authentic pastries, it’s hard to go back to croissants anywhere else. There’s just something about enjoying them fresh in Paris that can’t be replicated. Mitch's sweet tooth was on overload!

We absolutely loved our time in Paris and left already dreaming of a return trip. Next time, we’d love to venture beyond the city and explore more of the French countryside, because if Paris is any indication, there’s so much more of France waiting to be discovered.

A Note on Notre-Dame

During our visit, Notre-Dame Cathedral was still under construction, which made access limited and the area more difficult to navigate. While it was still meaningful to see such an iconic landmark from the outside, scaffolding and restricted access meant it wasn’t as easy to fully experience as other sights in the city.

That said, even catching a glimpse of Notre-Dame was a reminder of Paris’s deep history and resilience, and it’s a place we’d love to return to once restoration work is complete.