Paris, the city of love but also of friendship and conviviality.
Let’s be honest, Paris is a top destination for everyone to visit. Whether you’re going with your beloved, a family member, or a friend. Paris is special, and everyone experiences this city in their own way.
The city that makes everyone’s heart beat faster. The magic of the Eiffel Tower, the nightly sparkle on the Seine, and the unique architecture. Paris is a must-visit city and perfect for a short city break.
To Paris by car, train, or plane?
The city of Paris is only about a 5-hour drive from the Dutch border. Don’t feel like starting your city trip with a car trip?
By plane to Paris
You can also choose to start your city trip with a flight. From Amsterdam to Paris, the average flight takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
However, this is not necessarily recommended. It may seem like the fastest way to get there, taking the least time. This is not entirely true. The effective travel time is actually much longer. Don’t forget that you need to be at the airport two hours in advance. Also, you don’t arrive in the city center.
By train to Paris
Then book a ticket with the Thalys and start your Paris city trip with a pleasant train journey. Within about 3 hours, you’ll be in the center of Paris at Gare du Nord station.
For this city trip, the train is often the fastest and cheapest option. From Gare du Nord station, you can easily take the metro to every corner of the city. Cheap and green, what more could you want.
Why a city trip to Paris
We could go on endlessly about why a Paris city trip is so great. But we’ll limit ourselves to three reasons.
1. It’s close by, but you’re still abroad
The city of Paris is a very dynamic and magical city. It’s so different from the Netherlands, so you’ll really feel like you’re on vacation during your city trip. No matter how short your city break is, you’re truly away for a while. Wonderful!
2. Fantastic shopping
Paris is a fashion city. You can shop delightfully here. From luxury fashion houses to small boutiques. You can also find many local neighborhoods for vintage shopping. If you’re looking for a city trip where you can combine various activities with shopping in cute boutiques, then Paris is the city for you.
3. Many cultural activities
Paris is a city full of history and art. There are endless museums and monuments to visit. The nice thing is that many of these museums are within walking or cycling distance of each other. So during your city trip, you can also stay active.
Paris in a minute
Exciting stories about Paris
Paris has many exciting stories and myths. One of the most famous is the story of the Phantom of the Opera, based on the book by Gaston Leroux. Andrew Lloyd Webber eventually made a musical out of it.
Opera
The story dates back to the end of the 19th century, 1873 to be precise. It’s about a pianist who was in the prime of his life and burned part of his face during a fire at the Conservatory. Unfortunately, his fiancée did not survive the fire. He was never able to process this and fled to the Palais Garnier, living by a lake beneath the Opera.
Just before he dies, he writes a song for his fiancée who perished in the fire. A song about love, life, and death. He eventually dies, but his body is never found.
A number of years later, in 1910, writer Gaston Leroux claimed that the man’s body was indeed found and dubbed him ‘the Phantom of the Opera.’ This is because a number of strange and unexplained events occurred in the Opera in the years after his death. Think of a chandelier that suddenly falls and kills a visitor, and a technician who dies under unusual circumstances.
But the most remarkable story is that of Christine Daaé, a singer who claims to have met the Phantom of the Opera, who fell in love with her and gave her singing lessons.
All in all, there are many strange stories surrounding the Phantom of the Opera. Visitors often report seeing a shadow move or feeling a chill when they enter the hall where the performance takes place. Seat 13 is still avoided by true connoisseurs to this day. This was the seat where the large chandelier fell and killed the visitor.
Musical Phantom
A new version of the musical Phantom of the Opera is currently being worked on. This is in collaboration with the production company of our own Joop van de Ende, Stage Entertainment.
It is expected that you can see this musical again in 2023/2024 at the Palais Garnier, the home of the Phantom of the Opera. Are you going on a city trip earlier and looking for a fun activity? No worries.
There are many performances you can visit at the Palais Garnier. From musicals to dance performances. It is definitely worth it. And who knows, you might also meet the Phantom of the Opera.
Fun Facts about Paris
1. The Louvre was once a medieval castle used by the Queen of France. It was only much later turned into a museum.
2. The Arc de Triomphe was built to celebrate Napoleon’s victories.
3. Paris is also very popular in Hollywood. There’s a good chance you’ll suddenly end up on the set of an American production during your trip. At the time of writing, they are filming the new season of the Netflix series Emily in Paris. They regularly look for extras, which might be a fun experience!
4. The Eiffel Tower was originally intended as a temporary installation. It was only supposed to stand in Paris for 20 years.
5. Paris is originally a Roman city. Previously, Paris was called “Lutetia.”
6. The Eiffel Tower has 1665 steps.
7. The Bloody Mary cocktail was originally created in Paris.
Top sights during your Paris city trip
If you want to catch some nice Paris attractions on your city trip, don’t miss these 6.
If you visit all 6 attractions during your city break, you’ll have experienced Paris in a nutshell. From a bit of culture to a bit of art, a bit of urban history, and a bit of nature.
1. The Eiffel Tower
2. The Louvre
3. Arc de Triomphe
4. Artist district Montmartre
5. Jardin des Tuileries
5. Panthéon
All the above attractions are easily accessible by bike.
Rent a bike and explore the city or book a guided tour. Cycling through the city yourself is quite an adventure.
Paris does not have the same bike paths as we have in the Netherlands. Despite that, it is a safe city to cycle in.