The problem with Paris day trips are the sheer number of tourists. At some point in the distant past it was possible to enjoy the most popular sites in the fall, but too many tourists found that it was possible to enjoy themselves without crowds if they went in the off-season, but as word spread the off-season was soon eliminated. Although the nature of the crowds may change, from retirees to students to families and back again, it is advised that you do a little research and, instead of following the crowds to the main attractions, find attractions that interest you instead.
Although it can be a fun experience to just pick an area and explore it for a day, especially some of the older sections, a little research can reveal some interesting sites. The catacombs underneath Paris can make for an interesting day, especially if it includes one of the underground restaurants where the furniture is formed at least in part of the bones of its former inhabitants. Because Paris is so steeped in history picking a few antique stores to look at can always uncover some finds that no one has seen in decades, and the haggling can get really intense, especially over historical artefacts. You can always explore the galleries, but why waste a Paris day trip on something anyone can do?
A London to Paris day trip will involve a certain amount of driving, but it can be worth it. The best trips involve some sort of planned shopping trips; proper touristing requires spending some actual time at the location to properly enjoy it while shops are more than willing to engage you in some good conversation, take your money, and wish you well as quickly as possible. The cities are just close enough that you can do some decent shopping during the day in the other city and return to the other by bedtime. One of the best ways to enjoy the day is to decide on a theme of some sort and embrace it; this maintains the necessary focus to enjoy the day.
As an example of this, you can have a mix and match day, where your purchase antiques in London and the newest objects d’art in Paris. You can also do the same with food, especially when you realize that some of Paris’ finest cheeses provide an interesting contrast to some of London’s best ales. You can even catch a great afternoon play in London and then catch a great French film that evening. On the other hand, it is possible to make some of the most interesting meals with some creative shopping should one be so inclined by combining elements from one city with that of the other by taking full advantage of either city’s unique culinary backgrounds.
Regardless of how you spend your London to Paris day trip, it is bound to make for some interesting tales.
Luc Bethel is a courier blog writer. As his job entails a lot of Paris day trips and even the occasional London to Paris day trip, he is able to offer travel advice to those places he visits on a regular, and even a few irregular stops.
