On my first ever trip to Europe, I had to make my first pit stop in France. What better place to visit than Paris. Known for their beautiful historical architecture and savory French food, I couldn’t wait to start my 48 hours in Paris. The most noteworthy places to visit is the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and Arc de Triomphe during the day.

Since I went during one of the coldest seasons of the year around mid-January, there were very tourist around which allowed me the opportunity to take photos with ease. The grandeur of Notre Dame was mesmerizing and enlightening at the same time. The beauty that is the Eiffel Tower is known world wide and popular among couples. To get the perfect picture of the Arc, be prepared to stand in the middle of traffic! I try to avoid spending too much money on entering the historic buildings as it gets costly. Just admiring the building from the outside is enough for me!

Notre Dame along the seine

Arc de Triomphe

Of course between visiting sights, I had to stop for some local cuisines. Staying about a block away from the Eiffel Tower, there were many cafes and restaurants to try in the area. For lunch, I went to a place called Les Cocottes. Popular for their seafood dishes, I opted for the shellfish bisque as appetizer, and sea scallops in cream foam. In addition, I also tried the potato stuffed pigs feet. The bisque was nice and creamy; can taste the shellfish without being too fishy. I wasn’t a big fan of the sea scallops since the foam was too salty which overpower the dish. By surprise, my favorite dish was the pigs feet. The potato complimented the salty pigs feet and was filling without being too much food. 

Shellfish Bisque with Citron Creme

Sea scallops in cream foam

Potato stuffed Pig feet specialty at Les Cocottes

As for dinner, I had to try the most popular French dishes like escargot and duck confit. I settled for a place known as La Poule au Pot. Since most people do not dine until after 8pm, I was able to get instantly seated around 7:15pm. The escargot was a nice appetizers and delicious. It was a bit difficult the get the meat out of the shell, but just took some patience. My favorite dish on this trip had to be the duck confit. The meat was cook to perfection and still tender and flavorful. The potatoes were a nice touch to the dish and complimented the large portion of duck.

Can’t leave Paris without trying Escargot

Local Parisian Specialty: Duck Confit

My 48 hours in Paris was definitely enjoyable and I hope to return to France to explore the rest of the country. To end this post, a lovely night view of the Eiffel Tower.

Daily lighting of the tower every hour