The first time I went to Paris I was 21 years old. I had just graduated from college and joined some friends on a 6 week trek across Europe. Paris was our 2nd stop. It rained and rained. Our hotel was truly awful. I had no idea what I was doing and I just didn’t “get it”. It would be 2 decades before I would return, This time it was for a summer family trip for which I planned and planned. We stayed in an apartment in St Germain, had a scavenger hunt through the Louvre, climbed the stairs of Notre Dame, saw Monet’s Water Lilies and sipped chocolat at Cafe de Flore. It was a much better trip! Then, my husband surprised me with a trip for our 20th anniversary. It was a quick trip — very cold — but fun and romantic! I was mesmerized by the Eiffel Tower, the Picasso museum and Versailles. I was finally starting to understand why everyone always loved Paris.
Fast forward to 2023. My Seattle friend, Jeanne McKay Hartmann, who is a Paris aficionado and talented artist, and I thought it would be fun to meet up there since we hadn’t seen each other in 4 years! We dubbed it our the “Friendship, Flowers and Champagne” trip and planned a week filled with fun, flowers and bubbles! We stayed on the Left Bank at the chic boutique Hotel D’Aubboson, saw the exquisite Dior exhibit, walked for miles, visited tiny shops and expansive parks and even made our way to the Champagne region. A highlight of the week was a photo shoot with the incredibly talented Katie Mitchell, who captured many of the images you see here. We started at the Trocadero, overlooking the Eiffel Tower (with lots and lots of other people having photos taken) and then made our way to the Tuilleries, where we rode the carousel with 2 little girls wearing berets.
I would get two more opportunities to visit Paris before the end of the year…and you would think that would satisfy me for a good long while. However, it’s just left me wanting more. It turns out Paris is always, always a good idea!
PPT Paris Favorites
