Paris Visitor Guide for your Second Visit

As you may have well read on my blog, Matt and I had been to Paris once before. This time we were here for Tour de France, but we had plenty of time to see all the things that we didn’t get to see last time. Here’s a Paris visitors guide for your second time round.

Bike Tour around Versailles

So if you’ve already done a tour of Paris, why not head out to Versailles Chateau? The beautiful grounds of Versailles are a sight to behold; home of 3 of the King Louis, the gold plated gates surrounding the Palace are proof enough that the French royals once lived a life of splendour. Read more about our day in Versailles here. Book in early to secure your day out.

Already been to Moulin Rouge? Try Crazy Horse!

Crazy Horse is the little sister of Moulin Rouge but by no means any less glamorous or ris-kay *eyebrow wiggle*. Held in a smaller venue, the show feels more intimate and the service will keep your glasses full the entire show. Obviously, like the Moulin Rouge there are no photos allowed, but trust me – you’ll never forget a Crazy Horse show. Book your evening over the internet a few days out to avoid disappointment.

Musee d’Orsay

Waiting hours to see the Mona Lisa? Been there done that. Musee d’Orsay has hundreds of fabulous pieces on multiple floors, just waiting for you to scope them out. You can just rock up at this not as famous museum and head on in. I loved the Monet collection and was impressed by some artists I’d never heard of. I’m not an art expert by any means, but I like having a look, and I know what I like!

What you missed the first time… For us it was the Catacombs of Paris!

When you visit Paris the first time, you will be so overwhelmed by all there is to do. I would always recommend careful planning over “just winging it” for this busy tourist city. Matt and I turned up to the Catacombs of Paris on our first Paris visit only to find a 2 hour wait in line to get in. This time we booked our Catacombs tickets online about a month in advance, and just breezed on in. The Catacombs hold some very interesting history, so be sure to get one of the easy to use hand held guides. Aisles upon aisles of bones of the dead, you will be astounded just by the sheer look of it all.

Get to a fancy restaurant

Your first time in Paris is full of canal side baguettes, cheese and wine on the Champ de Mars and if you’re lucky, dining on the Eiffel Tower. This time we saved some pennies and went to a fancy restaurant to see what the fuss was all about. Our choice was the Michelin star restaurant Benoit. Let’s just say we WILL be doing that again. Ps: we never did figure out what that grey thing next to Matt’s steak was.

All your favourites!

The rest of your time in Paris can be dedicated to visiting old favourites. For us it was of course the Eiffel Tower and also the Arc de Triomphe. Also, we stopped by some favourite farmers market for the most delicious fruit.