As the oft-repeated saying goes, Paris is always a good idea. And although that's true, it can feel crowded and congested, especially during Christmastime.
When my friend canceled our 40th birthday trip to Paris last minute, I was frustrated. But it led me to meet my French husband.
11.11.2024 - 02:43 / insider.com
With my 40th birthday fast approaching and no wedding bells in sight, I needed something fabulous to look forward to.
Most of my girlfriends were either married with kids or divorced. I had been reluctantly single for the last 12 years. I remembered a scene in a movie where the lead character was telling her sister how lucky the sister is to be single because she could jet off to Europe any time she wanted to. "But I don't," the sister said. And I hadn't either, which got me thinking.
While I couldn't seem to do much about my marital status, I could take a trip to Paris . I had another friend turning 40 that same year, who was also single. We started planning a trip together. She had been to Paris before so I took her advice about what was the best neighborhood to stay in. We booked our hotel and flights, and I bought myself one of those fancy guidebooks and started planning what to see and where to eat so that I wouldn't miss a thing.
Then, days before our departure was scheduled, my friend called me up and canceled. She wasn't going to be able to make it to Paris after all.
This was frustrating. What was I going to do? I didn't have much time if I was going to switch gears. The trip was less than a week away. Everyone would have plans already, so it was too late to plan a party. But going to Paris alone sounded so dreary, so singleton. I was already painfully aware of my relationship status . The idea of wandering around the most romantic city in the world by myself sounded like torture.
However, my fate was sealed when I realized my flight and hotel were nonrefundable. OK, then. Paris, party of one.
I went to the Eiffel Tower on the first night. There were so many tourists that nobody seemed to notice I was by myself. I ate in a brasserie, but I took my pen and journal; I felt every bit like one of my literary heroes, just trying to get a little writing done with a view of the Seine. I booked a day trip to Mont Saint Michel and one to Versailles.
I found it was easy to make friends ; I wasn't the only one traveling alone. I realized that traveling solo makes you more approachable. Nobody worries they're going to interfere, and so you meet people you might otherwise have never even noticed.
It turns out traveling by yourself is the best. You can wake up when you want to take a nap if you want to and eat where you want to. So, the following summer, I spent three months in Prague. The summer after that, I lived in Venice.
During my summers abroad , I kept meeting people who lived in Paris, were on their way to Paris, or had just come from Paris. It felt as if Paris was calling me back. So, the next summer, I returned for a three-month stay at an Airbnb on a cobblestone pedestrian
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
euronews.com
30.11.2024 / 03:03
Paris cracks down on Airbnbs with €100,000 fines and London-style limit on nights per year
Paris never fails to capture the hearts of tourists, and many now choose to stay in a home-away-from-home holiday rental.
nytimes.com
29.11.2024 / 10:39
How to Visit Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris
On Dec. 8, the doors of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris are scheduled to reopen to the public after a fire engulfed the beloved structure five years ago.
euronews.com
29.11.2024 / 02:41
Runways temporarily closed at Paris airport as drones deployed to search for missing dog
One of Europe’s busiest airports temporarily closed two of its runways on Tuesday as part of search efforts to find a missing dog.
insider.com
25.11.2024 / 17:35
My biggest regret was not exploring the world more. Now I'm 55, and my husband and I spend months in France every year.
I woke up in a panic a few years ago when I realized that at 53, I'd spent most of my adult life living in one place. Sure, I'd traveled over the years, but I hadn't lived outside the DC area since moving back here from Chicago at 26.
insider.com
23.11.2024 / 13:21
I've traveled my whole life, but at 75, a trip to an adult women's camp in France changed my life
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Victoria Goyet. It has been edited for length and clarity.
travelandleisure.com
21.11.2024 / 17:01
This All-business Class Airline Is Discounting Flights to Paris, Milan, and More — but You'll Have to Book Soon
All-business class airline La Compagnie is helping travelers get to Europe in comfort for less with its annual “Blue Friday” sale that has roundtrip flights for just $2,200.
insider.com
21.11.2024 / 14:41
I paid $160 to get a French manicure in Paris. The technique wasn't unique, but the long-lasting results impressed me.
In preparation for my first trip to Paris, I did the usual itinerary prep — museums, restaurants, and boutiques. However, I also realized this would be the perfect opportunity to experience a French manicure, both in the sense of style and technique.
insider.com
21.11.2024 / 14:41
We left behind our careers in Nashville to have an 'adult gap year.' We traveled a lot and now happily live in Spain.
My wife and I spent over a decade working in Nashville's music industry before we decided to step off of the corporate ladder.
nytimes.com
21.11.2024 / 10:49
Help! I Was Denied Boarding While Pregnant.
On the evening of July 19, six members of my family were set to fly La Compagnie, a French business-class-only airline, from Newark Liberty International Airport to Nice, France, for a long-planned trip that included the Paris Olympics. When my husband and I arrived at the airport, the other four had already gone through security. The La Compagnie agent congratulated me on my (obvious) pregnancy and asked how far along I was. I answered truthfully: 28 weeks and a day. She said I needed a letter from my doctor saying I was OK to fly. But every doctor and midwife I had spoken to about the trip reassured me it was safe, including the midwife I saw the day before at my 28-week checkup. Even though she was attending someone else’s labor that evening, she managed to send a letter, first through a patient portal and then via email directly to La Compagnie, along with her provider identifier number and, when the staff insisted, a photo of her hospital ID. But even after I did everything they asked, the agent told me the crew had determined I could not board. The La Compagnie desk was closing for the night, and the agent gave me a number to call to rebook. But with no guarantee I would be able to fly, even if there were seats available in the coming days, we booked a flight for the next evening on Air France for about $6,560 each — a steep increase from our $3,530 La Compagnie tickets. La Compagnie offered to return the original $3,530 each, but I believe they were wrong to deny us boarding and should compensate us for the cost of the last-minute flight instead. Can you help?
insider.com
20.11.2024 / 13:49
I moved to France to earn my graduate degree because it was too expensive in the US. It's been the best decision of my life.
I never had a big plan to move to France.
travelpulse.com
19.11.2024 / 20:35
ASTA Lauds Federal Court's Decision on Department of Labor's Final Rule on Overtime
The Frances Perkins Building of the U.S. Department of Labor headquarters in Washington, D.C. (Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Ed Brown)