This spring, our travel plans were bringing us to the South of France, but not without a pitstop in Paris first, of course! I have been to this magical city before and it truly never gets old. There is so much to see and do, and some things you want to see and do over and over again! This time, I was four and a half months pregnant, which was extra special and also put a slightly different spin on our plans and what we wanted to get out of the trip. My pregnancy hasn’t been the easiest; lotsssss of nausea, all the time, and it didn’t go away once I was in my second trimester. All of that to say- we left our itinerary loose and didn’t push ourselves to do all the things this time. We were there for three full days, and here’s what that looked like for us.

Day 1
Check into our hotel, Hotel San Regis. We loved staying at this charming boutique hotel. It was previously a private mansion built in the 19th century that has since been restored into a hotel. There were beautiful Parisian details throughout, like gorgeous wallpapers, textiles, antiques. etc. which made it feel extra luxurious, yet still cozy. Our room was small, but the layout and configuration of the furniture made it feel much more spacious than it actually was. We never felt cramped and were always comfortable. We ate breakfast downstairs every morning, which was delicious and the perfect way to fuel up for our days.

Soon after dropping our bags, we found a traditional French cafe nearby where we could grab a bite. I was really feeling the jet lag (being pregnant, I couldn’t take any sleep aids on the flight over and didn’t get much shuteye), so naps were in order after our bellies were full. After showers and naps and finally feeling refreshed – we got ready for our dinner at Bouche. It was delicious! The menu is mostly plates that are meant for sharing, so that’s exactly what we did. The menu changes often so I can’t recommend a particular dish, but I will just say they were all wonderful and don’t skip dessert!

Day 2
We reserved tickets to Musee d’Orsay. It was a chilly, rainy day, so it was very busy. They had a gorgeous impressionist exhibit going on which was by far the busiest part of the museum, but also worth the crowds to see the art. The pregnancy hunger struck and I needed food immediately, so we went to a nearby creperie restaurant called Galette Cafe, and were very pleasantly surprised! They had sweet and savory crepes and other lunch items, like salads and such.

The rest of our day was spent shopping. Our first stop was Officine Universelle Buly and was a must on my list. There was a bit of a line to get in, which almost had me skipping it, but my much more patient husband reminded me how much I wanted to go so we waited about 15/20 minutes before it was our turn. It’s a tiny shop, so I understand the guest limit, but it’s a literal jewel box inside, and I highly recommend checking it out if you’re in the area. The space and products are next level special – I opted for this perfume that was different than anything I have ever smelled and felt like a crisp compliment for spring and summer. Our next plan was to head towards Le Bon Marche. On our stroll there, we popped in and out of lots of beautiful boutiques and shops and just took our time getting there. Once we landed at Le Bon Marche, oh we landed. I think we spent four hours there (should I be embarrassed to admit that?). If you’re in the mood to shop, come straight here. There is everything you could ever dream of, merchandised to the nines and curated to perfection. They have everything from smaller French brands to the big guys like Chanel and Dior. Floors of menswear, home goods, children’s, beauty, luxury goods, ready to wear, shoes, bags, and everything in between. For a gal who loves to shop, it felt like heaven on earth. We spent a good chunk of our time in the children’s section looking for sweet treasures to bring home for our future little boy. Let me tell you, sweet treasures (and more!) we found.

After our shopping marathon, it was time for dinner. A kind follower recommended the restaurant Le P’tit Troquet, and it had great reviews, so we booked it! It was a three course meal with a starter, a main and a dessert. Very French, very quaint restaurant.

Day 3
Our last day in Paris and we spent it doing more shopping. We were on a mission to find a few things to commemorate our trip and my husband wanted to get me something as sort of a ‘push present’. So, with a bit of a plan in place, we set out for the goods. We started our day at Goyard, as I had my eye on a tote to use as a diaper bag. Again, there was a line to get in (which I hated), but after about a 30 minute wait, we got in and got straight to work. It was a smooth experience and the sales associates were very kind and helpful. I left with my tote and a smile! Next, we went to hunt down the perfect Chanel bag. I had seen one the day before at Le Bon Marche I loved, but wasn’t 100% sold on the color. With that one in mind, we went to four more Chanel boutiques to scope out what they had. They all had different merchandise, which only confused me more because I found new things I liked, but did I like them better?! I’m not a designer junkie by any means, so this was my first time really shopping like this and I wanted to make sure I got something I really loved. At the fourth Chanel boutique (which happened to be the original), I saw a couple I liked better than the rest. With a little more browsing, we finally pounced on the perfect lavender quilted bag that I think is fun, yet still classic. I’m so happy with it!

We decided to book a special dinner for our last night and landed at Granite. It’s a Michelin starred restaurant with a tasting menu. Each course was extremely unique, and they were very accommodating with foods I’m choosing to stay away from during pregnancy. We sat overlooking a station where two chefs put the finishing touches on the beautiful dishes, which was really neat to watch. It was a great experience and a perfect way to cap off our time in Paris.

Our final morning in Paris was spent having one last breakfast at the hotel and a quick cab to the train station. We boarded the train and settled in for a trip to Provence! Stay tuned for more on that. 🙂 Au revior!