I can say with absolute certainty that I had never expected to love Paris so much!
A slow week at work resulted in a long weekend in Paris for two of my Australian friends and I. After boarding the plane on Friday afternoon, we arrived at a very dodgy looking 19th arrondissement Air BnB. Three young girls, that speak no French, alone at night, in an apartment that didn't lock properly. Cue HostelWorld!
After getting a refund for a crummy Air BnB choice, we headed to our new hostel. The next day we began our adventures through Paris. We ate crepes, took photos outside the Louvre, trekked through the Pompedou, gawked at the Eiffel Tower and the Arch De Triumphe, and finally ended up at the Champs-Elysees. This was an incredible sight. A 2 kilometre stretch of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs.
The French capital's fashion history can be pinned all the way back to Marie-Antoinette's haute couture looks. While there may not be the same outrageous dresses walking down the streets as often as there was in the 1700's, Paris has embraced its history through continuing to demonstrate why they are a fashion hot spot. Love to Know wrote on how couture in Paris 'retains its prestige', and keeps designers and journalists fulfilled by its unique textile manufacturing. This, on top of the endless crowd of beautiful people walking Champs-Elysees in the high end brands, manages to sustain Paris's voguish image.
After a long stroll around the shops, we realised we could never afford anything here and moved back to the hostel for the night. A trip to the Sacre-Cœur finished our trip the next day and before we knew we were on our flight back to London for work.
For me, Paris had never been high up on my bucket list, but boy oh boy did it prove me wrong. I highly recommend a weekend there to anyone that gets the chance!
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