10 places to see in Paris that your average tour guide book might not tell you about

1.  Flower and bird market on Sunday mornings – This walk will satisfy all your noses needs, well, when you walk through the flowers. No promises with the birds. Take the Cité Metro stop and enjoy hundreds and hundreds of flowers and birds. And maybe people.

2.Organ concerts at St. Eustache on Sunday afternoons – If you want to be blown away by Gothic beauty, try an organ concert in a cathedral. Even if you’re not into classical music, these concerts only last thirty minutes and they are truly incredible. 17h30, every Sunday.

3.  Seine River walk, but on the outskirts of the city – Sunday evening activity anyone? Might as well complete the day. Yes you can sit at the edge of the Seine by the Notre Dame, but what I suggest is going out where no one is. Take for example Chatou/Croissy stop on RER A and bask in the lush green everywhere with small families out for a walk or riding bikes. It really is quite charming.

4. Des Gateaux et Du Pain – This pastry shop is higher end than your average street vendor. Don’t let the price scare you away because the pastries are out of this world.

5. Fresh fruit and pressed juice from little shops on the streets – What else is out of this world? Fresh fruit off the streets. If you’re from the USA, your mind will be blown at the sheer perfection in each bite. I recommend the “Bonne Pomme” on Rue Rambuteau. You can’t go wrong there.

 6. LDS young single adult’s family home evening – Even if you’re not LDS, you should check out FHE at the institute Monday night at 19h00. It is fantastic. The people are so welcoming and fun, there are delicious refreshments, and you get a perfect opportunity to improve your French with the locals.

7. Vintage clothes shopping – Do you suffer from price tag shock when window shop around the city? Checking out the vintage shops is the way to go. Check the tags in the clothes; I’ve found some authentic Parisian finds! And they’re a small fraction of the prices you’d find anywhere else.

8. Marché aux Puces – Maybe your tour guide will recommend this place to you, but if you really search around you will find hidden treasures that no one else knows about.

9. Jazz music and swing dancing in the Latin Quarter – You may get asked to dance by a 56 year old man, but don’t let that keep you from coming! It’s a real jam

10. Poetry Slam on Monday nights – After you attend FHE of course, head over to Au Chat Noir (not to be confused with LE Chat Noir) for a night of original poetry and fun. This place is happenin’, and if it’s comforting to you, it’s all in English. 

That one time I was at home away from home.

There’s a little white house

on a little green hill

where the red, red roses grow.

There’s a light shining bright

in my window tonight,

and it shines for me I know.

The skies may be cloudy,

but what do I care?

Mother’s eyes may say “howdy!”

and welcome back the rowdy

to the little white house

on the little green hill

where the red, red roses grow.

I love to travel. For me, Paris has been nothing but a dream. I have hardly felt homesick the entire time. That being said, I like to have a place to go- a place to call my home. Living with a host family truly helped me see what it’s like living in Paris, from a Parisian’s point of view. It allowed me to have a place where I could escape the busy and bustling city life, and enjoy God’s beautiful earth in blessed silence (well, besides the birdsongs.). These photos, void of sentimentality, hold memories for me alone. Though there are no facial expressions to enjoy, I will still be able to look back and remember

the early morning jogs and yoga by the Seine,

 the warm (late night) dinners with the family.

the beautiful small details,

and beautiful big details of the Julienne’s house.

I will hold a sweet sentimentality in this happy place. It will give me a memory of Paris that probably no other average tourist will carry. I’m grateful for the home away from home I enjoyed here, and will always have fond memories of this little white house on a hill. 

and so it begins.

After being in Paris for nearly six weeks, I feel like I more than accomplished my goals (http://byuinparis.blogspot.fr/2014/03/i-want-to-become.html). First, I wanted time alone to soak in the culture. I was hoping to have one moment to myself at a café or park, but to my delight I was able to spend parts of nearly every day with no one but myself. Sure that sounds pretty boring and anti-social. But I absolutely love being free to think without having to make conversation with anyone. (Well, you could actually say I am physically incapable of truly conversing thanks to a language barrier.) But maybe that’s what made it more beautiful. It was a completely new experience for me, being fully on my own to figure out a big city and learn about a new culture and lifestyle. Every day I would bring with me my book or my journal or empty postcards and find a quiet place like a cathedral or park to have alone time. Sometimes I only brought myself to simply take in the sights and sounds. I am grateful for all the opportunities I had to become one with Paris- by myself.

Along with that, I have had some absolutely amazing experiences.  Some of the many things I've done include visit some of the most famous museums in the world along with other not so famous ones, try some of the most famous pastry shops in the world along with other not so famous ones, swing dance to jazz music, see millions of human and animal bones, attend a poetry slam, climb too many stairs, browse many open air markets around the city, walked along the Seine, lounged in bookstores, ran through metro stations, carry baguettes around, eat baguettes, attend opera and symphony performances, gaze at the grandeur of Gothic cathedrals and observe Mass, and truly experience Parisian culture.

As silly as it sounds, I think I can truthfully say I found myself in Paris. Sure it was only six weeks and that’s not much time to make a huge difference, but in the end I do believe I will leave a better person than I began. I don’t think I could say in words what it is about the city that everyone can’t help falling in love with, but I know that I am another who fell under the trap.  And I am going to miss it dearly. Victor Hugo may have put it best when he said, “To study in Paris is to be born in Paris!” I have loved being in Paris, but I am excited to go home and show the world who I've become.