How I Fell in Love with Paris

April 1, 2021

Falling in love with Paris - Place de la Concorde

The first time I remember visiting Paris was in October of 1994. My family had moved overseas to London and on a bank holiday weekend my family took a train through the Chunnel to Paris. I was 11 years old. (The first time I actually visited Paris had been as a baby with my parents during a summer my Dad was working in the South of France but I of course don’t recall that!)

My life would forever be changed by that 1994 trip as I now not only knew what made Paris so special – I couldn’t get enough of the city and have been returning ever since.

How I Fell in Love with Paris

I began studying French in 4th grade and would eventually carry on taking French every year of my life through college. I graduated with a minor in French and in doing so I have been able to steep myself in French culture and history throughout all my language studies.

I loved Paris deeply every subsequent time I visited. There would be another trip in the summer of 1996. I then visited in middle school around 1998 to see my best friend from London who lived just outside of Paris. 

I’d spend two weeks in France – including Paris- in 2000 on a French class trip in high school and my family returned the following summer with a quick visit to Paris. By this point it was my favorite place on earth. I felt alive and enchanted. And set my sites on studying abroad in Paris when the time came.

The time for study abroad applications for the Fall semester of 2005 arrived. The experience almost didn’t happen as I was dealing with depression and anxiety induced following a chronic headache diagnosis after I was rear ended by an elderly man in a car accident my junior year of high school. My parents were worried about my going but thankfully placed their trust in me and in August of 2005 I boarded a plan to live in a city I had fallen in love with when I was little.

Falling in love with Paris - Place de la Concorde

I spent four months exploring the city, taking courses on French culture, literature and learned as much outside the classroom as I did in one. It was a life changing experience for me.

I penned the below journal entry at 20 years old on my last evening in Paris for study abroad in December of 2005 and I thought I’d open my heart and share it with you all as I think it perfectly illustrates how deeply I fell in love with the city and how much certain experiences can move and shape our lives.

Journaling- December 11, 2005

Had someone asked me to picture my life at this time, December 2005, a couple years ago I would have hoped the answer would include ‘Paris’, but looking back at all that has happened to me in the past 5 years, I am still quite surprised I am here in a Parisian apartment, packing up what has become my life for the past 4 months.

It is incredible to realize all I have seen, done, tasted, touched, experienced in this last semester because I, myself, can hardly believe it. I have ticket stubs, photos, brochures, maps, and handouts all that hold a piece of my experience in this city.

I knew this would be a life-changing experience for me, but I don’t know if I ever expected to feel so clueless as to what lays ahead for me at this point. I know it will be yet another transition to go home and then to return to Santa Clara and I look forward to it, but I know I will miss this city. 

The past month has been incredibly trying on me both emotionally and physically and made it all the more exciting to anticipate returning home. It is frustrating to live amidst a different culture and language all the while taking classes, exploring, and trying to hold your own. But having been forced to do all these things has made me stronger, more independent, and overall I believe more stable. I missed things I never imagined I would miss, I became less dependent on cell phones, watches, driving, and so many other things that I had become accustomed to having provided for me.

I stayed true to my personality by always planning, trying to fill and savor every moment, but allowed myself to branch out in many ways. I ate things that never sounded appealing before. I went out a lot so as to not miss the chance to make memories and laugh. I felt comfortable in my own skin and that same skin thickened as a result of living in a less than desirable neighborhood.

I am comfortable sitting at a table by myself just reading and enjoying a coffee or hot chocolate. I don’t worry about what others think of me because passing judgments will be made by all we encounter or even pass on the street. I was hoping I might become more patient, but I think that is a lesson I will have to put on hold for another experience.

Before Paris, I found it very hard to stop and smile or take a deep breath to appreciate a moment. Here, it came naturally. Today I stood watching 5 older gentleman playing music and just listened for 10 or 15 minutes. I took in all that was around me, the beautiful time of day, and the music that just made you have to tap your toe. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

And, last night as I walked to the metro from the American Church in Paris where I saw a beautiful choral and bell concert, tears came down my face as I realized what treasures this city holds.

It is magnificent as a tourist, but once you really know it- it takes on this whole new dimension. It’s like having had a million puzzle pieces put in front of you and being told, “you have 4 months to put all these together” and it’s a great feeling to feel as though I have successfully completed the puzzle.

My life here has unfolded in a series of successions I could never have predicted and for that I thank God. He has given me the wonderful friendship of [name withheld] to explore and learn this city, to be amazed and satisfied, to be annoyed and angry when the time called for it, and to share every opportunity filled day.

I have lived in a city that so many people in this world just dream of visiting. Everything seems to blend together and I so badly wish I could remember forever every moment that my breath was taken away. I hope certain images will forever stay ingrained in my mind…

Drinking wine in the courtyard of the Louvre with the pyramid lit up and discussing family values, politics, religion, and my depression with [name withheld]. Walking from the Musee d’Orsay across the Seine and through the Tuileries to end up at Angelina’s for hot chocolate all by myself. Seeing the Christmas tree in Strasbourg lit up and all the children’s eyes glittering with wonder and amazement.

Seeing the Eiffel Tower sparkle for the first time and standing on the street just staring. Having dinner at La Tour d’Argent with my parents and feeling a sense of comfort.

Every time I walked around the city when the sun was beginning to set and thinking each time, “this is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I could stare at this forever”.

Nights spent at the Crazy Violin dancing with [names withheld], not caring who was looking, but enjoying one another’s company and the fact that we could dance and nothing mattered except for that we were enjoying ourselves.

Or when I did Christmas shopping all afternoon and the sun was shining and it was such a great feeling to be buying gifts in Paris for people who have had such positive impacts on my life.

And none of this is to say that there weren’t times when I was completely lonely and frustrated. Being sexually harassed with cat calls on a daily basis is not only exhausting, but humiliating. I’ve had headaches that made me want to curl up and cry and be in my own bed. It’s hard to come home to some place you don’t consider ‘home’ every night. It’s hard to speak French all the time. It’s hard to depend on public transportation and have to pay so much money for everything. Experiencing homesickness for the first time, too defiantly took its toll on certain nights.

Now, in six days I will board a plane and leave this city. The weird thing is no one here will really know I have gone. The bars will continue to have plenty of people in them on a nightly basis, [name withheld] will have a new student to house in her home, and [program withheld] will continue on with their practices.

Yet, I guess in the long run none of that really matters. What matters is that I will be leaving with a part of the city with ME. For all the lessons I have learned, no matter how large or insignificant they are in the long run, it is important to recognize that the past 4 months have forever changed me. I know now that I must always “prenez le temps de vivre”, take deep breaths, and when possible…let life take your breath away…

. . .

That last paragraph – that was penned initially in my head as I stood at the Place de la Concorde – where the photos in this post were taken some 15 years later. I was staring down the Champs-Élysées towards the Arc de Triomphe watching the city at night buzz by. I felt a physical stamp on my heart for that moment and it has stayed with me all these years later. I felt relief. I felt free.

After study abroad it wouldn’t be until 2014 that I would return with the closest friend I met while studying abroad. We relived our glory days and made such wonderful memories back in a city we had loved and from which we had learned so much. It reignited my love for the city and I began thinking about moving to Paris. 

Falling in love with Paris - Place de la Concorde

I’d return in 2015 for interviews but ultimately didn’t make the move – instead choosing to reimagine my career. I began planning for self employment shortly after my trip in October 2015. In May of 2016 I was back in Paris and planning to quit my job in a few days. I wrote this post following my return – on the brink of so much change and so much hope. 

It was during my trip in June of 2019 that I had the idea for En Route to Rêverie (formerly Peris, Perfected) which was born out of my true love of sharing my version of Paris with others. I wanted to expand how I shared Paris with my wit & whimsy audience and En Route to Rêverie has allowed me to do that hundreds of times now.

En Route to Rêverie has showed me that working hard and taking risks is worth it. I never could have imagined that coming to Paris every year would launch a business for me that allowed me to come to Paris even more often. That that business would open doors and make memories I couldn’t even begin to imagine. It’s been a true dream come true.

To this day I still revel in my time in Paris. I love when Paris is covered in rose gold light. The quiet and soft mornings. When the air is filled with the smell of fresh bread. The city’s rose filled gardens. I love their keeping of age old traditions. Their understanding of the sacredness in savoring each day. How each day is a gift to be enjoyed, loved and remembered.

I still seek ways to add a dose of something française to my life each week. It’s led to a lifetime of discovery of ways to lead a meaningful, joyful and fulfilled life.

My trips to Paris have blessedly been annual since 2014. I sincerely hope I can continue this tradition this year. Before the pandemic struck I had planned to be in Paris at least three times in 2020 but the world had other plans. 

Do you have a moment when you fell in love with Paris? I’d love to hear it if so!

 

 

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comments +

  1. Pearl says:

    Thank you for sharing your journey to Paris. Honestly, when it comes to all things Paris you are the one blogger that I trust. I bit the Paris bug from you and hope to one day soon use Paris Perfected to enjoy the City and also the countryside. I am an OT and we have a conference in Paris in 2022 that I am hoping I can attend depending on the COVID situation. I would love to enjoy France during that conference in addition to learning. Stay focused on Paris…for me 🙂 Au revoir.

  2. Natalie Aucoin says:

    Love this story! I studied in France (Angers in the Loire valley) in August 2005 as well! For me, I truly fell in love with Paris the weekend of la Toussaint, when 3 girls and I travelled there while studying. I would subsequently visit many times after and fell more and more in love every time. I long to go back, especially after living there for 6 months in 2019.
    Thank you for sharing this with us and for also bringing reflection on this for myself as well.

  3. Liz says:

    Thank you so much for sharing this! I LOVE getting to experience the magic of Paris through your eyes both virtually and having your guidance on trips there! I was so fortunate to get to go twice in 2019 and I am so grateful! My favorites parts of the trips were your recommendations and I dream of the day I can go back to get your favorite (and now mine) croissants!

  4. Ambrey says:

    I also studied abroad there in the Fall of 2015 and it was an unparalleled experience- I agree with you that the city, the people I met, and my homestay family will always be with me in a certain way. It shaped so much of who I am as a person now. I was looking through pictures from that time last night and honestly, they are all pretty terrible quality with weird filters (lol) but it doesn’t even matter because they couldn’t compare to the memory of the feelings of being there anyways!! Thank you for letting me relive some of those moments with this post.

  5. Barbara says:

    Beautiful! Thank you for sharing these heartfelt sentiments! Curious if you still have headaches – and pray you do not!

  6. Ro Mayer says:

    I fell in love with the idea of Paris as an art student in high school long before I ever actually got the chance to visit this magical city. My long time hubby is in the wine business and so we had many contacts to France despite never going there. We both have French descent in our families. We always wanted to go but never felt we could afford it.
    Finally his company sent him to Europe for 3 weeks for his 30 work anniversary. It coincided with our own 31 anniversary and our daughter’s high school graduation. Another couple who are close friends came along. Our daughter invited a friend.
    Hubby, our minister of travel, planned our itinerary, including visits to several wineries to Beaune, Aix and Reims. I, the minister of culture, planned our art and museum visits. We stayed in a friends bnb for 3 weeks. We shopped and ate local by day and dined out every other night. We have done this trip 3 times. Sometimes we go to London thru the Chunnel.
    We have visited all the major museums,
    Giverney, department stores, churches, parks. Cemetaries. Chateaux. VERSAILLES!
    We are from New Orleans. We have traveled a lot. It is difficult to find that magical combo of architectural delight. Divine food, joyous music and people, magnificent art and culture, much of it in display for free if you take the trouble to seek it out. I love New Orleans. I also found I love Paris in the same way and for the same reasons.
    We refer to the rear escalator at the D’Orsay as the Stairway to Heaven. When I got there and stood in a small corner staring at Manet’s picnic, a Van Gogh church and Renoir’s Girl in a blue dress with white bows on a swing, all I could do is cry tears of joy, while looking around at original Toulouse posters, Cezannes, Monets and Degas to name a few as the young Parisians around us kissed passionately in front of their favorites.. The day we spent looking for Jim Morrison’s tomb and many others in the wild hilly Pierre LeChaise Cimeterie overlooking Paris was an enchanted afternoon. Another highlight was Sunday at Versailles when the Marne River is diverted to power all the fountains as cannon are shot off and 17th century Baroque music is piped throughout. Your posts reminded of thes great times.
    Thanks for reminding we of all these great memories. I admire that you have been able to build a business from you live of Paris. I am subscribing since I have no idea when I will get back. Thank you for sharing!

  7. Regina Accurso says:

    Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. It’s wonderful that you have been able to visit so many times. I fell in love with Paris on my honeymoon way back in 1985. My husband & I spent a week there before heading to Rome for a week as well.
    We walked everywhere! I was enamored with the architecture & the museums & the food!
    Our oldest daughter studied abroad in 2008 & stayed with a host family. We saw this as a great opportunity to visit again, this time bringing our other two children along. We had a slightly different experience since she (having been living there), showed us areas we hadn’t explored the first time. Meeting her host family was lovely, they hosted us for drinks in their apartment one evening & “dad” took us on a nighttime car tour of the city.
    My daughter is also a Paris fanatic & has been back a few times, including on her honeymoon and she introduced me to your IG. I also am originally from downtown Brooklyn so I so enjoy your daily posts & walks.
    I truly hope to be able to visit Paris again someday & would like to see other parts of France as well.
    Thank you for everything you do and share with your audience!

  8. Em @ BloomingMagnoliasBlog.com says:

    I am not a huge fan of Paris, maybe because I felt the negatives you mentioned in your journal entry more than others. But of course, I have felt love for the city when picnicking by the Seine. It’s wonderful doing that in spring when the weather is still cool enough and it allows you to enjoy it slowly. I love how quiet the city can be at times or in certain places. I get your love for this city because I have felt it just as strong, but for other places…

    Love, Em @ https://www.bloomingmagnoliasblog.com/

  9. Rachael says:

    Your passion and enthusiasm of Paris shines through!

  10. Norma says:

    Thank you for sharing this! I’ve only been to Paris once but it captured my heart and looking forward to go back on 2022. I remember specific moments that marked that trip and made me understand how and why people fall in love with a city. The first one: As I got off the Bir-Hakeim metro station and was so excited, I was walking and chatting with my husband when we turned a corner and saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time. I hope I never forget what I felt at that moment, I stopped in my tracks amazed and thankful to finally be there.
    Second moment was stepping inside Notre Dame and hearing the organ play, the incense smell… I don’t know, I am not super religious but it made me so grateful to be experiencing those sensations..

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