Must see & do in Paris with Megan Hess
Oh Paris.. One of the cities I am missing the most this year! There is no other city quite like it. Paris is also so very special to me as it is where I created my first children’s book series, Claris: The Chicest Mouse in Paris. It’s a city that I fell completely in love with on my first visit and I have loved every second of travelling back there for work over the years; the architecture, the food, the FASHION! I am counting down the seconds until I can return to the beautiful city of lights.
Window shopping at Chopard
It’s not a trip to Paris without a stop at Hotel Costes
Stay – I always say Le Bristol Hotel, part of the Oetker Collection, is my Parisian home away from home. I remember walking into Le Bristol for the first time and I could barely breathe with excitement. It’s the perfect mix of Parisian city chic with a boutique feel. Every visit must include saying hello to their resident cat – Fa’Roan, after all it is his home! I love to have breakfast at Cafe Antonia and in spring sit out in their beautiful terrace gardens to sketch. A dip in their iconic pool is also a favourite thing to do – it’s like a little oasis at the top of the hotel.
Eat – Something I can not recommend enough is long, LONG lunch at Hotel Costes on their terrace restaurant in spring. I love the ambiance, the signature cheesecake and most of all the people watching!
Shop – I absolutely love spending a day walking around Boulevard Saint-Germain along the River Seine but my favourite shopping spot in Paris is Chanel on the rue Cambon – the spot that Gabrielle Chanel opened up her very first Chanel boutique. Simply iconic.
See – There is so, SO much to see and do Paris, but I am always so content just sitting in a Parisian cafe, sketching the chic passers by. I find it so inspiring to just sit and soak up the atmosphere. I often think the best experience when you’re travelling is to be surrounded by locals and not lines of tourists. Observing, listening and sketching local things are my favourite way to experience a city. Pont Alexandre Bridge is also one of my favourite spots in Paris.I always feel like I’m in a movie when I stand on it – the view is magical and I always feel a sense of inspiration. I really think that it’s the most beautiful bridge in the entire world.
The perfect Parisian breakfast at Le Bristol Hotel
