Fun fact: I’ve always hated the word tourist and the negative tone when someone utters the word. In most places I have visited, I have done the “tourist” things. So I thought to myself I should start a series of whether or not I thought it was a trap for travelers like me to fall into or if it was worth the hype. So here’s the first edition of Tourist Trap or Treasure. In this blog, I’ll be covering Paris! Come along as I walk you through the steps I took in the city of lights!
First up is the Eiffel Tower! I chose to book this as a group/guided tour to learn more about it. Since I will assume this is what most people think about when you say Paris, this is at the top of everyone’s tourist trap list. After my experience, I can see that, however, I did enjoy getting to go up in the tower. Would I do it again? I would probably stick to seeing it light up at night from the ground.
Here is one I had not heard about until I started researching: the Paris Catacombs. You can buy tickets online and skip the line, or wait in line and buy tickets for a cheaper price. I did the latter. I would recommend this however, it is very eerie. There are 2 million remains in this underground labyrinth.
Next is the Louvre! I don’t know much about art, but I was excited to broaden my horizons. I spent most of the day there and I only got through half of the place. But one stop I knew I had to make was the Mona Lisa. I’ll come right out and say it: The Mona Lisa is a tourist trap. When I was there, it was in a different location than usual. I waited about an hour to get a minute with other people to see the painting. While others were being pushy and taking all the pictures, I took a picture of the painting, a selfie with it (solo life y’all), and then spent the other 45 seconds taking it in and admiring it. I would go back to the Louvre, but I would skip the Mona Lisa.
I’ve heard mixed reviews of Trap vs. Treasure about Versailles. Yes, it’s crowded and there are more extravagant palaces in France, but I loved Versailles. I spent the whole day there and didn’t want to leave when they were closing for the day. Honestly, there are places on the grounds that are not packed at all and I enjoyed spending my time there. Sure, the hall of mirrors is amazing, but I liked being in my own corner of the estate.
My top thing to do in Paris is definitely not on any tourist trap list. Like any tourist, I wanted to see a cabaret. In my head, I had a picture of a flashy show, but I’m glad I leaned toward an older style. Your ticket included a free drink and it didn’t start until 9 pm! It was an intimate presentation of talented Parisians. I go into more detail in my blog Best Paris Cabaret On A Budget. Go check it out!
Last but not least we have Disneyland Paris! With my love of Disney, I had to visit a park in a different country. Even with what I just said, I can see how this could be considered a trap. Any of Disney parks is expensive, but yet, we all still go. Heck, one of my goals is to visit all of the Disney Parks. You have heard of mouse traps, but you could see this as a trap set by a mouse and I will nibble on that cheese anytime.
Did any of these surprise you? I always say it is all about your experience and what you want to do during your travels. I wanted to go up the Eiffel Tower, but someone might be fine viewing it from the bottom. Some people would skip Versailles, but when I go back to France, it is at the top of my list. Be sure to keep checking back since I still have more editions of Tourist Trap or Treasure coming out soon! Until then, check out some blogs I have written about Paris and France! Apprécier!
Lost in the Adventure 