From Northampton to the world’s tourism capital: How to make the most of a weekend in Paris

Northamptonians love their trips to the French capital, particularly due to the possibility of stepping onto a train at Northampton railway station and stepping off at Paris Gare du Nord within four hours.

If you’re looking for that quintessential weekend getaway in a city that’s full of character, there’s no shortage of ways to explore Paris away from the hustle and bustle of the tourism traps and beaten tracks.

As a city adorned with boulevards and stunning architecture, the city of love can be an excellent location to explore on foot, and getting around Paris with GuruWalk can help you to discover some of the capital’s most stunning sights, from Montmartre to Le Marais.

Visitors from Northampton have joined the world in flocking to Paris this year, with flights increasing 8% since the start of the year and hotel stays growing 5.7% from the same period last year.

However, if you’re worried about breathing room, don’t panic; there are some amazing experiences to be had in Paris away from its tourist epicenter. With this in mind, let’s take a look at five ways to make the most of a weekend getaway in the world’s favourite city:

1. Unwind at Champ de Mars

Located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Champ de Mars is an expansive public greenspace that can help you to take in the grandeur of the city’s most famous landmark.

With around 7 million people visiting the Eiffel Tower each year, the Champ de Mars offers a more relaxing alternative to the queues and stairs associated with scaling the 330-metre structure.

You can take a picnic and enjoy lunch with a view, or take in the illuminated tower as part of a stroll through Paris at dusk.

2. Marvel at Musée d’Orsay

While the Louvre is one of the world’s most famous museums and is generally at the top of any visitor’s Paris itinerary, it’s helped to make the eye-catching Musée d’Orsay something of a hidden gem for tourists.

With around 3.2 million visitors per year, the Musée d’Orsay sees less than half of the traffic of the Louvre, but it certainly isn’t lacking in terms of the artworks on show. Paintings from the likes of Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Berthe Morisot feature in the museum’s collections, as well as plenty of sculptures, drawings, and plant presentations.

One of the most unmistakable qualities of the Musée d’Orsay is the building itself. Formerly a train station, the museum has a grandiose 19th-century aesthetic adorned with a striking clock window, with its cafeteria located behind.

3. Spend an Afternoon in Montmartre

While the Basilica of Sacré Cœur de Montmartre is a popular tourist destination offering excellent city skyline views, the surrounding cobbled streets offer plenty of charm if you’re looking to lose yourself in one of the city’s most beautiful neighbourhoods.

Moulin Rouge is also located in Montmartre, but if you’re looking for an experience away from the hustle and bustle of tourist areas, you’ll be richly rewarded by taking a wander to Place du Tertre, which is a lively square where local artists showcase their work.

Alternatively, you can explore Montmartre’s winding streets and discover a cafe to unwind, or pay a visit to some of the area’s boutique shops.

4. Explore Riverside Bouquinistes

The Seine is the beating heart of Paris, and if you take a riverside walk near Notre Dame, you’ll be sure to come into contact with a row of green boxes by the riverbank. These are the city’s iconic bouquinistes, who are traditional Parisian vendors selling a wide range of curiosities.

Bouquinistes have skirted the banks of the Seine for centuries and are known for selling a wide range of vintage goods such as books, art, postcards, and posters. Each bouquiniste can offer something completely different, so it’s well worth taking a few hours out to treasure hunt for your perfect find.

5. Get Lost in the Latin Quarter

Near Notre Dame and the bouquinistes that line the Seine is the city’s Latin Quarter. Littered with narrow streets, boutiques, and bookshops, the Latin Quarter seems as though it’s lost in time and serves as the perfect backdrop to an evening stroll through Paris.

Also known as the 5th Arrondissement, the Latin Quarter’s winding streets are the perfect place to get lost in Paris’s charm.

Nearby is the Pantheon, which is the final resting place of some of the city’s most famous residents, like Marie Curie and Voltaire, and is well worth a visit for a small entrance fee.

Rediscovering Paris

Paris is a city that’s bursting with so many attractions that it can be rediscovered over and over again. It’s for this reason that the city of love is such a popular destination for tourists to come back to each year.

While the French capital is home to some of the world’s most iconic landmarks and experiences, you can be richly rewarded for leaving the beaten track and exploring some of the city’s lesser-trodden areas.

It’s for this reason that Northampton’s strong rail links to Paris remain such an attractive opportunity for residents all year round. For offering something new to visitors each time, Paris never disappoints.