PARIS 2025 | Museums, palaces and walks around the city

It’s been a little over a year since we went on a short trip to Paris for my mom’s birthday. 🎉 Looking back at those cool but sunny days —before the bulk of our chief residency, before I had to start adulting and planning trips more carefully, and before the outright disasters we now see in international politics— we had a really good time.

We were initially unsure if we still wanted to go back to Paris as part of our 2-week Europe tour. My mom was thinking of going somewhere totally new. But I don’t think I can ever get tired of touring Paris (or indeed, any other city), even if I have the privilege of visiting every year. A few days isn’t enough to really get to know a place. There’s always something new to appreciate.

**Down the Louvre.** Our uncle (whom we fondly call Tito Doc) joined us for the trip; it was his first time in Europe, which was another point towards adding Paris to the itinerary as a must-visit place. Something I find funny that happens almost only when we tour Europe: fellow tourists happily posing in the background!

So for this time around: a museum I’ve never been to before, some old classics along the central arrondissements, and a day trip to another palace! Oh, and some good food.

Eiffel Tower

Up and famous since 1889, the Eiffel Tower still delivers its iconic and picturesque charm. It’s so picturesque, in fact, that we decided on the Trocadero/Eiffel Tower area as our photoshoot location (yes we had an actual photoshoot with a paid photographer and everything).

**Welcome to Paris!** If you want to say that you’ve been to the City of Love, even for just a second, you can probably miss out on everything else except the Eiffel Tower.

**OLYMPIC RINGS.** Something new that wasn’t here when we visited last 2017. This installation was part of the 2024 Summer Olympics (which was famous for many things, including its outdoor opening ceremonies, BTS Jin being part of the torch relay, that Australian “breakdancer”, and the E.coli in the Seine). The giant cauldron could also still be found in the Tuileries Garden.

**Running late.** This was taken by my sister and it immediately became one of my favorite photos. It was actually so windy at that time, so running around felt like both a good thing (burning calories and generating heat) and a risk (wind burns on the face!).

Louvre and Musée d’Orsay

What I looked forward to the most during our Paris leg was our scheduled visit to Musée d’Orsay. I remember walking around with my mom and sister in 2017 and looking across the Seine at the museum, thinking that I should definitely come back for a visit. I’m glad I visited at this point in time, because I actually only got into impressionism and post-impressionism during my residency era.

Of course we also went back to the Louvre, especially since it was our uncle’s first time. The Louvre remains gigantic, so we only aimed for the must-see galleries. Quite similarly, I think it was a good time for me to revisit. I had a better appreciation of French romanticism this time around.

**Mirror selfie at the Galerie d’Apollon.** I enjoy looking at jewelry, rare jewels and craftsmanship as much as the next person, but I enjoyed looking at the murals and ornamental gold finishes of the large room even more. And yes, this is the same room where the October 2025 Louvre Heist was done.

**Babies looking at babies (and the Birth of Venus).** Seeing elementary students on an art education trip at the Musée d’Orsay gave me a particular kind of joy. Like yes, go appreciate the neoclassics! And naturally it might just start with a discussion of who and whats, then in the next decade it will be a discussion of nudity and controversy, and then who knows!

I won’t wax on too much about the art in the museums of France here. I have an entirely separate post about it already.

Related: Europe 2025: Museum and Art Tour

Still on the bucket list, when it comes to art and France, which I will write down now in public to properly manifest:

Monet’s House and Japanese Garden in Giverny
Musée de l’Orangerie
Grand Palais and Petit Palais

And if the timing is right, I can even catch Art Basel or a short-term residency. Cheers to my future self’s pockets and schedule. I can justify everything with “Art is healing”.

Église Saint-Sulpice

On the topic of art, healing, and Paris: this large church built in the late 1600s absolutely floored me. It was an unexpected surprise, because Saint-Sulpice wasn’t even in our itinerary. We just happened to be passing by.

The exterior was built with a classical, almost intimidating, facade, which loomed over the opposite park. It felt like the world breathed out and expanded after stepping into the church.

It was, genuinely, one of the clearest instances where I firmly thought that God had to be real, otherwise how else can the scale and beauty and gravitas of the interiors be explained? Human hands alone couldn’t possibly be enough. Chills. Those baroque artisans were on something else…

In contrast, Notre-Dame de Paris felt raw and scrubbed too clean (it was recently renovated because of the unfortunate fire). But I’m sure old church enthusiasts will still have a good time.

Château de Fontainebleau

Visiting the Palace of Versailles was one of the highlights of our trip in 2017, but we didn’t like it enough to have a second go at it. Besides, with the increase in international travel post-pandemic, we weren’t looking forward to what was sure to be a crowded mega palace.

The Château de Fontainebleau is a smaller and less crowded palace with its own charm. It’s less shiny, and the gardens are more calm than excessively curated compared to the must-see Gardens of Versailles.

Still, if you have an extra half-day or so, Fontainebleau is a lovely place to visit. It was a comfortable 45-minute train ride and 5-minute uber from the station. The chateau provides the opportunity to appreciate centuries of changing architectural styles (still with the staple gold filigree), and to go through a little tour down Napoleon history. I learned so many facts that I have now cheerfully forgotten. I even have a photo with his portrait and with his military coat and hat.

**Carp pond.** One of the prettiest and most calming moments in our Paris trip involved sipping some coffee and having biscuits in a courtyard while facing this large pond. The sun was so warm while the chilly wind kept us cool. A little ways off this courtyard/pond are the gardens, including the Garden of Diana (which has a statue copy of the original Diana of Versailles, which we also saw in the Louvre). And yes, we are all wearing custom crochet tops made by *chatmontyHC*.

**Off the Grand Hall, where French royals used to party.** There’s always that little ‘I love humanity’ moment of awe whenever we visit places older than a century or so. I think of how real people lived out their full lives with their families and concerned themselves with some distant drama, stood in the very places where I now stand as a tourist, but removed by some centuries and several generations. ***Bonus:*** It’s near impossible to get a similar solo shot in the much-crowded Hall of Mirrors in Versailles. Another point for Fontainebleau.

There are many other places which could be a quick day trip or side trip from Paris. Something to think about for next time!

Reyna Paris

We capped my mom’s actual birthday with a sweet dinner in Reyna, a restaurant which serves Filipino and South East Asian food with a French twist. Helmed by Chef Erica Paredes, the menu changes every season or so and we happened upon a delicious set.

The flavors were authentically Filipino while being prepared in a unique and highly technical way. Naturally we had to get some palabok noodles to wish for long life. The rest of the dishes we may or may not have chosen for how pretty they were. Extra thanks to our wonderful and friendly server!

Visit their website: Reyna Paris Restaurant

More in the vlog…

I actually whipped up a short video for this trip as a very belated celebration of my mom’s birthday (we just spent her 61st birthday in a staycation in Hilton Manila the other week). It includes a little bit of the other details that didn’t quite make this post —like some light shopping, grocery store runs, and more.

Thank you again for the wonderful trip, Mama! Now that I’m wrapping up this travel blog, I’m second-guessing if I’ve hyped up our trip too much… But really, for all its faults, there’s still some magic to this city. See you again, Paris (probably).

Until next time! ♡