Yes, travel in real life is impossible during the COVID-19 outbreak. Truly, the only way to travel safely during this pandemic is online. So, I invite you to join me as we take a virtual trip to Paris, France. Our two-day itinerary visiting the City of Lights begins on the Right Bank of the Seine river with a stroll along the famous Champs-Élysées, with stops at the the Paris Opera, the Louvre museum, and the royal Palace of Versaille.

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In this post, I’ll cover a number of insider’s tips that you’ll want to remember when you visit in the future (when the world is hopefully back to normal).  

So grab a drink and some snacks, and then settle into a comfortable place with your computer. I’m going to be your tour guide today as we take a virtual trip to Paris, France. It’s one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe. Are you ready? Let’s begin.

INSIDER’S TIP: Before you travel, buy a sightseeing pass online. Then skip the long lines in person.

Destination PARIS: the City of Lights

With a slight bump on the tarmac, our plane has just landed. But where? As a major metropolis and capitol city, there are two airports near Paris. Charles de Gaulle (CDG) is to the north of the city, while Orly (ORY) is to the south. We’ve just arrived at Charles de Gaulle, the largest airport in France and the second busiest in Europe. Today, we are taking an Uber to our AirBnb. My Pocket Paris guidebook says travelers can take public (or private) transportation from either airport to their accommodations.

Day 1 – The Right Bank

This image courtesy of: Plan by ThePromenader (own work)

The city of Paris is divided into 20 districts (in French, they are called arrondissements). The numbering system begins with 1 on the Ile de la Cité, a small island in the center of the Seine River. The famous cathedral of Notre Dame is located in the first district. From this point, the arrondissement numbers spiral out like a snail shell. 

Location, Location: Zip Codes in Paris

Did you know that a Parisian address always includes the neighborhood name or the arrondissement number? You can easily tell which arrondissement your destination is in by the last two digits of the zip code. For example, Paris 75007 is the zip code for the Eiffel Tower which is found in the seventh arrondissement.

In the map above, notice the Seine River (blue line) that curves gently through the city and divides it into the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) to the south, and the Right Bank (Rive Droite) to the north.

The Left Bank is known as the hub for artists and intellectuals with universities like the prestigious University of Paris-Sorbonne surrounded by the lively Latin Quarter. (Arrondissements 5-7, 13-15). On the other hand, the Right Bank is noted for more upscale living with high end shopping along the Champs-Elysées and museums like the Louvre. (Arrondissements 1-4, 8-12, 16-20).

A Stroll Down the Champs-Elysées

Our day begins with an Uber to the 8th arrondissement. It’s time to do some shopping! Even if it’s a virtual trip to Paris, France, who can resist the idea of seeing French fashion in Paris?

Do you remember the movie Pretty Woman? In one scene, we see Julia Robert’s character having a wonderful time charging bags of clothes to a credit card in the expensive stores on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California. In New York, Fifth Avenue is the premier shopping destination in Manhattan. In Paris, a day of shopping on the Champs-Élysées is also priceless. 

Endless Choices of Global Brands

As we stroll along the mile and a quarter length of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, you won’t be surprised to see all the high end European shops like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Guerlain, Hermès, and more. But you may be startled when you notice the American brands like Levi’s, Banana Republic and Nike. No matter what store you enter, the displays will be interesting and the prices will reflect the location. 

(Explore France has created the perfect video to give you the experience of walking down this famous avenue).

After our Uber drops us off, we walk a couple of minutes, (fast forward to the timestamp 2:09), we see the famous Arc de Triomphe. While Napoleon had the arch built in 1806 to honor the success of his armies, today it is well known as the gateway to the beginning of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées. 

A minute and a half later (about 3:40), after passing the closest metro, we begin seeing the high end French and European shops. Although the smells from nearby restaurants and cafes are quite tempting (about 5:03), let’s keep walking as there is so much to see.

After wandering awhile longer, shops featuring American brands appear (about 12:03). At the end of the block, we see the Adidas store. Let’s cross over to the other side of the street, and head back down to the Arc de Triomphe. Along the way, we’ll see even more more stores we missed like the headquarters for Louis Vuitton (appears about 27:18). That’s enough retail therapy for the day!

The Paris Opera

And now, let’s head over to the 9th arrondissement and see another cultural icon. The Palais Garnier (Paris Opera House) was the symbol of the Belle Epoque, the golden age in France. Paris was the global center of technology, beauty and culture in 1875 when the building opened.

As we walk around the outside of the building, look up and marvel at the architectural details of this baroque period masterpiece. Can you see the reclining figures along the top, the paired columns and the winged figures along the bottom? To make our sightseeing easier, we’ve already purchased the two day Paris Museum Pass which let’s us see this building and over 60 museums in and around Paris.

Even the lampposts give you a sense of another era. If you love musicals, you may remember the haunting music of the Phantom of the Opera. The original story, written by French author Gaston Leroux, was based on the real Palais Garner and local lore. During repairs, it was discovered that there is an underground lake below the Paris Opera house. Andrew Lloyd Weber took the story and turned it into an award-winning musical. 

(This is another wonderful video by travelsignposts. It gives you a well documented sense of the Palais Garnier).

As we enter upstairs through one of the balconies, we can see the stage below. One of the most beautiful elements in the room is the massive colorful ceiling painted by the Russian born artist Marc Chagall. It was painted over the course of eight months and showcases the rich diversity of art with composers, actors and dancers. 

The Louvre

After lunch, it’s time to see the most visited museum in Paris (and the world!). We can take another Uber or the metro to the first arrondissement where Le Louvre is located. Originally built as a castle in the 12th century, it was converted into the main home of French kings in the 14th century, and by the late 18th century, it became a museum housing historical treasures. It has undergone many changes.

Photo via Pexels/Tommy Milanese

The iconic glass pyramid of the Louvre, designed by the architect I.M. Pei, is a fairly recent addition. It was dedicated in 1989 as the grand  entrance to accommodate the growing number of visitors. On most days, lines are very long at this entrance and visitors are exposed to the elements. The first time I visited the Louvre, we waited here for several hours under umbrellas as a cold spring rain pelted our feet. Brrrr!

Before we go inside for our visit, let’s take a moment to enjoy this video by CNN travel. Without all the crowds, you can clearly appreciate how tall and vast this museum is inside. Notice the famous painting of the Mona Lisa, which is roped off and hung behind glass. It is carefully protected because the painting was stolen right off the wall of the Louvre in 1911, and was not found and returned until two years later.

Did you know there are five entrances to the Louvre? Not many people do. Luckily, we are going to skip the line because we have the Paris Museum Pass. We’ve also downloaded the museum app which has information on more than 100 works of art. Our visit will begin at the Passage Richelieu entrance specifically for express pass holders. Audio guides are available for rental at all the entrances and let you hear a museum expert narrate what  you’ll see. 

Insider’s Tip: If you visit the Louvre with a guided group, the Porte des Lions entrance is best. If someone in your party has special needs, the main entrance by the pyramid is best because it has an elevator inside. The Galerie du Carrousel entrance would make the most sense if you arrive at the museum by metro. Get off at the station Palais Royal – Musée du Louvre, line 1, and follow the signs into the museum.

As the museum map shows, there are three wings in the Louvre and up to four floors in each wing. The Denon Wing has some of the most famous works of art including the Mona Lisa, and a statue known as the Winged Victory of Samothrace. One of the benefits of taking a virtual trip to Paris, France is not having to fight the crowds!

The Richelieu Wing has sculpture terraces and a very big exhibit that recreates the luxurious apartment of Napoléon III. The color red dominates the rooms and hallways. Velvet curtains, Goldleaf walls and sparkling chandeliers are just some of the exceptionally ornate furnishings.

The Sully Wing, which is the oldest part of the Louvre, focuses on the museum’s Medieval history beginning with a walkway past the old city walls and royal artifacts like Charlemagne’s crown. 

Oh my! It’s already time to leave. It looks like the museum’s closing time is 18:00 (6 pm to us). I’m sore. Are your legs as tired as mine from all the walking today? I’m sure we’ve logged at least 10,000 steps.

 Well, I’m ready for a glass of fine French wine before dinner. How about you? Remind me later tonight (when we get back to our AirBnb), we need to bookmark the Louvre’s official website. It has a list of videos that showcases the collections and individual treasures in the museum (including some we missed).

Day 2 – The Palace of Versaille

Today, we are going to get up early and take a day trip to the lovely Palace of Versaille. It’s a little outside the city of Paris, but it can be reached easily by car, ride share, tour bus or train. Leaving our accommodations, it will take a little over an hour by train. We’ll take a metro to the closest RER C train and then get out at the Versaille Chantiers station. While we are on the train, we’ll have plenty of time to read a wonderful article on Versaille in the Paris edition of Vogue.

Tip: Versaille is a popular tourist site so when you visit in real life, arrive early and make sure you plan to see it on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday which will let you avoid the most crowded days. 

Image by Bartlomiej Koc from Pixabay

Versaille is a truly elegant UNESCO World Heritage site. There are three areas we’ll want to see. First, we’ll stroll through the lavish main Palace of Versaille, the historic home to three kings. The central building with the clock was originally a hunting lodge where Louis XIV happily spent part of his childhood. As the king, he expanded it dramatically, moved his family there and made Versaille the official seat of government in 1682. 

Second, there are the beautifully landscaped Gardens of Versaille full of ornate statues and fountains. King Louis XIV chose André le Notre, the greatest 17th century landscape architect in France, and personally collaborated with him to design the gardens. Several other architects were also involved over the 40 years it took to complete the gardens. They are replanted every 100 years to keep them healthy. 

Image by Andrew Martin from Pixabay

Third, there is a separate part called the Trianon Estate which the king had built so he could escape the pressure of life at the main palace. It includes the Grand Trianon (palace for the king), the Petit Trianon (palace for the queen) and the Hamlet.  In addition to more gardens, Marie-Antoinette had a theater and a fantasy rustic peasant farm (below) built for her enjoyment in the Hamlet.

Image by Gerhard Bögner from Pixabay

Travel & Discover created a wonderful Youtube video that is the perfect tourist guide for the Palace of Versaille. The video provides a full historic background and runs almost an hour. Feel free to watch a few minutes or the whole thing as you take this train ride. Good Wifi is another benefit of a virtual trip to Paris, France.

After walking around all day, let’s grab a bite to eat in the town of Versaille and then board the train back to Paris. We can review what we saw today on the narrated official virtual exhibition tour of the Palace of Versaille to pass the time on the ride back to the city.

Au Revoir 

Ooh la la – how time has flown! We’ve seen so much over the last couple of days. We started with a stroll down the Champs-Élysées, then we wandered through the Paris Opera house, toured the Louvre museum, and took a day trip to see Versaille.

And now it’s time to leave. After we pack up, we’ll grab dinner and make one last stop for pastries. The flight home is quite long, and who doesn’t need a chocolate éclair for the road? A full belly makes happy travelers. And  you bought a nice souvenir. You’ll love paging through Paris: A Photographic Journey on the plane home.

I hope you enjoyed our journey. What was your favorite part of this virtual trip to Paris, France?