I Did 60,000 Steps For A Day In Paris. Here’s What I Saw (And Learned)

Last November, I got a great opportunity to visit Paris for a weekend. However, I had to act fast, pack light, and spend a long time on the road. I was to take the train from Munich to Paris on a Friday and stay at a friend’s house until Sunday morning. She was busy, so I would spend most of my time alone and only have Saturday to explore the city. At first, I was scared of going because I was single, and I thought everything in arguably the most romantic city in the world would remind me of that fact. But I took the risk and decided that – for Paris – it was worth it (spoiler alert: it really was). Let me walk you through one of the greatest Saturdays I ever had.

7 A.M. - Réveiller

I’ve heard about the view of the Eiffel Tower during sunrise from the Trocadéro Gardens. A weirdly specific recommendation, so it must be good, I thought. I was training for a half-marathon at the time, and I had to run my first 10K (ca. 6.2 miles) on this day. I prefer to work out in the morning, so I decided to combine it with some sightseeing. I woke up, brushed my teeth, and put on my running shoes. I was afraid I’d miss the sunrise, so I did a 2.5 km warm-up (quite literally) chasing the sun.

7:50 A.M. - La tour Eiffel et les jardins du Trocadéro

I ran through Champs-Elysées, straight into the Trocadéro Gardens. Although it wasn’t extremely early, there were no other people except for a bunch of fellow runners and a beautiful model who was being photographed. Later, a newly engaged couple joined our gang of morning dreamers and admirers. I’m not going to lie, prior to going to Paris, I thought the Eiffel Tower was overrated. Something about a big chunk of metal didn’t strike me as particularly romantic. But seeing it standing there over the Seine, reflecting the sun, flirting with the Trocadéro Gardens over the pink-yellowish sunrise sky and its clouds … It was captivating, almost magical. So, I pretended to stretch (when really, I was drooling over the view), and half an hour later than intended, I was set to run 10K by the Seine.

8:30 A.M. - Courir au bord de la Seine

Me running is an overstatement. Sure, my legs and arms were moving, but my eyes did the real work. I probably looked like a confused meerkat, constantly turning from side to side, suddenly taking turns, and crossing bridges. I ran by a huge castle with beautiful arcs called "Le petit palais“ (which was anything but petit) and its friend across the street, the Grand Palais, and got straight into the Tuileries Garden. After a while, I saw an all-too-familiar glass pyramid and people waiting in line to get into the museum of all museums. I knew I’d wait in line to get in there like a basic tourist too, but I wanted to leave it for the end of the day. (Otherwise, I’d see nothing but the Louvre.)

This also marked the halfway of my 10K journey, so I headed back, this time on the other side of the river. Paris was slowly waking up, its streets flooding with people. There were a lot of runners – in a group and solo, young and old – all happy to enjoy the last November sunshine. I didn’t feel like a stranger. I felt at home. Before I realized it, I was back at the feet of the majestic Eiffel Tower. Instead of taking a turn for my friend’s apartment, I decided it would be awesome if I got to see the Arc de Triomphe too. The only problem was, I chose my direction based on which streets looked cute, so when my tracker finally counted the last 20 meters, I was in the middle of absolutely-didn’t-know-where.

10:30 A.M. - Un croque monsieur et un appel téléphonique avec maman

I learned I was 25 min away from the Arc de Triomphe, and 40 min away from my friend’s house. Oh, well. I wasn’t exactly rushing, but I needed to eat after such a workout. I went into the first boulangerie I saw and bought a croque monsieur. I was proud of myself too, because I ordered it in French! (I recently started learning.) I sat on a bench at a square that looked like it was taken from a book and was named after Victor Hugo and called my mom. We talked all the way home.

11:30 A.M. - Le petit déjeuner chez mon amie

My friend lives in the sweetest tiny apartment in the city center, so I had a major Emily in Paris moment from the second I got to there. When I got back from my run, we had a nice girl talk over almond croissants. (Screw the carbs, fats, and the crime of not eating protein after a workout; these were sooo delicious!). Then, I took a (much-needed!) shower, and we prepared to go out together.

1:00 P.M. - Moulin Rouge et Montmartre

We channeled our inner Camille Rowe, dressed up, and got out. We took the metro and went to Moulin Rouge and Montmartre. However, the area was absolutely packed, so we quickly gave up and returned to the center.

2:00 P.M. - Notre Dame de Paris et les bouquinistes

We found ourselves walking by the Seine again (there is something magical about this river that keeps you coming back). We visited the bouquinistes and saw old Vogue editions, Audrey Hepburn posters, vinyl records, and so much more. I bought a Dumas’ book as a souvenir.

We passed by Notre Dame, which is being reconstructed after the tragic 2019 fire. The cathedral still looks magnificent, but after the damage from the fire, it seems somehow incomplete, almost sad. This is where my friend and I parted, and I continued my journey alone.

3:00 P.M. - Église Saint-Sulpice de Paris

The first thing I did, being the fangirl I am, was walk to the Church of St. Sulpice. If you’ve ever read Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code, you know that the Rose Line – the main meridian before Greenwich (at least, according to the book) – goes through the church. In reality, there was a Parisian meridian that rivaled Greenwich, but it's located in the Paris Observatory and was never called the Rose Line. Although the gnomon of St. Sulpice is exceptional and plays a big role in the book, as it leads to the Holy Grail, it is far from being the most interesting thing about this church. See, I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn't gone to Paris!

3:30 P.M. - La Rue du Vieux-Colombier et les Jardins de Luxembourg

I decided to continue with my book tour and visit a very special nearby street – Rue du Vieux-Colombier. It’s the home of Porthos, one of the Three Musketeers. If you’re not obsessed with all things Dumas, you wouldn’t even know the street had something to do with fictional musketeers. It looks like a normal Parisian street. Of course, this didn’t stop me from romanticizing my life and dreaming of meeting D’Artagnan and his friends, dueling for no reason and never forgetting the famous line "All for one, one for all.“ Even if you haven’t read the book, you've probably watched the Barbie movie, which is still amazing.

Anyway, I wanted to take a quick walk through the Luxembourg Gardens too, since they were nearby. Yes, another garden, and no, I didn’t get tired of the beauty of Parisian jardins.

I looked at my watch and knew it was time to go to the Louvre, as it was about to close. On my way there, I stopped by another boulangerie and grabbed a small quiche to power me up.

4:30 P.M. - Le musée du Louvre

I’m not even going to try to sell you on the idea of visiting the Louvre. I know you will. A pro tip that I can give you is to go on Fridays, because it doesn’t close at 6 p.m., but at 9:30 p.m. Plus, it looks amazing at night and it isn’t so crowded, so you’ll even get in faster. You’re welcome.

Art of such dimensions as displayed in the Louvre cannot possibly be enjoyed in less than two hours, so I’d recommend choosing a section (or better yet, an artist or even a particular painting), and going to see only that, giving it the full attention it deserves. The Mona Lisa is smaller than you imagine anyway. Personally, I am a fan of impressionism and Monet, so next time I go to Paris, I’d skip this museum entirely, and go straight to Musée d’Orsay instead (which isn’t to say I regret visiting the Louvre).

6:00 P.M. - Une promenade dans le quartier de Saint-Germain-de-Prés

I liked the area around the Church of St. Sulpice, so I after the Louvre closed, I returned to explore it a bit more. I called my dad, who was in Paris at around the same time the year before, so we talked about our experience with the city and France as a whole. He advised me to buy Beaujolais wine, which is produced in Burgundy and gets released to all stores on the third Thursday of every November (I was in Paris on the third Saturday of November, so talk about perfect timing). I bought a bottle from the first wine store I came across and ended up drinking that bottle with a friend during long talks about boys, love, and adventures one week later.

7:30 P.M. - Dîner au un restaurant sympathique

After a long talk with my dad and wandering without purpose, I knew it was finally time to eat. I went into a cute restaurant on the corner of two crowded streets. I ordered magret de canard and a glass of wine (which was cheaper than water!).

As I was waiting for my food, two old couples came in and sat at the table next to me. One of the old men looked at me, very curious, as if to ask, "Why are you alone?“ I simply smiled at him and got into thinking about dating life today. I daydreamed about how those two old ladies chose their men years ago. I also ended up pondering on the joy of being single, knowing the next time I visit Paris, I’d probably be taken. I realized that with the passing of each day, I was closer to meeting the love of my life. By the time I finished my dessert, I was filled with gratitude for the journey my life has been (and continues to be) and felt optimistic about the future. I enjoyed each moment.

8:30 P.M. - La Ville Lumièr

I needed at least another 40 min to get to my friend’s, but somehow, the idea of taking the metro didn’t even cross my excited mind, and my tired legs didn’t seem to mind as much either. In the end, it took me two hours to get back. I wanted to finish the day where it started, so I loosely followed the path to the Eiffel Tower. I noticed that, contrary to popular belief, French people (or at least Parisians) are very friendly. They always smile at you and aren’t judgmental when you speak French, but rather enthusiastic, even encouraging. I FaceTimed my brother and walked him through the City of Lights. I was once again stunned by the Eiffel Tower, but in a completely different way. The Eiffel Tower after sunset is a whole other Eiffel Tower. In fact, it's considered a separate art installation and is protected by law. One might say it is illegally beautiful, as you’re not allowed to take pictures of it.

10:30 P.M. – L’arc de Triomphe

My last stop before going to my friend’s house was the Arc de Triomphe. I enjoyed the noise and the lights of this big city, so I wanted one last glance before I finished my day. I got home regretting only not being able to stay longer. Fifteen hours and 60,000 steps later, the exhausted me knew she made the right choice hopping on the long train ride to Paris despite being a little scared, and she fell soundly asleep.

Reflexion

Going to the City of Love alone, especially when you’re single, may seem like a recipe for an emotional disaster. However, I found the experience rather empowering. I reconnected with my femininity, enriched my culture, practiced my French, enjoyed the cuisine, but most importantly, I finally felt like I owned my life. I felt grateful for the people around me – the friend who was kind enough to let me stay in her home in the middle of an exam session, my parents and all they’ve taught me, my brother who always makes me laugh, everyone who missed me while I was gone, and the strangers who smiled back at me on the street. I realized I’m blessed and that being in a relationship isn’t what’s giving meaning to your life, it’s there for sharing that meaning. Now, of course, I didn’t get to that conclusion with a single day in Paris, but through a long process of self-discovery. However, sometimes a spontaneous trip is all you need to see how far you’ve progressed and how your efforts start paying off.

Does It Need To Be Paris?

While I think Paris is charming, especially since it’s so rich in history (both real and fictional), your destination might be a place you've always wanted to visit, or a nearby village you randomly heard about. I honestly advise you to go to the nearest rail station and hop on the first arriving train. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune either. You’ll be amazed at how empowering little moments of adventure can be. Plus, you never know who you might meet along the way *wink.*

Closing Thoughts

Travel truly broadens the mind, and I believe spontaneity is a way to turn down the noise of your everyday life and listen to yourself. It helps you focus on what’s important, remember what you value in life, and have fun! So, please, do yourself a favor, and fly away for the weekend. You won’t regret it.

P.S. Pardon my French – I’m still learning, so I apologize if I made any mistakes. I think the Parisians will understand.

All photos were taken by the author, who has granted permission for publication on Evie Magazine.

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