We both love Paris. Not only because of the big names like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe or Versailles — of course, they are part of the magic too. But what we love most is the Parisian flair: the small streets, the cafés, the restaurants with handwritten menus outside, the smell of food, the old buildings, the people sitting outside with a glass of wine, and this feeling that Paris is always a little bit theatrical.
That is why my “moment in a frame” does not start with the Eiffel Tower. It starts with a photo we took in the Quartier Latin, already hungry, just after visiting Notre-Dame.
After Notre-Dame, Hunger Took Over
Notre-Dame is one of those places where Paris feels ancient and alive at the same time. Even after the fire and the long restoration, the cathedral still has an incredible presence. Standing there on the Île de la Cité, surrounded by the Seine, the bridges, the old façades and crowds from all over the world, you can feel how much history is packed into this small island.
But after all that history, we were ready for something more practical: food.
And luckily, the Quartier Latin is just a short walk away.
The Quartier Latin: Affordable, Lively and Full of Food
The Quartier Latin, mainly in the 5th arrondissement, is one of our favorite parts of Paris. It has this lively mix of students, tourists, bookshops, cafés, restaurants and narrow streets where you can simply walk around without a plan.
The name comes from the old university days, when Latin was spoken by students and scholars around the Sorbonne. Today, the Latin is mostly gone, but the young and slightly chaotic spirit is still there.
For us, the best part is the food. When we were there last time, you could still find menus with starter, main course and dessert starting around 12 euros or even below. For Paris, that feels almost unreal. Of course, it is not luxury dining, but that is not the point. It is simple, lively, affordable and very enjoyable.
There is also a big variety. You can look for traditional French food, but you also find Spanish, Greek, Thai, Chinese, Italian and many other cuisines. Since we spent seven days in Paris, we went back to the Quartier Latin several times and tried at least three different restaurants there. Some were better than others, but all of them became part of our Paris memory.
For us, travel is never only about sightseeing. It is also about the meals in between, the small decisions, the table you choose, the menu outside, and the moment when you finally sit down after walking too much.
Paris Without Freezing This Time
This was already our third trip to Paris together, but it was the first time we did not freeze.
Our earlier trips around New Year’s Eve in 2008 and 2009, when we traveled with Mutti, were beautiful but very cold. Paris in winter has its charm, especially with the lights and decorations, but after some hours outside the cold really gets into your bones. You enjoy the city, but you also constantly search for warmth.
This time, in May, Paris felt completely different. Softer, lighter, easier. We could walk longer, sit outside, enjoy the streets and simply let the city happen around us.
Our Last Destination in Europe
Paris was also our last destination in Europe before we left home for the Philippines. That made the whole stay feel a little emotional. It was not just another city trip. It felt like a final European chapter before returning to our life on the other side of the world.
Maybe that is why the small moments stayed with us so strongly. A restaurant street in the Quartier Latin. A metro ride. A walk along the Seine. A coffee break. A view over Paris from Montmartre. All these little things felt important.
A Good Hotel Deal at Porte d’Italie
We were lucky with our hotel too. We found an opening offer for the greet Hotel Paris 13 Porte d’Italie, which gave us a very affordable rate and allowed us to stay longer than usual.
The hotel is in the area of Porte d’Italie, at the southern edge of Paris, connected with the 13th arrondissement. This is not the most romantic postcard area of Paris, but it is practical, affordable and well connected. And honestly, in Paris that already means a lot.
Even better: it was the biggest and most comfortable room we ever had in Paris. Anyone who knows Paris hotels also knows that rooms can be tiny. Sometimes you feel lucky if you can open your suitcase without blocking the door. So this room felt almost luxurious to us.
From there, it was easy to get around. Metro Line 7 was very useful for reaching central Paris, and the Tram T3a was also nearby. There are also bus connections in the area, including routes toward the city center and the Latin Quarter. For airport connections, it was manageable too, especially with links toward the RER and the southern side of Paris being convenient for Orly.
It was not a hotel in the middle of the postcard dream, but it worked perfectly for us.
Versailles: Too Much, But Impressive
From our hotel, we could easily make excursions, and one of them was Versailles.
Versailles is one of those places that is almost too much. Too much gold, too many rooms, too much decoration, too much royal ego — but of course that is exactly what makes it fascinating. The Hall of Mirrors, the royal apartments, the gardens, the fountains and the endless perspectives all tell a story of power, beauty and excess.
It is beautiful, but also a place that makes you understand why history eventually exploded.
Montmartre: Sacré-Cœur, Silent Streets and Painters Waiting for Victims
One of the places we always enjoy in Paris is Montmartre. Of course, most people go there because of Sacré-Cœur, the white basilica sitting high above the city. And yes, the view over Paris from up there is wonderful. Even if it is crowded, it is still worth it.
But Montmartre is more than Sacré-Cœur.
If you walk away from the busiest paths, you can still find quieter streets, small stairways, old houses, hidden corners and that village feeling Montmartre once had before Paris grew around it. There are moments when you suddenly escape the crowds and find yourself in a silent street where the city feels far away, even though it is still everywhere around you.
One of the most surprising things in Montmartre is the small vineyard, the Clos Montmartre. It feels almost unreal to find a vineyard in the middle of Paris. It is not huge, of course, but it is a lovely reminder that Montmartre once was a village with fields, gardens and vineyards before it became part of the city. The vineyard is usually not something you can just walk through freely, but even seeing it from outside adds another layer to the area.
And then there is the busy heart of tourist Montmartre: Place du Tertre.
This is the square where painters and portrait artists sit and wait for tourists. It is lively, colorful, sometimes charming, sometimes a little too much. Paintings are displayed everywhere, artists call people over, and visitors walk around deciding whether they want to become part of the show.
And yes, I was also a victim.
Somehow you stand there, you look too long, someone talks to you, and before you know it, you are sitting down while an artist starts drawing or painting you. It is one of those very touristy moments that you maybe try to avoid — and then it happens anyway. But honestly, it is also part of the fun. Montmartre has always lived from artists, performance, charm and a little bit of clever business.
So yes, I became one of the many tourists captured by a Montmartre artist. Maybe not exactly like Toulouse-Lautrec would have done it, but still a memory.
A Short Visit to Père Lachaise
We also visited Père Lachaise Cemetery, though this time I do not want to make it too big in the story. It is a famous and atmospheric place, with graves of people like Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Édith Piaf and Frédéric Chopin.
But what I remember most is not only the famous names. It is the quietness, the old stones, the trees, and the feeling that this cemetery is almost like another city inside Paris — silent, melancholic and full of stories.
Still, on this trip, Montmartre stayed more alive in my memory.
Antiques, Flea Markets and Forgotten Treasures
Another part of Paris we loved was the quarter with antique shops and flea market atmosphere. Paris is not only grand boulevards, museums and monuments. It is also old objects, dusty windows, vintage lamps, paintings, furniture, books and strange little treasures that seem to carry forgotten stories.
A wonderful place for this is the area around the Marché aux Puces de Saint-Ouen, near Porte de Clignancourt, just outside the northern edge of Paris. It is one of the most famous flea markets in the world, and for people who love old things, it is almost a paradise.
Some parts feel like proper antique galleries, with beautiful furniture, art and design pieces. Other corners still have the more chaotic charm of a real flea market, where you never know what you will find next. Places like Marché Vernaison, Marché Dauphine and Marché Biron each have their own atmosphere.
We loved walking through this area. Even if you do not buy anything, it is fascinating. Every object seems to have a former life. You look at an old mirror, a statue, a chair or a painting and start wondering where it came from, who owned it, and how it ended up here.
This side of Paris fits perfectly with the city itself. Paris is full of layers. Beautiful, old, elegant, busy, expensive, sometimes chaotic — and always full of stories.
Why This Photo Means Paris to Us
When I look at this photo from the Quartier Latin, I do not only see restaurant signs and a street full of people. I remember the feeling of that day.
We had just visited Notre-Dame. We were hungry. The streets were alive. Menus were standing outside the restaurants. Waiters were trying to attract guests. People were passing by, talking, laughing, choosing where to eat. It was not a famous monument moment, but it was very Paris.
And maybe that is why I like the photo so much.
Because Paris is not only the Eiffel Tower or the Arc de Triomphe. Paris is also a three-course menu in the Quartier Latin, a walk through antique markets, a quiet street in Montmartre, a small vineyard hidden in the city, a painter who turns you into a tourist victim, and the simple happiness of being there together.
We Would Love to Come Back
Paris is never finished. Every visit gives you another memory, another street, another meal, another corner you did not know before.
We would love to come back someday.
Because Paris is not only a city you visit. It is a feeling you want to return to.
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