European Architecture Tour | Paris

Nov 12

Welcome back to my European Architecture Tour series. After two days in Cologne, we took the train to Paris, where we settled in to really explore the city. Matt and I visited Paris ten years ago, and during that trip, we focused on all the iconic highlights — the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Palace of Versailles. It was a jam-packed three days. This time around, I wanted to experience the city from a different lens, so when it came to finding a place to stay, I looked for neighborhoods a little more off the beaten path — ultimately landing on Montmartre.

Leading up to this trip, I wasn’t overly excited about Paris, having already been there once. But Montmartre completely changed my perspective. Its steep, winding cobblestone streets make it less accessible to tourists, naturally creating a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere. The architecture here feels distinct from the rest of the city — the townhomes are slightly smaller, a bit less refined, and carry a quirky charm that gives the neighborhood its own character.

Of course, we still spent time wandering through the more well-known parts of Paris (it’s hard not to pass by the Eiffel Tower at least once), but what struck me this time was how elevated the rest of the city feels — a detail I completely overlooked during our first trip. It’s as if Paris has fully embraced the opulence woven into its history, developing an urban landscape that mirrors the grandeur of the palaces that once defined it. The city truly feels like a living work of art, and I left with a new appreciation for it that I somehow missed the first time around.