Part 1
Paris had been a dream of mine long before moving to another country or buying a Smart car ever crossed my mind. Some childhood dreams faded, but Paris never did. I remember watching a soap opera when I was younger, where a character moved there. I cannot remember who it was or even which show, but I remember being completely captivated. From that point on, Paris felt magical to me.
When we started planning our move to Portugal, our goal was to arrive by my 38th birthday. When we realized we would get here sooner than expected, I asked Karl if we could go to Paris to celebrate. He said yes without hesitation. So we went. And visiting my dream city was everything I had imagined and more.
In this Paris travel guide, I am sharing what we saw, what surprised me, and what you should know before planning your own trip.
Book your own trip to Paris here
Paris at a Glance
Flying from: Faro, Portugal to Paris Orly
Neighborhood we stayed in: Near Avenue de Wagram, close to the Arc de Triomphe
Budget range: Mid range, about €100 per night for our hotel, and around €100 round trip flights
Best for: First-time visitors, gluten-free travelers on a pastry quest, and people who love exploring a city on foot
Trip length: 4 days
What We Spent in Paris (Roughly)
Flights: About €100 per person round trip from Faro to Paris Orly
Hotel: Around €100 per night
Meals: Averaged about €35 per person
Transportation: Minimal since we walked almost everywhere
Getting to Paris from Tavira
Flights were significantly cheaper the week after my birthday, so we pushed the trip back and saved a good amount of money. Our round trip tickets from Faro to Paris Orly were about 100€ each on Transavia, including one carry-on per person.
We live about 30 minutes from Faro Airport, so we drove. It was my first time flying out of Faro, and I was pleasantly surprised. The airport is small and easy to navigate, parking is simple, and security was quick. Since we were traveling within the EU, there were no extra check-in procedures. We went straight through security to the gates.
If you have never flown budget airlines in Europe, they are similar to Spirit or Frontier in the US. Seats are not very spacious, and they can be strict about baggage size, so measure your bag carefully. That said, they are very affordable, and the flights are short enough that the trade-off feels worth it.
Day 1 in Paris
From Orly Airport, we took a cab to our hotel. There was quite a bit of traffic due to a strike, so the drive took about an hour. On the bright side, we got an unexpected mini tour of the city along the way. And then I saw it. My first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.
We drove fairly close to it, and the second I saw it through the window, I started crying. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined. After dreaming about Paris for most of my life, seeing the Eiffel Tower in person felt surreal.
One of the best parts about traveling within Europe is how easy it is. Since everything is relatively close, there was no jet lag to deal with. We left around noon and arrived at our hotel just a few hours later. After checking in, we dropped our bags and immediately went out to explore. No exhaustion, no time zone adjustment. We just started walking.
Where We Stayed in Paris
We stayed at the Best Western Hotel Mercedes, a cute boutique hotel on Avenue de Wagram. It was about 100€ per night and felt like a great value for Paris.
The bed was comfortable, the room was clean, and the bathroom was fairly spacious by European standards. The staff was friendly and welcoming, which always makes a difference. There was also a bar in the hotel that looked really nice, though we never actually made it there.
Our First Night in Paris
For dinner on our first evening, we went to Brasserie NaÏ, a Lebanese restaurant. The server was wonderful and helped me choose something that was gluten-free. I cannot remember the exact name of the dish, but it had chicken, hummus, and a lot of flavor. It was delicious. I also ordered a glass of rosé, because obviously.
After dinner, we walked toward a spot where we could watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle. It lights up for the first five minutes of every hour after nightfall, with the final sparkle at 11 pm. When it started, I cried again. Seeing it in person after dreaming about it for nearly 30 years was emotional enough, but realizing I had also just accomplished two other major life goals within months made it feel overwhelming in the best way.
During our walk, we passed the Arc de Triomphe, which is just as impressive in person as you would expect. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Sir Winston for a drink. We thought it was going to be a casual bar, but it turned out to be a bit fancier than we anticipated. I had a good cider, though, so no complaints.
Day 2: The Gluten-Free Croissant Mission
On our second day, we set out to explore the city and attempt to find the best gluten-free croissant in Paris. Before I was diagnosed with celiac, I went to pastry school. I have always loved French desserts and baking. Finding out I had celiac disease was extremely difficult because it forced me to change my entire career path. I had planned to become a pastry chef. That was actually one of the reasons I moved to Las Vegas. But life had other plans.
So being in Paris felt like a full-circle moment in a lot of ways.
Before our trip, I researched every gluten-free bakery I could find and made a plan to visit as many as possible. I was determined to find a croissant that tasted as close to a traditional one as possible. I have always joked that there were only two things I would ever consider eating gluten for. A corndog at Disney and a croissant in Paris. That said, I would never recommend that anyone with celiac intentionally eat gluten. I really wanted to find one that satisfied the lifelong craving without making me sick.
Our Day 2 Walking Route
- Helmut Newcake
- Champs Élysées
- Sephora
- L’Occitane Café
- Stranger Things Experience
- Le P’tit Piano Bar
- Boulangerie LIBERTÉ
- Canal Saint Martin
- La Cidrerie du Canal
- Tigermilk
Helmut Newcake
Our first stop was Helmut Newcake. We each ordered a croissant along with a few other pastries. We ended up talking with the owner for quite a while. He was incredibly friendly and understood exactly how celiac disease can impact your life and long-term plans.
The croissant had good flavor, but it was dense and heavy. It did not have the light, airy layers I was hoping for. But that is the challenge with gluten-free baking. It is not easy to recreate that texture.
Champs Élysées and a Little Shopping
After Helmut Newcake, we walked toward the Champs Élysées, often called one of the most beautiful streets in Paris. It is also where you will find a lot of the major shopping.
I had one mission for this street. Sephora. I had not been to one in months, so this felt necessary.
We also stopped at the L’Occitane Café for coffee and a macaron. Macarons are one of my favorite desserts, and thankfully, they are typically gluten-free. It felt very Parisian to sit there with coffee and a little box of perfectly colorful cookies.
We popped into the Disney Store as well. Visiting Disneyland Paris was not possible on this trip, but hopefully next time.
Stranger Things Store Experience
While we were wandering around, we noticed signs for the Stranger Things Store Experience and decided to check it out. We both love the show, so it felt like an easy yes.
It was surprisingly immersive. Walking inside felt like stepping straight into Hawkins. There were multiple levels and themed rooms set up just like scenes from the show. The living room with the Christmas lights and letters was there, Starcourt Mall was recreated, and of course, the Demogorgon made an appearance.
It ended up being such a cool experience. It is a Fever event, and I recently learned they are opening one in Las Vegas as well. If you are a Stranger Things fan, it is definitely worth checking out. Fever hosts events in different cities, so there may even be one near you.
Wandering Toward Canal Saint Martin
After escaping the Upside Down, we kept exploring. We were heading toward Canal Saint Martin, but decided to wander and see what we found along the way. Paris is unbelievably beautiful, and walking through it felt like part of the experience. Everywhere you look, there is something worth noticing.
Naturally, our feet led us to a bar. They have a habit of doing that.
We stopped at Le P’tit Piano Bar for a break. I still have to pace myself because of long covid, so sitting down for a drink was the perfect excuse to rest. I ordered a glass of wine, and we ended up talking with the owner, who had recently moved to Paris to open the bar. We shared stories about moving to a new country to change our lives. Our backgrounds were very different, but we both understood the pull of starting over somewhere new.
After our drinks and a really nice conversation, we continued on and made another pastry stop at Boulangerie LIBERTE. The desserts were beautiful, and they offered a couple of gluten-free options as well.
Canal Saint Martin
After another round of pastries, we finally made it to the Canal Saint Martin area. We had heard it was a cool neighborhood, and it absolutely lived up to the hype. The streets were lined with interesting shops, bars, and restaurants, and it had a more local, relaxed feel.
I found a cidery called La Cidrerie du Canal, which immediately felt like a win. We ordered two cider flights so we could try as many as possible. I love tasting new ciders, so this was easily one of my favorite stops of the day.
For dinner, we went to a Mexican restaurant called Tigermilk. The food was incredible. It was honestly the best Mexican food I had eaten since leaving the United States. After dinner, we wandered a bit more before ending the night at an Irish pub.
Is Paris Easy for Gluten-Free Travelers?
Short answer? Yes… But with a little strategy.
Paris actually has several dedicated gluten-free bakeries, which already puts it ahead of many cities. Places like Helmut Newcake are completely gluten-free, so you can order without that tiny voice in your head whispering, “Is this going to ruin my week?”
That said, regular cafés and brasseries can be hit or miss. Bread is basically a personality trait in France, so cross-contamination is something to stay aware of. I found that asking questions clearly and confidently helped a lot. Most people we interacted with were kind and willing to check ingredients or offer alternatives.
Compared to Portugal, I would say Paris had more fully dedicated gluten-free bakeries, but everyday restaurants felt slightly easier to navigate in Portugal. In Paris, you just need to be a little more intentional about where you go.
If you plan ahead and research a few safe spots, you absolutely can eat well in Paris without sacrificing your health or your pastry dreams. Check out my Paris food guide here for all of my gluten-free suggestions for Paris
A Dream 30 Years in the Making
It was such a wonderful day, and we knew there was still so much left to explore. Even at that point, the trip was already becoming one of my favorite vacations of my life. Paris had completely exceeded my expectations, and I was fully in love with the city.
We had barely scratched the surface of Paris, and already I was completely in love. There were still mornings along the Seine waiting for us, the Eiffel Tower in full daylight, and more iconic corners of the city that had lived in my imagination for decades. If Days 1 and 2 were any indication, the best was still ahead.
In Part 2, we dive into the classic Paris moments, the river walks, the views, and the landmarks that make you stop mid-sentence just to stare.
Read part 2 here. And check out my Paris Restaurant and Bar Guide here
Keep Exploring
Read more about my life living in Tavira here
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