Alone and winter in Paris

Morning streets

After about 13 hours of flying, I arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, on a winter night, marking my first visit to the European land I had been captivated by after watching the romantic scenes of Jesse and Celine in the film "Before Sunset."

At 6:30 a.m., I was already awake. Partly because I forgot to turn off my alarm for work, and partly because I was used to the early morning. Excitedly, I sat up and looked outside… it was pitch black. “Ah, ah, that’s right, I’m in Paris!” I told myself, and pulled the blanket up to sleep a little longer. Hearing the commotion of my American roommate, I jumped up too. We exchanged greetings, then I went to the bathroom to do my morning routine. Fresh and clean, I layered on another coat, put on my favorite 212 perfume, and sprayed it a few times. Time to go explore Paris!

In front of where I live is a park full of dry leaves, with trees that have shed all their foliage. I breathe in the crisp, cool scent of winter, the smell of morning dew, the sweet fragrance of Chanel Allure from a girl who just walked by, the smell of smoke from the men puffing on cigarettes to warm themselves, the pungent smell that perhaps the "partygoers" from last night had released onto the base of the tree next to where I'm sitting...

The sun is out, let's wander around some more!

I strolled along streets whose names I'll never remember, simply admiring everything before me: the incredibly cool graffiti-covered walls, the wide streets sparsely populated, the bare trees... and lost in the quiet Parisian morning.

Paris is so funny!

In front of me right now is the largest and most famous fountain in Paris – Le Fontaine Saint Michel, located in Place Saint-Miche, completed in 1860. If I ever return, I'll sit at a café with small outdoor tables, sip a café au lait, enjoy a croissant for a sophisticated French breakfast, and watch the people go by. After admiring this place to my heart's content, I'll take the metro straight to the Champ de Mars/Tour Eiffel station.

This train was so unusual, it had two decks (the first time I'd ever seen one), and it looked cleaner, nicer, and more interesting than the train I took from the airport. Excited, I climbed to the upper deck to experience the difference. Suddenly, I heard the sound of a violin. I glanced around and saw a man playing the violin at the end of the carriage, walking back and forth as he played, offering... anyone who wanted to could drop a few coins into his pocket. Paris is so strange, isn't it? I've never seen anything like this on a train before.

Upon arriving at the station, I followed the signs to the Eiffel Tower. Standing at the exit to ground level, I looked up… A truly beautiful scene unfolded before me: a clear blue sky dotted with white clouds, a moss-covered railing, and the iconic "Metro here" signpost characteristic of France. I spent a whole minute admiring this idyllic sight.

The Eiffel Tower was breathtakingly beautiful and truly enormous as I approached its base and looked up. At 324 meters tall, it is currently the tallest structure in France. Interestingly, however, in winter, the Eiffel Tower appears 10-20 cm shorter due to the contraction of steel in such low temperatures.

Basically, the Eiffel Tower is beautiful on its own, but everything around it makes it even more beautiful in the cold winter weather. I love the paintings sold on the sidewalks, I love the sketch artists who draw them for 10 euros each, and I love the dirt road next to the Eiffel Tower too. Seeing couples holding hands and showing affection makes me so envious! It's not my first time traveling alone, not my first time seeing people being affectionate in front of me, yet in this country, in this weather, in this setting, I feel... an overwhelming longing for love!

I boarded the Bateaux Parisens cruise ship for a leisurely ride on the legendary Seine River, as it was the quickest way to see Paris's famous landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Musée d'Orsay in about an hour. Each seat in the ship's cabin had headphones with multiple languages ​​to choose from, allowing you to listen to introductions about the places you'd pass. I preferred the open space, so I climbed to the roof to admire the view and... shivered because it was so cold. Although it was only an hour per trip, time flew by. Whether it was my imagination or something else, we were back at our starting point in a flash...

Heart of Romance

For some reason, my phone, which contained quite a few old French songs, inadvertently played the famous song "Belle" from the opera "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" while I was wandering along the Seine River. In the distance, I could see the spire of the world-famous Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral (at that time, this magnificent cathedral had not yet been destroyed by fire).

Along the side of the church, there was always a line of people waiting for their turn to enter and climb to the church's roof. Viewing the city from above is always fascinating to me whenever I visit a new city. Standing in line in the freezing cold, inching forward, I longed for a hand to hold, like the one in front of me. It took more than 40 minutes before it was my turn to enter.

The path leading up is quite narrow and winding, only wide enough for one person at a time; one could easily slip and fall or get dizzy if not careful. After climbing about 387 steps, before I could even catch my breath, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of Paris from above. It was so beautiful! I kept marveling at what I saw. At each corner of the cathedral, there are statues of half-human, half-animal chimères, serving both as architectural highlights and as a drainage system. Perhaps the most photographed statue is "la stryge"—a creature with bird wings on its back, its hand resting on its chin like a human, gazing into the distance with a look of intense admiration for the beauty of Paris. If it weren't for the large crowd in such a cramped space, I probably would have stood still, resting my chin like "la stryge," and admired the beautiful city of Paris.

And this is also the place I visit most often in Paris. I go there almost every day, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening – just to admire the beauty of the cathedral at different times of the day. I am fascinated by the open courtyard in front of the cathedral where flocks of pigeons fly up and down, directed by an old pigeon handler; I am captivated by the small stalls selling paintings of the cathedral, prints of famous historical figures, old and rare books; I watch the wandering artists painting colorful pictures of Paris; or I visit Shakespeare & Company bookstore – a fascinating English-language bookstore in the heart of Paris, where you can find rare books and which is also the familiar setting in many famous films such as “Before Sunset,” “Midnight in Paris”…

I wandered through the streets around the area, wondering if I'd gotten lost in Paris like Gil in "Midnight in Paris." The Champs-Elysées is famous for its bustling crowds and brightly lit boutiques lining both sides. Following the old steps, I climbed to the top of the Arc de Triomphe in the center of the Place de l'Étoile and gazed at the panoramic view of the surrounding streets, Concorde Square in the distance, and the famous obelisk of the Luxor Temple.

With leisurely steps, I savor the bone-chilling cold of the European winter. When it gets too cold, I stop by famous museums like the Louvre and d'Orsay to cool down before heading back out. I prefer walking outdoors in the open air, watching other couples holding hands and embracing on street corners, enjoying the romance of Paris in the winter.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Visa:To enter France, you need to apply for a Schengen visa at the French Embassy or Consulate. With a Schengen visa, you can explore other countries in the European Union (EU). However, please note that if France is only one stop on your multi-country European tour, you must apply for a visa for the first EU country you enter.

Trip:To fly to Paris, you have many options; you can take a connecting flight to reduce costs or a direct flight to save time. A direct flight takes approximately 13 hours.

Means of transportation:To save money and time, you should buy a Paris Pass for the number of days you plan to stay in Paris so you can use the trams, high-speed trains, and enter attractions without paying extra. Some places even have separate entrances so you don't have to queue.

Weather:European winters are very cold, with temperatures potentially dropping to -10 degrees Celsius, and in some places, it may even snow.

Accommodation:Paris is one of the world's most famous tourist cities, so it has a wide variety of hotels. However, hotel rooms here are quite expensive, around 1.2 million VND per night for a standard room.

Cuisine:Considered a culinary gem of the world, French cuisine is truly worth savoring, despite its relatively high price. If you can't afford luxurious meals at upscale restaurants, there are still many popular and affordable dishes that have contributed to the reputation of French cuisine that you should try, such as croissants, croque monsieurs, macarons, and madeleines.

Skin:If you're traveling to Europe in winter, you need to pack enough warm clothing, including: thermal underwear, regular clothes, a thick warm coat, gloves, thick socks, etc.

Money:France uses the common European currency, the euro. Each euro is worth approximately 26,100 Vietnamese dong.

Other notes:

- Visa/Mastercard cards are very common, so always carry one with you for convenient payments when needed.

- If you plan to explore other countries in the European Union, you should consider purchasing a Eurail Pass to maximize your travel cost savings.

- Trains in France are quite old, and some people on board are rather aggressive and unfriendly. Therefore, avoid looking around while on the train; wear headphones, read a book, etc., if you don't want to be provoked.

Estimated cost:

- Round-trip airfare averages around 20 million VND for a flight with a transit stop and around 22 million VND for a direct flight to Charles de Gaulle Airport.

- Each meal costs around 7-10 euros, a sandwich with cold cuts costs about 5 euros, and pho costs around 12 euros.

Vinh Le