Our Parisian Home
Updated: Aug 5, 2021
Beautiful Airbnb in Paris May 2017.
Greetings Explorers!
Let's Reminisce of a time I was temporarily residing in the Montparnasse district of Paris, France.
I could explain with every detail and emotion the thrills I feel the minute I hear an airplane's jet whine as the engines scream into gear pushing the craft further and further along the runway until it can no longer keep itself contained by gravity. For this wanderluster, the exploration of the new is equally thrilling, and despite my two visits to France, I cannot wait to explore more.
Our flights ended at Charles de Gaulle International Airport, a massive and busy European hub. I left my seat eager to stretch my legs, pulled my carry-on from the overhead, and moved along the aisle. We had all agreed to meet in a particular terminal however, I quickly realized I was getting lost in my attempt to reach a blocked-off zone. With some kind assistance, I regained my bearings, passed through customs, and made my way. Once I connected with my grandmother and cousins in the airport center, a beautifully light and airy space, we swiped our cards and in a matter of moments held train tickets that would continue our journey into Paris.
I love trains and the ride itself was incredibly exciting. The clack, clack, tick, tick as we moved along the rails, the greenery flashing by the windows, and the architecture that clearly reminded me of how with one flight I was no longer in Kansas, or in my case, Virginia. The gentle back-and-forth rocking of this particular train venture ended at Denfert-Rochereau Metro Station just mere steps from the Catacombs de Paris. As we emerged from the metro station, walking closer to the tree-lined boulevard Saint-Jacques, we noticed a circular park with an immense statue of a Lion. It certainly piqued our curiosity enough to entice a visit the following day. We rounded the corner of our street two blocks later. Strolling past cafes, a lovely grocery store, a stunning white chapel with warm wood accents, then two massive green doors with more standard-sized single door for daily passage. Once through, we entered a hall of sorts, and down a few steps, then found ourselves stepping on lovely cobblestones in a quart yard filled with greenery and colorful florals.
I truly cherish the early and later hours of sitting in the courtyard of this beautiful Airbnb with its ambiance of bird calls, distant cars, and rail squeaks. If you would like to see a revamped video capturing some of the charms of this Airbnb, check this out.
I have mentioned before how important I think traveling is and especially how influential it can be. When I realized how much I was reminiscing my 2017 France trip while looking at videos and pictures, I thought it would be fun to share. I realized this is was a wonderful time to share the moments and memories from this trip that have left a lasting impression.
This first look into our trip explores a bit of our Airbnb located not far from the entrance to the Paris Catacombs.
It was completely cozy and beautiful. Crazy awesome was discovering that our Airbnb was located directly above the catacombs' many tunnels!
Not far from several cafes and a grocery store, we were able to dine out during our daily on-foot explorations then mostly enjoyed something simple within our sweet yet temporary Parisian home for dinner. Breakfast typically consisted of some yogurt with a bit of Nespresso while we sat around the dining table or in the botanically-filled courtyard enjoying the songs of the birds above.
I prefer this style of travel, not always being in a hotel. One can save quite a lot of cash by cooking at the residence and there may or may not be a bit of an experience learning to cook up a bit of pasta in a new place. Something else I like to consider, both as an economic or luxury traveler, I may also be supporting a small business, one that does a little happy dance when someone like myself enjoys their space. There is one component that ranks as high as these previous statements, I really enjoy the connection to the environment. When I travel and stay in a location like this it allows me to connect more with the more subtle nuances of the location I seek to feel every ounce of before returning to my daily activities. A hotel, nice as it can be at times, leaves me feeling less connected to my environment and therefore feel like I am missing out on living the full experience. Please understand that a hotel or resort can be a very nice break, particularly if the desire of the vacation is to feel completely relaxed and at peace, to really experience some r and r. If a couple is traveling and seeks a more pampered and relaxed experience when traveling, especially internationally, where there are a laundry service and a concierge to answer questions (often helpful) a hotel is a great option. For those seeking the adventure of traveling, that means exploring the new, staying in an Airbnb is a great choice.
I hope you will pop over to VCE's youtube channel and take a peek at this lovely home! Thank you for stopping by and I hope this little note from me to you will encourage you to explore the world and live empowered.
Cheers explorers and happy travels!
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