Running Through Buttered Air: Starting with Paris

Starting in Paris

If there’s one piece of advice I could give anyone reading this: make sure your feet (and knees!) are prepared for what’s waiting for you in Paris. Oh, the pain!! My first five days in the city had me sleeping with a pillow under my knees every night, and my first journal entry after leaving for Avignon simply read: It was too much!

The endless stairs in the metros, coupled with all the walking—I’ve only got myself to blame for wanting to see everythinggg. So yes, be prepared!

I didn’t know what to expect from Paris this time around. I had been here briefly in 2018 for just one night, and it wasn’t the most memorable experience—mainly because my backpack almost got pickpocketed while exiting the subway up a flight of stairs. A group of teenagers ran off as I caught them just before they could unzip it, but that incident left a bitter memory in what is supposed to be the City of Lights.

Fast forward to May 2025, I decided to begin my pilgrimage in Paris—to stay close to where Van Gogh (and other artists) once lived—here in Montmartre. Imagine waking up to air filled with the scent of butter, a sign of freshly baked goods. That glorious aroma envelopes you during your morning runs through the city’s winding streets. Every nook and corner feels like you’re running through a fog from perfumeries specializing in… carbs. I once joked with a French colleague that they should bottle it and call it Eau de Baguette. I’d absolutely bring that home as a souvenir.

My first few days in Paris was quite eventful considering how much I tried to cover, but for the sake of brevity, I’ll highlight a few stops: a visit to the Louvre, discovering the park behind Sacré-Cœur, and a list of restaurants, cafes and boulangeries I highly recommend so that you, dear reader can also enjoy what life has got to offer! (Oh! – and my day trip to Auvers-sur-Oise deserves its own post, so stay tuned for that!)

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My Love for Mummies

One of my missions in Paris was to finally visit the Louvre—and lucky me, I scored a free entry during the Nuit des Musées. I knew exactly where I was headed: the Egyptian wing.

I don’t remember exactly when my love for archaeology began. Dinosaurs and mummies—these two have always fascinated me. My earliest memory of dinosaurs might be from watching The Land Before Time a gazillion times as a child. As for mummies, I’m not sure if it came from one of the books my aunt or dad used to bring back from Germany, or maybe from my favorite collection of Britannica encyclopedias.

I’ve always been drawn to ancient civilizations—how life was thousands of years ago. The contrast of golden sarcophagi and brutal sacrificial rituals offers a stark glimpse into the extremes of humanity. Maybe I’m also obsessed with perfection— the meticulous attention to detail, color, and craftsmanship. Even the process of mummification itself required scientific precision: a way to preserve the body by keeping it “under wraps” so it could stand the test of time.

There is also that sense of mystery – what lies beneath all those layers? And how did they once look when they still breathed life?

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The Park Behind Sacré-Cœur

Finally, all those Instagram reels led me to something truly worth sharing: this beautiful, quiet park tucked behind the iconic Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre.

Yes, the climb was no joke (hence the aching feet and knees!), but it was so worth it. The view from up there is breathtaking, and the mid-May weather was just perfect. I found myself sitting under the shade of a tree with the basilica in full view. It was an ideal spot to journal—or to just sit and do nothing.

Honestly? This might be my favorite place in all of Paris.

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Memorable Food Trails and Must-Eats

#1 on Steph’s Must-Eat List in Paris (and probably all of France): BAGUETTES.
Just wander into any random, amazing-smelling boulangerie and do yourself a favor—get a wand of carbs for breakfast or a midday snack. You’ll thank me later. (Tip: you can ask for a demi-baguette if you want to go light!)

Here are my top favorites from this trip:

1. Copains – Their marble loaf slices… OMG. They’re also a gluten-free, health-conscious bakery, so maybe bonus points??
2. Mamiche – Ironically, it wasn’t their breads I fell for but their kanelbullars (cinnamon scrolls). Their babka is also worth trying—but mind you, they are more sweet than chocolatey!
3. KB Coffee Roasters – That latte. I miss that latte. Enough said.
4. Le Grenier à Pain Abbesses Bodian (Montmartre) – Incredible pain Suisse, a hybrid pain au chocolat without all the custard. Just chocolate goodness.
5. Délicieux Montmartre – BEST SAVORY GALETTES IN THE WORLD!
6. Meha – Recommended by the YouTuber Ariel in Paris, and it absolutely divine! The team was also the friendliest people, and special shoutout to their vanilla flan—chef’s kiss.

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Look forward to my next post; my day trip to Auvers-sur-Oise and a poem I wrote of Jardin de Daubigny.