Paris

One of the best things about living in Reims is that it is only 45 minutes away from Paris by TGV (the high-speed train). That means that you can go there for a day or for the weekend, but you do not have to deal with the massive amounts of people cramming into the metro as you try to get to and from school every day. If you get the SNCF 12-25 card (the discount card from the transportation company for people under 26), then it only costs about 24 Euros round trip. Just an FYI, the 12-25 card costs 50 Euros, but if you are planning to travel, it is easily worth it because you get anywhere from a 20% to 60% discount on each trip. Normally a trip to paris would be about 40 Euros or more.

I love spending time in Paris. Since it is such a big city, there is always something you can do there. Even just walking around the city exploring the sights, shops, and restaurants is fun since they are all so unique! You can spend a whole day there just sight seeing, and it would be worth it. The metro is very easy to navigate, and you can get a day pass for 7 Euros which whill take you to all parts of the city. I would say just go and explore! If you start at the St. Michelle plaza, it is a great centrally located area with a ton of great places to check out.

One thing I would highly recommend is going to see the Palace of Versailles. If you show your student ID, you get in for free. I would also take advantage of the free headset you can get since there is not a lot of written information around the Palace. Everything there is absolutely stunning, and I would allow for 4-5 hours to see it all. You can even rent golf carts or a boat if you would like to explore the gardens that way! Once the weather warms up and the flowers start to bloom, I will go again.

The museums are amazing, and I would definitely take the time to go to them. The Louvre is huge, so you will probably need a whole day there! If you want to do something on a smaller scale (but equally as amazing), I would recommend the Museum d'Orsay. These museums you can wander through at your own pace, and unless you are really interested I would not pay for a guided tour. There is plenty of written information you can read on your own. If you like pre-Columbian artifacts from around the world, the Museum Quai Branly is one you should absolutely check out.

If you visit the website "New Paris," then you will also find a free walking tour. I have not personally been on it, but my friend says it is really informative and she highly recommends it. I think I will do that on my next trip to Paris.

I like Paris way better than Reims, so if you ever get bored, just hop on the train to Paris! It is very exciting living so close to such an amazing city!