Jamal beat me to this when he was in Paris last fall, but I had to go and check out the rooftop of the Galeries Lafayette for myself. The weather was unbelievable early last week, and I knew a panoramic view of the city would be magical with a clear blue sky. Pro tip: go early in the morning to avoid feeling like a sardine. The Galeries Lafayette open at 9:30, I got there at 10, and was able to walk around and browse (they have every luxury brand you could think of spread across eight floors) without keeping my arms pinned to my sides. I made the mistake of stopping in on Saturday afternoon and it was madness, I couldn’t even get on the escalator for the crowds. The view from that roof terrace is worth it at any time of day, though.
This Radiohead song was playing outside of the entrance both times I walked by, and it’s been on constant repeat in my apartment ever since. It’s going to be one of those songs that I can listen to years from now and immediately be transported back to Boulevard Haussmann, caught in the throngs of shoppers:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfOa1a8hYP8&w=600]
Other Paris Details of Note: I am more social here than I am back home, accepting offers of happy hours and shopping trips and dinner at a fancy sushi restaurant. All of the walking around I’ve been doing (averaging 6km/3.5m per day) has seriously taken its toll: I had to break down and buy sneakers because my feet were killing me, and guess what? Parisians really do wear sneakers, I’ve seen it (though they did judge me for my casual footwear when I stopped into Hermès this morning).