Summer in the City of Lights. It’s the dream of every foodie, art lover and Francophile. I was lucky enough to do a Business Scholars study abroad in Paris, France last summer, and I know many students are headed there this year with Eccles Global. With that in mind, I thought I’d share some of my favorite things to do while “en France.”

  1. The touristy stuff. I know, what an insightful and creative idea. But the touristy stuff is famous for a reason, and while you won’t seem like a local, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame are must-sees.
  2. Bois de Boulogne. This massive and beautiful park sits on the west side of Paris. It is a great place to go running when you realize you might have had one too many croissants.
  3. Le Pechoirs. If you want that “underground Parisian experience,” this is your place. It is a rooftop bar and restaurant with the coolest view of the city, day and night. It is pretty hard to find and not well marked but if you go at the right time there will usually be a line out front making it just slightly less low key.
  4. McDonald’s. Okay before you freak out because I am an rude American who is so uncultured — let me explain. McDonald’s is different in every country and it is actually really cool to see how they change their menu and pricing and promotion to fit the new culture — particularly if you have an interest in marketing. I would highly recommend getting a caramel ice cream with a macaroon on top. That’s right — a macaroon at McDonalds. (No it does not taste like a macaroon from Laudurée, but it’s still pretty good.)
  5. Decathlon. This is a large warehouse store that sells really cheap but decent quality outdoor goods. They have these tiny backpacks for 2 euros that make a great (and cheap) souvenir. They sell a lot of great things for Utah adventuring so if you tend to hammock from time to time be sure to check it out!

Obviously there is WAY more to do in Paris than just the things listed above, but those were some of the highlights from my time there and things I would strongly recommend. Remember that although Paris is very expensive- it is possible to ball on a budget. Remember that if you can get ahold of a student ID from wherever you are studying from, a lot of stuff is FREE for students!