I’ve got countless notebooks where i’ve written down here and there things for my ‘bucket list’ but, most of my list is kept mentally in my head. I’ve been lucky enough to already have ticked off parts of my list and, on my trip to Paris I got to tick off a couple of pretty big ones. There’s something so ridiculously emotional about ticking things off your bucket list. It’s happiness, pride and awe. It also comes with a slight pang of heartache, for me, as you know that the moment you’ve been building in your head for so long has been achieved and you can never re-live it again. I went to Paris in June of this year and managed to put a big tick next to three off of my list!!

Drink wine under the Eiffel Tower at night

The three of us donned our dresses and heels and took ourselves off to the Eiffel Tower. We took an uber there which, for me was one of the most exciting parts of our trip. The rest of the time we’d been taking the metro lines so hadn’t properly seen Paris from the road. Driving in the uber, music on and us all dressed fancy was like a scene from a film. Every corner we turned I looked out upon a different monumental sight of Paris. I was completely overwhelmed and it made me so, so emotional. It was a pinch me type moment. We scurried in our heels and went to the nearest supermarket chucking all the chocolate and a bottle of rose into a basket. The three of us decided to sit on the grass in front of the Eiffel tower alongside couples, families and groups of friends with the exact same idea as us. Drinking wine out of tiny espresso cups as we laughed and witnessed proposals as the Eiffel tower began to light up as the clock chimed 10. That was a staple life moment. You know the type of moment when your internal camera is clicking constantly trying desperately to capture and eternalise every single second of the beautiful moment you’re in. Getting to share that moment with two of the sweetest girls and also, my boyfriend and parents (over FaceTime) made me feel like the luckiest girl alive. It was the moment i’d wished for but, 1000X better than anything I could have imagined.

See the Notre Dame

Now, in the months prior to us leaving for Paris the tragedy of the Notre Dame burning down occurred. I was heartbroken. I’ve always wanted to see the Notre Dame, I adored the disney film as a child and used to dream of the moment when I could see it in all its glory. So, sat in my living room watching the live footage of the Cathedral burning down I shed many a tear. Despite, not being able to go in or around the historic sight I still wanted to visit. It wasn’t even a want haha, I needed to see it. The three of us stood alongside many other tourists on the bridge and stopped in silence. Quietly gazing upon the broken beauty. It wasn’t the experience I ever imagined as a child but, what I got was a whole other emotional experience. Seeing such an iconic piece of architecture broken but, still so strikingly beautiful was emotive beyond belief. I just hope that one day I get to go back and experience the Notre Dame in all its glory.

Palace of Versailles

For part of my a-level history course I studied Louis XIV and his glorious palace of Versailles. History was the pain of my existence during a-levels, that course nearly killed me off with the amount of stress it induced. Yet, ever since those lessons spent reading about this magnificent building and the man who created it I had this incessant urge to visit. My God. I’ve never visited a place like it. There is not one aspect of Versailles that isn’t beautiful. I cannot put into words how much of a marvel it is. I’d spent two years reading all about it yet, seeing it in person just blew me away. My jaw was constantly hitting the ground. My eyes were almost permanently filled with tears. It was a spiritual experience for me haha. I was so quiet the whole time we were there because I was just completely hypnotised by the whole place. I felt like i’d walked into the pages of my history books. I was immersed in the world of the Sun Kings Parisian court. It was a magical experience that I will hold dear for the rest of my life. Incredible. I urge you, please please please GO visit. You won’t regret it.

I’ve still got a few more things to tick on my Paris bucket list and I hope that one day I get to return and get them done. But, for now I’m beyond happy that i’ve been lucky enough to have had the three so far surpass all expectations I ever had.

Would LOVE to hear if you’ve managed to tick anything off your bucket list yet! Also, have you been to Paris? What were your favourite parts? Let me know in the comments below xx