Travelogue: Paris + AfroPunk Fest

Paris remains one of my favorite cities and I visited in July 2018 for AfroPunk Fest Paris. While in town for four days (this was a solo trip), I tried to cover some ground and visit/revisit major sites. Here are some highlights from my trip.

The Mob Hotel - Paris

During my Paris trip, I stayed in a cute hotel off the beaten path in Northern Paris (Saint-Ouen) called The Mob Hotel. My room (The Little Big Mob) had a comfy bed which took up most of the space in the room though it also had a small desk. The hotel has rooms of varying sizes, but the room I stayed in was perfect for for one person on a relatively short stay. I had a very nice stay there and as long as you don’t mind hopping on the Metro which is a short walk from the hotel, you can get to other more central locations in the city. The hotel also gives guests local phones with Internet service which came in handy for navigating the city on public transportation. The Mob Hotel also has a restaurant if you’re in a pinch and don’t feel like seeking out a spot to eat elsewhere. The hotel is also super close to the well known large flea market: Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen.

Images: The Mob Hotel — *Images:* *The Mob Hotel*

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame Cathedral is a good starting point for a Parisian stay and I made a quick visit on my first full day in Paris to light a candle in gratitude for arriving to Paris safely.

Merci and The Marais Neighborhood

Merci is a cute shop I visited because it was a meeting point for a walking tour of the Marais neighborhood that I did. I also purchased a few small souvenirs while I was there. I really enjoyed the walking tour of this neighborhood and recommend it. On my next visit to Paris, I’ll do a walking tour with the same company of another neighborhood.

The Louvre

I took some time to take a quick visit to The Louvre but didn’t have time to see any other museums during my stay. The museum is open until 9:00pm on Friday evenings in teh summer, so I took advantage of that time to visit and was also able to see the sunset while walking around the area.

Boat Ride on the Seine

Because I hadn’t done a boat ride on the Seine during my previous trip to Paris four years ago, I wanted to squeeze it in during this trip.

Jardin du Palais Royal + Cafe Kitsune

Cafe Kitsune was a cute coffee shop I visited while in the Jardin du Palais Royal. It was a lovely walk around the garden and I was able to get my matcha fix at Cafe Kitsune.

AfroPunk Fest Paris

After attending AfroPunk Fest Brooklyn for several years in a row, I decided that I wanted to experience the music festival in another city where it takes place. I really enjoyed it and the crowd was much smaller/more manageable than the Brooklyn version which I’ll likely attend next year but took a pass on in August. Maxwell, Damien Marley and all of the other acts I saw had great performances. The vendors had awesome wares though I only made one purchase (a top) because I travel carry-on and didn’t have room for more. Overall, AfroPunk Fest Paris still had the same lively energy as the original Brooklyn version.

Paris is the type of city that warrants multiple visits to take in all of the sites, museums, shopping, and eateries so I look forward to seeing even more the next time I’m able to visit one of my favorite cities.