During my four years in Paris I tried to avoid the crowded métro and used the bike-sharing project Vélib’ as often as possible. Run by the Paris Town Hall, over 20,000 bikes are covering the city, available 24/7 all year long in 1,800 bike stations located every 300 meters. This way Vélib’ offers an alternative way to move around and discover Paris. You can buy a 1-day or a 7-day ticket online or a short-term ticket at any Vélib’ station. The first 30 minutes of each trip are always free. Worth a try!

On a sunny afternoon I explored Paris by bike starting from Jardin du Luxembourg, along the streets of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Quartier Latin. I sat down along the "Quais de la Seine" for a picnic by the river (baguette et fromage, bien sûr :-) facing Notre-Dame de Paris and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. After a delicious "Éclair aux Chocolat" in a Pâtisserie on Île Saint Louis I continued my journey through the charming streets of Le Marais where I took a coffee break on a bench at Place des Vosges, one of the oldest and most beautiful squares in Paris. Musée du Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries followed by Place de la Concorde were the next stops and finally the journey ended at Pont Alexandre and Grand Palais where I easily found a Vélib station. For me there is no better way to get to see Paris from a different perspective and a welcome change from the bustling city life!

I feel like there are so many more places, restaurants, cafes and galleries in Paris that I'd like to share with you. I'll make sure to write a new article soon about my favorite hotspots in the city of lights. In the meantime I wish you a joyful journey cross Paris by Vélib’!