Before this weekend, Paris was a place marked firmly in my mind as somewhere you would go either on a romantic escape or a high school French exchange but certainly not as a first time solo traveller. Following a mess of trains and the chaos that comes from not booking in advance, I ended up with a single night in the loved up city and a chance to finally explore a little on my own and see what Paris had to offer in such a short space of time. It's fair to say I was not at all disappointed and have left with a happy head full of breath-taking architecture, pastries that shouldn't be able to stay upright and skylines that will stay firmly in my heart forever.

Given how short notice the overnight stay was, accommodation was of course a scary thought - especially on a student budget. Searching on the outer edges of the central city for a more reasonable price, I came across the Generator Hostel with it's mixed dorm marked at just €26. Located only ten minutes from Gare de l'Est, it seemed a little too good to be true and I must admit I was unsure what to expect. The reality however came to an incredibly positive outcome. The hostel itself is hotel-like with a modern design and clean interior. Mixed dorms of 8 come with a private shower and bathroom, large locker boxes and well thought-out touches like baskets next to the beds, shelves exactly where you'd want them and a charging port close by at all times. On the ninth floor of the building there is a sweet roof terrace with a skyline view across the city that could challenge most. The terrace bar opens at 4pm, but there was no issue with me taking up a coffee from the restaurant downstairs in the morning.

Outside the hostel, you're met with a less tourist-ridden area of Paris. Wide canals close by and open park spaces brought live music and a cheerful atmosphere that kept me grinning all evening. Exploring this part of the city with a friend met in the Hostel, we walked along the bank and through smaller streets on our own architectural tour. It was easy to see that looking slightly above head height was the way to go with row after row of beautiful historic buildings meeting us on every corner. All of this within a half hour walking radius of our friendly hostel. We found an endless number of lively bars and some great little places to eat too (we ended up having some slightly delicious, though admittedly not very French, ramen).

My limited language skills were met with a warm welcome everywhere with locals helpfully adding in extra words for me and aiding with pronunciation where needed. In general, the fact that I was willing to try (no matter how silly I may have sounded) was well received and I had no issues ordering or seeking directions. Though only spending a short time in the city itself, the romantic atmosphere and intricate architecture made me smile endlessly. It's easy to say that I would go back in an instant.

Paris

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