First Time In France: How to See Paris, Strasbourg, and Colmar in 3 Days (And Mistakes to Avoid)

It is 7:55 AM. I have just landed in Paris with a face full of makeup and a gorgeous outfit. This was going to be the trip of a lifetime, and I had a whole plan in my head.

By 11 AM, I am supposed to be standing in front of the Eiffel Tower.

It’s 11 AM, I am lost somewhere I do not recognize, phone in hand, frantically trying to book a Bolt because I have taken the wrong trains not once, not twice, and ended up far from everything I needed.

That was how my France trip started.

If you have been following this blog, you already know that France and I have history. The first time I was in Paris, I had a layover and got lost just figuring out the airport. While coming back, I transited through and missed my flight, got put up in a hotel overnight, and broke down crying at a bus station. You can read that full story here.

This time, I came for real. I had my Schengen visa, three days, and a plan. And here is everything I got up to.

Before I Left Nigeria: What I Booked in Advance

I never travel without planning. Ask anyone who knows me.

Before I left Lagos, I had already booked my Nanny Bag, which is a luggage storage service where you drop your bags at a partnered shop for a few hours while you wait for your accommodation to be ready. This cost me $8.51, and it was one of the smartest things I did. My hotel was only available from 3 PM, and I was landing at 7:55 AM, so I needed somewhere to drop my things before exploring.

I also pre-booked the Louvre Museum ($39.63) and the Palais Garnier, which is the Opera National de Paris ($31.70). Pre-booking attractions in Paris is not optional. The queues are not something you want to deal with on the spot.

I booked a first-class train ticket from Paris to Strasbourg for Day 2 ($125.50). Yes, first class. I wanted the experience, and I do not regret it one bit.

The accommodation was an apartment in Paris where I stayed for two nights. I paid about ₦512,688 for both nights.

For the flights, it was a combined trip. I was going from Lagos to Paris, then Paris to Cancun, then Cancun back to Lagos. My company covered part of it, and I covered the rest. The full round trip covering all those legs was about $3703.19, which is why I want to be clear: Lagos to Paris alone is not that expensive. The Mexico leg is what pushed the cost up.

Lastly, I booked a reservation to eat a traditional Strasbourg meal at a restaurant in the city, and I will tell you all about it in my Strasbourg and Colmar article.

Now, with all that said, let me tell you what actually happened.

Day 1: Paris. The Plan Was Perfect. The Execution Was Not.

I arrived at 7:55 AM, face full of makeup, ready to conquer Paris.

The plan was simple. Go to the Nanny Bag, drop my luggage, start exploring, hit the Eiffel Tower by 11 AM, then the Louvre in the afternoon. Beautiful plan.

What I did not account for was the Paris Metro.

I took the wrong train. Then I tried to correct it and took another wrong one. Before I knew it, I was somewhere far from the Nanny Bag, far from the Eiffel Tower, far from everything. It was past 10 AM, and I was still dragging my suitcase around a city I did not know.

I gave up on the Metro and booked a Bolt to take me back to where the Nanny Bag was. The Metro is wonderful once you know it. When you are jet-lagged and new, it will humble you.

I eventually dropped my bags at the Nanny Bag, which worked perfectly by the way, and started my day properly.

I made it to the Louvre. And I will tell you all about it in my Paris post.

Paris is Cold in April. Bring Your Gloves.

I need to say this clearly because I suffered. France in April is cold. Not Nigeria-December cold. Actually cold. I was shivering on multiple occasions, and I deeply regretted not packing gloves.

There was nobody selling gloves anywhere, and my hands were freezing the entire time. The thing was, I had already researched and was told the cold would be about 19 degrees, only to get there and realize it was almost 14 degrees.

It was rainy, and I could feel my hands freezing; imagine what winter would be like.

I had packed for the cold with my trench coat, scarf, and thick layers, so that helped. But the hands were a problem. If you ever visit France, please pack gloves. You will thank me.

The Evening: Stranded, Almost Out of Battery, but Still Got There

Here is where things got interesting again.

After exploring Paris, it was time to get back to the Nanny Bag so I could get my bags. I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night, but I needed to freshen up and check into my hotel first.

I tried to book a Bolt, and the app was not cooperating because my card had flagged Bolt for charging me multiple times. My phone battery was going down (5%). My transport card was not working, or I got the wrong card. Rain was starting to drizzle. And I was standing in an area I did not fully know.

I want to be honest with you: I was scared. Not panicking, but scared. It was raining, and I was cold. I was aware that looking lost and visibly stressed in a busy city can make you a target. So I kept calm on the outside.

Then, I walked into a bus station nearby and found a woman at the booth. I told her where I needed to go. I had the address of the Nanny Bag memorized, which saved me completely. She looked at the address, pulled out a physical map, and told me exactly which bus to take and where to get off.

Write down your addresses. Memorize them. Your phone may die. A physical address in your memory will not.

I got on the bus with my card, got off at the right stop, and then walked the rest of the way. On the walk, I passed a policeman and asked for directions. He was kind, actually complimented my dress, and pointed me in the right direction.

Speaking of… Let me tell you about my dress. Multiple people stopped me in Paris to say they loved my dress. People were pointing at it, tapping each other, and some even stopped to ask about it. I am not telling you this to gloat; I am telling you because it was one of those unexpected, joyful things that happen when you travel. You never know what moment will make your day.

I also want to say thank God I had a sim through all of this. If you don’t want to deal with internet hassle while trying to navigate your way while traveling? You should get an eSim. Easy and seamless.

About the Taxis

Do not use taxis in Paris if you can avoid it.

The meter runs fast. Very fast. I was going somewhere that was about a 3-4 minute drive, and the cost kept climbing. By the time we arrived, the driver pressed something on the meter and rounded the figure up to something that felt outrageous. When I asked why, he said there was a minimum charge and pointed to small writing on the car window. I was too exhausted to argue. I paid and left.

Use Bolt or Uber instead. And keep cash on you in case your card decides to misbehave.

I finally got to the Nanny Bag, charged my phone a bit with my laptop, then booked a Bolt with cash arrangement because the card situation was still not sorted.

The Bolt driver was kind; he accepted dollars when I told him I had no euro, and gave me the fair equivalent.

And I made it to my hotel. After resting for a while, I went to see the Eiffel Tower at night. Was it worth it? Did I like it?

Day 2: I Almost Missed My Train to Strasbourg (And Then I Did Miss It)

By now, you probably think I’m a walking trouble, but I promise I am the most organized person you will meet. I just have never been to some places, which has caused me to overlook things I usually wouldn’t.

When you start traveling, you will realize just how much you lack, especially when you travel alone. France especially showed me some of my weaknesses, and I made sure to conquer them before I left.

I learned the train and bus system (which is so different from the country I’m from). I learned to follow and trust signs (which I am not accustomed to), and I eventually got better at it. Kudos to me (lol).

Now back to the story of how I missed my train.

I had a 7:47 AM train from Paris to Strasbourg. First class. Pre-booked. Planned.

I woke up at 6 AM. Did some things. By 7:11 AM, I was leaving the apartment.

Yes, you read that correctly. 36 minutes to get an Uber, get to the station, find my platform, and board (Can’t be that hard, or so I thought).

Getting the Uber itself took time. When I finally got in, I told the driver I was going to miss my train. He genuinely tried his best. But Paris has so many traffic lights, and they take their time. We moved steadily but not fast enough.

I missed the train.

I had to pay an extra $94 to get on the next one.

You are probably wondering why I paid that fee.

First, I was really looking forward to Strasbourg and Colmar. Secondly, I had pre-booked my train from Colmar back to Paris, so not paying meant I would lose more money.

Plans shifted because I planned to explore Strasbourg and Colmar in one day, but I still made it.

The train ride to Strasbourg, once I was on it, was beautiful. The French countryside from a first-class carriage is a whole different kind of calm. I understood why I paid for that ticket.

I went on a Sunday, which was a very good decision. Both cities were noticeably quieter than Paris. I could breathe, look around, take pictures without fighting for space. Strasbourg and Colmar gave me a different version of France entirely.

I am going into full detail on both cities in their own separate guides. Read them here↓

[Strasbourg Travel Guide] and [Colmar Travel Guide].

Day 3: Half Day and Off to Mexico

Day 3 was not really a sightseeing day. I had a flight to catch to Mexico, so the morning was mostly resting, packing, and making sure I had everything in order.

If you want to know what happened in Mexico, the whole backstory of why I was even routing through France is in my France transit visa post.

You can also read all about my Mexico trip here ↓

How Much I Spent in France: A Real Breakdown

I know this is what a lot of you have been waiting for. Here is an honest breakdown of what I spent, not including the flights.

Category	Amount (USD)
Accommodation (2 nights, Paris apartment)	~$340 (₦512,688)
Nanny Bag luggage storage	$8.51
Louvre Museum	$39.63
Palais Garnier (Opera National de Paris)	$31.70
Paris to Strasbourg train (first class, original booking), Colmar to Paris	$125.50
Extra fee for missed train	$94 (approx, to confirm)
Strasbourg to Colmar transport	$23.49
Bolt rides across the trip	Multiple, ranging from $6 to $65
Food, Coffee, Cake for 2 days	About $100 total
Total	About $800 – $1000

A few honest notes:

I spent a lot on Bolt because I was not confident enough with the Metro and bus system. If I go back, I am definitely using the public transport system. It will save a significant amount.

The Nigerian food I ordered cost $52.70, and they did not even give me the full order. I complained and was refunded $33.42.

The total for the full trip, including flights, was roughly in the range of $4,000 to $5,000 when everything is added up, but remember: that includes flights that covered Lagos, Paris, Cancun, and back. Paris flight alone is not that expensive.

The Lesson I Am Taking From This Trip

After 10 countries, I have come to accept one truth about myself: I am bad at navigation. I get lost everywhere. It has happened in airports, in cities, on trains. And for a while, it embarrassed me.

But this Paris trip taught me something. Whatever situation you find yourself in when you are traveling, especially when you are solo, your mind is your most important tool. Do not panic. Think. Ask for help. Walk into that station, find that woman, ask that policeman. People are kinder than we expect, even when we do not speak their language.

With a low battery, no working card, no euros, and rain starting to fall, I still got to where I was going. It showed me I can think critically under pressure.

Want to Do This Trip Yourself?

I planned every detail of this trip before I left Lagos. The booking order, the timing, the transport between cities, what to prioritize, and what to skip. Check out the shop for helpful France itineraries and guides.

And if you need help with your Schengen visa application before any of this, that is something I can help with at The Avid Travel Co. Read my full Schengen visa guide for Nigerians, or send me a message to get started.

Read next:

• My Paris Trip Post
• How I Got My Schengen Visa First Try From Lagos
• France Transit Visa for Nigerians: I Got Mine in 21 Days
• [Strasbourg and Colmar Travel Guide] — coming soon