1883 Travels to Paris

1883 Magazine spends two days in Paris.

In this three-part series, 1883 Magazine was privileged to embark on a four-day press trip exploring two fascinating cities in western Germany and France’s capital in November. Entitled Rhineland meets Paris, the renowned international hotel brand 25hours Hotels organised the trip in collaboration with Eurostar, Visit Düsseldorf, and Visit Köln.

Internationally renowned as a city where romance, fashion, and culture seamlessly intertwine, Paris exudes a truly distinctive style.

From its stunning architecture to iconic works of art, the city is a treasure trove of cultural significance and is home to roughly 11 million residents in its metro area. Widely celebrated for its trendsetting style—particularly at the annual Paris Fashion Week—tourists also flock to the city for its pastries, entertainment and fine dining. For the final instalment of this series, 1883 Magazine’s Cameron Poole experienced two fun days uncovering the magic and charm of the city.

On a crisp November morning, I stepped out of 25hours HotelThe Circle in Cologne, the fantastic location that had been our home for the night. My eyes were bleary from one too many Long Island iced teas the night before, but the excitement I felt was palpable. This was the moment we bid farewell to Germany, heading to the station to begin the final leg of our journey: Paris, France. After a few metro stops and a brisk walk, we arrived at Köln Hauptbahnhof, the city’s main train station. As we waited for the train, it struck me that we’d be covering over 300 miles—something that would take five or six hours by car—but doing it with the speed only a Eurostar train could provide.

Despite its reputation, to my shame, I had never been on a Eurostar train before, and I was thrilled to experience it for the first time. Settling into the first-class carriage, I immediately felt at ease, thanks to the comfortable seating, attentive service, and calming atmosphere. The meals provided were tasty, and the free wi-fi came in handy for catching up on some work or, in my case, scrolling through photos of the trip so far.

Eurostar is well known in the UK for its fast and reliable journeys between London St Pancras International and Paris Nord, but I was interested to learn more about its broader network. With a fleet of 51 trains connecting 28 destinations across Germany, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and the UK, Eurostar makes traversing Europe accessible and easy. The journey from Cologne to Paris takes around 3 hours and 20 minutes, and if you’re travelling from Paris to London, you can be there in as little as 2 hours and 15 minutes. As the train sped through the countryside toward Paris, I was looking forward to experiencing what the city has to offer for the first time.

After arriving at Paris Nord, also known as Gare du Nord—the historic train station that opened in 1866 and holds the title of Europe’s busiest—I stretched and prepared for the rest of the day ahead. As we walked outside the station and found ourselves in the city’s 10th arrondissement, the final hotel of the trip was conveniently only across the road. Every 25hours Hotel so far had been full of character, colour, and intrigue, and the brand’s only location in France certainly continued this trend. Named 25hours HotelTerminus Nord, it’s a gorgeous building that, despite its age, dating back to the 1860s, celebrates modern-day heroes.

The internal design commemorates everyday heroes of the district and has a distinctive Parisian flair; you’ll often head down one of its weaving corridors and find pictures of these people, colourful street art murals around and more surprises. Across its 235 rooms which makes it the biggest hotel in the district, they’re a mix of Parisian flair with notes of African and Asian style elements. There’s a multitude of colours, and my ‘extra large room’ felt like a home from home. There was even a book placed on the king-sized bed which told me about these unsung local heroes, a desk if I needed to work and all the amenities I could need for my two-night visit. The balcony view of the grand train station was a bonus on top of what was already an exceptional offering.

Alongside the top-notch rooms, it has a vintage coffee truck in the lobby, an effortlessly cool Sape Bar on the first floor, and of course, its very own NENI Restaurant which seats up to 100 people. For such an old building, it was pleasing to see how 25hours Hotels and interior firm DREIMETA Augsburg established the hotel’s internal design without disrupting the building’s original charm. Yet one of my favourite parts of the hotel was simply its luxe exterior, something that looked straight out of a film. It’s a must-stay if you’re visiting Paris from London via Eurostar for the first time, with its location just a stone’s throw from the station.

For our 72 hours in Paris, there is so much you could do and, of course, only scratch the surface. But for a tourist who’s only got a day, then it’s advisable to discover some of its most famous landmarks through the low-emission, Toot Bus. The firm offers a hop-on-hop-off service which stops at or passes famous landmarks such as the Louvre Museum, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, and the city’s biggest attraction, The Eiffel Tower. During our journey, the group fell into a slightly frenzied state, buzzing with excitement as we came across many of these amazing locations for the first time. The elevated view from the top of the double-decker bus was also a perk when taking some all-important touristy snaps. One of the most special moments came after we stepped off the bus outside the Eiffel Tower to take in its magnificence.

After our photo opportunity next to the tower, we headed on a Croisieres Cruises boat trip along the River Seine to enjoy the gorgeous scenery from a different perspective which is a must-do on a sunny day. Alternatively, you can take in the bright glimmering lights of the city during one of its musical night cruises; regardless, they do plenty of tours each day.

A German journalist on the press trip during the cruise down the River Seine

Later, we attended a show at Madame Arthur, a cabaret club in Rue des Martyrs. This venue offers a brand-new performance each week, and the one we caught was a captivating mix of humour and raw emotion. After the show, the venue transforms into a lively discothèque, making it the perfect way to experience Parisian nightlife.

If you’re looking for some art or a particularly quaint area to explore, then Montmartre in the city’s northern 18th arrondissement is worth a trip. It’s a beautiful area lined with cobbled streets and it is also home to the Musee de Montmartre, a museum dedicated to many artists who lived in the historic building or in the area. During a tour, you’ll discover many incredible works, including pieces by 18th-century painter Suzanne Valadon. You can also visit her studio and a mix of exhibitions which contain authentic remnants of Montmartre’s past.

During our visit, I was transfixed by an artwork by an 18th-century artist, Georges Redon, who passed away in 1943. In 1895 he produced a piece called La Japonaise au Lapin. It was created for the Le Chat Noir Cabaret. It’s a striking artwork that, according to the museum, is a “cry of distress and terror issued forth toward god by a suffering people.” It can be seen as an allegory about the futility of life and its frivolous pleasures. Near the museum, you can also find the stunning white-domed Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur on the summit of Montmartre.

Elsewhere, in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, on a trip to the Loire Quay, we came across Paname Brewing Company, which is a stellar location for a drink. The brewery has been in operation since 2015 and has recently celebrated an exclusive collaboration for the new Call of Duty Black Ops Six video game. It’s becoming well-known for brewing a varied mix of beers.

Georges Redon’s *La Japonaise au Lapin* at Musee de Montmartre

After two exhilarating days in the city, we celebrated the conclusion of a phenomenal press trip with a delicious dinner at NENI inside 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord.

The next morning, as I checked out of the hotel and strolled through the streets of Paris with a duffle bag in hand, I braced myself for the return to reality. Reflecting on my time in both Germany and Paris, I felt grateful for the memories I’d created.

I’d been fortunate to experience the vibrant charm of three different cities and meet many wonderful people along the way. As I left, one thought stayed with me: I’ll definitely be back someday—hopefully staying with one of my now-favourite hotel brands once again.

An “extra large room” at 25hours Hotel Terminus Nord costs from £221 or €269 a night.

To find out more about 25hours Hotels or Terminus Nord visit 25hours-hotels.com.