Digital Nomad Diaries: Paris Day 7
The borrowed day. Notre Dame, a charming canal, and one last meal before a 5:30am taxi.
If you've read about Day 6, you know yesterday I changed my flight and gave myself one more day in Paris.
This is it. The real last day. No more flight changes, no more borrowed time. Just one final morning to make it count.
Coffee at Le Relais du Louvre
I started the way every good Paris morning should start, with a fresh croissant and coffee (tea, in my case), this time at Le Relais du Louvre. Unhurried, quiet, the kind of morning that makes you feel like a local rather than a tourist. The perfect send-off breakfast.
Notre Dame Cathedral: finally inside
I've been to Paris several times now and somehow never made it inside Notre Dame. Today, that changed.
After the devastating 2019 fire, I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, but the restoration work is remarkable. Walking up to the cathedral and seeing it looking this good was genuinely moving. It’s a reminder of what can be rebuilt when people decide something is worth saving.
Inside, the scale hits you immediately. The soaring ceilings, the intricate stained glass windows, the sheer density of craftsmanship in every corner. I'm not religious, but places like this are awe-inspiring in a way that transcends belief. Standing inside Notre Dame, you understand immediately why people built something like this and why they fought so hard to save it.
A few practical notes for your visit:
Get your free ticket online in advance. This lets you skip the main queue entirely, which on a busy day is significant.
Go left when you enter. I missed this instruction and ended up walking the wrong direction against the flow of the crowd for a while before I figured out what was happening.
Canal Saint-Martin with a friend
I met up with my friend Moriah for a walk over to the Canal Saint-Martin, a Paris neighborhoods that feels removed from the tourist Paris you spend most of your time in. Tree-lined canal, iron footbridges, relaxed cafes, locals actually living their lives.
We found La Marine, a brasserie right on the canal, for a late lunch. It was exactly the right way to spend a last afternoon. Good food, great company, and the freedom to sit for a few hours and enjoy. Just the kind of lingering that Paris seems specifically designed for.
If you haven't been to Canal Saint-Martin, it's worth the detour. Especially if central Paris is starting to feel a little crowded by the end of your trip.
Packing, one last dinner, and a 5:30am taxi
Eventually the day had to end. Back to the hotel in Montmartre to pack, a last dinner at Le Relais Gascon nearby, and an early night before my taxi arrived at 5:30am. Woof.
The quick itinerary
Croissant and coffee at Le Relais du Louvre
Notre Dame Cathedral — get your free ticket online
Walk to Canal Saint-Martin
Lunch at La Marine on the canal
Pack, dinner at Le Relais Gascon, bed
