Travel Reads: France Edition

A lovely boutique hotel in the 8th arrondissement has officially confirmed your stay. Your flight to Charles de Gaul airport has been booked. Your finest and effortlessly beautiful clothing has all been packed, and you are almost ready for the perfect vacation in Paris. Now comes the hard part:

Which books do I bring!?

It’s always been a terrible ordeal for me, to choose which books I want to read on a trip. What if I happen to have a moment of fancy and want to read something other than what I’ve brought!? Having an e-reader which can connect to the internet is the ultimate solution to this, but for those of us who don’t have e-readers, here are five France inspired books which you can read on your trip!

#1: Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

If you haven’t already added the Palais Garnier (also known as the Opera National de Paris) to your itinerary, do it now. It is breathtakingly beautiful, even more so I would argue than Versailles itself! I know it sounds like blasphemy but it’s true! The Palais is the setting for the famous story Phantom of the Opera, and the theater has even gone so far as to give the Phantom his own private box, like in the book! If you’re a sentimentalist like me, you can do what I did and pick up your own copy of the book in the Palais gift shop. I happen to be able to read French, the original publishing language of the book, so I chose that version, but if I recall correctly there are several languages available to buy including English.

#2. Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon

While the Outlander series does focus around Scottish characters, the settings jump around a lot; over several countries and continents in fact. The second novel of the series, Dragonfly in Amber, has a significant portion of its setting in Paris. If you’ve got a bit of time before you go to Paris you can sink yourself into the first book, Outlander, and get to Dragonfly in Amber before you head over.

#3. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne

While Jules Verne wasn’t born in Paris, he was a French author, and like Phantom of the Opera, Around the World in 80 Days was originally written and published in French. It follows the story of an Englishman, his servant, and their antics as they attempt to win a bet. When you’ve finished the book and come home, you can watch the Disney version of the movie with staring Jackie Chan. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, and I’m not sure it’s aged well, but for me any chance to see Jackie Chan perform martial arts is a treat, and he has impeccable comedic timing.

#4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo

Set in Paris and centered around Notre-Dame de Paris, it’s quite a bit darker than the adaptation Disney made in 1996. It’s a heavy book, but don’t let that stop you, it’s a classic and well worth the read. Don’t try to read this one in French though, unless you’re very sure of your skills. I tried and it was a dismal affair. The English version is much better suited to my needs, and honestly, light reading is sometimes as necessary as the deep stuff.

#5. The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas

If you’re into a swashbuckling adventure that takes political aim at the bourgeoisie nature of places like the Palais Garnier and Versailles, this is the book for you! Despite being set roughly a century before the French Revolution, and written by an author who was born after it happened, the book often takes aim at leftover issues that were still being discussed when Alexandre Dumas was publishing his works. At the time, France hadn’t quite decided whether they wanted a monarchy or a democracy, and the political scene was hot with debate. The Three Musketeers is a great look into this tumultuous time for France.

BONUS BOOK!

#6. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

A few of the scenes in this book take place in Paris, but that’s not why I’ve added it. The book follows numerous people, switching between points of view as it weaves its tale, but the character I love most is Astrid. She seems to have a rather spiritual connection with Paris and brings a piece of it with her wherever she goes. As you walk down the Champ D’Elysee, you might imagine her next to you, guiding you to all the places she loves to shop most.