Perfect Picnic in Paris, FRANCE

PARIS

We arrived in Paris late in the day on Tuesday, May 4th.

Our GPS found our hotel, conveniently located between the heart of Paris and the Charles De Gualle Airport.  Strolling through the neighborhood we settled on a Chinese Restaurant before tuck-in time.

It's exciting to be here.  I can hardly wait to see the Eiffel Tower in the morning.  I would just like to sit in it's shadow and stare at it all day.  

 

Wednesday morning.  Tomorrow we pick up Cam and Kim at the airport for a 10 day trip they have planned.  But for today we stall in Paris.  

What would you do if you had ONE day in Paris?  No reservations, no deadlines, no appointments.

Here's what we chose:

1)  Drive directly to the nearest parking garage at the base of 

The Eiffel Tower  

We circled the Arc de Triomphe.  There are 12 streets fanning out from it like giant spokes.  Our trusty yet dizzy GPS almost had a heart attack trying to tell us which street to exit as we drove round and round taking photos.

Straight UP from the underside of Eiffel.

We spent a relaxing afternoon sitting on the common, 

eating a picnic lunch

and people watching.

We sat and stared at it for about 3 hours!!!

2 & 3) Stroll the streets of Paris crossing over one of the 37 bridges, basking in the sun and amazing views along 

The Seine River 

enroute to 

The Louvre

We got there late in the day, so we only wandered the lobby areas...even those are famous!  This place will take a week to see on a subsequent visit.  Soooooo big!!! 

 This picture shows the imagery of the famous glass pyramid outside the Louvre,

 but this one is hanging upside-down in the basement, letting volumes of light in.

4)  We resume our pedestrian path and wind our way to
Notre Dame Cathedral  

Close-up above the front doors

The east end (my favorite) showing the flying buttresses and various other Gothic architectural elements.

Soaking in the atmosphere. IPad Scrabble.

Serendipity

We enjoyed a crepe dinner, taxied back to our car and double parked it at the ET base.  9:58 p.m.  We risked a ticket to run back unto the common for an evening shot of the Tower.  Crowds had gathered. At 10:00 we happened upon a fabulous 5 minute light show of 20,000 flashing light bulbs.

Serendipity

Arc de Triomphe

We ended the day as it began.  Doing loops around this gigantic arch.  

It was one of those rare, perfect days!  

This city is astounding.  I could live here! 

We hope to return.

Tomorrow the ride continues...Paris Disney

Love, Mom and Dad

Carolyn and Lane