From London, we headed out on the EuroStar to Paris for our next not-so-little adventure. Once again we had a fabulous place to stay with a veiw to kill. We chose to stay in a more residential neighborhood rather than a touristy area so we could give our kids an authentic experience. It was so fun to watch the baker open her bakery every morning or the young school children head out alone to school. (and I mean YOUNG and ALONE-our kids really noted the cultural difference!) And Dr. D. loved the markets where he could pick up fresh fruit-specifically the fresh squeezed orange juice machines!
Notre Dame
This iconic landmark, Notre Dame, took nearly two centuries to construct from start to finish and is nearly 800 years old. We were fortunate enough to visit the cathedral first thing in the morning before the crowds swarmed and by late afternoon we noted lines all the way past the courtyard. We also garnered reservations to visit the twin spires at the top and see the famed gargoyles and bell tower. The architecture, the history-it has withstood SO MUCH, the sheer magnitude of the structure and the stunning stained glass windows will leave you breathless at their beauty.
Laduree – Champs Elysee
When in Paris…
There’s nothing like a stop at Laduree on Champs Elysee for a beautiful afternoon. This was something special we planned with Kiki in mind and as you can see she was enraptured with the experience. Shockingly after much trepidation on Nickel’s part, he too enjoyed it thoroughly. There are SO MANY macaroon options to chose from and the fun of selecting flavors won them both over. We then ventured to the solarium for high tea (or hot chocolate in Nickel’s case).
Eiffel Tower
Y’all where do I begin with the Eiffel Tower? Lordy, I spent ALL NIGHT online reloading and reloading the website awaiting the opening of tickets for the night we wanted to visit. Now you may be saying, “Is it seriously that difficult to acquire tickets?” The answer is no and of course a bit of yes. It used to be that while they sold tickets online or via the telephone, most were acquired by waiting in long lines day of. That is not the case in this day and age, so I needed to get tickets not only for a specific date, but also wanted to have tickets that go all the way to the top (some stop only at the first level) AND I wanted tickets at twilight so we could view Paris in the light and then enjoy the moment the twinkling lights came on. Magic, right? God had other plans…
It rained. I know what you’re thinking, it’s Paris in Spring, rain is expected and no big deal. Wrong. I’m talking lightening in such epic proportions they closed the tower – rain. Then for a moment they reopened the elevators and allowed us to the top…at which point lightening struck right in front of us and a grown man fell flat on his back…all before we stepped off the elevator. To add to that, the line for the down elevator was wrapped around the entire level, my kids nearly died of hypothermia (obvious exaggeration) and all we could do was laugh. MISERABLE. So much for staying up all night for the elusive twilight tickets to the top. But, friends THIS story is what life’s little adventures are made from and I was not sad one bit. What a memory! So here are a few photos pre-rain to make you smile.
lifeslittleadventuresintravel.com 