Bonjour!

Back in August, before the craziness of school, Daniel and I booked an ICE train and took the 2 and 1/2 hour speed train to Paris.  I understand why people fall in love with, AND in this city.  So magical & romantic.  We had a wonderful weekend sightseeing and indulging in French cuisine.

 

Our hotel was just two blocks off the Arc De Triomphe, making it a great starting point for our adventures.  We passed through the underground tunnel (built so that padestrians wouldn't have to cross the craziest traffic circle I've ever seen.) and climbed to the top (entrance fee included in the Paris museum pass!).

My first real glance at this beauty.

View of Champs Elysees Avenue from the top of the Arc.

Checking out the gallery of various uniforms through the years inside one of the floors of the Arc.

 

Leaving the Arc, we headed all the way down Champs Elysees Avenue to the Tuileries Gardens.

 

 

 

...and right to the Orangerie Museum.

 

 

Home of Monet's Water Lilies. 

 

 

 

Room after room.

 

 

One museum to another . . .  on to the Orsay Museum.  The Orsay Museum is an old turn-of-the-century railway station situated on the bank of the Seine river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After spending a decent amount of time exploring the vast collections and getting lost between floors, it was time to move on.  He headed across town to the Army Museum. Being a little short on time and wanting to fit in so much, we opted to skip the museum and headed straight to the Grave of Napoleon Bonaparte. 

 

and when I said we were "skipping" the museum of course that meant stopping to admire all of the shiny objects along the way.  Boys will be boys.  

Napoleon's Tomb

 

To be honest, we didn't spend a lot of time inside.  Walked the loop, went downstairs, snapped some pictures and moved on.

And now, finally the moment I'd been waiting for ... the walk down Cahmp de Mar toward the Eiffel Tower...

 

 

We climbed 669 stairs . . .  as high as we could do without advanced entrance to the apartment all the way at the tippy top.

 

Viewing Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower ... something I've always dreamed of doing!!

 

We conveniently "had" to walk across Love Lock Bridge on our way back to our hotel. 

 

 

After crossing Love Lock Bridge, we hopped a train back to our hotel to freshened up for dinner.   After relaxing in a quant little French hotel for a spell, we hit the streets for some French cuisine.

 

Stay posted for our second FULL day in Paris!