Bonjour Paris!
September 30, 2008
Arriving in Paris after a flight from BC can be slightly exhausting considering we left Vancouver at 10am Sunday and arrived in Paris at 9:30am Monday — having missed an entire night’s sleep.
But we were determined to make the most of our two days in Paris and set out to see the city. From the apartment that my sister arranged, we could walk to the Hotel des Invalides. It was an accommodation for disabled war veterans founded by Louis XIV in 1681. The extravagant spirit of Louis XIV, known as the Sun King, still shines from the golden Dome des Invalides.
(Pictured left: the Dome des Invalides where military leaders are entombed)
Now there are several museums in the complex, but we did not have patience or time for war museums. We had spotted la Tour Eiffel and wanted to see it tout de suite.
After a short walk we arrived at the Eiffel Tower. Engineer Gustave Eiffel, who designed the tallest building in Paris and lent his name to the finished tower, built the structure for the 1889 Exposition Universalle. It was a world fair to celebrate 100 years after the French Revolution. The tower still sits on a fair bit of ground and the grassy park is a popular place to picnic or roll in the grass with your lover.
In my opinion, the tower is much more magnificent from the ground. A trip to the top (which I did on a prior visit to Paris) is a bit of a let down. The highest of the three levels was encased in a chicken-wire fence which thoroughly obstructed the view and any photos which one might wish to take.
We enjoyed the view from the park, then made our way down to the Seine where we boarded the Batobus: a hop-on, hop-off, river-boat shuttle service. It is a great way to see the city and a nice rest between points of interest.
We hopped off at Cathedrale Notre-Dame (pictured bottom), then walked through the Latin Quarter and quickly realized why the neighbourhood is known for its bistros and atmosphere. There were loads of little shops, pubs, restaurants and people walking the narrow, cobble-stone streets. We bookmarked this place to return to for lunch the next day.
Having done about all we had the energy for after a sleepless night, we headed back to the apartment for a rest and some Grimbergen.
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[...] an additional €12 for the elevator to the top, but in my opinion, you can enjoy it more from the park for free. You have a great city view and can see the Eiffel Tower when you’re on top of the [...]