Love Paris

Notre Dame

It's Saturday the 17th Aug and we caught the train to Paris this morning. By 3-00pm we were settled in, been too the supermarket, as we have a self catering apartment for our six days here, and were ready for the orientation bus tour. 

Our hotel is right on the River Seine and about 400 metre's from The Notre Dame, which is a great location.

This evening we will also do the bus tour of Paris by night, so we are just about to go and do that. I will use the images from tonight in the next post, so this is it for today.

Not far from our Apartment 

Arc de Triomphe

Eiffel Tower

No idea, just a cool shot!!

Opera House Roof

River Seine

The Louvre

Our Apartment, in the Middle

Here are a couple of images from last nights "illuminations" bus tour

Av Des Champs Elysees

Tour Eiffel

Musee Du Louvre

Slept in until 10am this morning, Sunday the 18th, so it's a late start today. We did get in after mid night from the tour so we have an excuse!!

Fig Trees and Grape Vines For Sale

Parisian's at the Beach Sunday afternoon

Today we walked and bused and walked again. Found a Sunday market alongside the River and they were selling fully grown fig trees and grape vines, complete with mature fruit on them, what's that about? I think Ruth maybe flogging a fig, or is she just grabbing a grape :-)

Walked a little further and found a beach that has been created alongside the river, in the middle of the city, I must say that it looks a little out of place.

La Moulin Rouge

Got on the bus and did another bus tour, this time to the north of the city and saw the Moulin Rouge, Sacre-Ceur, stopped for lunch at a cafe in the Montmartre area with some lovely little streets to browse around.

Basilique Du Sacre-Ceur

Montmartre - Lunch break

The French create amazing buildings, including railway stations!!! This is the station that we came into from Lille.

Gare Du Nord - Beautiful Railway Station

and eating in general

They Love Chocolate - Mussells & Olives!!

Walked again down through the city to pickup a bus that does a trip around the southern part of the city. Then got back walking and found some wonderful lanes and shops in the Italian quarter just behind where our apartment is located.

After having a good walk and look around the area we stopped at a little restaurant like in the photo above and had a meal. Another great Day!!

La Concorde from Tuileries gardens

It is now the 19th Aug and our third day in Paris. We have done the bus trips and got our "bearings", so today it was all walking, from 10-00am to 6-00pm. We walked from our apartment across to Le Louvre, up through the Tuileries gardens to Le Concorde and then up the right hand side of the Av Des Champ-Elysees to the Arc De Triomphe.

Ruth found H&M and parted with some $$

We then purchased a four day Museum pass that gets us into most of the places of interest in Paris, Arc De Triomphe being the first. Great views of the city from up there.

We then found a Starbucks pitstop

We then reversed the walk and went down the other side of the Champ-Elysees to the Louvre where we spend a couple of hours exploring. You could spend days in the Louvre, and we will go back, but it was a good intro.

Top of Arc De Triomphe

Here are a few images of the day.

Found Churchill on walk back to the Louvre

From inside the Louvre

Magnificent building inside

And out

Ruth admiring some of the art

First glimpse of the D'Orsay

Another day in Paris, the 20th of Aug. We made or way down the river to the Musee D'Orsay and what an amazing place it is, full of art with all the artists of repute, Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cezanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, Van Gogh and many more. It is really unbelievable to see the work of these artists, and not just a few pieces but 10 - 20 each.

So much to see

Pretty impressive space

We then walked into the city looking for a series of arcades that run through the city. We had seen pictures of them on the web, before we came and they looked interesting places to visit. After a bit of hunting we did come across a couple, but they looked pretty tired. I think that in their day they would have been the places to shop.

Old Paris Arcades, beautiful in their day

A look around the Notre Dame was the next port of call, and well worth the visit. Then it was back to the apartment and put the feet up...

On the road again

One of the many windows in Notre Dame

Amazing views inside 1

Amazing views inside 2

On the walk down the Seine to Eiffel Tower

Another day down and one to go. Walking all day today, I think that we are getting pretty fit. For those of you familiar with Paris, this is the route that we took. For those of you who aren't familar click on this link for a map of Paris.

Past the Alexandre III bridge

Left our hotel just up the river a little from Notre Dame and walked, mostly along the river bank, to the "Petit Palais" on the Esplande Des Invalides, for our Museum and Art "fix" for Day.

Then we proceeded further along the river to the Eiffel Tower, where we had some lunch in a park that is adjacent to the Tower, very pleasant.

Inside The Petit Palais

A little Art - Giron (Artist)

After lunch and an ice cream we walked down the Parc Du Champ De Mars, to the Musee De L'Armee and the Tomb of Napoleon. Spent some time in there looking around some of the military history of France.

Taking it all in

It was then back on the road up the Boul Des Invalides to the amazing Luxembourg Palace and gardens.

Got our "church fix" at the second largest church in Paris, of St Sulpice.

Moved on to the St Germain area for the days "shopping fix" when we found some really lovely upmarket roadside stalls / shops, and then back to the apartment.

Not a bad spot for Lunch

Took 9 very enjoyable hours. Last day in Paris tomorrow, so we will be making the most of it, before heading south.

Napoleon's Tomb. Massive Cathedral type building!! 

Luxembourg Palace and Gardens

St Sulpice - 2nd largest in Paris

A little shopping to end the day

Found an Art supply shop - couldn't resist

Found the Arcades.. 

Beautiful space

It is now Thursday the 22nd August and our last day in Paris. Walked again today, from our apartment to the Montmartre district and the Sacre-Ceur. During the walk, we "stumbled" across the "passages" / arcades that we were looking for the other day. This was more like it!!

It is our second time in the Montmartre district of the city, but it is a fascinating area so we had another look around. Had lunch at a cafe that Bill recommended to us the Cafe La Fourmi, which we enjoyed. 

Old Montmartre Street

Then proceeded back to the Musee de LÓrangerie, in the Tuileries gardens, another art Museum and finally down to the Louvre for another visit before returning home.

Lunch at the Cafe La Fourmi

Back to the Louvre

It has been a wonderful time here in Paris, a beautiful, unique city. Tomorrow morning we catch the train to Mirepoix, in south west France, for what I am sure will be another great French experience. 

Will catch up soon....

Got to see her again, well at least a copy of her