Ah, Paris. Though 2 days isn't nearly enough to experience it, I was amazed at what you can fit into 2 days there.
DAY 1:
We arrived by ICE into Paris Est, where we caught the bus 32 to the 16th Arrondissement, our home for the weekend.
From there, it was a short 20-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. After taking loads of photos -- up close, far away, artistic -- it was time to move on to the Seine riverboat ride. For EUR 13 per person, we piled into a flat-bottom boat (after waiting about 30 minutes - apparently this is a popular activity!), and sailed off towards the Notre Dame. The commentary was quite good, but it was difficult to get a good view of many of the buildings - unlike similar cruises in Amsterdam, where everything is at eye level. Still, this was a nice way to get a lay of the land, and would be perfect on a sunnier day.
After the boat cruise, we headed by foot to the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc was gorgeous lit up at night - I've trekked up the stairs in the past, and the view on a clear night is unbeatable. This time, we headed down the Champs-Élysées or some window shopping and a spot of coffee at the famous Laduree tea shop. The pastries...the coffee...the atmosphere... you really feel like you're in Paris, even as it may be the most touristy of spots to visit.
Dinner was uneventful, a small and tasty Italian spot near the Champs, followed by a bus back 'home'. An early evening was wise, given our ambitions for the next day!
DAY 2:
We spent the entire morning at the Louvre - at least 4 hours. Though we didn't arrive until 10 am, the line moved quickly and we were inside within 15 minutes. The ladies' bathroom line, once inside, took much longer! (Consider yourself warned...). We managed all three wings, to see both the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo (the latter by total accident!), and beautiful art from Italy, Greece, Rome, Egypt... it was like traveling the world in a single morning. Though I had skipped this during my first Paris trip, I was blown away by the art and grandeur of the museum. For EUR 11 entry fee, it is well worth visiting!
We were hungry after the museum, so had a bite at Crepes Eustache, about a 5 minute walk from the Louvre. This tiny, family-run restaurant has about 6 tables, and offers buckwheat and 'regular' crepes. I had the 'menu' - a savory and sweet crepe, but the crepes were pretty heavy...one would have been perfectly fine. It was so cozy that we stayed for some photos, before heading off to the Notre Dame. The plaza was completely full and we heard people saying they had waited for over an hour already... that was all I needed to hear to wander instead to the Latin Quarter, to see how the students of Paris lived. It was a good 20-minute walk from the church, and mostly involved small and cute restaurants -- but we did a bit of window shopping as we walked.
We headed back to the main shopping district of the 16th Arrondissement, and explored the highest-end boutiques. Though I couldn't afford the clothes, it was fun to look and get some ideas for spring fashion. After a short break at home, we headed back out to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night - every hour, on the hour. Just in time! It was just gorgeous. We ended the night with French food at the charming (and randomly located - but worth the trek!) Le Scheffer.
All in all, it was a perfect trip. Spring was in the air, we hit most of the touristy spots, and even found a few gems just off the beaten path.
DAY 1:
We arrived by ICE into Paris Est, where we caught the bus 32 to the 16th Arrondissement, our home for the weekend.
From there, it was a short 20-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. After taking loads of photos -- up close, far away, artistic -- it was time to move on to the Seine riverboat ride. For EUR 13 per person, we piled into a flat-bottom boat (after waiting about 30 minutes - apparently this is a popular activity!), and sailed off towards the Notre Dame. The commentary was quite good, but it was difficult to get a good view of many of the buildings - unlike similar cruises in Amsterdam, where everything is at eye level. Still, this was a nice way to get a lay of the land, and would be perfect on a sunnier day.
After the boat cruise, we headed by foot to the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc was gorgeous lit up at night - I've trekked up the stairs in the past, and the view on a clear night is unbeatable. This time, we headed down the Champs-Élysées or some window shopping and a spot of coffee at the famous Laduree tea shop. The pastries...the coffee...the atmosphere... you really feel like you're in Paris, even as it may be the most touristy of spots to visit.
Dinner was uneventful, a small and tasty Italian spot near the Champs, followed by a bus back 'home'. An early evening was wise, given our ambitions for the next day!
DAY 2:
We spent the entire morning at the Louvre - at least 4 hours. Though we didn't arrive until 10 am, the line moved quickly and we were inside within 15 minutes. The ladies' bathroom line, once inside, took much longer! (Consider yourself warned...). We managed all three wings, to see both the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo (the latter by total accident!), and beautiful art from Italy, Greece, Rome, Egypt... it was like traveling the world in a single morning. Though I had skipped this during my first Paris trip, I was blown away by the art and grandeur of the museum. For EUR 11 entry fee, it is well worth visiting!
We were hungry after the museum, so had a bite at Crepes Eustache, about a 5 minute walk from the Louvre. This tiny, family-run restaurant has about 6 tables, and offers buckwheat and 'regular' crepes. I had the 'menu' - a savory and sweet crepe, but the crepes were pretty heavy...one would have been perfectly fine. It was so cozy that we stayed for some photos, before heading off to the Notre Dame. The plaza was completely full and we heard people saying they had waited for over an hour already... that was all I needed to hear to wander instead to the Latin Quarter, to see how the students of Paris lived. It was a good 20-minute walk from the church, and mostly involved small and cute restaurants -- but we did a bit of window shopping as we walked.
We headed back to the main shopping district of the 16th Arrondissement, and explored the highest-end boutiques. Though I couldn't afford the clothes, it was fun to look and get some ideas for spring fashion. After a short break at home, we headed back out to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night - every hour, on the hour. Just in time! It was just gorgeous. We ended the night with French food at the charming (and randomly located - but worth the trek!) Le Scheffer.
All in all, it was a perfect trip. Spring was in the air, we hit most of the touristy spots, and even found a few gems just off the beaten path.
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