Chapter 4 - Day 32 - Lucerne to Paris

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A BIG travel day today from Lucerne to the Last stop on our epic adventure Paris France, should be a great way to finish the tour in style.

PARIS
The trip was both long and uneventful. We passed through rolling hill country and flat farmland on the way up to Paris where we arrived a about 4.30pm. Our Hotel the Pullman is a little way from the city centre but still in a very nice location. It was a site where the Wine Warehouses used to be, and the area has been redeveloped into a really nice suburban shopping area. It also has a Metro/tube station which is handy for transport to and from the city centre.

On the way into Paris we passed through the tunnel where Princess Diana had her fatal crash and also the Ritz hotel which she left from on that fateful night.

We dumped our bags at the Hotel and had a short R&R break before heading down to the CBD to join our cruise down the river Seine, which gave us the opportunity to get a feel for the style of architecture etc in the central area. We cruised past the Louvre – its HUGE, Notre Dame, various prominent buildings, statues and bridges. And of course there was the ever present Eiffel Tower which dominates the area.

The French are certainly passionate, the couple on the cruise sitting in front of us (and they were no ‘spring chickens’) really needed to get a room!. Everywhere we went people were hugging and kissing in public places – must be a Parisian thing!

After the cruise we went to dinner ant a very nice restaurant called Jeanette’s! We tried snails – although they were heavily seasoned with garlic, which was the dominant taste. Still while in Paris we did eat escargot! All of the plates were customised tot he restaurant and at the end of the night she Jeanette bought on of the plates as a memento. Subsequently most of the Aussies on the tour said’ you should have let us know and we would have stolen one for you’ – the ol’ criminal paste they just cant let it go!

To finish our day we went to a vantage point where we could watch the Eiffel Tower lights be turned on, during the evening/night the lights are turned on for 5 minutes every hour. One the way we drove down the Champs-Elysees and stopped for a photo opportunity at the Arc de Triomphe, before driving around arguably the world’s most infamous roundabout. It’s so bad that rental car companies won’t insure vehicles that go around it. The roundabout is a big circular space where there are no lanes – its every car, bus and scooter for himself. Fortunately at the time we went around it was pretty quiet. The Eiffel Tower lights display was a truly spectacular way to end our first day in Paris.

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Photos

Eiffel Tower by Night
When they turn the lights on its stunning!

Golden Statue
Joan of Arc - Paris's favourite daughter

Escargot for Dinner
Snails anyone-when in Paris...