Exploring Paris

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Geo: 48.8566, 2.35097

Pantheoneonome Paris fundamentals. The Arc de Triomphe, the Opera Garnier, Notre Dame, and the Panthéon making for a full afternoon. We started a bit later today, exhausted from yesterdays Disney experience. By noon we were up and about, a baguette brunch again on the menu. Our first train ride took us west to the Arc de Triomphe. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. Completed in 1836, this monument honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. Its also just impressive to look at, and offers spectacular views of Paris from the top.
Next back on the train to the Opera Garnier, the most famous theatre in Paris, and one of the most famous in the world. Completed in 1875, it is most famous as being the venue for and home of the Phantom of the Opera. With the cheapest show tickets tonight going for 190€, we opted to just explore ourselves for around a twentieth of the price. Its a stunningly opulent building, its main feature being the main grand staircase. Sculptures, ornaments andchandelierss give the theatre a warm glow. Inside the auditorium, some 1,500 velvet seats face the huge stage, along with around 30 private boxes around the edges and the grandchandelierr hanging above. We of course found the infamous Box 5, demanded by the Phantom to be left vacant always, only for his personal use.
From the Opera, again on the train and off to the Notre Dame cathedral. No sightings of Quasimodo today, but the grandeur and experience of the cathedral more than justified its visit. Especially as entry is free! The Cathedral is celebrating its 850th birthday this year. Is is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture and among the largest and most well-known church buildings in the world. We spent a while sitting inside, before heading south to search for the Panthéon.
We found it, eventually, just before 5pm. Initially built as a church in the 17th century, it now serves as a mausoleum for famous French citizens including Voltaire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Louis Braille and Pierre and Marie Curie. Its a huge space inside the building, with an impressive dome roof overhead.
Exhausted, we postponed further adventures until tomorrow, and settled down for dinner nearby. Unlike our hotel area, there were dozens of great restaurants here, all offering reasonable prices for 3 course meals (10€😉. We even tried a bottle of FrMerloterlot. Snails, steak, beef burgundy, creme brulee and chocolate mousse made for two full and happy campers on the train ride home. More to come tomorrow!

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