Day 3 Paris: My Paris tick boxes

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I’m so pleased to say, I am feeling much improvement today. Day 5 of the doxycycline is finally kicking in! Hopefully, it’s a better day ahead!
Today is a free day around Paris. I’ve been anticipating this day for a while, so I really want to be able to take it all in, and enjoy it!

Breakfast went down so much better today, it’s all adding to relief I feel. I’m fed up with myself for feeling so crap… inwards and upwards, I can see it coming now.

Today I am joining about half of the group for a full day of exploration in Paris! The Paris excursion showcases the iconic sights and a few of the experiences this city is famous for including the Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, Opéra Garnier and more!

After a photographic stop at The Arc de Triomphe, we start the walk by visiting Laduree, on a macaron tasting session. They were amazing!
As we left we given the cutest box with 2 macarons in.

We walked through various areas, seeing Napoleons column were he is dressed like Caesar, The Ritz, where Princess Diana had her last meal before the car she was in was chased through the tunnel by the paparazzi.

We moved on to the perfumery-Fragonard, we learnt about their history, up to present day, that was more interesting than I had expected! So many nice perfumes on offer, I couldn’t resist the treat; I bought a bottle of the Diamanté perfume. The deal was that if, as a group, we bought a set of 5 bottles, we got a discount, with there being so many of us, that worked well for us all.

On we go to get a bird’s eye view of the city from the Montparnasse Tower Observation Deck. It is a really amazing view from the 56th floor. It reminds me of when I went up The Burj Khalifa in Dubai, it’s a birds eye view, but of a different city…. And not quite as high! But still worth seeing.

We will also cruised down the River Seine with a lunch included which was a choice between a baguette, or a salad. I went for the salad with an iced tea. We were on the boat for about an hour. There were so many different photo opportunities along the river. You do realise, and appreciate the differences in all of the bridges, some are much more ornate than others. I saw swans, skateboarders, and homeless camps. There were couples, families, friends and individuals sat having lunch with their legs dangling over the wall. The architecture is so wide and varied along the banks, from grand buildings like Louvre and Notre Dame to smaller apartment blocks. There is so much to see if only you look up, and open your eyes!

The next stop is at the Latin Quarter. To get there we passed through the tunnel where Diana’s life came to its untimely end, which will forever remain to be a sad mystery.

This area of Paris can be appreciated as the medieval heart of Paris. The start of my walk took me to see Nortre Dame. It’s currently undergoing a huge renovation, so you don’t see it in all its glory, but will be even more amazing when it is completed.

I set off on my walk back through the Latin Quarter , and the large range of trinket shops, cafes, restaurants and other shops. It’s really busy with tourists meandering over all of the choices available. I finally decided what to buy for Thea and Ava, I’ve gone from Eiffel Tower trinkets, to T shirts, pens or bags…. Then finalised on a beret each.Not sure it’s the best choice, but it’s very French, and something they don’t already own! Choice made

So, just checking with my watch; today I have walked just over 7k, 11500 steps and the equivalent of 6 flights of stairs! Not too shabby! I’m so pleased feeling a bit better today, this would have been a struggle!

The next stop is in Piggalle, a Bohemian area which is also Paris’s red light area, and the area that you will find the Moulin Rouge. As we walked up the hill, Jamie shot across the road, then returned brandishing 3 baguettes for us all to taste, and he wads right, it was really good! What’s not to love about a freshly baked French baguette.
Then in to the ‘love wall’. It has the word love in every language.

We finally got to the top of the hill, 2000 steps, and 4 flights of stairs later, we came to The Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre. From its dome, two hundred meters above the Seine, the basilica overlooks the entire city of Paris and its suburbs.

We take out final testing place for this evening’s dinner close by at a restaurant called La Mere Catherine. A few people didn’t make it for dinner, for various reasons, therefore there were a few extra plates. My table gained two plates of l’escargot! I was great at getting them out of their shells, but couldn’t get them past my eyes into my mouth. Eddy managed a plateful. Well done that man!

I had the vegetarian pastille, salmon and cheesy potatoes for main, and finished with chocolate pie! All in all, a good meal!

The walk back was needed, just to walk the meal off! It was straight down around 300 steps - according to the internet!, then a ride on the metro back to the hotel. I finished off my day doing a bit of hand-washing, then wafting it dry with the hair dryer….hoping it’ll be dry by morning!!!! I’m not totally confident about that!

I’ve had a lovely day today, done all of the things on my tick list for Paris, met more new people in the group, and feeling the improvement with my chest infection.

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Comments

[Angela]

Loveit..love it...
So pleased you are feeling better and able to enjoy Paris! Sounds a very busy but fabulous day.