Yes, Marianne and I are back to work and what a magical week we had. We left Sunday night for Paris to fly two trips to Paris back to back. We were able to experience the beauty of Paris in many places.

I knew it was going to be a great trip when on the 1 hour bus trip from the airport to our hotel, I looked up and saw my name on the sign. Who knew that France has a City called Nancy!

To my amazement, on the same bus ride, I read the sign that said Saint-Denis. Saint-Denis is the second most populated suburb of Paris. This was definitely a sign that I was going to have a great layover and it undoubtedly was!

Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is the capital of France. Paris, the city of light and love is regarded as the most romantic city and a heaven for foodies and fashion lovers. It has countless gorgeous landmarks and monuments that add to the beauty of the spacious boulevards and their charming cafes.

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. On orders of Napoleon, it was built in 1806 to honor the victories of his Grande Army. .Every evening there is a flame that is lit on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier from the Great War. The top terrace of the Arc de Triomphe provides superb views across the city and its great sweeping avenues. The most famous avenue is Champ-Elysees which is connected to the Arc de Triomphe of the other side of this photo. The Avenue des Champs-Elysees is the world’s most beautiful avenue. It is lined with restaurants and luxury fashion retailers.

Eiffel Tower

No matter how many times I see the Eiffel Tower, I am in awe! When I walked around the corner and got my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower, a sense of excitement and amazement came over me. It is a powerful and distinctive symbol of Paris.

Before getting to the Eiffel Tower, we had to stop for a delicious croissant. On the street next to the boulangerie, where we purchased our croissants, the young ones where taking photos like they were models. After all the girls left, I said to Marianne, “We got this!”

Moving on we made our way to the Eiffel Tower. For 130 years, the Eiffel Tower has been a powerful symbol of France. It was built for the 1889 World’s Fair. This wrought iron structure impressed the entire world by its stature and daring design.

Marianne and I had a lot of fun being at the Eiffel Tower. We did not walk up the tower this time. I had been to the top of the Eiffel Tower with my friends, Donna and Jeanne a few years back, where we had a much deserved champagne toast! It’s definitely a must do!

After our visit to the Eiffel Tower, we set foot back to our hotel. Along the way, we saw so many inviting cafes. In the outdoor cafes, the seats are set to look out to the street. I love this concept. It’s great for people watching!

It surly was a great day in Paris. Marianne and I walked over 7 miles that day. We couldn’t stay out too late because we had an early pickup the next day to fly back to New York.

Good Night Paris – We will see you soon.

BONNE NUIT

SO MUCH MORE TO SEE IN PARIS

We arrived back to New York , Tuesday at around 3pm. Marianne and I went to the Crashpad to get a good night sleep so we would be ready for the trip to Paris the next day. We left for Paris on Wednesday and arrived in Paris Thursday morning at 6:30am. After arriving at the hotel, we gave ourselves a 2 hour catnap so we would have energy to go exploring. We find if you sleep more than 2 hours, it’s hard to get moving.

On this layover, we tackled the Metro System. I must say we did pretty good finding our way.

Our first stop was at the building on the left, Hotel de Ville. It is the town hall of Paris. The photo on the right is the Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville. It is a French department store chain. That building is right next to the Hotel de Ville. I just loved the architecture.

The Seine River

The Seine River is 483 miles long in France. It flows through the heart of Paris. The River is spanned by 37 bridges including 4 footbridges. If you take a river cruise, you would be able to take in several monuments, such as Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre Museum. Great way to see Paris!

Uh Oh! I was enjoying the beauty of these flowers at this huge flower mart. I was so mesmerized by their magnificent colors and smell that I was so surprised when the French woman started yelling at me. She was yelling at me in French. I didn’t know what she was saying, I kept saying sorry. I believe I was too close to her flowers. Thank goodness I didn’t break any of her flowers or I think I would been carrying a lot of flowers through Paris.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame de Paris is one of the oldest Gothic Cathedrals in the world. Unfortunately, we were not able to go inside because on April 15, 2020 it caught on fire. The fire is believed to have been started by either a cigarette or a short circuit in the electrical system. It’s all so sad. I feel truly blessed that I was able to go inside before the fire and see the majestic cathedral.

This is the side view of the devastation which was caused by the fire and all the work that has to be done to make it as special as it once was. I read this on the wall, “As scaffolding rose inside the cathedral, hope began to grow for the coming rebirth.” The Cathedral should be completed by the end of 2024.

The next stop was the Latin Quarters. This is the oldest district in Paris. It’s lively with lots of shops and restaurants and cobblestone streets.

Montmartre

Montmartre is a large hill in Paris. The church above is the Sacra-Couer Basilica. This Roman Catholic Church sits on top of the hill. On top of the hill is a bohemian village. The village is filled with artists that are painting , restaurants and cobblestone streets.

One of the most special places at Montmartre for me is La Bonne Franquette. It is special for me because I had visited it with Donna and Jeanne. It’s a charming place to have a drink and watch the world go by!! It did not disappoint this time.

You cannot leave Paris without going into an artisans chocolatier. The chocolate is not only fresh, but also carefully crafted. Paris chocolatiers represent luxury in food.

Time to leave Montmartre and head back to our hotel and have some dinner. If you look between our faces, you can see the magnificent Eiffel Tower.

We made it back to our hotel. We are now experts on the Metro. It was a fun filled day.

Au revoir Paris

Can’t wait to come back.

Thank goodness for crew rest breaks. Being an International Flight Attendant is a life of napping! But it is well worth it!