After finishing with my Napoléon tour I decided that I also had to visit the real Paris. With that I mean of course the Eiffel Tower. Years ago, on an unforgettable Interrail Trip, I scaled the tower with my friend (okay we took the elevator) only to lose each other once we were back down. How she ended up in the banlieue, with no French language skills and absolute no orientation but found her way back to the drug addled alleyway where our hotel was located, is another story. Amazing, come to think of it what we survived in our youth!
Taking the RER from Les Invalides I arrived near the tower and liked how it got bigger and taller the more I approached it. It is really imposing when you stand underneath it.
the Eiffel Tower in grey light @Paris
I had planned on going up but seeing already the security lines before even entering the area underneath the tower, I gave up. There was no point in waiting to then line up again for the ticket. Nope, not this time. Maybe when I book my entrance ticket ahead. The tower though was beautiful from all sides and once I crossed over the Seine to the side of the Trocadéro it was already illuminated and looked even better.
Eiffel Tower @Paris
After trotting around the city the whole day I had earned myself a drink and then dinner with more wine. I started slowly with a hot chocolate to warm up and then went on to G&T. It does taste lovely everywhere in the world. With dinner of course I needed some wine and since red is never favored by me I took rosé which worked just fine with my lamb.
Pollybert in Paris
leg of lamb for dinner @Paris
Needing to move a bit after dinner I walked all the way to the Place d’Étoile and only after I looked on the Arc de Triomphe did I take the metro back to the Le Grey Hotel near the opera. By the way, a very nice hotel which I can truly recommend.
Not much was left the next morning other than seeing the Louvre. Also something I had already done, actually the same time as the Eiffel Tower. So instead of rushing out of the hotel and using my last hours to the fullest, I started with a lazy breakfast near the Louvre and had a detox juice to cleanse out all the alcohol units from last night. The Café les Initiés was quite charming with the added benefit of tasty croissants.
detox and more sweet stuff @Paris
From there I walked around the area on the lookout for the main postal office, which I found next to an interesting market street. Full of little shops and cafés it looked inviting. I was on a mission though, no more coffee for the moment.
the streets of Paris
beautiful frescos in the streets of Paris
The Louvre then was a bit of a let down. Again a line up already outside for the security check and more of it for the entrance tickets. Nah, I was not in the mood to spend my day lining up. I decided to take pictures outside and then head to the Tuileries Garden.
Louvre @Paris
Not really the perfect weather for it, but at least it didn’t rain. The garden must be amazing in better weather and I am sure the French use it abundantly in summer time. Already in February it was quite frequented.
Jardin des Tuileries @Paris
Jardin des Tuileries @Paris
a statue in the Jardin des Tuileries @Paris
Once through the garden I arrived at the Place de la Concorde. It was here that the guillotine stood during the French Revolution making so way for Napoléon to pick up the crown. Interesting how my sightseeing circle was closing. Yours, Pollybert
obelisk at Place de la Concorde @Paris
