Well, all I am thinking about is when can I possibly squeeze in another trip to this vibrant city! Paris lived up to all of my expectations; beautiful scenery, stunning architecture, delicious food, romance and culture in abundance!
There seemed to be something to look at and admire on every street corner. In every direction there was a famous Parisian landmark in view. I am ashamed to admit that I was unimpressed with my first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower and refused to believe that it actually was the Eiffel Tower. It just didn’t seem that tall or grand from a distance in the daylight. However, after taking the journey up to the top of the tower, I take every word back! It is a deceivingly tall tower, so much so, I even had a touch of vertigo! The ride up in the lift was slightly terrifying for someone who isn’t really keen on heights but the view of the city from the top was definitely worth it. We were also lucky enough to have booked dinner in the Restaurant 58 on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. We were a little hesitant when making this dinner reservation as we hoped it was not going to be an average over-priced novelty dinner, but to our surprise it was by far the nicest meal we had in Paris. It was a little bit expensive, but the food was so delicious and well presented, the ambiance was lovely and it was everything you would expect from dinner for two in the Eiffel Tower. The perfect start to our holiday.
Following another French delicacy for breakfast, the best apple tartlet I have ever tasted, we headed down the Avenue de Champs d’Elysee, towards Le Louvre museum. Strolling past all the designer shops made me feel like I was Victoria Beckham however after a very quick browse in Louis Vuitton, I was harshly reminded that I was actually just a plain old girl from the valleys and that these shops were for customers with an endless supply of euros in their purses! Soaking up the Paris atmosphere quickly cheered me up again though. When we arrived at Le Louvre, the queues weren’t too bad and we were soon entering the impressive glass pyramid. The main reason we wanted to go to Le Louvre was of course to see the most famous painting in the world, Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. It was surreal to actually see this painting in person and to be stood just a few feet away from it. However, what I found most incredible about Le Louvre was the size of the museum, it was huge! We could have spent the whole day there and still not seen everything that the Louvre holds. We spent the morning there, and managed to see most of the main attractions. For someone who is not well informed of the arts, it was a really enjoyable experience, and I would like to return to Le Louvre again on my next visit to Paris.
After a spot of lunch in one of the hundreds of delightful French cafe bistros, we had a romantic walk along the river seine down towards Notre Dame Cathedral. I cannot explain why, but this was one of my favourite places in Paris. It was just so peaceful and serene inside this magnificent cathedral, and everything just seemed to amaze me. In comparison to the Sacre Couer, I much preferred Notre Dame. The Sacre Couer was also a nice place to visit, and the view over the city was breathtaking, however, we were accosted by a group of men on the walk up to the Sacre Couer who managed to coerce us into buying a rubbish Rastafarian woollen bracelet after tying it onto your hand in spite of our protestations! We didn’t spend a lot of time in the Montmatre area of the city which did appear to be a little seedy on first impressions. We had the usual holiday snap taken outside the notorious Moulin Rouge and I think I would have liked to have seen the inside of the theatre as from the outside it was a little disappointing. Maybe that is because I have the image of Baz Lurman’s Moulin Rouge inside my head, complete with Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor and Jim Broadbent providing the entertainment! In reality, I have heard that the burlesque dinner shows are pretty entertaining and maybe this is something I will experience when I am next in Paris.
Later that night we dined in what I assume is an authentic ‘back street’ bistro, Le Hide restaurant. Not quite as expensive, or as nice as the 58 restaurant, but it served quality food and an enjoyable experience. This is probably the smallest restaurant I have ever eaten in. I’ve sat in larger living rooms! The people were crammed in like sardines (which seemed to be the norm for the majority of French bistros). You were forced into having a conversation with the people sitting next to you as you were sat so close to them. In fact you could probably had a conversation with every person in the room it was so small! But despite the lack of space, the wine flowed all night, the food was tasty and the menu seemed a little more traditional and authentic. We even sampled the French delicacy of snails (which tasted a little like mushrooms with an earthy tone for those who are wondering!).
On our final day in ‘gay Paris’ (*in a French accent*) we did find ourselves a little exhausted, but after a quick energy fix in the shape of another apple tartlet and hot chocolate, we went up the top of the Arc de Triumph. I’m glad that we’re in our 30s and not any older as there was no warning about the hike up the spiral staircase to the top. It seemed to go on forever and was definitely not for those with physical health issues! There was a room near the top of the arc that had some pretty interesting electronic media gadgets to tell you about the history of the monument and the 360 degree viewing platform at the top of the arc was worth the climb up all those stairs! Whereas you could see the whole of Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, you could see more detailed views from the top of the Arc de Triumph, including the fascinating roof top gardens and the grand view down the Champs d’Elysee! Not to mention the ‘interesting’ city traffic rules!
Finally, after a relaxing afternoon, taking in the last of the Parisian atmosphere, it was time for us to check in at Gard du Nord for our return journey on the Eurostar. All in all, a superb little mini break, albeit an expensive mini break, but hey, that’s Paris for you! A magnificent city which has provided good times and precious memories. Paris gets a big ‘thumbs up’ from me!
