Pictures from our last day in Paris

I am sad to say it is our last full day in Paris but at the same time we are looking forward to go home. Philipe, our tour guide from our trip to the Loire Valley, told us to truly enjoy Paris you need to get lost in Paris. We felt we knew enough to not get into too much trouble so we took up the challenge.

One thing we really wanted to do was go into Notre Dame during the day. Because the church is free to go into the lines can be very long. The day started out on the rainy side consequently the line was much smaller.

Maddie and I had gone in one evening but only part of the church was open. Due to the age of the building lighting is very poor. We were very excited to see it during the day.

When you walk into the church you are struck by the stain glass windows. There was a service in progress so it was very quiet. The 2 rose stain glass windows that are the showcase of the space. They are in the middle of the church. As you work your way to the back you are greeted with more stain glass and places for peaceful reflection. We went into an area where some of the church treasures are kept. There were pieces from the alters, garments worn through its 850 year history and ancient bibles.

Next it was time to get lost. We decided to get to know our neighbourhood better. We stayed in the 4th district which is one of the oldest. The streets are barely wide enough to allow one car through. Cars are very small. Smart Cars, Scion IQs and even Peugeot one seaters were the preferred mode of transportation. There were a lot of motorcycles as well. Now let's talk about parking. If there is 10cms between the cars that would be a good day. Not sure how they get in or out of these spaces, but when you look at the bumpers you start to get a clear picture of how it's done.

We spent almost 5 hours walking up and down the streets, meeting some amazing locals and enjoyed a great lunch. To anyone going to Paris I would highly recommend exploring this way.

Now for some fun facts. As you know we couldn't work the shower for the first few days. We couldn't figure out how to dial the phone. Couldn't get dryer portion of the washer/dryer to work until week 2 started and a host of other things. As we were packing up to go home we found a binder with instructions on how to do all of the those things. Live and learn.

The stairs we walked up and down everyday were 400 years old. They were beautiful. We were on the 3rd floor so we got to know every uneven step on them.

This is Maddie's worn out shoe.

Looking down the staircase right outside our door.

Looking up the staircase from our door. 

Just as you enter Notre Dame.

One of the Rose stain glass windows. The other one is on the opposite wall.

Close up of one of the stain glass windows.

For those of you who've known me for a while you know I used to own a Bridal Salon called I Do Bridal. Imagine how cool it was when we were getting lost in Paris and found this shop. My brother-in-law Alan had told me about it but we had no idea where it was. When we got up close and looked inside the back was full of beautiful white gowns.

Our Paris adventure is coming to the end.

It is hard to believe that 2 weeks have gone by. Our weather has gone from Summer, for the first week and a few days, to fall. Yesterday was one of those fall days, so we hopped on the city tour bus and went up the Champs-Elysees. When you get to the shopping district and the Arc de Triomphe you are in a whole different income bracket.

We walked by car dealerships that looked more like boutiques than our showrooms. Every expensive brand you can imagine is in the small shopping district. As well as some very snobby sales people. No one really wanted to help you unless you were a size 2 and already had a Gucci bag in your hand. In one mall we had to pay 1,50€ each to use the restroom. I will say it was very clean. We definitely like our end of town better.

The Arc de Triomphe is something to experience. The arc itself is beautiful, but it's the traffic going around it that is incredible to watch. 14 street enter this circle with no lanes. It is organized chaos at its best. For the 15 minutes we spent there we saw no accidents but many close ones. When we got back on the city tour bus our driver when through the circle, I don't know how he did it.

We have been walking a lot. So much that Maddie worn the soles right off her shoes. Over the course of our stay we've averaged about 10-15kms a day. Some blisters but all in all our feet managed fine.

Here are a few pictures of our day in the expensive part of town.

This is by the Notre Dame

This is the entrance to the Grand Palais. Our tour guide Hannah, from the Eiffel Tower tour, went to an event where they filled the Grand Palais with Mini Coopers She rented one with her friends and watched the Big Labowski. Another time it was filled with water and you rented a boat to watch the Life of Pi.

A new Tiffany store is being finished on the Champ-Elysees and this is the screen that is covering the outside of the building. From the sparkly railing down is a banner with sparkly diamonds on it. 

Apartments on the Champ-Elysees

This is a shot of some people looking at our rental car... Really this is the Peogeut Boutique.
Yes they were selling cars and Pepper mills.

The 2 arches on the Champ-Elysees.

This picture just doesn't do it justice. These are the stairs in the Swarovski boutique. The stairs are full on all sides with Swarovski crystals. Large ones at that. With the sun shining on them it was a site to behold.

I do love Paris.

The Arc de Triomphe and the traffic circle chaos.

Day Eleven the north tower of Notre Dame

On a gloomy Wednesday morning we stood in line to ascend the 466 steps to the top of the South Bell Tower of Notre Dame. Notre Dame is celebrating its 850 year anniversary.

Notre Dame is the heart of the city, so much so that distances from Paris to every part of metropolitan France are measured from the square in front.

The ascent is done in 2 stages. The first spiral staircase takes you to the North Tower where you are eye to eye with some of the most amazing gargoyles you'll ever see. This is about 2/3s of the way to the top. Once you walk across the to the South Tower you ascend another spiral staircase, getting smaller the higher you get, to the top of the South Tower. The view was amazing. You can see all of Paris.

They control the number of people coming up to the top because the stairs leading up to the South Tower are used for going up and down. I can tell you there is only room for one and some times even that can be a stretch. At some points Lee's head would touch the stair above his head.

Going down is an experience all on its own. You start at the top of the South Tower and go straight down to the bottom. All 466 steps in a tight spiral staircase. When you get to the bottom we were all dizzy.

On our way to the bus stop we put our lock on the Pont de l'Archevêché footbridge. This footbridge has so many lock on it it's dubbed "the love bridge". With Notre Dame in the distance it truly is an amazing spot. For the rest of the day we boarded a hop on-hop off bus tour around the Latin Quarter of Paris.

One person car tour of Paris anyone?

Through the stain glass you can see the shadows of the gargoyles outside.

Two love birds on the love footbridge.