Our cruise comes to an end in Barcelona and we Easyjet to Charles de Gaulle airport, then jump the Air France bus to Gare de Lyon. ย We are staying in an apartment recommended by our friend Rita. ย It’s a small studio on the first floor out the back, there’s no view but its quiet and has the bonus of a washing machine and dryer. ย 19 Boulevard Beaumarchais is only 100 meters from the Metro (Bastille), the bus stops out the front and a verb depot is 50 meters the other way.
Our first afternoon is spent exploring the neighbourhood, a little shopping and getting the feel of the place.
It’s Sunday morning and we head off towards the Seine, then follow the river to Ile de la Citie and mass at the Notre Dame. ย There are fire trucks and firefighters (Sapeurs-Pompier) everywhere. ย Apparently there is a special mass this morning for firefighters, coincidental that we should be here today. ย The Cathedral of Our Lady is truly a iconic symbol of gothic architecture, with the garden of Saint Jean at its rear. ย After mass we have a wander taking in its history and garden before heading of for a walk. ย It’s not long before we find the Tower of Saint-Jacques which has just re-opened following renovations. ย Walking over to the Seine we sit in a cafe and have some very expensive coffee, just a little shocked at how bad it was.
In the afternoon we walk over to Pont de Arts, I have come prepared. ย We spend some time finding our special spot and grab a couple of photos.
We eat out on our first night in a local restuarant, to be frank it was nothing special. The steak was actually ground beef. Don’t get me wrong we are spoilt in Australia our meats are both tasty and reasonably priced. In any case it was a great night out we walk the Marias district just taking it in.
Our next day is the long walk. We catch a bus up to the Louvre then walk through the Tuileries gardens, the Place de la Concorde and onto the Avenue de Champs รlysรฉes. It’s ends up being a long walk when we finally make the Arc de Troimphe. The ticket booth is closed apparently it’s free today, bonus ! The view from the top is special and we take in the view for 20 minutes before catching the Metro back.
Our legs have decided on a night in. ย We go for a walk along Rue Saint-Antoine and get some takeaway. ย Again it’s a bit expensive but half the price of eating out. ย We have a bottle of rose and a beer, so it’s a date night !
We have found the local patisserie (there are 3 on the block) so breakfast is croissants and jam. ย Our apartment has a little coffee machine, which with my skill as a barista can produce a reasonable espresso.
We jump a bus from out the front and we’re on our way to the Eiffel Tower. ย We pre-booked our tickets on line which saved us probable an hour. ย Anyway the photos tell the story. ย We were lucky it was clear day and the views memorable.
