Paris
Day 1- First Day in Paris
Arriving in Paris
-Rick Steves gave us very detailed directions about how to get to the hotel from the airport: I flew into Charles de Gaulle Airport, followed Rick Steves' directions on how to get to the bus station from my terminal, was able to quickly and easily purchase a ticket for the Le-Bus (it was only €17 and a beautiful 60 minute ride into Paris). I took the bus to the Arc de Triomphe, which was a short walk to our first hotel, Hotel Tilsitt Etoile ( a cute, comfortable hotel where, as we were Rick Steves' travelers, we were greeted with some cookies in our rooms).
Day Run-Down
-Sightseeing Before Start of Tour!
-Group and Tour Orientation at our Hotel Tilsitt Etoile
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We met our tour guide, Colleen, who gave us an overview of what the next two weeks would look like along with the tour rules and important travel tips.
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We each got personal radios to keep for the entire tour, all connected to a main microphone so we could always clearly hear Colleen and any local tour guides that we had (Incredibly helpful!)
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We were given Paris Museum Passes
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Group member introductions
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Chose buddies! (We did buddy checks each time we re-grouped to ensure we never left anyone behind. This was a great way to meet someone new right out of the gate!)
-Short Orientation Walk of Neighborhood led by Colleen
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Walked through the gorgeous streets of Paris
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Tour of exterior of Arc de Triomphe
-First Group Dinner Together
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A cute, traditional Parisian restaurant
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Tried Parisian cuisine (including escargot!)
-Private Panoramic Bus Tour of Paris with a Local Guide
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Saw major Paris sights
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We ended our bus tour by stopping at the Palais de Chaillot to watch a light show on the Eiffel Tower
Sights We Saw
Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysees, George V Hotel (very fancy hotel!), Flamme de la Liberte, Seine River, Eiffel Tower, Pont Alexandre III with Les Invalides in the distance, Place de la Concorde, the smaller version of the statue of liberty by the Pont de Grenelle, some of the more modern sections of Paris, Debilly Footbridge, Palais de Chaillot
Memorable Moments
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Strolling through the gorgeous streets of Paris, admiring the architecture
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Our first group dinner together-we were all able to really talk and start getting to know each other.
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Trying escargot (which I surprisingly liked!) along with other Parisian dishes
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French Bread!!
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The private evening bus tour- we saw so many amazing sights!
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Seeing the Flamme de la Liberte -it has been made into a memorial to Princess Diana because it is right above the tunnel where she died. This was very powerful for me to see as Princess Diana is one of my role models.
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Stopping at the Palais de Chaillot and watching the Eiffel Tower light show. Seeing the Eiffel Tower glitter and sparkle was so gorgeous. And Colleen gave us all some sparkling wine and French treats called madeleines to toast our first night on the tour.
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Seeing Paris lit up at night
Overall
It was such a tremendous afternoon and night, a truly magnificent start to the tour! Paris is such a stunning, romantic city!
Day 2- Second Day in Paris
Day Run-Down
-Guided Walking Tour of Paris Led by Colleen
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We took the metro to the Ile de la Cite, where we started our historical tour of Paris.
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Toured Sainte-Chapelle
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Walked through the Latin Quarter
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Toured the Deportation Martyrs Memorial
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Toured the exterior of Notre-Dame Cathedral
-Free Time for the Rest of the Afternoon: Colleen gave us several different options for what we could do (which she did each time we had free time) which included going off on our own for the rest of the day or touring the interior of Notre-Dame Cathedral followed by her taking us to the Louvre Museum (I chose the latter option!)
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Self-guided tour of the interior of Notre-Dame Cathedral
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Colleen took those in our group who chose the latter option to the Louvre Museum on the Metro.
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Self-guided tour of the Louvre Museum- Colleen gave us a short orientation in the lobby and then set us free to explore the museum as we wished.
-On Our Own for Dinner
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I took the Metro back to the Arc de Triomphe area (Colleen gave us extra Metro tickets for our free time), and grabbed dinner nearby.
Sights We Saw
Hotel de Ville, Ile de la Cite, Seine River, the Conciergerie with its gorgeous clock, Palais de Justice de Paris, Sainte- Chapelle, State Police Station with nearby flower market, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Latin Quarter, Church of Saint-Severin, Shakespeare & Company, Deportation Martyrs Memorial, Park Square Jean XXII with the Fountain of the Virgin, statue of Pope John Paul II on the side of Notre-Dame, Portal of the Last Judgement and the King’s Gallery on the facade of Notre-Dame, Statue of Charlemagne, Louvre Museum, King Louis XIV Equestrian statue, Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
Memorable Moments
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Sainte-Chapelle- being surrounded by the gorgeous stained glass windows was truly magical. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.
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Notre-Dame Cathedral- it was so surreal to see this legendary, iconic, awe-inspiring Cathedral.
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Exploring the Louvre Museum- the museum is a bit confusing and very crowded, but it was incredible to see all of the famous artwork. The Rick Steves Paris guidebook absolutely saved my life! It gives a step by step tour of the Louvre so it makes the museum much more manageable!
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Seeing the Mona Lisa, which deserves in every way the acclaim it gets. It was even more incredible in person than in pictures, and the crown jewels in the Galerie d'Apollon.
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Sitting outside of and walking around the main entrance to the Louvre with the iconic view of the glass pyramids- it was incredibly surreal and beautiful; a pinch-me "Wow, I'm finally in Paris" moment that I wanted to take in and appreciate.
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Overall
It was a very busy but incredible day. Seeing such iconic sights was incredibly surreal and a dream come true. I was sad that it was our last full day and night in Paris, it is such a beautiful city.