Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Paris!

Weekend Adventures: Paris!
(September 3-5, 2010)

We left Geneva on the 5:17pm TGV train to Paris. Preston had only been to Paris once before while in college and he stayed at a hostel; he commented that traveling there with me was bound to be a very different experience!

We arrived at Gare Lyon right on time and waited for a taxi to our hotel. I couldn't figure out why there was very little hotel inventory on our Expedia/hotels.com sites (nor on the sites of some hotels that I knew from prior visits) but Friday morning I heard the lack of rooms was because it was fashion week in Paris. Let's just say even the people watching on the taxi line was impressive!


We settled in to our hotel and went out on to our Juliette balcony to snap pictures of the Eiffel Tower from the amazing vantage point. While the hotel is not one I would normally have picked, I was very pleased with its views.
View from our hotel room
We decided to venture around and take in the city at night. We walked around Eglise du Dome, around Hotel des Invalides, across the Pont Alexandre II (where we saw some awesome fashion week parties taking place on the boats cruising the Seine below) and back to the hotel around Tombeau de Napoleon.
Eglise du Dome
Hotel des Invalides



Pont Alexander II
Pont Alexander II (LOVE this view)

Saturday morning Preston's aunt Francine, who is enjoying Paris on holiday for the month of August, met us at our hotel. We had breakfast on Boulevard de la tour Maubourg and began our day of sightseeing. 
  

We climbed the Eiffel Tower, admired the "green" wall outside Musee Quai Branley, enjoyed the Renaissance art at Musee d'Orsay, stopped by Notre Dame (the line was too long at Sainte Chapelle) and kept going to Sacre Coeure.


  

One of Notre Dame's
stain glassed windows
Green Wall of "Musee Quai Branley
Stopped by Musee d'Orsay to see some
Van Goghs!


The day was an energetic tourist's dream (a little exhausting!). During our last tourist visit of the day we couldn't help but smile when we arrived at Sacre Coure and a band was playing "Wonderwall" on the site's steps; we channeled August 22, 2009 and the "Widger Walls" song that broke out to the tune thanks to Juan Jose Perez and Aaron Pattillo on the Linmar after our wedding number three celebration.
 


This guy cracked me up -- pretty smart
offerings (Heineken AND water) for
a beautiful fall night
 


We went back to Francine's flat (adorable place in a fabulous location) with a bottle of wine in hand to enjoy a drink before dinner. 
 


We settled on a lovely French bistro and toasted our busy day with a glass of kir before dinner.




After our meal we walked Francine home, wished her well until we see her again in Seattle and ventured out to a dance club in her area.


 


After our lame attempt to go clubbing, we ventured back to the hotel to enjoy our view some more.




Sunday began with a stop at the Arc de Triumphe and a stroll down the Champs Elysees to one of my favorite spots in Paris, Laduree, for brunch.



Preston OWNING fashion week in Paris
with his white blazer!

  
Some Laduree treats (they have
real food too!)
It was a great, jam-packed weekend. As I've said each of the four times I've visited Paris before, "I can't wait to come back." 

*******

Weekend Trip to Paris
Dates:
Friday – Sunday, September 3-5, 2010

Where we stayed:


The Splendid Hotel


The Walls' Review:


Hotel review: With practically no rooms available in all of Paris we booked this three star hotel that boasts views of the Eiffel Tower from every room. We upgraded from a standard to "deluxe" room and it was still pretty small (I was expecting the room pictured on the Expedia site when we upgraded!) but the view of the Eiffel Tower from the juliette balcony really didn't disappoint. The hotel staff was personable and it was very close to the underground, specifically stop Ecole Militaire. It was a pleasant stay.

Other comments: I love Paris. :)




1 comment:

  1. Love your post and love Paris! So glad you guys had a great time there. Mike and I loved seeing your post and remembering our trip!

    ReplyDelete