by As you know, Cuski and I went to Paris last April so I could tackle the Paris Marathon. (Yes this post is a little behind, but better late than never right?!) My super sore legs didn’t stop us from exploring the city. Here are some of the highlights from our trip… I’ll let the photos speak for themselves 🙂
Invalides
This former hospital turned military museum also includes the tomb of Napoleon I as well as other well-known French war heroes. The military museum was a pleasant surprise and I found it quite fascinating. Lots of medieval weapons and armour… they even had an enigma machine, as featured in The Imitation Game. Awesome to get a good look at it.
Louvre
We finally had a chance to enjoy the Louvre! Dedicate a day or at least half a day to this massive museum and be sure to take the time to explore the other wings. They have amazing exhibits and are not as packed as the wing where the Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa are. Watch out for people shoving selfie sticks in your face.
Seine
We wandered over to the pedestrian-only stretch of the Left Bank and sat by the water, admired the Pont Alexandre III, and walked around to see some street art and a photography exhibit.
La Tour Eiffel
We’ve already climbed the Eiffel Tower on a previous trip so we decided to just go back and see it at night since we haven’t seen it lit up. We got there in time to see the light show at 10 PM when the tower shimmered in the moonlight. Later on the trip, we climbed the SacrĂ© Coeur cathedral and got a nice view of the tower from afar.
Montmartre
We stayed in the Montmartre neighbourhood and loved it. It’s not that central but easily accessible via Metro, close to so many shops, cafĂ©s, restaurants, and award-winning bakeries (ahem… Grenier Ă Pain). Also bought a fabulous dress from Poussière d’Etole, one of my splurges from the trip. It’s also a lot less busy than other touristy places… the only time I noticed a vast amount of people was near the cathedral. We wouldn’t hesitate to stay here again.
Cimetière du Père Lachaise
We dedicated a day to the dead in Paris. We walked around Père Lachaise Cemetery and paid our respects to the likes of Jim Morrison, Chopin, and even the man responsible for bringing potatoes to Europe (and people left potatoes at his tomb).
Château de Versailles
This spectacular palace is worth the day trip. So. Much. Gold! Don’t forget to rent bicycles so you can explore the gardens, otherwise you’d be walking all day! You can even rent golf carts and zip around if that’s more your thing.
Les Catacombes de Paris
This is easily one of the most amazing and creepiest places I’ve ever been to. Imagine walking through a mine with the remains of 6-million or so people. This is a one of a kind experience and if you’re not claustrophobic or freaked out by the sight of all this, definitely check it out. They regularly have long lineups for a reason. After reading a bunch of reviews, people have lined up for hours just to get in. We lucked out and waited for only 45 minutes or so.
Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of our trip… I’ll be doing a similar post on Copenhagen as well.
