France Trip-- Paris Day 1

Paris. Paris? Did we really go to Paris?? My goodness you guys, it was dreamy. We had two days and planned to eat as many French carbs as we could, hit some major sites, but not try to race through everything like crazed tourists. In the end we saw much more than we expected to and wandered the city until our legs were about to fall off. It was so liberating to explore and sightsee with utter disregard for strollers, mealtimes, naptime/bedtime . . . we just did what we wanted. It was awesome.

We arrived by train from Bordeaux on Friday evening. Our first stop was crepes, of course. We ate at La Creperie de Josselin, a place that Matt's brother recommended. It was located on a street that must have had at least ten different creperies, all side by side, all packed full, but I am positive this one had to have been the best.

We woke up early Saturday morning, totally jazzed for a full weekend. We walked all we could and took Uber when our next destination was too far or my pregnant self needed a break.

Saturday
1. Notre-Dame. Thankfully we got there early enough to avoid the crowds. The Paris Marathon was scheduled for the weekend we were there, so everything was unexpectedly crowded for early April. There is a unique inspiration to be found in all of these breathtaking cathedrals, but it is the history of Notre-Dame that blows me away. Can you believe that initial construction of the cathedral began in 1160?? Of course that was only the beginning of building, modifications, and future restorations, but 1160. Absolutely amazing.

2. Quick stop at Shakespeare and Company bookstore. The original location of Shakespeare and Company was a gathering place for Ernest Hemingway, F Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein (Midnight in Paris anyone?). Even though this shop was opened in the 1950's and isn't the actual location they frequented-- Wikipedia taught me that the 1920s bookstore was closed during German occupation and never reopened -- there was a cozy second floor to the shop that had some mementos and furniture from that time. Rotten luck that we arrived just as a giant tour group, but hey. I got a tote bag and a taste of Hemingway.

3. Our walk to the Musee D'Orsay took us past Fontaine Saint-Michel and a game store called Variantes that did not disappoint. We strolled along the Seine, as one does, and I could barely believe that this was real life.

4. Continuing our walk; a quick peek at the Louvre architecture, pyramid, and Arc de Triomph du Carrousel, lunch (because I was tired and could barely feel my feet), and macarons at La Duree. Is there anything cuter than a French macaron?

5. Musee D'Orsay. This is one of the destinations that we were most looking forward to. Matt and I happily declare that Impressionist art is our favorite, even though we know that Impressionist art is the favorite of every amateur art enthusiast. What can I say? It is beautiful, peaceful, and inspiring.

6. Wandered along Rue Cler, bought the most amazing gelato in all of Paris (the shopkeeper said so) and ate it in front of the Eiffel Tower. It was a pleasantly warm spring afternoon, and everyone was out enjoying the sunshine. We really lucked out with the weather on this trip!

 7. Arc De Triomphe. We weren't able to go to the top of Notre-Dame, so I insisted that we get to the top of the Arc. You can't really do Paris without climbing to the top of something for the views. But when we arrived I was SO tired, the line was long, and I was ready to wimp out. It's 284 steps to the top, you guys. Luckily a worker saw my pregnant belly and escorted us to a special elevator. Score!

8. Champs Elysee. Matt had fun looking around the Peugeot showroom and store, but honestly, it was just super crowded and I really needed to pee. So we ended our big day at McDonald's with a Diet Coke. Magic.