France Trip -- Paris Day 2

Sunday

Our original plan was to spend the morning at the Catacombs, but with the marathon in town we would have waited hours to get in. So we decided to go back to the Louvre for a little highlight tour.

1. Saturday morning = market day! Most of the markets were still sleepy that early in the morning, but we joined the locals at a bakery that will live forever in my dreams. Everyone was in line with their cute straw market bags (kicking myself for not buying one), buying bread and treats for their weekend. This baguette was ridiculous; we are ruined for life. We enjoyed our breakfast of bread, fresh butter, and pastries in the courtyard of the Louvre. No better way to the start the day!

2. The Louvre. Massive. Awe inspiring. Overwhelming. They have these handy little electronic tours on a Nintendo DS. You can choose a tour or create your own by selecting art that you want to see. Then you follow the map around and just click on whichever work you want to hear about. I am out of adjectives, but it was just the best.

3. Uber to lunch for the best falafel of my life. I had read about a particular place and was dying to try it. The line was crazy long though, so we went to the second best falafel next door to save time (still the best I've ever had). No regrets, although a place to sit and some napkins would have been nice. Spring was in full bloom and the neighborhood was darling.

4. Montmartre. We made the trek up the hill to see the Sacre-Couer Basilica. Crowded as heck, but stunning. I even made it up all the steps to the top. The Basilica doesn't have the history of Notre-Dame, but it is beautiful. I read that some Parisians refer to it as the "frosted cupcake" up on the hill. It is ornate and over the top, in the very best way. The Montmartre neighborhood was so sweet. Very artsy and hipster, but with flower boxes and french apartment buildings. Loved it.

5. Luxembourg Gardens. We made it there just as they were about to close. Lovely and peaceful. It was fun to be out on a Saturday afternoon because there were more locals around. Parisian families and couples, out enjoying one of the first warm(ish) weekends of spring. And us. In Paris. It never got old.

 6. Nutella. We had an early flight to catch the next morning, but we didn't have kids! We could stay out after 8! We got a "tourist crepe," hot and stuffed full of Nutella, and enjoyed it in front of Notre-Dame. A perfect way to bid adieu to our Parisian adventure.

❤