Summer in Paris

 

Bonjour! One of the biggest upsides to being stationed in Europe is having so many great destinations so close! My mom was able to come for a visit last month and we enjoyed a quick girl's trip to Paris while she was here. Just a quick two and a half hour train ride to a dream destination.

    After getting settled in our hotel we navigated the metro over to Montmartre. We stopped at a cafe to enjoy some wine and snacks before our hike up to Sacre-Coeur Basilica. This is the highest point in the city and it is definitely worth the hike.

Montmartre is a lively area full of color and character. Miz Helen told me this was her favorite area in Paris and it ended up being mine as well. 

The interior of Sacre-Coeur Basilica. Construction began in 1875 and was completed in 1914. This is the 2nd most visited monument in Paris. 

The next morning we enjoyed espresso on our balcony. We stayed in a great boutique hotel near Champs Elysees. You can't see it in the photo but we were able to see the very tip of the Eiffel Tower from our room. It was especially beautiful at night. 

I think most of our meals in Paris were charcuterie plates. The best by far was from this small wine bar that our tour guide suggested, Redd Wine Bar.

We were able to enjoy an amazing guided tour of the Eiffel Tower and some of the surrounding districts, as well as a river cruise on the Seine River. Above is the view from the 2nd platform of the tower. 

This is the view from underneath the tower. The tower is over 1,000 feet tall, about the same height as an 81 story building. Unfortunately the summit was closed due to COVID regulations when we went. Though we did take the elevator up to the 2nd platform, we took the stairs down and it was a workout.

After the tour the weather was perfect for a nice riverside glass of champagne. We enjoyed a much needed rest for the feet before heading back to the hotel. 

We waited until the evening to venture back to the Eiffel Tower. It was an entirely new experience seeing it at night. Every hour the whole thing twinkles and it feels like it is a magic show just for you. 

The last day we made our way back over to Montmartre for breakfast. The area is also famous for its street artists and my mom wanted to purchase a piece of artwork to take home. I ended up picking up something for myself as well! We grabbed one last cheese board and glass of wine on our walk back over to Champs Elysees. This was the hottest day we were there and it was nice to rest in the shade since most places don't have air conditioning in Paris. 

After window shopping a bit and buying some perfume our last stop was at the famous Laduree for macaroons. I got strawberry, caramel, two lemon, raspberry, and a saffron and rose flavor. Naturally I also had to get one last glass of champagne before catching the train back home.

I hope you enjoyed going on our Paris getaway with me! 

Sending good vibes your way! 

- Lauren