Paris Winter Travel Itinerary: Our First Full Day in the City

Well hello Paris, Bonjour!

You’d think I would’ve slept like a baby, but I couldn’t contain my excitement, yes, you got me, awake again at four AM and sneaking a peek out our Paris Balcony! I’d grown fond of the little store across the street and three stories down, I made up reasons to go in there, in some ways, it was like a 7-11, but it had its own little charm. Part of the reason was out front of the store, there were the most beautiful fresh rosy-red raspberries, plumb blueberries, fragrant naval oranges, and purple grapes the size of my thumb. Naturally, it wasn’t open at this cuckoo hour, I’m sure the owner was out like a light, just like my family.

OK, I admit it, I’d not yet adjusted to London or Paris time zones. And how could anyone sleep anyway? Our family found wonderful French bakeries-Boulangeries, cheese shops, groceries, department stores, cafés, and flea markets-Marche aux puce. Every step we took brought us to wonderfully fragrant bistros with French Onion Soup, melted Gruyere, deep beef broth and French butter slathered on croissants that were positively sinful, we couldn’t get enough of it! Besides, I’d been taking French lessons for the past three months; I wanted to try it out; we had places to go, people to see. I rolled over, thinking about yesterday’s travel from London, top of my mind: (references from Wikipedia)

In London, St Pancras Station was a knockout with its soaring Victorian architecture of glass, steel and historical detailing that was both charming and packed with post-holiday travelers and families headed to Paris like us. 

Travel from London to Paris via Eurostar was an excellent experience I would highly recommend. It was easy to obtain tickets online; we bought them months before. We brought our own snacks and a sandwich to share before we got on the train, not knowing what to expect, but it would have been easy to get something onboard as we traveled on the two-hour fifteen-minute trip, an amazing journey.

The city faded as the train trip began, rows of brick homes disappearing as neighborhoods of English Villages, eons old, stood proud with church steeples rising above quaint cottages. Leaning to the window, I could see welcoming patchwork farmland and farmhouses all down the way.  

Crossing under the English Channel was exciting and felt surreal, I’d dreamed of it since childhood.

To Gare du Nord Station, Paris-A rare beauty, of distinctly Parisian grace and charm, and crazy busy to boot. It is indeed the busiest station in Europe, the third largest and busiest in the world and has the capacity to handle 700,000 passengers and 2,200 train movements per day.

We checked into our wonderful Airbnb, dashing out to the streets of Paris for the grocery, a meal and eyepopping Christmas decorations and lights, post-holiday. Located in the 3^rd arrondissement in the Marais central area offered ideal opportunities for boutiques, shops, cafes and bookstores. We were like kids in a candy shop!

Today’s Itinerary: Saturday, January 4 — L’Arc de Triomphe and Napoleon’s Tomb (10:00–18:00)

Family popped their heads up early; someone ran out for Baguettes, Croissants Au Fromage, (croissants with cheese), Croque Monsieur-a hot sandwich with ham and cheese between slices of pain de mie (bread). The cheese was Gruyere, I think, but might be Comte or Emmental, I couldn’t be sure. We gathered around the central dining table in the smartly appointed kitchen, getting store bought juice, gourmet blueberries and raspberries, Roquefort blue cheese, Jambon (ham), uber creamy brie, fig preserves, Grand Femmage Sel de Mer beurre (French butter with salt), farm fresh eggs (oeuf), eclairs, and Madeleines.  We lingered, chatting and visiting, taking our time, laid back like Parisians.

It was cold outside a mere 46 degrees! We would be out there much of the day. To warm ourselves for the journey ahead, we brewed a giant pot of hot tea, steeping it in a grand pot there in the Airbnb. Bundled and buttoned, scarfed and gloved, we headed out. I was like one of those kids that walked slightly stiff, I had on every wool item in my closet, and a few more I got in London. I positively swooshed when I walked. 

Our first stop was the Metro; we needed public transit. Perhaps it was a new year or new hire sort of thing or simply a snafu, but people could hardly buy tickets. After waiting in line a while, we used Uber the remaining time there. That lead to a great adventure on another day of our travels, but more about that later… 

We set about to visit some of Paris’s most recognizable landmarks: L’Arc de Triomphe and Napoleon’s Tomb, making a day of it. We planned to be gone from 10:00 Am until suppertime, six PM.

We headed to L ’Arc de Triomphe: Along the way, Champs-Élysées, situated in the eight arrondissement of Paris, is a famous thoroughfare, and one of the world’s most recognizable avenues, stretching 1.17 miles from the Arc de Triomphe, west to the Place de la Concorde, east. It is divided in two parts by the roundabout, as traffic turns at the Champs-Élysées.

The Champs-Élysées hosts the Bastille Day Parade and is the final stage of the Tour de France, and beside the Arc. We found Avenue des Champs-Élysées bustling and lively, known as one of the earth’s eminent shopping destinations for luxury goods, such as Louis Vouitton, Guerlain, amongst other opulent boutiques. The area featured theatres, cinemas, and trendy outdoor cafes where Parisians and visitors alike indolently sipped coffee, tea, champagne and Prosecco, as decadent Pain au chocolat (chocolate croissants) were gobbled with glee, as panoramic views fanned out from the L’ Arc de Triomphe monument. I bought artwork there; this snapshot says it all, and what I ‘ve always thought this sector epitomizes.

The roundabout around the Arc is dramatic, we had to watch for traffic and use crosswalk for safety. L ’Arc de Triomphe: Its sheer size and monumental presence made us stand back in awe, at 164 feet tall, and 148 feet wide, Roman Arches honor those that fought in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. As we got closer, we appreciated the intricate carvings of battles, bas relief, with three-dimensional appearances honoring French soldiers. The Arc was commissioned by Napoleon in 1806 after the Battle of Austerlitz, taking thirty years to complete. Our family stood beneath the towering Arc toward the eternal flame that burns for unknown soldiers, burning continuously since 1923. Its widely acclaimed arc has been replicated in monuments around the world. We felt respect and pride for those that fought and for France’s legacy of honor for them.

We traveled to Napoleon’s Tomb (Les Invalides), as we stood mesmerized by its gilded dome and solemn sarcophagus, an absolute architectural jewel. It gave us pause for its unimaginable striking presence and wonder.

Magnificent Napoleon’s Tomb and complex known as Les Invalides, is home to one of Paris’s greatest masterpieces, of museums, military history, and the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte. The building’s golden dome, covered in real gold leaf shimmered under winter sky, its beauty impossible to ignore. The dome’s height is 351 feet, making it one of Paris’ tallest historic structures. Even from a distance, it made my heart leap, all of it symbolizing artistry and France’s reverence for its historical figures.

Entering the cathedral where Napoleon rests felt solemn and impressive. The circular crypt’s design forces visitors to look down upon Napoleon, symbolizing respect.  It drew the eye down to the gigantic red quartzite sarcophagus, which rests inside six nested coffins.

Standing together as a family, we felt awe-inspired within those stone walls. The magnificent columns, marble, and inscriptions, told of a man who shaped an entire era of history.

Other exhibits and halls lead one to another, from military uniforms to preserved weapons, each display wowing us. We walked carefully, each detail interesting and noteworthy, all about leadership, about legacy and about preserving France’s respect for all who came before to shape their country. This site also houses The Musée de l’Armée, one of Europe’s largest military museums. 

Our family enjoyed the day of impressive French Landmarks, heading to a wonderful bistro for Boeuf Bourguignon (Beef Burgundy), Classic French Onion Soup, Coq au Vin (chicken stew), Pizza, hamburgers, French appetizers-escargots (snails), foie gras (goose liver), and pate (meat paste). I cannot begin to tell you how good everything was. We were ravenous, but it was the Parisian magic that made us swoon.

Today, we traveled from our Airbnb, 110 Boulevard de Sebastopol, to Arc de Triomphe (Place Charles de Gaulle, 8th arrondissement), to Napoleon’s Tomb, Les Invalides (7th arrondissement), central Paris, and back to our Airbnb on Boulevard de Sebastopol. 

Next Paris Travel Itinerary: Sunday, January 5 — Paris School of Architecture, Julia Child Kitchen Shop, E. Dehillerin, Le BHV Marais, Eiffel Tower + Carousel; Photo locations & Flea Market.