In the fall vacation of 2018, we took a trip to Paris. Since we preferred to spend the money shopping in Paris, we, of course, did not take the „cab to Paris,“ but the cheaper night bus, which took us to the banks of the Saine in about 10 hours. From Erfurt to Frankfurt, we were all alone on the bus, but soon a few people got on, and we were a colorful, fun group.
MONTMARTRE, SAINE & EIFFEL TOWER
Of course, our first stop is the Montmartre district, with a visit to the Sacre Coeur church. From here, you have a great view over the city at 8:00 a.m. with a croissant and coffee! Of course, we will take the short city tour on offer before we go our own way. Riding the subway is also much more exciting. So off to a hike along the banks of the Saine. The first stop was Notre Dame. We continued over and through various Saine bridges to the Place de la Concorde.
And finally, to the Eiffel Tower!
Yeah, that had to be done, and despite our sore feet, we decided to climb the stairs! So crawl up to the second platform to enjoy the somewhat gray view due to the weather!
THE LOUVRE – ART OR TRASH?
Ok, let’s work our way through the history of art, starting with Phoenician art … through Greco-Roman statues like Nike and the Venus of Miro … further over Italian, Dutch, and French paintings, to … Yes, of course: Miss Mona Liesa! The lady hangs in a large room on an inconspicuous wall … surrounded by countless visitors. The lady smiles carelessly because she certainly knows how many detours and, above all, stairs all the tourists have left behind to see „them“ …
Well, it was fascinating and a must if you are in Paris!
PERE LACHAISE – CEMETERY
A slightly different sightseeing point on our excursion was the Pere Lachaise cemetery. Many well-known personalities rest in this „city of the dead,“ such as the poet Oskar Wilde, artists such as Jim Morrisson and Edit Piaff, the poet Molière, author Honoré de Balzac, pantomime Marcel Marceau, composer Frédéric Chopin …
The graves are laid out above ground and designed with many significant figures.
PARIS AT NIGHT
And last but not least, a shopping spree on the Champs Elysee at Prada, Cartier & Co. was not to be missed.
Finally, we treated ourselves and our tired feet to a night boat trip on the Saine before we finally traveled on to London.