Paris

  Paris, Île-de-France, France
Sunday, July 20, 2008

Escargot at Camp

our first big sightseeing event

The first stop on my Contiki tour was Paris. Shortly after arriving, we realized just what the brochure had meant when it said 'budget'. We loaded our things into our cabins (at this point I felt stupid for having complained about the hotel in London being old) and went down to the cook tent for a champagne toast and some escargot.

The Hilton (at contiki)

Notre Dame

In front of Notre Dame and the Seine

inside notre dame

closer view, Notre Dame

the Louvre

After our first meal in Paris (at camp, sadly), we got back on the bus for a quick tour of the city. We got a pretty good preview of what lay ahead of us, and got to get off for our first look at the Eiffel Tower.

outside of the Louvre

Venus de Milo

The next day we were given a map and a really early start to tour whatever we chose in Paris. We started at Notre Dame and worked our way to the Louvre and Arc d' Triomphe (which we paid money to climb, endlessly...), and everything in between (including Les Champs-Elysees for shopping)... For lunch we struggled to order a baguette and crepes from the local French vendors. By the end of the day we were completely exhausted- the bus took us back to camp for dinner, and then shortly thereafter returned is to Paris to see the Eiffel Tower at night. (We also climbed all the way to the top for the amazing view of the city).

Mona Lisa

Napoleon's burial site

Arc d' Triomphe

only partway up the arc

arc traffic... for your viewing pleasure

view from the top of the Arc

After the Eiffel Tower, we went to a bar next door to the Moulin Rouge and hung out for a little while (most of us still struggling to speak to the French people there).

the climb!

view from the first level

view from halfway up

at the top

Eiffel at night

video: eiffel light show

The next morning we woke up early for a trip to Versailles, followed by more free time in Paris. That night we went out as a group for dinner at La Bonne Franquette, where I ate French onion soup, duck, and cheese (for dessert). Dinner was followed by a cabaret show, and of course, more champagne.

Moulin Rouge

Versailles

gardens at Versailles

La Bonne Franquette

dinner

Cabaret show

waiting for the cabaret

the Seine