Our second day in Paris was full of stops on our tour of the city. First order of business, our host, Simeon, informed us that he had arranged a celebration at the hotel rooftop bar at the end of our day because we had many in our group celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and retirements.
After providing this info, he turned the mike over to our tour guide for the day, Joseline. I just love their French accent. Here is a video of our first few minutes of our tour.
This palace has quite the history as told by Joseline in the videos below the pictures.
Enjoy these videos and come along on this City of Lights tour with me.....
A gallery of pictures for your still viewing pleasure. The statues are stunning and the building facades are architecturally beautiful and consistent, especially in the residential areas.
I'm so enjoying a history refresher. On our way to the Eiffel Tower.
And there it is, the Eiffel Tower. It was so surreal that I was actually there - standing across from the structure that I've seen so many times in books, in movies, on tv and in marriage proposals from random folks I don't even know. And now I'm here. More on this in a bit. We have to finish this tour with Joseline and then the DeTours, Inc. crew is coming back via Le Metro.
I couldn't help but take pictures of everything I saw, especially the statues.
Video explaining hill where they practiced the battle of Napoleon.
Continuation of our history lesson as we learn the reason Napoleon III wanted consistency in the facades. Also, the Arc de Triomphe was built by Napoleon I to celebrate his victory. In the middle of the Arc lies the tomb of the unknown soldier.
Pictures of the front and back of the Arc de Triomphe, as well as some of the inscriptions on the side and inside of the monument.
A few members of the DeTours, Inc. crew at the monument (back to front: Sue, Shawn, Camille - DeTours, Inc. owner, and Edee)
The Louis Vuitton Store
I had to try and grab these shots while on the bus. These folks are waiting in line for the store to open. We were told that as the day gets long - so does the line.....sometimes blocks long.
The Guerlain Store
This video shows the line at the Stranger Things Store (next to the Disney Store) and highlights a discussion by those on the bus who had no idea about the show on Netflix with the same name. The video also shows more of our city tour.
The Place de la Concorde is a major public square in Paris. It was once the site of many notable public executions. The square is being redesigned in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
This next video will mention many points of interest that will be highlighted in subsequent sections of this blog post and also Paris Day 3.
Pics for your viewing pleasure.
Very, very, very short video showing front of Notre-Dame.
Notre-Dame de Paris, referred to simply as Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral in Paris. The cathedral, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. Pictures are of the front of Notre Dame.
In 2019, there was a devastating fire that ripped though this iconic landmark in Paris. Numerous delays and debates have stopped construction and caused Notre Dame to remain closed; however, it is scheduled to reopen to the public by 2024 - just in time for the Summer Olympics that will be held in Paris.
Repair work being done as seen from the back of Notre-Dame.
I love these real time videos. I feel like you are in the bus right along with me.
Pic, pics and more pics.
The DeTours, Inc. crew are headed back to the Eiffel Tower via Le Metro. Let the fun begin.
We've got this.
And we made it. The Eiffel Tower! What a sight to behold up close!!
Gustave Eiffel
We took the elevator to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower thinking that we would ascend to the highest level. However, it was closed due to the weather. Therefore, we started our walk around on the second floor then went down to the first floor.
Picture views from the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
Here are a couple of videos of the breathtaking views from the second floor.
Excellent view of the Seine River. The Seine River divides Paris into two parts. The Right Bank is north of the river and the Left Bank is south of the River.
Time to head down to the first floor. Behold the views from the videos below.
People walking up and down the Eiffel Tower. You can also see the elevator going up to the second floor.
Next it was time to do a little shopping at Galeries Lafayette. Galeries Lafayette is one of the most popular, chic and distinguished shopping centers in Paris. Numerous renowned fashion brands are headquartered in Paris and are available in Galeries Lafayette. You can also discover exceptional fragrances and purchase the best French perfumes here. The Galeries Lafayette and its three buildings offer more than 750,000 square feet of shopping and dining. https://galerieslafayette.com
A video of the stained glass dome in the Galeries Lafayette. The picture was so beautiful but didn't do it justice. I hope the video shows how gorgeous it truly is.
Dinner at Blomet
As mentioned in my Paris, Day 1 blog post, dinner tonight was at Blomet. This restaurant came highly recommended and I can easily see why. We walked back to the hotel and we all agreed that the walk was needed and welcomed.
Day 2 in Paris was everything I ever dreamed of and more. Day 3 promises to be just as exciting as we will be visiting the Louvre Museum and Montmartre.
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Until then...........
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