ABC Tour – Chunnel, Coming to Paris

THURSDAY & FRIDAY 7-8 JULY

Thursday saw us catch the Eurostar train to Paris.  It only takes a bit over two hours, with 20 minutes in the tunnel.  The world just whizzes by.  This was the only picture I got without blurring or just being trees.

Our hotel is in the Madeleine District and is really nice, with English speaking staff, which helps.  We just went for a wander that afternoon to get our bearings.

Today, we hopped on the open topped bus and went for a tour of the main sights.

The Louvre.  We didn’t go in, as we visited it last time we were here.

The arch opposite the Louvre.

The Champs Elysses.  They are getting things ready for the finale of the Tour de France.

Around the Arc de Triomphe.

Backwards and forwards over the Seine.  This is on the Alexander III Bridge.

The Church of the Madeleine, just up the road from our hotel.

We did the full loop and then went back to the Notre Dame Cathedral to have a look.

It’s a splendid building.  Apparently it was in disrepair, but after Victor Hugo’s book they restored it.

The queue moved really quickly.  The queue to the ladies’ loos was slower, and Mick had to wait at the door for me.

Another lovely interior.

Lots of stained glass windows.

A couple of the bridges over the Seine had lots of locks attached.  They are “Love Locks”.  Apparently it has only been going on for a few years.

So we added ours.

There it is, in among all the rest.

We wandered along the banks of the Seine looking at all the market stalls.

Then we hopped back on the bus to the Eiffel Tour.  We just wandered around the base.

There are heaps of fellows selling junky Eiffel Towers.  It is a constant battle between them and the police.  They are always on the lookout and when the police come along on pushbikes they all bolt.  This happens all the time.

We then went and wandered around the fountain over the road.

Mick loves watching the traffic, which has us both amazed.  It is like a continual dance.  There are no lanes marked on the roads and traffic just goes where it wants and you just have to watch out for them.  Add heaps of motor scooters zipping in and out, loads of busses and pushbikes as well and it is mayhem.  However, it seems to work.  Don’t ask me how.  I think there is about 15 abreast here waiting for the lights to change.

We finished off the day with a lovely dinner.  Mick tried the snails and they were good.