Paris in the Springtime (April 30th)

When we landed in Paris we stepped off the plane and into summer! We were greeted with blue sunny skies, warm temperatures (high 70’s) and all of the trees and flowers in bloom -- it was awesome. Except for a thunderstorm Sunday night we enjoyed this weather all weekend and combined with over 15 hours of daylight we saw all the sites. To our amazement we even surpassed on walking distance in London - 28 miles in total and of course the kids probably even went further with all their energy.

Compared with other European Cities Paris has a much more “park-like” feeling, from tree lined streets and wide boulevards to large fountains and green space everywhere. We started each morning in this setting with a nice walk to the metro, choosing the farther station as it took us by a bakery on the way where we were sure to fill the backpack with snacks for the day. You would figure that by now the technology to make a good croissant would be worldwide and maybe it’s just in my imagination but we all thought they tasted better in Paris, and the next time you see Becca just ask her about the crepes.

Just a quick Metro ride and we could be anywhere in the city we wanted to be. We hit all the major sites -- we started at the Arc de Triomphe and cruised Les Champs Elysees. We awed at the stain glass in Notre Dame, saw the armor and weapons used during the French Revolution at the Hospital of the Invalides. At the Louvre we enjoyed Venus, Napoleons apartment and priceless works of art. Naturally, no trip to the Louvre is complete without marveling at the Mona Lisa, Matt and Becca moved from side to side and wherever they went Mona was still looking (and of course smiling) at them. We also spent a lot of our time just soaking up the city, strolling along the Seine and through the out of the way neighborhoods. We cruised Montmartre and Concorde square and rested at sidewalk cafes just “people watching”

Of course the highlight of the trip was the Eiffel Tower. You really have to see it in person to appreciate it! This was the kids favorite and we spent each night there except our last, and we were on our way, but got rained out. We toured around it, walked up the 700 stairs to the second level and enjoyed the view in every direction. At night we sat at the foot in the park and watched as it lit up and then shimmered as 1000’s of halogen lights flashed – what a spectacle we were not disappointed. It was also great to see how many people came to picnic every night; enjoy the weather and the view of the tower. Sure there were lots of tourists but it was also filled with families and friends with their picnic baskets, wine, cheese and bread.

In all Paris was a memorable trip, there is a lot to do and we only scratched the surface. As I mentioned before we walked all day, there was some much to do and see and the kids went until they dropped – literally. We’ll certainly have to leave Paris on the list for the next European adventure. See More