Au Revoir, Paris!

After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast, we were prepared to explore Paris on our own. AmaWaterways offered an optional tour of the Marais, but everyone in our group had their own agenda -- shopping, Louvre, Notre Dame or just wandering the streets of the Left and Right Banks.

Several were novices with the Paris Metro, so Jerry and I started our day teaching a brief Metro 101 course while getting to Notre Dame.


The entry line at the Cathédrale was long so we opted to walk around the outside since we'd toured the interior before. Each side is unique and the flying buttresses spectacular.


The front façade is a must for all tourists, and we definitely fit that category!


By now our students seemed comfortable exploring on their own, so we began our day visiting familiar sites as well as some new ones on the Right Bank.  I used to be a "Left Bank Snob" but am finding more and more I enjoy on the Right Bank.

The bridges of Paris are some of my favorite landmarks.  This photo shows the famous Pont Neuf connecting the Left and Right Banks.

It would be a shame to say you had been to Paris without setting foot inside her most famous museum, the Louvre. Considered Europe's greatest museum, the Louvre has a magnificent art collection that was begun by Francis I with four Raphaels, three da Vincis and one Titian. On my first visit to Paris in 1971, I entered the museum, saw Winged Victory, Venus de Milo and Mona Lisa and was out of there in 30 minutes!  Criminal, eh?  My goal, when I retire is to take art history courses so I can appreciate the great works of art in the museums of Europe.

We walked through quaint old streets and stumbled upon this charming crêperie.  The Calvados crêpes I had in Honfleur were
 a distant memory, but one I wanted to renew.  Those here were also delicious, but in a different way from what I remembered from Normandy.  I will keep sampling crêpes in search of ever new and wonderful tastes.

Lunch was followed by souvenir shopping and a stop for cappuccino at the bar in the Renaisance Paris Vendome Hotel.  Two years ago my friend, Tana, and I had stayed there on a Fam trip.  The hotel was as lovely as I remembered.  Coffee renewed my energy, and I was able to complete my souvenir shopping on the Rue de Rivoli.

AmaWaterways offered a tour of Montmartre and Illuminations of Paris for our last evening in Paris. Most of our group joined the tour and reported thoroughly enjoying the evening.

Since it was our last evening in Paris and we'd seen Montmartre and the city at night (lovely!) we slipped away to a romantic little French restaurant and enjoyed a delightful farewell-to-Paris dinner.

I know Jerry and I will return to Paris some day and hope others in our group will as well.  No one ever tires of the City of Lights!
Linda