NORMANDY - D-DAY BEACHES

"I have full confidence in your courage and devotion to duty and skill in
battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!" 

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

...and full victory is what was ultimately achieved along the 6 mile stretch that is Omaha Beach. On June 6, 1944 a total of 160,000 allied troops, 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft bombarded a 50 mile stretch of beaches along the Atlantic coast of France in an effort to get a foothold of what had become a massive amount of Europe under Nazi control during World War II.  When we traveled from Paris to Normandy we had no idea how vast the amount of land was that was all part of D-day and poorly planned our entire trip there - I'm going to give you as much information as possible so you can properly plan your time in Normandy and really get the most out of it. One day we hope to go back to really soak it up for what it is and have a fuller understanding of what actually happened on the very ground we walked. So I will not have a lot of information about all the beaches and different monuments - mainly only for Omaha Beach, which is the most popular for visitors. I would highly recommend doing your research before you go (I did some but didn't spend a lot of time on it and I really regret it). For a list of books about D-day click here http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/29955.Best_D_day_books and if you're not really into reading, the History Channel has some videos and other media posted (http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/d-day/videos) and there are also scripted movies (such as Saving Private Ryan or The Longest Day - just remember these aren't entirely accurate) for you to view and really grow a connection with everything that is D-day before you go. I guess a major TIP I would pass along to you is to stay for at least one night and two days as we did not get much done in a couple hours. Now, to give you all I got from our time in Omaha Beach...

I have to say it was the most humbling, awe-inspiring and "proud to be an American" moment I've ever felt. The feelings of just standing in solitude on a rainy day on a dock that went at least 100 feet out into the Atlantic Ocean over looking endless water as far as my eyes could see and being in the presence of where true heroes once existed fighting for everything they believed in and loved. Most of them knew they weren't going home as they rushed the beaches with gun in hand against an enemy they'd never met before and there I was paying homage to those men who are very likely the reason why I was able to stand there at almost exactly 70 years later and remember them. I can't explain this spiritual journey or emotions that came along with it...it was almost as if while I was watching the waves crash on the beach I was somehow seeing these men still crawling up that beach and fighting. It was almost as if I could see bombs going off, hear shots being fired and see the blood stained sand although none of it was there anymore...just the remnants of what once was. I still get teary eyed with gratitude, love and conviction just thinking about what these men endured to protect what they loved. I wish the same for you, take the time to stand there and just experience what once was going on on the very ground beneath your feet and I promise, very few things will ever match that moment. 

It's crazy for me to think that these men and this scene is what happened so long ago at the same peaceful place I stood.

Getting there from Paris is surprisingly easy by a rental car (if you don't feel comfortable driving across the countryside there are trains that go out to Normandy you can take). We entered a tunnel in the middle of Paris setting out to start off on our adventure to Omaha beach...we were under ground for about 20-30 minutes (I began to worry we would never get out!) we finally saw some gleaming sunlight and as we came to the exit of the tunnel we were suddenly in the middle of the countryside. It was incredible. That coolness aside, we were able to go from Paris to Omaha Beach in about 3 hours (spending a few hours there) and made a stop in Honfleur (for about an hour to an hour and a half) and still made it back to Paris just as the sun was going down. You must remember, sunset doesn't come until almost 10 p.m. in Paris so the day is nice and long to get things done. Make sure you bring various Euro with you as there are tolls along the way, none of them too expensive and almost no wait time as they have many bays for the cars. There are enough places to stop along the way to get gas and food and WATCH OUT this road is loaded with cameras that enforce speed limits. We actually received 2 traffic tickets mailed to our house about a month after we got home, insert sad face here.

This is what we saw when we came out of the tunnel

 Now onto what Omaha has to offer...     

1) Omaha Beach Museum

http://www.musee-memorial-omaha.com/en/ 
For a list of hours: http://www.musee-memorial-omaha.com/en/practical-information/hours-and-opening-times/ 
Cost: Adult 6.50 Euro, Child (7-15) 3.90 Euro, Children 7 & under are FREE

I would recommend visiting the Omaha Beach Museum located just at the shore of Omaha (Avenue de la Libération 14710 SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-MER – NORMANDIE FRANCE) before you go to the beaches and the other sites. It is thoroughly educational and helps you get a personal connection and understanding of the men who fought and the depth of what they had to go through. It is an amazing museum with original equipment through out. They use mannequins dressed in original uniforms on display in various scenes of what it would've looked like in 1944. They have original letters, dog tags, guns and more that were either found at the beaches or donated. I must put a warning on it though as some of the pictures are graphic and depending upon the age of your children you might want to monitor exactly where they go in the museum. There is a wonderful movie area by the restrooms that plays the original footage of the invasion and has some of the nurses, soldiers and rangers being interview about their life experience on the beach that day. On the way out of the museum there is a great little museum to get memorabilia for all ages. This museum is a MUST GO if you are around the D-day beaches. It will give you an entirely new understanding of the reality that happened that dark, but liberating day in 1944.

There are several displays like this through out the museum each in a different scene

This is original from D-day

2) Normandy American Cemetery & Memorial
http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/europe/normandy-american-cemetery
Address: 14710 Colleville-sur-Mer, France

Located on a cliff over looking Omaha Beach and out into the Atlantic Ocean this cemetery contains the remains of 9,387 American soldiers. Upon entry, the rows of crosses and large monuments seem overwhelming, you almost don't know where to begin. To your left is a massive semi-circular colonnade made of French limestone, ceramic tiles and a floor made of pebbles taken from Omaha beach itself. Within it is a 22 foot bronze statue ("The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves") stretching up towards the sky and overlooking the Garden of the Missing. The garden is wrapped with semi-circular walls with the names of the 1,557 missing men who were never found or whose remains have never been identified. These men are so worthy of a silent moment and prayer as you walk by the flowers. They gave their lives fighting for freedom and made the ultimate sacrifice for so many, it's heartbreaking (especially for someone like me who is super emotional) and makes you really appreciate the acts of someone you have never met. As you continue on through the Garden of the Missing you will discover there are 5 paths that divide the garden - we only walked one and it took us a while to go down. You almost feel this desire and need to read every name and pay respects to each cross or star you walk by. Among the crosses you will see father & son together, brothers side by side and even twin brothers, who all died together fighting for their country. There is a chapel that marks they half way point of the cemetery (for an amazing aerial view click here: http://www.specialcamp11.co.uk/Normandy/Aerial%20View%20Of%20Omaha%20Cemetery.jpg. ).
Make sure you stop at the visitor's center before you walk through the cemetery as they have movies, brochures to take with you with a lot of great detailed information, pictures and more so that you can really soak in everything you see and understand the meanings of it all from the script written on the monuments to the time capsule on site that is not to be opened until 2044. Overall, I believe this was one of my top favorite things out of all of our European vacation. I think it's something everybody should see once in their lifetime.

This picture says more than my words every could

My husband took this amazing picture and I just thought I'd share it as a bonus

There are several other monuments through out Omaha, I'll post pics and small descriptions of what each one is. Stop at the visitor center to pick up maps of where you can find all the monuments and their meanings. It would be a shame to be in Paris and miss out on this incredible experience...my advice to you is to make every effort possible to go to Normandy to experience something that very few things in life can match. It's so educational for children and will help them understand how massive this day was for America and our allies. It will teach them to honor, respect & appreciate veterans and their sacrifices.

This is one of many German Bunkers around Omaha. You can walk up to it and go inside.

This is on the way up to the Second Infantry Division Memorial...To me, this is a MUST STOP as the original gun is still there from when it was under German control.

This is the interior...you can see the massive hole on the upper right, my husband imagines is from fire from the US Army.

This is where you enter, at first it was so eerie for me just to know what happened there but once I got in it as hard to leave as I felt a strong connection to the past. 

The Ranger monument at Point Du Hoc is to honor the American Second Ranger Battalion who scaled 100 foot cliffs and took over German artillery that otherwise would've been firing on American troops on Omaha.

World War II Memorial on Omaha

People still leave sentiments around the memorials to honor all of these brave men. It's very touching to see some even from children.

This will wrap up our Omaha visit. I hope you find it helpful and honorable to all the allied forces who fought that day.

If you have any further questions about something above or would like to know if I have more info on something not listed just message me or comment and I'll help out the best I can. Happy Travels my fellow Gypsies.       



 

PARIS - RESTAURANTS

"People who love to eat are always the best people."

-Julia Child

There are more restaurants in Paris than I've seen anywhere else! A lot of great options with a lot of great food! I particularly loved the variety of food genres we found while visiting. There is of course classic French, Indian, Asian, African and yes, even Mexican. Again, just as in my London post, I have to apologize that we didn't take pictures of our food or some of the restaurants. I wasn't planning on creating this blog while we were traveling in Europe. From now on, I promise pictures of the food and the restaurants. So, let me take you away on a culinary tour of our restaurant experiences in what is not only known as the city of love, but as the city of food...

1) Pizza Pino

http://www.pizzapino.fr/home.php

31/33, av. des Champs-Elysées - Paris 8e

Located on the Champs-Elysees this place can get busy! I suggest a phone call in to make a reservation if you can. We arrived there about 5:30/6:00 pm and were seated within 5 minutes (I think this might be due to the fact that most people in Paris eat dinner around 7:00-8:00 pm). It's an adorable 2 story restaurant with a big pizza oven in the center of the facility. We opted for the second floor so we could look out over the Champs-Elysees while we ate. The atmosphere was bright and delightful - the views even more so. Our drink orders were taken immediately but it did take them a while to come back around to get our dinner order, dessert order and finally the check. While dining we needed a few things (extra napkins, an extra fork) and we had a very hard time getting someone's attention. I'd say the service of all the employees was fairly mixed, some being very eager to help with a smile and others seemed bothered we would ask for something. The food was delicious! I ordered the Penne Arrabbiata (Italian for "Angry Pasta" as it is pretty spicy), which is just penne noodles in a tomato sauce flavored with garlic and red chili peppers and my husband and son split a Margherita pizza (tomato sauce, cheese & basil). Overall, I'd say go if you can! Between the location, atmosphere and menu choices we would definitely return and for the quality of food it's not a bad price.  

The outside of this adorable little place

Penne Arrabbiata & the Margherita pizza

2) Fajitas 

15 Rue Dauphine, 75006 Paris, France

There is not a website I can find for Fajitas Mexican Restaurant, but if I ever do find one I will be sure to post it.  

This adorable little hole in the wall restaurant is a must go for any Mexican food lover. The owner is a sweet man from Mexico who moved to Paris and started this little joint with his wife. I loved the decor, atmosphere and the fact that there was an open kitchen. Our beverage order was taken upon us being seated and our server (believe it or not was the owner - what a treat!) was friendly and fast. Well, with a name like "Fajitas" what would you order? BINGO! We ordered some chicken fajitas and some beef nachos. My estimate is that our family has eaten at about 200+ Mexican restaurants and this one takes the cake. The salsa was fresh, spicy and delicious. The fajitas were perfectly balanced in flavor and were a large enough portion to feed all 3 of us. Finally, the nachos - perfection! The nachos had a great ratio between chips and condiments. I didn't feel overwhelmed by the amount of toppings or underwhelmed by the lack there of. The prices were not bad at all and the restaurant would've been well worth a second trip had we had another day in Paris. If you love rice, beans and chips this is a place you must work into your vacation time! Here is a link to the yelp.com reviews photo page: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/fajitas-paris?select=o-YSsU4ausOl3XRpzb9NbQ#cSCVZfSbDfOOZK8pwf9h4A

3) Chez Ribe

15 Ave de Suffren, 75007 Paris, France

Hmm...what can I say about our visit to Chez Ribe other than it was unique. This cute little cafe is about 2 minutes walking distance from the Eiffel Tower and opens up early by Paris time standards (about 7 am...so definitely a place to grab some breakfast - which I hear by the way is fantastic). I love that they have an outdoor patio as well as what you could describe as an "indoor patio" next to the street side wall but it is actually all glass windows so it feels like you're outside but you are still away from the elements (should it be rainy or cold). Our waiter was the sweetest older man I think I've ever met and was patient with us as we tried to figure out the menu and what we wanted to order. We finally decided what we wanted, put our order in and waited, and waited, and waited...finally our food comes out and our starving little stomachs just can't handle another minute longer so we dive in just to be utterly...disappointed. I ordered the ham and grilled cheese sandwich (also known as a Croque Monsieurs) and my bread was burnt, the cheese wasn't melted all the way and the ham tasted like something you buy in a box in the refrigerator section at the store. We also ordered the french onion soup and it was less than lackluster. I thought we over paid for the food and neither of us even ate half...we actually went to a nearby crepe stand and had crepes as a late night snack (these damn crepe stands are the reason I put 12 pounds on while in Paris...they're just so delicious!!). To make the experience complete, we noticed a cat wandering around the restaurant...at first I thought maybe a stray walked through the open door but our waiter informed us the cute (and friendly) fat kitty was there to catch the mice! YIKES! Needless to say, I cannot recommend Chez Ribe based on our experience but as I stated earlier, we have heard from several other people their breakfast is amazing so if wandering cats catching wandering mice doesn't bother you then you may want to try out their eggs and lox.   

For the record, this is not our photo but this is the place.

4) Le Bailli de Suffren 

7 ave Suffren 75007 Paris, France

We walked to this small cafe from our hotel our first morning in Paris. Located about 2 minutes walking distance from the Eiffel Tower they offer a great outdoor seating area, indoor seating and a full bar. I ordered crepes (Nutella & banana), our son got "pancakes" (essentially crepes) and my husband got a traditional breakfast with eggs, hash browns and a croissant. The food was good (but then again it's a pretty basic order) and our service was great. My biggest complaint is they charged 8 Euro for 1 coke and the menu was in general over priced. There are a lot of bad reviews online and multiple people saying their waiter brought some fresh croissants to their tables telling them to "try them, they just came out of the oven." and then later charging the customer for the croissant basket. Our waiter did do this same ploy but we were never charged for the basket of croissants on our bill (maybe he forgot to charge??). I think it's a great place to grab some breakfast but I would just beware the "fresh from the oven" tactic and politely refuse the croissants. 

5) Pizza Tina
73, Avenue Bosquet - 75007 Paris

http://pizzatina.com/

Okay, now I hope I don't overstate this one but THIS IS THE BEST PLACE IN PARIS TO EAT AN ITALIAN BITE AT! - I hope I wasn't being too dramatic there...In all seriousness, Pizza Tina was our absolute favorite place in all of Paris and probably the reason why there aren't more restaurants on this page to review as we ate there 4 or 5 times while vacationing in Paris. We couldn't get enough of Pizza Tina. This small restaurant is something I wish we could've folded up and packed up to bring with us back to the states. It's a small yet spacious restaurant located only a few blocks from the Champ de Mars park. It's warm, inviting and friendly. The owner's son took care of us while we ate there (every time we visited) and was fun and provided great service. He spoke very little English, a little French and a lot of Italian so figuring out our order was a fun adventure. Ultimately, I ordered the Penne Arrabbiata with a Caprese salad (this quickly grew to be our favorite dish and was eaten every other time we visited Pizza Tina), Scaloppina Milanese, a Parmaggiana Pizza and Rigatoni 4 fromages. I literally have no complaints about the food we ordered, the service we received or the price we paid to dine here. The interior is very classic Italian with paintings all over the walls, mirrors throughout and cute little doodads everywhere. It is family owned and the love and care really comes out through their service and their food. We still desperately miss it and my husband swears that whenever we go to Italy we are taking the train to Paris just to dine here once more. At the mention on Pizza Tina my family's faces light up with wonderful memories and grumbling bellies. I cannot say enough good things about this place. I highly recommend you make a point to go here and try it out. Perfection. 

6) Le Cafe Gustave 

23 Avenue de la Bourdonnais, 75007 Paris, France

While Gustave's offers a great view of the Eiffel Tower while you eat your food that's the extent of their greatness. It's very small inside and the servers are quite rude. We ordered a cheeseburger and a breakfast platter with a banana and nutella crepe for the little one. While we waited for our food we gazed out the front windows admiring the business of Paris and the view of the tower when I happened to notice our waiter outside cleaning up after another customer and putting their left over baguette in a basket and then walking that basket to the counter where he added more bread to it and then brought it over to our table to serve to us. YUCK! Pointless to say, but we didn't eat any of the bread after knowing someone else had their hands in there while eating God knows what and putting their dirty fingers in the basket to grab the same bread he was now serving to us. It doesn't help that I'm a germaphobe but come on...that's gross, right? So anyways, our food is served and it was decent - it would've been more tolerable had the prices been lower but definitely not worth what they were charging. The hamburger was overcooked and dry (the french fries were good though), the breakfast platter was good but lacked seasoning and the crepes of course came out perfect (you can't screw those babies up!). I would say to pass on this place as none of the areas (service, food, price point, quality) really exceeded any kind of rational expectation.

7) Le Cafes de la Pyramide
Located inside The Louvre

This is a little food outlet located in the middle of the Louvre museum under the glass pyramid. They have awesome pre-made sandwiches, soups, casseroles, steamed veggies, yogurts etc. at great prices! It's the perfect place to catch a 20 minute break and refuel before taking off to finish your art explorations. If you are in The Louvre and running low on energy I'd say this is the place to stop as we were all satisfied with our meals. Quick, easy and healthy.

8) Ulysse en Gaule
28 Rue Cler, 75007, Paris, France

This little creperie is on my favorite street in Paris, Rue Cler (for more info on Rue Cler check out my sight-seeing for Paris page). We weren't even that hungry but I saw this little building had a crepe cart out front on the patio with all the chairs and tables and I just had to watch them make a crepe for me. I ordered the lemon and sugar crepe (Believe it or not, I liked it better than the Nutella & banana crepe!) and it was perfect...the thickness of the pancake was ideal, the balance of lemon and coarse sugar was a whirlwind of delight for my taste buds. We also ordered the ham and cheese crepe for a savory treat and it was just wonderful. I really enjoyed sitting at our table next to the crepe stand and watching the guy make our crepes. Another thing I loved was being able to sit and face Rue Cler as we ate so that we could people watch and study everyone doing their grocery shopping. Everyone we had interaction with at Ulysse was polite and kind. I believe there is also a Greek cafe in the interior of the building and the crepe cart is outside, but I cannot say with certainty...either way I say it's a must go if you're on Rue Cler!  

9) Ronde des Pains

3 Rue du Champ de Mars, 75007 Paris, France

http://www.rondedespains.com/?-Accueil- 

While strolling down Rue Cler we came upon Ronde des Pains...not by sight, but by smell! Fresh baked baguettes, croissants and other bakery items...how could we stay away? Their prices are great and the baked goods are out of this world. I bought an entire baguette and ate it out of the bag as we went about our day and it stayed fresh and delicious until it was gone. They also have an assortment of sweets (we bought some macaroons) that are just as tasty! I think this is a great spot to grab some breakfast pastries and a cafe au lait (coffee with milk). They have a great outdoor seating area to soak up the day and people watch while you dine. If you love anything bread, this is the place to be!

I just think this little crepe cart is so adorable!

10) Boulangerie Poilane 

49 bd de Grenelle, 75015 Paris, France   

http://www.poilane.com/index.php 

This little bakery was just awesome! Sometimes we would go in the morning or in the evening to get snacks to keep in the hotel. We bought baguettes, doughnuts, chocolate croissants and more! Everything we had was delicious and made for great snacks through out the day. It's not too pricey and considering the great quality of everything we had I think it's worth every Euro spent. There is no seating inside or outside the establishment so only go there for food on the go or food for later. I was told everything is baked fresh daily on the property. I miss this little bakery as I have yet to find one of equal caliber here in the states. I think it's worth at least one stop for you and it helps that there are multiple locations as it is a chain. Check it out and see if there is one near your hotel it will be well worth it!

11) L'Entrecote Du Xveme

23 Rue Desaix, 75015 Paris, France

This is the first place we ate at in France after our train arrived at Gare du Nord and we checked into our hotel and after a long day a good dinner just sounded wonderful. They have pizza, spaghetti and sandwiches. We all decided to split a pizza and bread. It was mediocre but tasted great since we hadn't really eaten all day. We never went back even though it was walking distance from our hotel. I would say it's a no go unless you are truly hungry! 

12) Jardin de France

55 Avenue de Suffren, 75007 Paris, France

Okay, in all fairness this is not a restaurant, it is a supermarket but I had to put it on this list as for me it was a little highlight of Paris. Generally when we travel I make sure to get a hotel with a refrigerator so we can do a little grocery shopping and stock up our hotel room so we don't always have to run out for food or order room service if we get hungry. This little market was a short drive from our hotel and it was fabulous! I loved everything about it. Outside the doors they have all their fresh fruit and vegetables for sale (the colors are vibrant and amazing by the way) and when you walk in they have everything from packaged cookies to fresh made ham sandwiches to milk and soda. The prices are fantastic compared to the little souvenir shops and food stands that charge an arm and a leg for a coke! I believe I enjoyed the workers there even more than the food...when I was looking at a sandwich trying to figure out if it was a ham sandwich or a turkey sandwich I realized I didn't know the French word for either word (ham or turkey) so I hoped the employee spoke a little English to help but you guessed it, he didn't speak any so there we were - him speaking French to me and me speaking English to him both laughing knowing we couldn't understand each other then before you know it I find myself holding up the sandwich and snorting like a pig to ask if it was ham...everyone around us busted up laughing as we cried in our joy that the language barrier reduced us to making animal sounds to understand each other. He eventually said "Oui" that yes it was a ham sandwich and snorted violently back at me. Next the milk, trying to figure out if it was cow or goat milk...he began mooing at me to ensure me it was cow's milk fresh from the day before!! We walked out with about 4 bags of groceries and only spent about 15 Euro for enough food and beverages for a few days. We went there a total of 4 times just to enjoy the company of the workers and the quality of the food. If you stock up your hotel while away in Paris I have endless reasons as to why you should choose this place but the top 2 being the friendly service and the quality of food for the price you pay. 

Unfortunately, while in Paris we couldn't dine at a 5 star restaurant as having a 4 year old in an atmosphere like that sometimes isn't always the best idea and at the end of the day I refuse to pay prices like that for something I know he wouldn't eat. Whenever we go back to Paris as a couple though and dine at the nicer restaruants you can bet I'll be reviewing those for you. Until then, Happy Travels  (and dining!) my fellow Gypsies.

 

 

Fajitas Mexican Restaurant, St Germaine 6th, Paris

PARIS - OH THE PLACES YOU'LL GO

"Travel. As much as you can. As far as you can. As long as you can. Life's not meant to be lived in one place."

Ahhh *sigh* Paris...the city of light. Not the often mispronounced "lights". The famous catch phrase referring to the enlightenment era and the explosion of the philosophic movement led by the likes of Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau and not so much the vast amount of city lights we now see today. Nonetheless, Paris is most certainly a city of many lights and love! Paris lured me in and seduced me to love it for everything it is in every which way from the art culture, to the history, to the architecture, the people and most of all the foooood. Anyone who know me knows that food is something I adore...I love to cook (I even, sadly talk to the food while cooking it...I'm telling you that's the secret ingredient to a great meal, letting the food know you love it - okay, this is beginning to sound like a therapy session...) I love creating new things with food and expressing my love for others through food...and Paris and food go together like peanut butter and jelly, salt and pepper, hugs and kisses! In all honesty, there is just too much beauty in Paris that I could never do justice to in this blog...it must be experienced; however, I will try my best to communicate to you all the magic and wonder of Paris - there's so much I may have to do multiple entries so bare with me as I figure this one out.

I'm going to keep this entry very much in line with my London one...first I'll go through all the things we did get to do and tell you of our experience first hand then I'll pass along information for other sights that I researched before going but we didn't get a chance to do in a separate entry.

1) The Eiffel Tower
Address: Champ de Mars, 5 Avenue Anatole France, 75007 Paris, France
Cost: 5-15.50 Euro per Adult, 4-13.50 Euro per child ages 12-24 and 3.50-11 Euro per child ages 4-11 - The prices vary depending upon which floor you go up to and if you choose stairs or elevator lift.
Hours: The tower is open everyday even on holidays from mid-June to early Sept from 9am-12:45am and the rest of the year from 9:30am-11:45pm
Website: http://www.toureiffel.paris/

So, I figured we'd start out with one of the most iconic buildings in the world. Show anybody a picture of the Eiffel Tower and they will immediately know it represents Paris. Erected in 1889 as the entrance into the 1889 World's Fair the Parisians initially considered it an eyesore and wanted it to be taken down but as with anything in Paris they grew to love it. Standing at 1,063 feet tall with three levels to view all of Paris from this beautiful piece was once ordered under the authority of Hitler to be destroyed under the German occupation of World War II but General Von Choltitz disobeyed that order and millions of visitors every year are grateful for his choice as they come to gaze at the building that represents the heart of Paris. The tower has 5 restaurants for you to enjoy (http://www.restaurants-toureiffel.com/index.cfm/page/lid/2/rid/3770/) but make sure you call ahead for reservations as you will not have to wait in line to ascend the tower for your meal. The tower is a very popular place...there is a line to purchase your ticket (you will wait in line at opening time anywhere from 30 minutes-2 hours) then you must go to another line for the stairs or the lifts (depending upon the season again I would say 30 mins-2 hours). Unfortunately, while we spent a lot of time at the tower we never were able to go up to the top as it was under construction and our wait time estimate was 4-6 hours. Talk about seeing a grown woman weep. There's a lot to do the at the bottom of the tower and with the Champ de Mars park under the Eiffel Tower it's a wonderful place to bring some baguettes, cheese and drinks and picnic on a sunny day.

** A fantastic little treat is just across the street from the Eiffel Tower heading towards the Seine River. To the right, there are multiple tents set up with food, little shops and trampolines for the kids to jump on and to the left is a two tiered carrousel to ride. Don't miss these awesome things...the prices are cheap and the quality is great!** 

 

This was right outside of our hotel, as I said the location was great...everything else was not so much.

Some of the lifts to carry people up to the upper decks

The two-tiered carrousel across the street

The trampolines for the kids to jump on (I believe it was around 5 Euro)

2) The Louvre Museum
Address: Very hard to find an accurate one...so I'll post the map!
Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Louvre+Museum/@48.860611,2.337644,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x47e671d877937b0f:0xb975fcfa192f84d4
Cost: 16 Euro per Adult; children 18 and under are FREE
Hours: Monday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Friday: from 9 a.m. to 9:45 p.m.
Closed on Tuesdays
Website: http://www.louvre.fr/en

Wow, the Louvre has so much history in it I couldn't help but fall head over heels for her. Once serving as a Palace to the royals it fell to the common people during the Revolution and in 1793 the Revolutionary government opened the first portion of the museum to the people. It's grown vastly in the last 200 years to house more than 35,000 pieces of art in a 652,000 square foot building! The Louvre has iconic pieces such as the Venus de Milo, The Winged Victory of Samothrace and the beloved Mona Lisa (which let me burst your bubble now...the original Mona is only 30 in × 21 in - ya, I was shocked when I saw it). There are places to eat inside as well and enough rooms and collections to easily fill a full day or two. For the latest exhibitions & events click here http://www.louvre.fr/en/evenements

Just a fun fact: The glass pyramid was designed by American architect I.M. Pei

 

The Venus de Milo

3) Musee d'Orsay
Address:1 Rue de la Légion d'Honneur 75007 Paris
Cost: 11 Euro for Adults, FREE for children 18 & under
Hours: 9.30am to 6pm
9.30am to 9.45pm on ThursdaysClosed on Mondays 
Website: http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html 

The Musee d'Orsay is great for someone who likes a little art but not the over-whelming experience places like the Louvre have to offer. You could easily spend half a day there and walk out seeing original pieces by Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh. The building used to house the Gare d'Orsay railway station that ran trains from 1900 to 1939 before almost being demolished to make way for a new hotel in 1970. It officially opened as a museum in 1986 after the station was put on the supplementary list of Historic Monuments and has operated as a museum ever since. For a list of exhibitions and events click here http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/events/now-on.html. I love this museum, the paradox of it once being a place of hustle and bustle and people going from here to there and now housing brilliant artwork with a calming atmosphere as people wander the halls to reflect on an artist's soul being on canvas...it's a truly remarkable experience.

This is a little eating area behind one of the clocks of the museum.

4) Notre Dame Cathedral
Address: 6 Parvis Notre-Dame - Pl. Jean-Paul II 75004 Paris
Cost: FREE for entry to the church; Audio guides are 5 Euro per person; Entry into the treasury is 3 Euro for adults, 1 Euro for children ages 6-12 and FREE for children under 5; to walk up the towers is 8 Euro for adults and FREE for anyone under 18.
Hours: 9:30 am - 6 pm; Sundays from 1:00 pm - 6 pm
Website: http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/spip.php?rubrique2 

Notre-Dame de Paris or "Our Lady of Paris" is a French Gothic Cathedral that sits on an island known as Ile de la Cite in the 4th arrondissement of Paris. Construction of this church began in 1163 with the remaining elements completed in 1345. During the French Revolution in 1793, the cathedral was taken and rededicated to "The Cult of Reason" and many artifacts and treasures of the church were destroyed as well as the building itself being widely damaged. In 1845, a 25 year long restoration occurred only to be damaged again during World War II and finally in 1991 another restoration began and lasted until 2010. Notre Dame offers up incredible photo opportunities and history. The line generally goes very quickly and walking through the massive building is fairly easy. I would suggest reading up on the history of this church...each statue as a significant story and purpose and the buttresses supporting the choir area of the church have a special purpose that is just mind blowing. You will really appreciate your visit more when you understand the designer's perspectives when creating all these details. The church still regularly holds services for times and dates click here http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/spip.php?article310 I think this is a must go!

Beautiful or what? I tried to find Quasimodo but had no such luck. A great way to introduce the kids to Notre Dame before going is to have them watch the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Our son was so excited being able to see the movie and then see the structure in real life.

The interior of the church is just as striking as the exterior.

The gargoyles of Notre Dame

The rear of the cathedral...in this pic you can see the buttresses

A view from the Seine River...you may recognize it from a scene in Ratatouille where Linguine has to drop Remy into the Seine River. :) gotta <3 kid movies.

5) Bateaux Parisiens River Cruise
Website: http://www.bateauxparisiens.com/english.html

From Notre-Dame we hopped on a little boat that docked right outside the church across the Seine River. We paid 15 Euro per adult and 6.50 Euro for our son (ages 3-12 are 6.50 and 3 and under are FREE). The boat went around Ile de la Cite island and up to the Eiffel Tower as we were educated by our tour guide about the city and the buildings we were going by. The boat looped back around and dropped us back off at the Notre-Dame stop but they do have boat tours that go from one place to another and also have lunch and dinner tours. There is also a family-friendly tour called the "Enchanted Cruise" where elves tell children all about Paris as you float down the Seine. Check out the website for times, docking points, menus and more!

Walking along the embankment next to the Seine River to catch the boat tour. Heals are a bad idea ladies...

This was the boat we rode on

View of the Eiffel Tower from the river

6) Arc de Triomphe
Address: Place Charles de Gaulle 75008 Paris
Cost: 8 Euro per Adult, FREE for children under the age of 17
Hours: From April 1 to September 30: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
From October 1 to March 31: 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
Website: http://www.arcdetriompheparis.com/ -- As far as I can tell, France doesn't have an official site for the Arc de Triomphe but this website has all the info you'll need.

Sitting at the end of the most famous street in Paris, the Champs Elysees, this structure represents French patriotism and honor in full glory. It was created to honor those who fought and died during war fighting for France and beneath it lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This experience was both humbling and unique...we were lucky enough to be there while they were rekindling the eternal flame and laying red, white and blue flowers in memory of all the unknown soldiers. To experience the feelings of gratitude, love and remembrance for their men was unlike anything else. I couldn't help but be moved to tears as people gathered to watch and pay their respects. Even if you can't make it to watch this it is still a moving experience. The Arc is located in the center of a busy traffic area so the only way to get there is to go underground! The ticket counter is located inside the pedestrian tunnel and had minimal wait times, of course the Paris pass is good here so that could save some time for you there. I say it's a must go!    

Rainy days in Paris make for the best pictures

  

The interior of the Arc is adorned with the names of French generals, soldiers and the names of major French victories.

The ceremony of rekindling the fire

7) Luxembourg Gardens
Address:  Boulevard St. Michel, Rue Auguste-Comte and Rue Guynemer, 75006 Paris, France
Cost: FREE for everyone!
Hours: Daily 7am to 1 hour before sunset in summer; 8am to 1 hour before sunset in winter 

These gardens are a great place to bring lunch to and sit and relax as the day passes. It is filled with people but still offers up a relaxing environment. Built in 1611 the palace has held a rather uneventful history much like the uneventful day to day activities that take place during our modern time. Our son had a blast as they have little toy boat rentals for 3 Euro to take out on the ponds located in the garden that are just surrounded by children playing and racing their boats in the water. It made for a pleasant afternoon and a nice break from all the touristy schedules we had on the other days. TIP I think it's a great idea to do one day of running around and busy sight seeing and then one day of relaxing activities and strolling the streets then back again to the hectic schedule of checking your list off and repeating the pattern while you're vacationing. Sometimes you get so burnt out running around and checking sight seeing off it doesn't feel like a vacation anymore let alone having an enjoyable time. 

Well manicured rows of trees line about a quarter of the grounds

You have to send the boat out and bring it back with your stick so if you're boat is in the center of the pond you might be there a while ;)

 
8) Rue Cler
Hours: Weekdays - all day; Saturday and Sunday mornings. Many of the stores are closed on Mondays.

Located in the 7th arrondissement this street market is the must see for any food lover. There is everything from fruit and vegetable stands (Halles Bosquet) to flower stands to my favorite CHEESE (La FermetteFromagerie) there are cafes, bakeries, butchers and chocolate shops! A one stop shop for anything and everything you could possibly dream of. Shopping a market like Rue Cler is not simply shopping in Paris...it is an experience. It's a time to socialize, to purchase groceries for that day (lets face it, kitchens are small in Europe and that equals small refrigerators so a lot of things are purchased daily or every other day to ensure freshness), to smell the fruits and vegetables and get a euphoric vision of how to treat them and love them in the kitchen. The food in Paris is just...well, better. The French actually refer to our American strawberries as "plastic" - at first I didn't understand this but when we actually bought some of their strawberries - well, lets just say I don't really eat them here in the states anymore. The strawberries in Paris are deep red in color, all the way through...no bitter white center and the tops look like fresh little trees not wilted and dead. They were sweet and delicate - AND THAT'S JUST THE STRAWBERRIES! You could easily spend a half a day strolling Rue Cler trying samples, buying items to take back home (I bought some fresh vanilla beans, Herbs de Provence, jams and jellies) or picking up items to keep in your hotel or flat for snacking late at night. I found all the shop owners to be very pleasant and they just loved and adored that I was an American trying my best to speak French. They would laugh with me, talk to me about their food and why it was such good quality and share samples. This was where I tried my first authentic baguette...when you're in Paris walking around you will notice an abundance of people literally just walking around carrying a full size baguette in a paper sleeve that they picked up from the bakery minutes ago and just taking bites out of it as they get to where they're going - when in Paris, do as the Parisians do...I bought a fresh baked baguette from the bakery and I do believe it was love at first bite. I'm embarrassed to admit that I refused to share (even with my son - way to teach him how to share mom). We sat down outside a cafe and had lemon and sugar crepes and people watched as all the Parisians went about their busy day buying groceries and socializing with the fish monger over a table of freshly caught fish from the English Channel. I really could go on about Rue Cler for a couple more paragraphs...but I'll spare you from it. As you could probably tell, I absolutely adored this famous little street and everything it contained. It makes for a tranquil afternoon of enjoying company and stuffing your face with everything delicious. For a list of all the shops on Rue Cler click here http://www.parismarkets.net/RueCler.html
 

The atmosphere is Rue Cler is simply intoxicating

The colors are so vibrant and beautiful. It really made me wish we rented a flat so I could buy this up and cook in a real kitchen!

Fresh daily

Look at those lemons and strawberries...now that is one happy girl.

CHEEEEEEESE

I'm busy getting chocolate drunk...come pick me up an hour before our plane leaves.

9) Montmartre (Sacre Coeur)
Address: 35, RUE DU CHEVALIER-DE-LA-BARRE 75018 PARIS
Hours: Everyday, 6 am - 10:30 pm; for a list of mass services click here http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/practical-information/opening-and-service-times/article/mass
Website: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/english/

Montmartre is a hill located in the 18th arrondissement that houses the renowned Basilica of the Sacre Coeur (The Sacred Heart). It is surrounded by what was once the art cultural scene (many artist either worked or had studios in the surrounding area...such as Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh and more!), the infamous Moulin Rouge and many little cafes and shops. Keep your wallets and purses close! This is such a high traffic area and in all honesty not the absolute safest place in the evening hours...we noticed that on our way up the stairs men were trying to tie bracelets around people's wrists (as you are walking they will hook your swinging arm into the band and just start to tie it) and then demand payment for the product in which they "sold" you. This is not a huge problem there and don't let it deter your decision to go just be aware and keep your arms in close to your body if you see them outside. There is a wonderful little train ride that takes you on a tour throughout the entire hillside (yes even a little taste of the Moulin Rouge area but we didn't see anything too sexual displayed). The train cost 6 Euro per adult but lasted a good 20-30 minutes. It is a guided tour so you will learn a lot of history and facts about Montmartre. When walking the streets around the basilica you will see modern day Picassos setting up their easels and painting in an effort to sell you some of their works. Some are beautiful and some are well...lets just say maybe the basilica is hiring for the clergy. There are plenty of little shops and a lot of pop up t-shirt shops that offer souvenirs not worth of much value but certainly over priced. I'm glad we went and enjoyed the art but I think the next time we are there we could do with out going again. There wasn't a whole of of fun to be had but I do think the train ride memory will stay with our son forever.  

The Basilica

The train we got to ride on around the hill

A view of Montmartre from the city

 
10) Champs Elysees
Website: http://www.champselysees-paris.com/# 

The Champs Elysees really can be described as a Parisian Las Vegas Strip. Being over a mile in length, the well-known street is the shoppers dream! They have everything from a Mercedes Benz store (yes, with cars in it) to Louis Vuitton to Disney and Nike. The lights are heavenly and the streets are just full with activities. You won't find yourself not having enough choices for dining, entertainment or shopping.  

Originally the site of fields and market gardens, the modern Champs Elysees has become a major heart beat for Paris. We had such a great time going in and out of the stores, purchasing one of a kind souvenirs (not the generic ones like under the Eiffel Tower) and stuffing our faces with good food. We came down here a few times during our stay in Paris just for the fun and excitement. If you are visiting in July make sure to check out the massive military parade that celebrates Bastille Day on the 14th every year and if you are there during the holidays be sure to check the street out for amazing holiday lights and decor! 

For a list of shops click here http://www.champselysees-paris.com/shopping
For a list of restaurants click here http://www.champselysees-paris.com/restaurant
For a list of activities click here http://www.champselysees-paris.com/nightlife

For the record, this is not our photo

There is much more to see and do in Paris but these are my top 10 (in no particular order). My hope for you is that you discover that everything posted above is just merely words on a screen because when you get to Paris suddenly all the information will come alive and pierce your souls with the magic of Paris.

I will have another entry in the future covering some more sights that you might enjoy. If you have any questions or need any further info leave me a comment or e-mail me. Until next time, Happy travels my fellow gypsies!