An American in Paris

Last week was our whirlwind, jam-packed trip to Paris!  It was such a wonderful and enlightening trip for me, one filled with awesome learning experiences and great memories.

We arrived in France in no time thanks to the Eurostar train, a non-stop service from London to Paris.  The only roadblock for me was a fever that I was fighting off the morning that we left, but luckily I had lots of people looking out for me that helped me carry my bags up and down stairs in the Underground and at the train station.

After a hop, skip, and a jump over the Channel, we arrived at the Gare du Nord train station in Paris on Tuesday afternoon.  I spent the rest of the day cruising down the Seine, dining on the Champs Elysees, and looking out upon Paris at night from the tippy-top of the Eiffel Tower.  It was such a great introduction to Paris!

On Wednesday morning, we made our way out to Versailles (after a slightly circuitous and industrially scenic route to the train station.  Haha).  Versailles was mind-blowing!  I've seen my fair share of elegant palaces since being in Europe, but the opulence of Versailles was incredible, and at times a little overwhelming.  

My favorite part of the palace was wandering through the unfathomably huge gardens, which are exquisite, even at the end of autumn.  After returning to Paris, I ate the best onion soup of my life, wandered around the Latin Quarter, and finally ended up at the Musee du Louvre, which was one of the highlights of my trip.  I have so much to say about the Louvre (and the Orsay), so you'll have to wait for another blog post. :)  Needless to say, I loved the Louvre!

On Thursday, the last day in Paris, I started off with a visit to Musee d'Orsay, which showcases mostly French paintings from the 19th century.  I could have stayed in the Orsay all week.  It was incredible, and I left the museum definitely uplifted.  I then made my way to Sainte Chapelle, a church I have wanted to visit for some time.  My jaw dropped when I entered the upper chapel, for I was so impressed with the architecture and exquisite stained-glass windows.  It really does feel like you're trapped in a giant jewelry box! 

 I then moved onto another symbol of Paris, Notre Dame.  I conquered the killer stairs and enjoyed a gorgeous view of Paris up at the top of the bell tower.  After hanging out with the gargoyles and the great bourdon bell, I made my way down and inside the church, which was a great moment for me.  It seems that I was trying to get my fill of churches on Thursday, because I finished my trip to Paris by going to Sacre Coeur, a basilica at La Butte Montmartre, which is a hill overlooking the city.  Sacre Coeur was beautiful and unique both inside and out, and it reminded me a lot of many Byzantine-style churches, something I didn't really expect to find in Paris.  As I looked out at Paris from the top of Montmartre, I was so thankful for the opportunity to experience this amazing city!