France--Day 3

On Tuesday, we changed our plans from visiting Versailles to walking around and exploring the Right Bank a bit. The Louvre was closed but we still walked over there and took some photos. I've been to the Louvre before, but this time I wasn't able to make it. I know I'll be back with my kids one day and go there for sure with them.
On the way, I had my sister pretend she was shopping. She's the red head--not the woman with gray hair. :) I thought this store had their produce set up so nicely.
After seeing the pretty fruit and veggies, we walked by a patisserie and then onto the Hotel de Ville. How do they do it? Look at all those beautiful desserts!

city hall

I.M. Pei's pyramid. One of the entrances to the Louvre.

The Tuileries is a garden right by the Louvre. It was so hot that day. We found some shade by the bushes and rested for a while. I started feeding the birds. I don't think I'm the first one to do it. Then we decided to head down the Champs Elysee and walk to the Arc de Triumph. You can see it (way) behind me below. The Champs Elysee is a very busy avenue in Paris with high-end shops. It's lined with trees and outdoor cafes.


I think my favorite place for viewing Paris is the Arc de Triumph. Not only is it a magnificent structure, it offers a view of Paris like no other monument. One can really see the topography of Paris from the top of the Arc de Triumph. We had to walk up to the top and believe me, this is bigger than it looks in pictures! We were a little out of breath at the top.

I love this picture of the Eiffel Tower. And you can see Montemartre in the distance with the Basilica of Sacre-Coeur overlooking the city.
From the Arc de Triumph, we decided to take the metro back to the apartment. We were tired. I think we walked a ton that day and were still jet-lagged. (I had forgotten how long it takes to get over it when you travel to Europe). Once we got off the metro (I feel like we walked a ton underground, too!), we headed east. As we were crossing one of the foot bridges, we caught the Eiffel Tower at sunset. I had to zoom this image after I took it. I still think it's pretty, however.
We took some pictures of Notre Dame at night and got back to the apartment after dark. Another day of walking, walking, walking. We were ready for a good night's sleep!