Day Trip(s): Paris

It’s pretty hard to go to France and not talk about Paris, even if you’re not living there. I’m no exception, and since Saint-Quentin is a short 1.5 hour train ride away, I have even more opportunities to experience the Parisian France (which is quite different from everywhere-else France).

I’d been to Paris once before this year; when my family visited during my semester abroad, we spent four days in Paris and saw a lot (the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame).  There were still a few major landmarks I needed to mark off my list this year, two of which I saw during visits to Paris at the end of October and earlier in November.

~ My family in Paris 2 years ago ~

Stop 1: Sacre Coeur. I visited Sacre Coeur, an impressive basilica sitting atop a steep hill, with my fellow assistants on our way to Normandy in October. We arrived early in the day when a dense fog was covering the basilica—we could barely make out the building’s outline from the base of the hill. Visibility improved a bit as we climbed, and by the time we had reached the top, toured the interior, and reemerged outside, the fog had blown away, revealing an impressive view of Paris.

 

~ Sacre Coeur: foggy and visible ~

~ View of Paris from the top ~

Stop 2: The Eiffel Tower. This is one of the most recognizable and visited landmarks in the world, but I didn’t manage to see it up close until I visited Paris again a few weeks ago. Miraculously, I managed to be at the Eiffel Tower during the only 20 minutes of sunlight to hit France in November, resulting in some nice photo ops. My mission for next time: climbing to the top!

Stop 3: Starbucks. Okay, not a famous landmark. However, when I met up with my friend Sean from study abroad (who is living and studying in Paris this year), it was a case of two Americans who, despite our proclivity for French culture, just really wanted a reliable caffeinated beverage. Also, it was great to catch up over coffee and proceed to spend the afternoon shopping (which is just as legitimate a "Paris activity" as seeing the Eiffel Tower).

~ Sun! ~

~ I definitely got close this time ~