On the second day of the Paris trip, we woke up at 3am. Yeah, whoops. Jet-lag is not fun. So naturally, we were up early and ready to go see the Eiffel Tower.
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| Paris Trip Day 2 Review |
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| view of the Eiffel tower from the Place du Trocadero |
Unfortunately we did not know that early in the morning the sun shines directly into the camera at this view of the Eiffel Tower. The BEST place to take a picture of the Eiffel Tower is at the Place du Trocadero. You can take Metro line 6 or 9 and get off at Trocadero. Follow the signs from the metro to “Tour Eiffel”… and voila! It is approximately a 5 minute walk to this view.
Obviously this was the best place to take Eiffel Tower pictures, as we saw 2 bride and groom couples taking pictures here. How romantic!
On this trip we did not go to the top of the Eiffel Tower. There is a long line even when it opens early in the morning. I have a phobia of heights and wasn’t too fond of going to the top again, and it wasn’t a must for my husband. So we saved the extra Euros (ha, to use on my purse!)
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| The Eiffel Tower from below |
From the Eiffel Tower, we headed to St. Germain. We stopped at the Cluny Museum (now called the Museum of Middle Ages) which is a medieval museum in St. Germain. We sat and enjoyed the famous Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. The tapestries were made around 1500.
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| Lady and the Unicorn tapestries |
They were SO beautiful. What you can’t see in the pictures is actually how much they shimmer with the metallic thread that was used. I highly recommend going to see them if you’re into textiles… the museum entrance fee is included in your museum pass.
There were some other tapestries too, like this one with sheep! Love it!
After that museum, we strolled and shopped along the streets of St. Germain de Pres. We saw this pretty hand carved wooden door with angels and fruit. How fancy!
The streets of St. Germain de Pres were so much fun to walk around on. We saw pretty buildings and cafes, such as the Cafe de Flore below. We did not eat here as it was $$$, however I’m sure it would be fun! Next time I go, I would probably want to stay in St. Germain de Pres. Or at the Ritz. ha!
We went to Pierre Herme, which I already blogged about. Did I mention that I LOVED the rose ispahan croissant and that you need to try one? Oh I did? okay I’ll stop. for now.
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| macarons at Pierre Herme |
Once we picked up our pastries, we walked to the nearest square which had this beautiful old fountain. We sat here for about an hour or so and enjoyed our treats.
Oh, I HIGHLY recommend bringing plastic utensils in your bag so you can enjoy your treats in a park like this. Otherwise you’ll have one big mess on your hands!
We walked by famous stores, like the oldest chocolatier in paris, A La Mer de Famille! We did not buy anything here as we were already full from Pierre Herme! This chocolate store was super cute though!
Other places in St. Germain de Pres area that we shopped at were… Herve Chapelier, Le Bon Marche, Faconnable, La Maison du Chocolat, Louis Vuitton, Pierre Herme. We walked by Le Jacquard Francais but did not buy anything.
For lunch, we bought sandwiches at Le Grand Epicurie which is next to Le Bon Marche. We then sat in this cute park and had a picnic enjoying the flowers and watching the pigeons and people.
We decided to check out the Palais Garnier (the Paris Opera House). Despite going to Paris five times, we had never set foot inside the opera! We decided to check it out this time! And WHOA. It was beautiful. The great part is is that they use it still for productions today. We thought about getting tickets to a show but did not. How much fun would that be??
I felt like the Phantom was going to come out from behind a wall and start singing in this place… (If you did not know, the Phantom of the Opera was inspired by this opera house!)
After that, we crossed the street to go to Galleries Lafayette and Printemps. Honestly, Galleries Lafayette was a hot mess. SO MANY PEOPLE. While they did have some reasonably priced scarves, it was so crowded we were over-it and left. Printemps was much less crowded and we enjoyed something to drink in one of their cafes. But after a long day of sightseeing, we were pooped.
We eventually made it back near our temporary home… walking down pretty streets like the one below…
If you’ve missed a Paris trip post, catch them ALL RIGHT HERE !
You do a fabulous job on your blog. I can't wait to go back to Paris and use your guide. Who needs Rick Steves?!!
Thank you! I am by no means as clever as rick Steves but thanks for the compliment!
I'm truly enjoying a little summer trip to Paris, via your lovely blog. 😉
Thanks for sharing, Angelina.
I'm glad you're enjoying it! I have been having fun reliving my trip while I write about it!
So beautiful! My daughter and I are jealous! When we go, we will take you along so you can show us all the beautiful sights!
Oh thank you! In a pretty city like Paris, even an amateurs photos can look good! Thanks for stopping by!
You makes me want to visit Paris. I've never been there before. Everything looks so lovely. I especially enjoyed your building pictures 🙂 Popping over from Moonlight and Mason Jars. Cheers!
Veronika @ Tickled Pink Confetti
Paris is my favorite city in the world and that's why I keep writing about it. I highly recommend a trip there! Thanks for stopping by!
Living vicariously through your photos. Paris is at the top of my list of places to visit.
You ought to go… The dollar is strong right now!
Oh I love the architecture! Now I want to visit Paris too. Thanks for sharing your photos with us!
I love the architecture there too. In the old sections in Paris, you aren't allowed to build the buildings more than 5 stories so that way the Eiffel Tower is still the tallest thing in the city center.
Oh my gosh – I spent an entire afternoon once – just a friend and I – at the Cafe de Fiore – just drinking Chocolat Chaud – no food LOL…………….it must have been a slow day for them !
We used to go to Paris yearly ( sometimes twice ) with our business – seeing these photos brings back the most glorious memories !
Thanks for sharing
xxx
That sounds like a dream! We debated about eating there but it was crowded by the time lunch time rolled around and it was a little pricey… although I bet I could nurse a chocolate chaud all afternoon too. I have been quite a few times myself when I was a bit younger… tag along on my Dad's business trips.
Angelina, I am enjoying your recap of a wonderful trip to Paris! Although I've been to Paris a few times I have never made it to the top of the Eiffel Tower either. Those lines!! And of course the height too–I would probably have to keep my eyes closed up there! Looking forward to seeing more pictures! Linda
The top isn't the part I'm afraid of… it's the slow elevator ride with windows all around and the clicking noises it makes as it goes up… so scary for people with a fear of heights! Once you get to the top though… what is there to look at? As the *thing* to look at in Paris is the Eiffel Tower… I think the top of the Arc de Triomphe is much more scenic!
Just beautiful! Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home!
thank you for stopping by every week!