It was an easy two hour train ride to the City of Lights when we lived in Belgium in the late 1980s, so we could basically go on a whim. We’ve not been back since, so we decided to arrive a few days early to reacquaint ourselves with this world class city. I must say it’s just as enchanting as I remember with its wide boulevards, beautiful architecture, picturesque bridges, and romantic, sophisticated vibe. The Eiffel Tower and the white dome of Sacré-Cœur Basilica dominate the skyline, just like in the movies. It takes no effort to picture the famous artists, writers, and philosophers of days gone by lingering over a cup of coffee (or a tipple?) at one of the sidewalk cafes.

Because it is so close to our hotel we decided to start getting reacquainted with the city with a quick visit to the Arc de Triomphe or, more formally, the Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile. Etoile means star which makes the name perfect since it is situated at the center of a pretty intimidating roundabout where 12 avenues radiate out. The Arc dates to 1806 and honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. The Tomb of the Unknow Soldier from the first world war lies beneath its vault.

Described by many as ‘the most beautiful avenue in the whole world,’ the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the 12 avenues running to and from the Arc. It is known for its world-famous theatres, cafés, and luxury shops; as the finish of the Tour de France; and for its annual Bastille Day military parade. We strolled but did not submit to temptation.

A bus tour gave us a nice orientation to the city. We passed many of Paris’ classic highlights including the gigantic Louvre Museum with its I. M. Pei–designed glass pyramid entrance. We drove through the Latin Quarter where Mother bought me a T-shirt during our meanderings here 36 years ago. No surprise to some, I still have it and wore it the week before we left. We drove past the Les Invalides complex of military buildings which houses Napoleon’s Tomb, the recently restored Grand Palais and Petit Palais, the former home of NATO Headquarters, the current home of UNESCO, as well as neighborhoods where Josephine Baker, Rodin, and the Kennedys had homes and apartments. We saw the ruins of a Roman bath and made a quick stop at the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company.

We joined a walking tour of Le Marais, a neighborhood built on a former swamp that was once favored by royalty, and in turn the nobility, aristocracy, heads of commerce, and finally as a neighborhood for Chinese immigrants, the working class, and the LGBT community. This was once home to the largest Jewish community in Europe, but sadly 75% were rounded up and died or were murdered in German concentration camps. Once it became a priority to revive this area there was a lot to work with because of the stately buildings, mansions, and regal architecture. Today it’s a sought after location once again with upscale establishments vying for customers along with well established Jewish bakeries, delis, restaurants, museums, galleries, and fashion houses. Our surprise stop: the house that was given to the not altogether attractive, one-eyed, older woman, Catherine Henriette Bellier, also known as one-eyed Catherine or Kate. This house along with other valuable things were her reward for deflowering the 15 year old future King Louis XIV. I kid you not on all accounts.

Dan and I spent one afternoon exploring the West Bank. We made a stop at the Hotel Lutetia to see the bar named in honor of Josephine Baker, the American icon of the Roaring Twenties known for her risqué, popular performances. She made her home in France, developed her reputation as a Paris staple, and became a spy for the French resistance during WWII. The hotel was originally built to house the influx of shoppers at the nearby Le Bon Marché but quickly became popular with writers, artists, and politicians as well. Charles de Gaulle honeymooned here actually, and at the end of WWII he allowed the Red Cross to set up headquarters in the hotel. It was there that former Jewish prisoners were housed and fed while they looked for loved ones and loved ones looked for them. There’s a small plaque to commemorate this.

As long as we were in the neighborhood we popped into the original Le Bon Marché and then moseyed over to check out the Ritz which is located in the eye popping Place Vendôme in the 1st arrondissement. The hotel was home for over twenty years to Coco Chanel and hosted top tier writers as well as those on their way up. We were here to have a drink at the teeny tiny Hemingway Bar tucked into a hard-to-find corner. With just eight mini-tables and a line to get in we decided it was not worth the wait.

Montmartre, one of the most celebrated districts in Paris, seemed worthy of a separate outing. Known for retaining its bohemian charms from the bygone Belle Époque era, this enclave in the 18th arrondissement was the stomping ground of greats including Modigliani, Monet, Renoir, Degas, and van Gogh. It was in fact the world’s most famous artists’ colony in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Artist came for the cheap rent and tax-free wine. We learned about Picasso’s start here, the contributions that Toulouse Lautrec made in this art community, and the necessity for the 17 windmills that were once located at the top of the hill. The district has as its centerpiece 100-year-old Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Something a little more contemporary is the Wall of Love which was created in 2000 and is composed of 612 blue tiles on which the phrase ‘I love you’ is featured 311 times in 250 languages and dialects including Navajo and Inuit.

With Apple Maps in hand it was easy to locate a few fun stops near Montmartre. The red windmill of the famous Moulin Rouge, for example, a cabaret founded in 1859. Think risqué Cancan dancers performing to rich and poor alike. We popped into the Fragonard Perfume Museum for a quick review of the story of perfume from Egyptian times to the present. The winner of most dazzling site/sight goes to the Garnier Opera built between 1669 and 1775. Picture the opulence of Versailles in the form of an opera house and you’ll be close. It was designed so that the 2,000 in attendance not only had a nice view of the stage but also a nice view of one another.

Of all the things to see in Paris Dan and I were the most excited to see Notre Dame again. It took 182 years to build this iconic cathedral which is situated on a small island, L’île de la Cité, in the middle of the river. Capacity: 6,000. Right along with the rest of the world we were shocked when a fire in the spring of 2019 destroyed virtually all of the structural components made of wood including the spire and the roof. Donations exceeding €840 million are covering the cost to rebuild and repair the extensive damage to this treasure dating to the 12th century. We’ve missed the reopening by a mere two months!

Although we used the Metro once, we decided to walk from place to place, so we could discover things along the way. We sort of overdid it on Day One with 11.5 miles, so we slowed that to a modest 8.5 on Day Two and an embarrassingly meager 4 on Day Three. Our reward Day One was a cocktail and snacks (to the tune of €100!) on the 34th floor of our hotel where we had a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower lit up against the night sky.

Day Three was a very slow day because we had to center our activities around having the bags out by 10:00, rallying in the lobby at 11:15 to identify said bags, and taking a bus to our vessel which, surprise surprise, had to be relocated downriver about 17 miles because the high water in the center of Paris did not allow our vessel to get under the bridges. Our new location at Le Pecq was perfect for a quick walking tour of the upscale area of Saint Germain-en-Laye, birthplace of Louis XIV, and its palace turned museum turned German headquarters for the western front during WWII turned back into a museum. When King Francis I lived here he was gifted the Mona Lisa by his buddy Leonardo da Vinci who was in France by the King’s invitation. The highlight of this relaxing day was meeting up with Hettie and Ronnie, who were fresh off their plane, for dinner.

Day Four, our last in Paris, had us back in town logging more miles, eating more fun food, and learning a brain-popping amount of information ranging from Roman times to the current project of breaking down all the temporary structures used in hosting this year’s summer Olympics.

We headed downstream toward the channel about the time we were sitting down to dinner.

… Sidebars …

Breakfast buffet: In an attempt to satisfy as many preferences as possible the buffet at the hotel has a wide assortment including prosciutto, olives, grilled vegetables, cheese, chia seed custard,
pastries (duh) and baguettes, eggs, rice, dumplings,
and mini-lettuce heads the size of large Brussel sprouts.

Parks: They have been a center piece of life in Paris since Roman times.
Today there are 421 municipal parks, some formerly attached to palaces, chateaus, monasteries, and museums, but others were developed solely for the pleasure of the average Parisian.
The oldest still in existence date to the 1500s.
166 new parks have been added since 1977!