Paris is always a good idea

I got up at the butt crack of dawn to see Paris at sunrise. Yeah, it sucked getting up when the world was still dark and quiet and I was totally comfy cozy in bed, but the views were worth it. My first stop was back to the Eiffel Tower. I viewed it from the Trocadero, the only other person around was a street cleaner. The sky was a mix of blue and peach. It was simply stunning.

As I ambled the streets, I made my way to the Pont Alexandre III. This bridge is a beaut! It is hands down the most ornate bridge in Paris and connects the Champs Elysees and the Invalides.

Along my path to nowhere in particular I passed the Petit Palais and the Luxor Obelisk before reaching the Tuileries Garden.

Sitting at the edge of the Tuileries is the Louvre. Getting there super early and on a day that the museum is closed (Tuesday) was key for having the pyramids to myself so I was stoked. I did spot some “Influencers in the wild” posing next to the massive pyramids. Next stop was the Palais-Royal for a peek at the famous Colonnes de Buren, the contemporary art installation made up of 260 black and white striped columns. During the day (like all places in Paris) it is difficult to snap a pic with no-one else in the shot, so arriving early was key!

I continued to stroll the rues of Paris until I came upon Notre Dame. In April of 2019, the Cathedral went up in flames, destroying not only the historic building but the hearts of people all over the world. Having never visited Paris before now, I was seeing the cathedral in its scaffolded state. Such a sad site to see. It has been said that the cathedral will be back up and running by the end of 2024. Fingers crossed!

As I made my way back to the hotel, I made one final stop at the Tour Saint-Jacques. All that remains from an old church, now a national historic landmark, the Tower sits in a delightful park.