- Thursday-Friday: Scheduled to fly out of Dulles in the early evening on Icelandair to Reykjavik, but a strike in Iceland kept the planes grounded until almost midnight. Not crazy about the airline (cramped, minimal service), but the layover in Reykjavik was sort of fun. Took off from Iceland around 11:30 and landed at Charles de Gaulle airport around 5PM. After grabbing my bags and picking up a Paris Museum Pass, I spent the next couple of hours navigating the public transit system in Paris [map] (airport train, RER, and Metro). Arrived in the arrondissement (16, Plassy) where my hotel was located. Got to the Hotel Nicolo around 7:30. After unpacking I was too tired to go back out, so I made it an early evening.
- Saturday: Up around 7, breakfast at the hotel. After breakfast, I walked up to Place du Trocadero, and hung around for awhile, photographing the Eiffel Tower across the Seine. From there, I walked to Place du Charles de Gaulle in a light, chilly rain, and toured the Arc de Triomphe. Walked from there down the Champs Elysees to the Pont Alexandre III, and crossed the Seine. Had lunch at a nice cafe near Les Invalides (snails, salad with seafood, beer, bread). then walked over to the Musee de l’Armee to check out Napoleon’s tomb and the World War I and II exhibits. After the museum visit, I walked to the Champ de Mars, past the Eiffel Tower, and back to the hotel, arriving about 4PM. Rested at the hotel until about 7, then had dinner at a local cafe (Cafe Le Passy, raw fish, steak, and wine).
- Sunday: After breakfast at the hotel, I took the Metro from Plassy to Cité to start a walking tour based on Rick Steves’ “Historic City Walk” and “Left Bank Walk.” Still raining, sometimes relatively hard. Arrived at Notre Dame in time for the 8AM mass (celebrating the transition of Popes). After Notre Dame, I walked around the Cité area and Ile St. Louis, and then went back to visit the Archaeological Crypt under the cathedral. Crossed to the Left Bank on the Pont Tournelle, then walked along the river to visit St. Severin and then to the Latin Quarter. The sun started to appear (first time since I got to Paris) as I walked to see the Sorbonne, and then to the Musée de Cluny. After the Cluny, I visited a French version fast food place, then visited the Luxembourg Gardens. The weather had completely cleared by the time I got to the gardens (warm, sunny), so I lingered for about an hour. Walked from the gardens back to the river, stopping at Place St. Michel, and then to Sainte-Chapelle. After touring Sainte-Chapelle, I walked past the Palace de Justice, then to the Conciergerie. Finished the afternoon with a Metro trip to the Denfert Rochereau Station, hoping to make the last call at the Catacombs, but I was a little late. Took the Metro back to Plassy Station, and rested in the hotel for an hour or two. Dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. After dinner, I took the Metro back to Place Charles de Gaulle for an evening stroll down the Champs Elysees and to see the illuminated Arc de Triomphe. Walked back to the hotel, stopping at Trocadero for a snack (crepe with nutella and banana) and to see the twinkling lights on the Eiffel Tower. Arrived at the hotel around 11.
- Monday: Spent all of Monday morning at the Louvre, lots of people but nowhere near as crowded as I feared. Had a very nice lunch in the museum cafeteria. After lunch I tried to visit the Catacombs again, but found the location closed on Mondays. Headed back to the Eiffel Tower and got in line for the elevator ride to the top. Beautiful day and spectacular views from the top of the tower. Headed back to the hotel for a rest, then had dinner at a local Asian restaurant. Took a stroll along the Seine as the sun was setting.
- Tuesday: Headed to the Musee Orsay early and spent the morning touring the museum. After the Orsay, I took the metro to Montemarte [map]. Had lunch at a cafe near the Anvers Metro stop (salad, duck confit, steak frites, beer). After lunch I headed up the hill to Sacre Cœur. Moseyed around the hills of Montmarte for few hours, and walked back to the Metro station near the Moulin Rouge. Took the Metro to the Gambetta stop and walked to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Got back to the hotel in the early evening, and had dinner at the same local Asian place where I dined on Monday evening. After dinner, walked back to the Eiffel Tower to enjoy the night-time scene.
- Wednesday: A cold I had been fighting all week began to give me problems. After breakfast at the hotel, I walked to the nearby RER stop, and grabbed a morning train to Versailles [map]. While waiting in the line to enter the palace, I met a few people in a tour group from Belarus. Chatted with them for the hour or so that we waited in line. Toured the palace, then walked around the grounds, and back to the palace for lunch. Took the train back to the city, and walked to the Paris Sewers Museum. Walked back to Plassy, did some shopping (looking for earrings for Susan), then back to the hotel to rest. Dinner at local Italian restaurant (calamari, pasta, and wine), then one last stroll along the Seine, and back to my hotel to pack for the trip home.
- Thursday: Early breakfast at the hotel, then Metro to the RER and then to the airport for an early afternoon flight back to Reykjavik and then to to Dulles. Saw Alex in the airport, chatted briefly and then went to wait in an incredibly long line at the Icelandair counter. Arrived at Dulles around 7PM, and took an airport van back home. Enjoyed an interesting conversation with a locally stationed marine who was sharing the van, on the ride home.
Kerry Snow's Travel Blog (and other stuff)
