Germany, Austria and Switzerland, 2015
Pre-Tour in Paris
We visited Café Constant. Here was our favorite part!
Soon after planning to take the Germany, Austria and Switzerland tour, we realized there is a very real danger to traveling to Europe - the fact that everything is so accessible makes it far too tempting to add on to your trip. We had always wanted to see what all the fuss was about with Paris, so we thought we would add a few days before our trip. This was one of our best ideas yet! We spent 4 lovely, busy days in Paris wearing out our shoes before the tour started, and when we were done, it was only a 3 hour, relaxing train ride to Trier (we even got to add a bonus stop in Luxembourg to our list!) We had a super ambitious itinerary in Paris, but wouldn't change a thing.
We started off our trip learning about the importance of flexibility. We were booked on the last flight out of Newark to Paris, and our connecting flight was delayed. When the airline representative told us that we would miss an entire day of our trip because we would have to wait until the next night to get a flight out, we were so disappointed. But then we did some research and sweet talked the attendant into booking us onto the last flight of the day to London and then a connecting flight to Paris. We ended up only landing 3 hours later than originally planned! It pays to do your own research, and packing lightly truly pays off, as we were only able to make the last minute switch because we hadn't checked a bag.
As soon as we checked into our hotel room, we checked out the view and then hit the town. We decided to walk to see the Eiffel Tower first, and then walked along the Seine to see Notre Dame and the Louvre. We stopped for a quick meal in the Tuileries Gardens before continuing our walk. Of course we needed to try the famous Nutella crepes, and it provided energy on our long hike back to our hotel. The fresh air and adrenaline helped us get through until bedtime.
On our second day, we took a day trip to the Loire Valley to see 4 of the most famous chateaux. It was a whirlwind trip, but we had a blast! We toured Chenonceau, Cheverny, Amboise and Chambord. We could definitely see going back to spend a week, but it was a great first taste!
On day three, we took the metro to Versailles and we learned the importance of getting up early! We waited in line 45 minutes before the palace was open and we were the first ones in! It was amazing to see the Hall of Mirrors completely empty. We went back through 30 minutes after opening to catch a room we had missed and couldn't believe the difference! After the palace, we spent a few hours walking around the gardens and the Hamlet. After returning to Paris, we did a quick tour of the Opera Garnier and the famous department stores - Printemps and Galeries Lafayette. It is staggering how beautiful the French can make even mundane aspects of life! We finished off the evening with a delicious meal at Cafe Constant.
Our last day in Paris we hit our three "must see" attractions: Notre Dame, St. Chapelle and the Louvre. We were blown away by all three experiences!
Our speedy tour of Paris may not be recommended for everyone, but we figure we can sleep when we get home! And all the walking gave us the added cultural experience of buying bandaids and ankle wraps in a Parisian pharmacy! We were so tired from our 4 days of running that we ended the night with take-away pizza in our hotel room watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle. We will definitely be back to Paris!
The Hall of Mirrors when we arrived versus 30 minutes after opening. It pays to wake up early! It was awesome to experience the Palace when it was empty!
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