After packing up and saying au revoir to Paris (via the Arc de Triomphe to Dale’s delight as our driver) we headed to Normandy to visit the Mont Saint-Michel. We booked a lovely Airbnb with a view of the medieval village and abbey and after checking in and dropping off our luggage we headed straight to the tidal island! Our group made our way up through the winding streets towards the abbey, it really feels like you have stepped into a Harry Potter movie! The views are spectacular and after exploring we enjoyed a great dinner before heading back to the house. This stop was a bit out of our way but well worth a visit if you ever have the chance!
Seine River Cruise
Notre-Dame de Paris
After our trip to the museum Sophie, Alex, Winston, Dale, Grant & I walked to Notre-Dame. Visiting the cathedral was a highlight of my very first trip to Europe in 2009 and we were all eager to see the reconstruction after the devastating fire in 2019. We weren’t able to get tickets to go inside but I loved seeing all the work that had been done to restore the building from the outside. After exploring for a bit we headed to lunch at La Dame de Paris before heading back for a few minutes of rest at the hotel before dinner. Both boys did remarkably well with a busy, hot day!
The Louvre
Our one full day in Paris began with a guided tour of the Louvre. Our family was split into two smaller groups and our guides whisked us past the long lines and straight into the VERY crowded museum. Shortly before our visit the Louvre had been closed due to strikes so we were grateful to get in!
We decided to walk to the museum and it was so nice to enjoy the park and surrounds before the heat really picked up! Once inside we quickly explored a good amount of the galleries and ended at the fantastic Louvre Couture exhibit. Seeing the haute couture alongside the ornate French interiors was inspiring and while the boys were ready to head out and explore the city Grace and my parents took in the entire fashion collection. The craziest part of our visit was seeing the jewels that just a few months later would be stolen from the museum! Despite the heat and crowds the Louvre really is a must-see!
Bonjour, Paris
Saturday June 21st our family arrived in Paris! My Mom and Grace had already spent a week exploring and we were all so excited to finally meet up with them. After a long flight with two littles and a long wait for our rental car we checked in to the Hotel Rochester Champs-Elysees and attempted to pull ourselves together for dinner. After a shower and cat nap we walked to Le Petit Cler to eat! After a delicious meal we walked over to get our first up-close glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. Grant was a trooper and after a few too many photos we were all off to get some rest before a full day to explore Paris!
