Day 3: Paris

Our alarm clock rings at 6:30 am. We have breakfast and then start an hour later. First, we take the bus to Marne de Ville to catch the train there. After 1 ½ hours, we reach the city center of Paris. Now, just 9 subway stations and we are in front of the Eiffel Tower. We take advantage of the free time and take extensive photos of the tower. I visit the Eiffel Tower for the 4th time and I am excited again. However, today we will go all the way to the top for the first time. The tickets are reserved for 11:30 am, so we save time at the ticket counter. New for us are the security checks and the barricades around the tower.

We take the elevator quickly to the 2nd floor and then continue to the 320-meter-high level with a 30-minute waiting time. The view is clear and we admire the landmarks of Paris from the air. Even Erik is impressed and hardly afraid of heights.

The way down is fast and we stop at the 2nd floor to take our photos. After about 1 hour, we are back down and have lunch at one of the stands on site. We also buy some souvenirs. Then we take the subway to Montmartre, the popular artist district with the Sacre-Coeur church on the hill. We climb the hill with the many steps and take a walk through the neo-Byzantine church. From the top of the hill, we look out over Paris. We walk through Montmartre and enjoy the atmosphere of the street artists and the cafes. With a short detour to Pigalle, the red-light district, to the Moulin Rouge, we continue by subway to Notre-Dame church. The landmark of Paris, built in 1163, now only remains in its exterior facade. In April 2019, the roof structure caught fire and destroyed the cathedral in large parts. Fortunately, the exterior facade could be preserved, so that the restoration could begin. We now see a church under reconstruction. A visit from the inside is currently not possible, but with a lot of effort, the church will shine again in the coming years. The final stop of our tour is the Louvre. Unfortunately, there is no more time for the famous art exhibition, so we have to settle for a look at the glass pyramid. With our last strength, we reach the train station and get on the regional train and then the bus back. It is 8 pm and a quick dinner will have to do.

The children fall asleep quickly and we are exhausted.