Our first full day of the tour was just the tip of the iceberg of what was to come. We started our day by meeting in the hotel lobby. We then walked to our “home” Métro station, École Militaire. Once inside the Métro, our guide Rolinka, showed us where to find the Métro station map and the different lines at that station. We boarded the train, and headed towards our first destination of the day.
We headed towards Ile de la Cité where Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame Cathedral are located. Our first stop was the medieval Gothic chapel Sainte-Chapelle. Our guide gave us 30 minutes to walk through the chapel and admire the beautiful stained glass windows, statues and architecture. I was surprised at how small this chapel was, but it was truly breathtaking.
We headed towards Ile de la Cité where Sainte-Chapelle and Notre-Dame Cathedral are located. Our first stop was the medieval Gothic chapel Sainte-Chapelle. Our guide gave us 30 minutes to walk through the chapel and admire the beautiful stained glass windows, statues and architecture. I was surprised at how small this chapel was, but it was truly breathtaking.
We then walked to Notre-Dame Cathedral. Outside of the cathedral, our tour guide pointed out important figures on the front façade. Saint Denis was a Christian martyr who was beheaded atop the highest hill of Paris, now called Montmartre. It is said that after his beheading, he picked up his head and walked 10 kilometers while preaching a sermon of repentance. Statues of Saint Denis can be seen throughout Paris, including Notre-Dame Cathedral. After our orientation to Notre-Dame, it was time to explore on our own.
Whether you are a religious person or not, you can appreciate the architecture, the beauty, the power, the hope and the peace within these walls. As I stood in this massive cathedral, all I could think was that this is the definition of AWESOME. While we were inside, the noon mass procession began. You could sit and observe mass. You could feel how important this place was and how important this experience was to so many people. Once I finished in the Cathedral, I wanted to see what the cathedral had to offer from the outside. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to ascend the hundreds of stairs to the top of the cathedral today (but don’t worry, I will get to it later).
Whether you are a religious person or not, you can appreciate the architecture, the beauty, the power, the hope and the peace within these walls. As I stood in this massive cathedral, all I could think was that this is the definition of AWESOME. While we were inside, the noon mass procession began. You could sit and observe mass. You could feel how important this place was and how important this experience was to so many people. Once I finished in the Cathedral, I wanted to see what the cathedral had to offer from the outside. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to ascend the hundreds of stairs to the top of the cathedral today (but don’t worry, I will get to it later).
We then headed for the Latin Quarter for a walking tour. The Latin Quarter is known for its lively atmosphere and food. It is also home for the narrowest street in Paris, Rue du Chat qui Pêche. The Rue du Chat qui Pêche (the Street of the Fishing Cat) is 5 feet 11 inches wide.
After our afternoon walk, we headed to the Cluny National Museum of the Middle Ages. This houses many important medieval artifacts, original stained glass windows from Sainte-Chapelle, and Lady and the Unicorn tapestry. This concluded our day with the Rick Steves tour, but my sister and I were not done.
After our afternoon walk, we headed to the Cluny National Museum of the Middle Ages. This houses many important medieval artifacts, original stained glass windows from Sainte-Chapelle, and Lady and the Unicorn tapestry. This concluded our day with the Rick Steves tour, but my sister and I were not done.
We took our dad back to the hotel, and then we headed towards the Place Vendôme. On our bus tour, we drove by some of the most luxurious, designer brand shops in Paris. We passed by a section of expensive watch and jewelry stores such as Piaget, Chanel, Rolex, and of course SWATCH! As a child of the 80s, I remember these colorful watches. Our guide told us that this Swatch store does not have “designer” prices, and you can find pieces at this store that can only be found in Paris. I love watches, so my sister and I had to go here. I bought a colorful, Mona Lisa inspired watch, where she is wearing sunglasses and giving a peace sign. After Swatch shopping, we headed to Galeries Lafayette to admire the Christmas decorations, and then over to the Paris Opera. We fit in a lot that first full day, and there was still a lot of exploring to do.