Saturday, Le Tour de France departed from Grenoble at 11:55. At 11:58, after three hours of enjoying the festivities leading up to the grand departure, we ourselves departed- high tailing it out of the park alongside the Bauers to dash up to the third floor apartment, throw out some unneccessaries. The family is midway through a six-week French vacation, and suggested to watch out for too many clothes and books, and to remember a towel! Taking all that advice, I threw out a few outfits and threw in the towel. Quite literally. Bless that family for their suggestions as they will be much appreciated the farther we go.
We then buckled up our backpacks and the six of us hopped back down the stairs and headed to the station. Though our trains left to different French cities, we unknowingly managed to schedule our trips out of Grenoble just four minutes apart.
Giving each other great big hugs, we parted with ‘au revoir’ and ‘merci’ for those new French memories.
Off to Paris!
If Paris is on your list of cities to visit, keep it there. This mystical city of Northern France lives up to the stories you’ve heard. In a twenty-two hour whirlwind, we managed to confirm some hearsay as factual.
The architecture is grandiose.
The cafe is delicioux.
The Eiffel Tower is as gorgeous in daylight as it is in nightlight. Join the crowd and bring a picnic when you go: baguette, cheese, wine, and chocolate
The line for the Louvre extends longer than any line you’ve ever seen. Think Black Friday sales for every store at the Mall of America bleeding together.
There is no Hunchback of Notre Dame. However, there is a man teaching tourists how to attract sparrows to their extended and, and there are clowns on the corner. Red nose and all.
It is a big city. Take Ben’s advice and buy a bus pass. Saturday, I insisted we walked to the ‘nearby’ attractions after the long train ride to Paris, Sunday, we bought a pass. Much better
Love is everywhere, and so are fully decked out brides with their grooms. Wedding photos. Wedding receptions. Weddings! Beautifully happy couples adorned the city, like scenes from a bridal magazine.
There is plenty of opportunity to drop some serious cash. We took the train ands stayed in a hotel on the outskirts of town to keep costs down. Buying fruits from the market and keeping snacks with helped too. But if you’d like there is fine cuisine and fine wines to be found all around, and for just 3200 euros per night, you can get a 320 square meter suite at The Peninsula. If you’re really looking for comfortable accommodation, here’s a great list of family-friendly stays around the city!
The sounds are just as fabulous as the sites. Opening our hotel room window at night, we were graced with the music of a neighbor playing smooth sounds on an electric guitar. Walking down the streets, we passed by a party of voices laughing and floating their way through the cool night air. The whirring of police sirens and honking of horns, it’s all so familiar yet so unique.
Twenty two hours after our arrival in the City of Light we were yet again on our way.
With a pitstop in Lille, France, we continue-
Off to Belgium!
Miss Maps 
So much fun! Wish I were there with you guys. Have a great time in “Ben”-e-lux!
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