La Tour Eiffel
Although we arrived early to the Tour Eiffel, the people waiting had already formed a snaking line beneath the tower they desired to ascend.
Fortunately the ‘I’m fit enough to not need an elevator’ line was very short and we were soon scaling the steel stairs to the second level of the tower.
668 steps later we arrived, slightly short of breath and in need of the water we brought, but confident we’d beaten all those who lined up for the elevator below.
The views of Paris from the tower were pretty amazing, smog aside. From every side of the tower there were several Parisian icons to spot.
Back down the steps, now with time to read the signs along the way that inform you on various tower trivia like it’s weight in elephant equivalents or that it is coated with 60 tonnes of paint.
Palais de Chaillot and Trocadéro Garden from La Tour Eiffel
We then headed for the Arc de Triomphe. Commissioned by Napoleon (like a few things around here…) the massive arch sits in the middle of a 12-street intersection. If driving, it seems you shut your eyes, pull out and hope someone else actually has their eyes open to see you and let you through the world’s craziest round-a-bout.
Arc de Triomphe
One of the 12 streets leading away from the arch is Champs-Elysées – a wide, tree lined boulevard that took us to the Tuileries Garden and home.
Champs-Elysées
Are your knees ok after all those steps! At least you would have burnt off a lot of energy so you could eat more yummy French food.
@ Lucy: We were a bit shaky at the bottom! And yes, we went and had a 3-course French meal at Le Mesturet.
WOW what can we say. Hurry home so we can hear about it all again.
looking forward to this time next week.
mum and garyxx