Day: 21-22 (Day 5 & 6 in Paris)
Km travelled:18.07km
Steps:28,229
September 27th – 28th, 2017
We had been blessed so far in Paris with beautiful blue skies and mild to warm temperatures. Today was no exception. Perfect day for exploring some of the city’s gems by foot! It is relatively easy to navigate Paris’ attractions by foot, as many are either in close proximity to each other, such as Notre Dame and company on L’Ile de la Cité, or the walk between sites becomes an attraction in itself. Streets lined with shops, a perfect distraction for the eyes and mind, as well as quaint cafés, beckoning the tired souls (and soles!) to rest for a drink before continuing on their way.
Paris’ public transportation system, from the metro, RER and bus system, are easy to navigate and inexpensive. I found myself crisscrossing Paris’ many train and metro stations over the course of the last 3 weeks of travel in France and was always struck with the same thought: thank goodness my luggage was a backpack! Trudging up and down and up staircases, I would always notice those trying with great effort to lug large, wheeled suitcases up the stairs as I ran past with my pack on my back! (ok, maybe not quite running up the stairs, but still). Compared to other large cities I’ve visited, the Paris metro was seriously lacking in escalators. Still, this shouldn’t turn off any visitors from taking full advantage of the vast metro network to maximize their time in the city. I think of it this way:for every calorie burned on a staircase, it’s a calorie earned in the form of a croissant!
The ‘Musée du Parfum Fragonard’ had been highly recommended by our fantastic Parisian hosts and we were eager to discover this beloved fragrance house’s secrets. Located a few hundred feet away from ‘Opera Garnier’, this museum provided free guided tours in several different languages.
Essentials oils used in the various perfumes
The museum has a variety of antique perfume bottles, some dating back to the time of the Egyptians!
The tour is interactive and we had the opportunity had the chance to test our olfactory senses with a ‘identify that smell’ game. I’m proud to say, I scored a 9/10! Maybe I should consider a career switch and become a perfumer (or as they are affectionately called, ‘the nose’). And of course, no tour is ever complete without exiting through the gift shop!
I took advantage of the sunshine and my last afternoon in Paris to do one finale walk. The destination: the only Parisian “must see” site I had yet to check off during this trip. The Eiffel Tower. On my previous visit to Paris years ago, I had got on a guided tour of the tour, visiting the underground radio/television broadcast centre as well as a private viewing of the cityscape from the roof of the Jules Verne restaurant. I wasn’t interested in climbing up again, however I figured no visit to Paris would be complete without an up-close viewing. The walk from the Opera towards Eiffel has many wonderful sights to delight the eyes along the way. One of them, the 3000 year old Luxor Obelisk, dominates the centre of ‘La Place de la Concorde’ with its height of 23 meters.. Inscribed on its side are hieroglyph-like images that retell the story of the complex machinery that was required for its transportation. To examine these diagram up close, one must traverse many lanes of traffic, risking life and limb in the process. I decided to I’ve to see another day.
I strolled up ‘Les Champs Élysées’, once the epitome of luxury shopping for those with expensive taste and infinite 
credit limits. While still a sought after location, Louis Vuitton’s multi-storey shop and other designer brands must now share their prestigious address with the likes of McDonald’s and the Gap.
At the western end of ‘Les Champs Élysées’, stands ‘L’Arc de Triomphe’, the massive monument to honours those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
As the sun was shining brighter, my energy level was dropping lower. It was time for an afternoon pick me up! After a refreshing and re-energizing glass of rosé, I stocked up on my favourite treat for the road: you guess it, an almond croissant! One of the best places to view the Mr. Eiffel’s massive iron tower, is from ‘La Place Trocadero’. My perfect view, however, was slightly obstructed by two rather large and unfortunately placed construction cranes.
Walking down for a closer view was also a slightly disappointing experience, however fully understandable. As Paris has suffered several deadly terrorism attacks in the last years, security and access to the city’s most famous landmark has been increased dramatically. Wandering under the base is no longer permitted to those without tickets and the throng of tourists queuing in tightly packed lines makes the access difficult. I settled for a quiet bench along the Seine nearby and enjoyed my deliciously sweet treat in the shadow of the tower, overlooking the water.
The banks of ‘La Seine’ guided me back to the 7th arrondissement. A wonderful dramatic bridge crosses the river at that level: ‘Le Pont Alexandre III’, on of Paris’ most extravagantly ornate bridges.
Our last night in Paris was spent in the wonderful company of our hosts. All week, suppers had been prepared for us, each as delicious as the next. The cheese course that always followed was one of my friend’s favourite. My favourite part of the meal was what came before: apéritif! White and red port wine, ratafia, calvados, cured sausages and salty pretzels were all enjoyed in good company.
Being the only fluent bilingual in our traveling trio, I highly benefitted from one of our host’s vast knowledge of French history and current events. After a week, I had gathered such a wealth of facts, stories, tidbits and opinions, that my time in France was infinitely more memorable and enriching because of it.
As the next day dawned, I parted ways not only with my newfound friends / hosts, but with my 2 traveling partners. It was a bittersweet moment indeed. While I was saddened to say goodbye to friends who had helped me transition into this new lifestyle of mine with much compassion and humour, I was also highly anticipating the next part of the adventure. I had a ticket on board the Eurostar and I had planned a specific outing the next day. However, this is where my months and months of planning & preparations ended. Once September would be over, I did not know where I would be or what I would be doing. It was partly exciting and greatly terrifying. I felt like I was standing on the cliff’s edge, the fall would either kill me or I was in for the ride of my life.
Naturally, I jumped.
Next stop: London, baby!