Mon Première Jour à Paris!

Today was my first day in Paris!!! And it was wonderful! Exhausting, but wonderful! When we first left the airport, we took a shuttle to the hostel. Unfortunately, there was a taxi strike that day, so the traffic was AWFUL! It seems like they were protesting on the interstates because the traffic was backed up for miles! We tried to skirt around the strike traffic, but we ended up running into construction traffic. C'est la vie. 

Construction Traffic en Route to the Hostel

One we (finally) got to the hostel, we dropped off our luggage and got lunch at a little café. I ordered a sandwich de rosette et fromage (super yummy, super fresh salami with cheese and butter). 

Our hostel

My first French sandwich!

After lunch, we went downtown to Montparnasse and l’île de cité to explore. Much to my excitement, Notre Dame is on l’île de cite! We weren’t there for very long, but still. I can’t wait to go back and tour the cathedral (I’m hoping to take a belfry tour!). Be prepared for a lot of pictures on that day! But even just being in the presence of such a magnificent structure was incredible. I don’t think I’ll like Notre Dame as much as Cantebury Cathedral (which is almost 1,000 years older than Notre Dame), but it’s still Notre Dame. Yes, Jane Wiggin, be very jealous.

We ate lunch at Le Notre Dame, a café where my parents ate on their honeymoon. As one might guess, it’s just across the bridge from Notre Dame. I ordered steak frites, just like my mom did so many years ago. The steak came with a béarnaise sauce, but I preferred to savor the steak flavor without it.

After dinner, we walked along the Seine amongst the lovers and the liberal youth of Paris. (I was so surprised at the number of people eating picnic dinners and drinking right on the riverbanks!) I watched the sun set again, but this time over the Seine and the rooftops in Paris.

Needless to say, I am exhausted and can’t wait to turn in, but I can’t for another day à Paris!