After two out of the city trips, we felt like staying closer to our hotel just adjacent to Rue Cler, a charming pedestrian cobble stoned lane way lined with boulangeries, butcheries, fromageries, and all other sorts of interesting eateries and shops to browse around in... here are some random pics while we wandered Rue Cler and Rue Bosquet's environs
We dined here just the night before right after return from Giverny
Had breakfast here - great baguette and coffee
After some sampling of shops and cafes, we ventured further along by foot to check out the points of interest close enough to our hotel - Invalide was virtually a 5 minute walk
This day being Saturday of a holiday weekend (Whit Monday/Pentecote), we observed how the parisennes really know how to utilize and enjoy the abundant greenery and beautiful public spaces of Paris
Boys plays rollerblade hockey between Pont Alexander III & Invalides
After an early dinner near the Eiffel Tower, we decided it was time to climb the Iron Lady and started off from ground zero ( there was only one elevator operating and the line was insanely long ). It turned out that the ascent was not more than about 20 stories to the premiere etage and about the same as well for the 2nd etage, then we took the mandatory elevators to the very top (which thankfully was not under repair) .It was actually more fun, we found, to walk it as along the way there were info bulletins of interesting history and facts re the Eiffel Tower through the ages...
View from the premiere etage
Champs de Mars
Montmartre and Sacre Coeur in the distance
Invalide in the distance
Le Seine from the very top view
Top view of Champs de Mars filled with ppl waiting for the Eiffel to sparkle at 10pm
Sunset view from the very top of Eiffel Tower - Trocadero below
After sunset we descended the Eiffel stairs and sought a patch of grass in the Champs de Mars to view the sparkling lights at 11pm, along with all the tourists from at least a dozen different countries excited to witness the emblematic imagery of France on display.
