Day One
With only three days in Paris, there’s no better way to see all the sights than on a hop on/hop off bus. Nowadays with many people travelling and the need to book online for tickets and a time slot, I decided not to do any major attractions but to just enjoy being in Paris.
My friend Rita met me at my hotel, after a decadent breakfast. I have to say I chose well as it’s a delightful hotel. A small boutique hotel with a lovely seating area at the front and a dining room in the basement.
We first walked over to Notre Dame and saw the work in progress after the fire in 2019. There was so much to see, and I was stopping all the time to take photos. Some of the streets we walked down looked like they belonged to an old style Paris of the 1950’s, with cute window boxes and old fashioned pastry stores. Tranquil parks and men reading newspapers.
Mechanical sculpture – The Centaur 
Is this Alfred Hitchcock?
So French! 
Odette, a famous patiserie 
Notre Dame 
Square Rene Viviani
The Dame herself! With a crane in the background as the work still has a way to go yet.
Before we hopped on a bus we stopped and had lunch in Tuileries Garden. My friend is a huge walker and I wasn’t sure if I could keep up with her pace which was super fast.
From the bus
We did alight a few times, once to walk a little way down the Champs-Elysees and again to take a few shots of the Louvre. It was great fun being on top of the bus at the front and going around the famous Arc de Triomphe roundabout.
By now it was late afternoon, meaning it was almost happy hour! So we jumped on the bus again and headed to Galerie Lafayette. Sadly not much time for shopping but to treat ourselves to a champagne in one of the many bars and restaurants they have.
Rooftop Views over Paris
The incredible neo-Byzatine-infused polychrome glass cupola created by master glassworker Jacques Gruber. It really was a sight to behold and I could have stood for ages looking up. It’s a place where you could easily spend half a day or more. Lunching, shopping, drinking and spending big bucks!
It was back to the hotel after this for a short rest before dinner. We ate at a place called Le Machon d’Henri but not before stopping at a magnificent church on the way.
The Saint Sulpice Church’s claim to fame is the organ inside and also where some of The Da Vinci Code was filmed. The organ is supposedly the largest in the world with its 6,600 pipes.
I think we had covered enough for one day, and even though we did use the bus I still clocked up an incredible 14,000 steps.
I hope you’ll stay with me for the rest of my trip to Paris and if you’ve got this far thank you for reading.
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Paris is always lovely, thank you for the ride!
I wish I had your hotel last time, mine was a disaster (which didn’t ruin the trip, it was still lovely!). Next time, I’ll ask you for your hotel’s details!
Thanks for your comments, I’ve had a few disasters in my time
Did you read about my last trip to Melbourne? Pretty awful accommodation
I did now!
A super day out Alison. I don’t recalling seeing the beautiful dined ceiling at Galerie Lafayette but it looks stunning and a great place to sip champagne.
Thanks for your comments Marion, the ceiling was very impressive and I zoomed in on my photo to see how intricate the design was
Yes felt very decadent drinking champagne there
Great idea! Some scoff at the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus. I’ve found that it can be a great way to see the major sights in a city fast as well as to get a feel for the lay of the land. Sometimes I also use this bus as a means of transportation. Did you have time to search for the rose line at St. Sulpice?😄
Hi there
My friend did show me the sculpture? And said that on certain days the light shows the line. I had forgot about that part of the book actually
In my book you can never spend too much time in the City of Light. I love those hop on/hop off buses particularly for maiden visits to cities.
Thanks for your comments Sheree, the buses are great if you just want to see a bit of everything
Agreed!
A city with just so much to offer. Love being there no matter how many times we visit.
It was truly wonderful Phil, just to walk the streets and feel the Frenchness
What a wonderful first day in Paris, Alison! I have to ask if the flowers on the roof of the corner cafe are real. They look like hydrangeas. I absolutely loved seeing all of the gorgeous sights through your lens!
Thanks Kellye, sadly no they were fake but I still liked the shot 😊
The shot is beautiful, and fake or not, it makes me want to visit the cafe.
Champagne in Paris! That’s the best happy hour! 😊
It is 🥂
Fabulous! I love Paris in the Springtime, I love Paris in the Fall…. Actually I only ever saw it in August and it was cold, but you can’t have everything!
Yes I loved it too, it was cold and rainy on the last day
🤗🌦🩵
I recognise some of those streets as your hotel was very near where we like to stay. Saint Sulpice and the lion fountain are always impressive. I’ve never done the hop on, hop off bus there however as we go often enough not to feel we have to cram a lot in! Will be there this time tomorrow and the forecast is for heat so I think we’ll be taking it easy 🙂
Well have fun and yes it’s going to be hot, nice to have no agenda and just wander
What a lovely day out and you got to see so much.
Thanks, yes I did 😊
I really love Hop On HOp Off- it is such a great way to see so much of the city and spend the time where you want to spend it. You took some really beautiful pictures of Paris!!! 🙂
Thanks Meg, I managed to see all the major attractions 🙂
Oh gosh, 14000 steps. I don’t know if I will be able to survive that when I go there haha
It did cause quite a few aches and pains I have to say!
Stay on the bus 😂
I also saw a Hop on hop off boat ride the Batobus on the Seine.
That would be fun too
Isn’t the bus so much more pleasant than the metro …..
Yes you’re right Marie, I didn’t like the Paris metro at all