Exploring Paris, inc. Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe
Wednesday, June 25th, was our intensive Paris touring day. I shot 182 photos, and when the temperature peaked at 38C/100F, we were still on the HoHo bus. We got to the top of the Eiffel Tower, got to the top of the Arc de Triomphe, etc, etc. Here’s a look at what we saw and experienced. I really had intended to make this a fairly short post, but there are 55 photos – whoops! 🙂
This little salon off the lobby of the Hôtel de Seine is a lovely, peaceful place to start our days with breakfast.
This turned into a stressful morning, as we couldn’t get a taxi or Uber to get to the Eiffel Tower for our 10:00 reservation (which took a lot of good planning/timing to get). In the next photo, Cathy is outside the lobby waiting for an Uber that did a no-show.
Cathy did finally get a taxi to confirm and we were on our way just in time. Paris is a very busy place in the morning.
I found the first good view of the Eiffel Tower to be both exciting and deeply satisfying – I think it just feels like one of those must-see places.
At 09:53 we walked up to the ticket validation kiosks – perfect 🙂
As much as I knew it was huge, I was surprised by how huge!
Climbing past one of the anchors, on the short climb to the first elevator.
Waiting for the elevator. We had reserved the summit, but would start at the first level.
The view to the southeast, across Champ de Mars to the Montparnasse Tower.
Looking north to the Arc de Triomphe.
The view to the northwest, looking across the Jardins du Trocadéro, a park created in 1937, to the business downtown, an area we won’t see.
Looking southwest up the Seine, over Île aux Cygnes (Swan Island), an artificial island created in 1827.
The dramatic Radio France complex.
While the lower decks are open, the summit is screened. Unlike at many high attractions, the screen doesn’t interfere with photography.
Me and Cathy at the summit of the Eiffel Tower! Yes, been there, done that 🙂
The read-out on the elevator a second after starting back down from the summit, which is at 280 meters. The total height of the Eiffel Tower is 324 meters (about 1063 feet).
Sacré-Coeur, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris.
We stopped back at the lower deck to complete my photo record with shots such as this one.
From the Eiffel Tower, our day of exploring would be based on Hop-on, Hop-Off buses. The pickup point was an easy walk from the tower. This visit has made clear why there is such a huge difference in the views about nudity between Europeans and North Americans. In Europe, children see naked humans all the time, along the streets and in the museums they visit as students. They understand the beauty of the human form in its infinite variations. Kids in North America simply don’t get that exposure, or understand that perspective unless their parents teach it.
We would meet the bus at Pont d’Iéna. Connecting the famous Left Bank with the Trocadero, this elegant 5-span bridge was opened in 1814. It affords wonderful views of the Seine. We had a boat tour in mind, but at the end of this day, after the HoHo, decided it would offer nothing new.
A fair number of old freight boats that have been converted to homes are moored along the Seine.
Here comes our bus 🙂
When we got on the bus it was about 27°C and we would have been very happy if it had stayed at that temperature.
After major restoration work lasting around a year, the Assemblée Nationale library just re-opened to the public in April. It houses nearly 700,000 volumes in French, mainly in law, political science, history, economics and social sciences, as well as an ancient collection of around 1,900 manuscripts. Google hasn’t explained to me why the stairs are a Pride display.
Preparations for a major event seem to be going on in Place du Trocadero.
Most of the renovation projects in Paris are hidden by full-size panels that show what the finished project will look like, usually with an ad.
The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene (La Madeleine) is a Catholic parish church built in 1828.
We drove into the massive courtyard of the Louvre. The main entrance is through the pyramid.
Across from the Pyramid is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, built by Percier and Fontaine in 1806-1808 to celebrate the Napoleonic victories of 1805.
About to leave the courtyard of the Louvre. The scale of everything is incredible – it’s hard to imagine what the poor folk centuries ago thought about it all.
The Pont Neuf (New Bridge), the oldest standing bridge across the Seine.
The Conciergerie, a medieval royal palace that became a revolutionary court and Marie-Antoinette’s prison.
The Palais de Justice is a judicial centre and courthouse. Beside it, Sainte-Chapelle, a Gothic royal chapel.
Notre-Dame de Paris, the world-famous medieval Catholic cathedral.
The Bouquinistes of Paris, who fold out green boxes along the Seine and turn them into book stores, are so unique that they have UNESCO status.
One of two bronze quadrigas (a chariot drawn by four horses abreast) by Georges Récipon, at the Grand Palais.
We had planned a lengthy stop at the Arc de Triomphe. That bus stop was just ahead in the next photo.
We walked through a pedestrian tunnel under the very busy intersection, quickly passed through the ticket validation and security checks that are at every major attraction, and were soon on the upper level of the Arc. This is the view up Avenue de la Grande Armée towards the business district.
It provides a great view back to the Eiffel Tower…
…and to Sacré-Coeur.
The war memorial in an upper room.
When we arrived, at least one of us looked like they needed an elevator, and that was graciously offered. While Cathy waited for the elevator to go back down, I took the stairs. And quite the stairs they are! 🙂
The Arc has some wonderful detailing of various types.
Since November 11, 1920, the Arc de Triomphe has been the home of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and that includes an Eternal Flame.
A final of the Eiffel Tower as we crossed Pont d’Iéna. We had decided to make the bus loop again as a way to ge back to our hotel, but it had 38°C – “hotter than the hubs of hell” and wasn’t enjoyable. It so so hot even the bus sound system was dying.
That night, we had reservations at Chez Fernand, for what is widely reported to be the best Beef Bourguignon in Paris. I would not dispute that claim – it was superb.
Thursday, June 26th, would be a major foot day, with a visit to the Louve then a walking tour of Old Paris, and on to Notre Dame.
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What an amazing and immersive travel experience! Loved reading about the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe – your detailed description and photos really brought the Paris heatwave to life
I recently wrote something on travel experiences and local culture too – feel free to check it out at Elxplore Bangladesh
Looking forward to your next adventure!