Eiffel Tower, Cathedrals, and Gardens

Paris, France

We had a very packed day ahead of us for our second day in this lovely city of Paris (including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Saint-Chappelle, and Luxembourg Gardens), so we made sure to get up early and hit the road at 9a.m. The first stop was the very famous and awe-inspiring cathedral called Notre Dame. On a nice cool morning, we hit the road on our way and just before the cathedral, came across that oh-so-French oh-s0-delicious French bakery. The owner/baker/cashier barely spoke English but finger pointing always works and I ordered a pain au chocolat and Ashley (ordering in French) got a cinnamon raisin  swirl. Man… I tell you… I have eaten some fresh baked pastries and breads back home but nothing compares to the French bakery. The pain au chocolat must have had hundreds of layers of flaky buttery chocolaty goodness and the nod and mmmm sounds from Ashley confirmed that her pastry was heavenly as well.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Moving on…we came to, what I later realized, to be the back of Notre Dame. As you can see from the photo below, the sight was just awe-inspiring to say the least. We were here around 9a.m. and there was hardly anybody. The flying buttresses were ever so gently holding the huge and heavy wall of the cathedral. The spooky gargoyles that perched the side roof of the cathedral made sure to ward away any evil spirits that dared to enter in. As we made our way to the front, we were pleasantly surprised that there were absolutely no lines to get in.

Once inside, you are instantly greeted by tall pillars with arching roofs lit by hundreds of chandeliers.  The ceiling and the alleys have thick arches that criss-cross from pillar to pillar. Every 20 feet, there is a huge stained glass window that lits the color in full glory as the light from outside comes pouring in. All along the aisles, there are mini chapels dedicated to famous people either from a kingdom or someway related to the church. After spending about 1.5 hours, we were both humbled and speechless on witnessing what basically is a work of art that has survived 1,000 years. The building from outside is just as impressive as inside with minute details and carvings of famous people so make sure you save some time for that.

Back side of Notre Dame, Paris, France with beautiful garden

Inside Notre Dame in Paris with stained glass windows, pillars, and chandelier

Outside of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on a chilly fall morning

Saint-Chapelle

The next stop was Saint-Chapelle. We, once again, got luckily and only had about 10 people in front of us at the entrance. So, make a note to get there as early as possible! Once inside, you’ll see  the bottom level of the chapel which doesn’t really have anything much to see. So take the steep narrow stairs on your left and head upstairs and be prepared to be amazed. As soon as you enter, you’ll notice a series of tall stained glass windows that depict stories from the bible. For example, the first window to your right tells the story of Adam and Eve.

Overall, we really liked Saint-Chapelle. However, the price of 8.50 euros seemed a little too high as there was nothing  else to see besides the stained glass windows. Plus, the place could have really used a pedestal to step onto so you could see the top half of the windows without squinting your eyes.

Amazing and colorful stained glass windows of Saint-Chapelle in Paris, France

First floor of Saint-Chapelle in Paris, France with gold highlights, blue ceilings, and peach colored walls

Crepe Lunch in St. Germain

After Saint-Chapelle, we were getting really hungry so we decided to discover the St. Germain area and checked out a crepe place. I ordered a crepe called “Crepe d’jour” that came with artichoke, cheese, arugula, tomatoes, and ham. It was absolutely delicious. Ashley got a cheese and mushroom crepe which she was not very impressed with.

Artichoke, cheese, arugula, tomatoes, and ham crepe in Paris, France
We then ran into this delectable looking pastry shop. It had probably the best  macaroons we had thus far as apparent from Ashley’s smile.

Eating macaroons in front of a bakery in Paris, France
Luxembourg Gardens

Next, we visited the Luxembourg Gardens. It was a perfect fall day and the leaves were that beautiful golden color. In the summer this place can be crowded, but today the crowds were lighter and the chatter softer. We came across a large fountain where you could rent mini sail boats and set sail on an awesome adventure from one edge of the fountain to the other. The children were laughing as they crashed their boats, and parents were quietly reading books and relaxing nearby.

Fountain at the Luxembourg Gardens with a blue and red toy sailboat in Paris, France

Eiffel Tower

We then hit the…wait for it…Eiffel Tower. I was in a very Paris state of mind as you can tell from (closely) looking at my sunglasses.

Eiffel tower image reflected on sunglasses in Paris, France

Was the Eiffel Tower touristy? Yes. Was it super-crowded in the afternoon? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely and hell yes! Eiffel tower is just as iconic as you have heard all your life. From all the couples kissing to 5 Asian wedding couples getting their pictures taken in front of it at the same time, the whole experience was perfectly magical. I don’t know what it is but the air around Eiffel Tower just wants you to squeeze your honey a little tighter and kiss her a little more passionately! This might sound a little cheesy but just wait till you experience it for yourself.

Kissing in front of the Eiffel tower in the evening in Paris, France

The eiffel tower lit up at night in Paris, France