Day Three: Ile Saint Louis and the Arc De Triomphe

This was a long day. We started out by taking the Metro to the Fourth Arrondissement, and came up right next to the Rive Seine.



The main reason we came here was to visit the Notre Dame. Like most things in Paris, it's overwhelming. But it's probably not fair to compare this cathedral to anything else. It's massive, it's beautiful, it's Gothic and it's probably the most important symbol of the religious history of Paris.







Here's me keeping you all informed ... Tweeting on the River Seine:

We walked across the bridge to Ile Saint Louis, one of two islands in the city of Paris, and a cool little place.





After all that we went back to our hotel in Montmartre before heading to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées ...

... at the end of which is this:

The Arc de Triomphe was built by Napoleon to honour his soldiers when they returned from war. They'd march down the Avenue and through the Arc. It's an incredible sight, surrounded by the famous traffic circle. We realized when we got there that we could climb to the top ... and trust me, you have to climb. About 300 steps. And it was worth it. An incredible view of the city at night. I can't describe what that was like.

The lights on the Eiffel Tower were gorgeous from up high, so we grabbed a panini headed over. And just sat there.

I love Paris.