24 Hours in Paris...
We arrived in Paris about 7 a.m. the day prior to the start of our tour. We had never been to Paris before and had no idea which of the hundreds of sites in Paris would be the best to see. Certainly the Eiffel Tower was on the top of our list, so we booked a room in the Hôtel du Cadran which is on the Rue Cler. This was a great little hotel - modern and comfortable - and close to the Tower.
I know that Rick would never recommend that you do this, but we wanted to see as much of Paris as we could in the 24 hours we had there. Bicycles seemed like a good way to cover ground quickly. So we booked a tour with Fat Tire Bike Tours - not just the morning tour, but the evening tour as well. Eight hours of biking on one hour of sleep? Jeff thought I was a bit insane when I booked that - but it turned out to be the best two things we could have done.
I know that Rick would never recommend that you do this, but we wanted to see as much of Paris as we could in the 24 hours we had there. Bicycles seemed like a good way to cover ground quickly. So we booked a tour with Fat Tire Bike Tours - not just the morning tour, but the evening tour as well. Eight hours of biking on one hour of sleep? Jeff thought I was a bit insane when I booked that - but it turned out to be the best two things we could have done.
On our bikes, with the help of two young male tour guides from Texas, we saw more of Paris than we could have hoped to. On these tours, you really don't go in any buildings, but it gives you a good overview of the most famous tourist sites. It just whet our appetite to come back for more.
The evening bike ride was especially fun! We saw Notre-Dame Cathedral and stopped to savor Berthillon ice cream on the Isle St. Louis. My choice was cocoa extra-bitter. Delicious. The tour ended with an hour boat trip (Bateaux-Mouches) down the Seine River, where you can take in all of the sites - but now in lights. Our talented and fun tour guide had carried a supply of wine in two bags on his bike which he cheerfully poured for us as we floated down the river and took in the breathtaking sites. |
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We fell into bed and slept for nine hours straight. Coffee and croissants the next morning were heavenly. We knew we were in France!
My Final Traveler's Tip:
If you are going to add a few days on to your tour, I would recommend that you do it pre-trip rather than post-trip. Adding a day or two prior to the trip helps to acclimate your body to the time zone change - and the excitement of starting the tour is still ahead of you. We had regrets on our first trip - and I noticed that other travelers expressed similar regrets on this trip - over the decision to stay on after the tour ends. You lose your friends, the company of your fabulous tour guide, have a suitcase packed with dirty clothes, and - with the excitement of the trip over - you begin to miss home for the first time!