This morning we started out to Saint Chappelle, a small church made in the 1200s for the Crown of Thorns said to have been worn by Christ at his crucifixion. The church is filled with stained glass windows 80 feet high. The light that comes through them is spectacular. This was followed by a short trip over to the Cathedral of Notre Dame. We spent some time walking around the interior and seeing the massive arched hallways. It lets you out onto a street with many Paris tourist shops. Each shop had cheaper prices than the first, as you get further away from Notre Dame the prices got cheaper. I am sure that we walked some 100 yards to get the best prices on magnets & postcards.
The next stop was a bus stop. Our Big Red Bus picked us up outside Notre Dame and took us on a trip around Paris, from the Operas to the Champs-Elysees to the Eiffel Tower. We hopped off our bus a little early and took some great photos as we neared La Tour Eiffel. We took the elevators up to the 1st and 2nd levels. On the 1st level we had a fantastic lunch overlooking the same fountains and stairs of the Trocadero we had taken to arrive at the Tower.
Hopping again on the bus, we toured the city in the brisk yet inviting view of the open air 2nd story of the bus. It truly gave a unique perspective of the city as we circled round-abouts and centuries old gardens and palaces. The last stop of the night was to the top of the Basillica of Sacre Coeur. This is one of the tallest hills in Paris. From the stops of this massive white domed church you can see all of the major landmarks. To your far right there is the Arc de Triumphe, then going looking left the Eiffel Tower, Montparnase Tower, The Seine, Notre Dame and finally the far flung factories of the south of Paris. It was a great view to catch the illumination of the Eiffel Tower and then the sparkling strobe lighting that occurs on the hour. A sight for all first time visitors to take in.
Here are some images from today:
