Although we had been to DLP countless times, none of us had ever been to Paris itself, criminal as that sounds. So managed to wangle a day off work to coincide with a teacher training day and we had an opportunity to put that right.

We only live 50 minutes or so from the Eurostar in Ashford and Lisa had booked us a B+B in the heart of Paris for the Saturday night, so we left home at 6ish in the morning one cold and drizzly Saturday morning and by 10 am we were stepping off the train in the Gare Du Nord into the scorching heat of the day in Paris.

We had bought our carnet of metro tickets on the train ( a good tip as the queues for the machines were long) and went straight to Montparnasse so Thomas could see his first proper skyscraper ( nothing compared to what he would see in Dubai later in the year but still not bad)

You pay a few euros and go up this and ffrom the top you can see all of Paris and all the sights


Montparnasse Tower by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

The views were amazing and youcould see the whole of Paris from up there, well worth it and not much known about.

From here we caught the metro to Notre Dame and had a look around the astonishing building - we have seen Hunchback millions of times and to see the building now was fantastic as we knew it so well from there - I don't have many good photos if I'm honest as the sunlight was so bright, but if you love the film you will recognise this window


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

We then sat by the Seinne and had a very non French Subway (lol) with this as our view - life was not bad really


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

We were all feeeling a bit weary at that point with the heat and the early start so we walked to our B and B ( abouta 10 minute walk), were shown to a lovely little room with 3 very comfty beds and promptly fell asleep for an hour or so .


All woke feeling refreshed and raring to go , a quick squizz at the map showed that we were onlya 5 minute walk from the Louvre so we headed there

Past this


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

Over the Pont des Artes


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

To the most astonishing building I have ever seen - it is HUGE and staggeringly beautiful


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

Indside ( once we tore ourselves away from the exterior) we were gobsmacked by how much there was to see and frankly we could have spend weeks in there.

Matthew spent a happy hour doing a 'winkie count' on the Greek and Roman sculptures

The Venus de Milo was impressive


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

I liked this one


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

corridors like this are everywhere and are dripping with famous works of art


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

we saw teh Mona Lisa of course and the cover from that Coldplay album (Viva la Vida I think)

Stayed until closing and then left via the shopping arcade where the 'bones of Mary Magdelene were buried according to the Da Vinci Code

It was a wonderfully balmy evening and everyone was in a smashing mood so we wandered up the Place de Concorde, up the Champs Elysses up to the Arc

The view was lovely as we walked but talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time! how cool would a proper shot of the tower been at this point !


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

The Arc ( much much much bigger than I thought it would be)


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

even though we were foot weary and hot and botehred we still wanted to see the tower this evening so we walked there as well ( !!)


Untitled by Sidleydoc, on Flickr

Unfortunately the evening drew in and the queues were horrendous as they had closed a couple of the lifts for the day so we got on the metro and went home.

Starbucks coffee and donuts all round and we passed out happy, but exhausted

day 2 in a sec