Paris - France

Itinerary

Mar 20

Arrival and Underground Mysteries

Our journey into Paris proper began with the efficient RER train connection from Charles de Gaulle Airport, a testament to French infrastructure that seamlessly links international arrivals with the heart of the capital. The familiar rhythm of Parisian public transport—the gentle swaying of carriages, the multilingual announcements, the glimpses of urban life through windows—served as our reintroduction to a city that manages to be both eternally constant and constantly evolving.

Our destination was the legendary Hôtel Esmeralda, a one-star wonder that has been welcoming guests for over 100 years in a 17th-century building in the heart of the Latin Quarter. Named after the gypsy girl in Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame," this utterly charming establishment occupies one of the most enviable locations in Paris—directly across the Seine from Notre-Dame Cathedral and around the corner from the famous Shakespeare & Company bookstore.

The hotel, with its funky antiques, creaky winding wooden staircase, and rooms that each possess unique personality, has hosted literary luminaries including Hugo Pratt, Maurice Béjart, and Serge Gainsbourg. Our return to this bohemian gem rekindled memories of our 1989 honeymoon while proving that some places improve with both time and familiarity. We were given the very same room we had over 30 years before. A delightful treat! The staff, many of whom are writers and poets with PhDs from the Sorbonne, embodied the intellectual spirit of the Latin Quarter that surrounds this remarkable establishment.

The afternoon brought our descent into one of Paris's most fascinating and macabre attractions: the Paris Catacombs. This extraordinary underground ossuary, officially known as the Paris Municipal Ossuary, holds the remains of more than six million Parisians in a labyrinth of former limestone quarries that extend beneath the 14th arrondissement.

The catacombs originated from a convergence of 18th-century urban crises: collapsing quarries that threatened Parisian streets and overflowing cemeteries that posed severe public health risks. Beginning in 1785, authorities began the nighttime transfer of remains from Paris's overcrowded cemeteries—most notably the Saints-Innocents cemetery—to the abandoned quarries beneath Montrouge. The site was consecrated as the "Paris Municipal Ossuary" on April 7, 1786, though it quickly acquired the mythical name "Catacombs" in reference to the Roman burial sites.

What makes the Paris Catacombs extraordinary is not merely the quantity of human remains but their artistic arrangement. Under the direction of Louis-Étienne Héricart de Thury in the early 19th century, the bones were arranged into decorative patterns—walls of skulls and femurs creating both aesthetic beauty and profound meditation on mortality. Inscriptions throughout the tunnels remind visitors of death's universality, including the famous warning: "Arrête! C'est ici l'empire de la Mort" ("Stop! The empire of Death lies here").

Our evening exploration of the Latin Quarter provided perfect counterpoint to the afternoon's underground journey. This historic neighborhood, home to the Sorbonne University since the 13th century, buzzes with the energy of students, intellectuals, and visitors drawn to its narrow medieval streets, bookshops, and cafés. The quarter's buildings, many dating to the 1600s, create an authentic Parisian atmosphere where ancient wooden beams and exposed stone walls coexist with contemporary life.

Drinks at a sidewalk café offered the quintessential Parisian experience: watching the city's nightlife unfold while savoring the unhurried pace that defines French café culture. The Latin Quarter's combination of academic gravitas and bohemian spirit created the perfect setting for our first evening back in the City of Light.

Mar 21

Gothic Grandeur and Garden Splendor

The morning began with breakfast at Crème de Paris, where coffee, hot chocolate crowned with mile-high whipped cream, and buttery croissants provided the perfect Parisian start to our day. This ritual—the careful attention to morning café au lait, the flaky pastry that shatters at first bite, the unhurried conversation among locals—exemplifies why breakfast in Paris transcends mere sustenance to become cultural immersion.

Our exploration began at Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Gothic masterpiece that has dominated the Île de la Cité since the 12th century. The cathedral bore evidence of the devastating fire that swept through its roof and spire on April 15, 2019, destroying the wooden framework and causing significant damage to this UNESCO World Heritage site. French President Emmanuel Macron's ambitious five-year reconstruction timeline has resulted in remarkable progress, with the cathedral reopening on December 7, 2024, following meticulous restoration efforts involving over 2,000 craftspeople.

The restoration process revealed fascinating historical details, including iron staples used throughout the cathedral to bind stone blocks—a construction technique that provides new insights into medieval building methods. The reconstruction effort, funded by nearly €846 million in donations from over 340,000 contributors worldwide, demonstrates both the cathedral's global significance and contemporary commitment to preserving cultural heritage.

Our next destination was the National Archives, housed in the magnificent Hôtel de Soubise and Hôtel de Rohan in the Marais district. These former aristocratic palaces, dating from the early 18th century, provide appropriately grand settings for France's national treasures. The Hôtel de Soubise was originally built in 1371 as the Hôtel de Clisson before being completely rebuilt in 1705 by architect Pierre-Alexis Delamair for François de Rohan-Soubise.

The Archives Nationales, created during the French Revolution in 1790, preserve the documentary heritage of the French state from the Merovingian period through 1958. The collection includes priceless documents such as Napoleon's testament, Louis XVI's diary, and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The baroque and rococo interiors of the former palaces—including rooms decorated by François Boucher, Charles-Joseph Natoire, and Carle Van Loo—create stunning settings for exhibitions that bring French history to life through original documents.

The afternoon brought our Seine-side walk toward the Eiffel Tower, with delightful stops at the Louvre's exterior courtyards and extended relaxation in the Tuileries Garden. This glorious spring day showcased Paris at its most seductive: warm sunshine illuminating honey-colored stone, chestnut trees beginning to bud, and that particular quality of Parisian light that has inspired artists for centuries.

The Tuileries Garden, originally created in 1564 for Catherine de' Medici and later redesigned by André Le Nôtre, provided perfect respite from urban exploration. The formal French garden design—with its geometric precision, classical statuary, and carefully planned sight lines—creates outdoor architecture that complements the surrounding palaces and monuments.

Our afternoon coffee and pastry at a café across from Notre-Dame epitomized Parisian perfection: exceptional coffee served with attention to ritual, exquisite pastry that represents centuries of culinary refinement, and prime people-watching from a terrace that overlooks one of the world's most famous cathedrals. The experience reminded us that Paris excels not merely in individual attractions but in the art of living well—the ability to transform simple pleasures into memorable experiences.

Dinner and evening drinks at a local café provided the perfect conclusion to our spring day in Paris, demonstrating how the city rewards those who embrace its rhythm of leisurely meals, animated conversation, and appreciation for life's finer pleasures.

Mar 22

Early Departure and Unexpected Drama

Our final morning in Paris began before dawn with preparations for our flight to Gran Canaria from Orly Airport, marking the next chapter of our two-month European adventure. The early departure required sacrificing our final Parisian breakfast, but the promise of Canary Islands sunshine provided adequate compensation for the pre-dawn taxi ride through empty Parisian streets.

Orly Airport, located in the southern suburbs of Paris, serves as one of the capital's two major international gateways. The airport's efficient connections to central Paris via Orlyval train service and its range of European and international destinations make it a crucial hub for travelers exploring beyond France's borders.

A surreal incident at the remote terminal provided unexpected drama to our departure. While boarding our Transavia flight through outdoor stairs—a common European practice that adds adventure to air travel—we witnessed unusual activity at the adjacent aircraft bound for Athens. A police van arrived, and six officers loaded a passenger whose wrists and ankles were shackled. The individual fought vigorously against the officers as they secured him aboard the aircraft, creating a disturbing scene that highlighted the darker realities of international extradition and forced deportation.

The incident served as stark reminder that even in mundane travel settings, human dramas of profound consequence unfold daily. Our relief that this troubled passenger was not boarding our Gran Canaria flight reflected natural self-preservation instincts, while the scene itself prompted reflection on the complex legal and humanitarian issues surrounding international law enforcement cooperation. As our aircraft lifted off from Orly, we gained final aerial views of Paris—the geometric precision of Haussmanian boulevards, the serpentine Seine threading through ancient neighborhoods, and the landmarks that had defined our three-day sojourn. The City of Light receded beneath clouds, but its impressions remained vivid: the underground mysteries of the Catacombs, the restoration triumph of Notre-Dame, the documentary treasures of the National Archives, and countless moments of simple Parisian pleasure that reminded us why this city continues to captivate travelers from around the world.