Tricia and I left very early for Paris, France. It was on Monday, May 16th and we departed her home about 6:00 am and returned that night around midnight. It was 18 hours in paradise!
Before arriving in England, Tricia made our travel arrangements and she asked me what
I would like to see on that day in Paris. 🙂
I really had no particular ideas but listed a church, the Eiffel Tower, have a good meal, and to see art. Tricia guided me through Paris and together, we checked all the boxes I listed and more. Thank you Tricia for an experience that I will always treasure. ❤
Tricia purchased our Eurostar tickets and we boarded the train in London. We traveled under the English Channel and emerged on the other side in France. Wonder of wonders!
View of the train station from our window. 🙂
Upon our arrival in Paris, Tricia obtained our local transportation tickets and we made our way to the Notre Dame Cathedral. ❤
The Notre Dame Cathedral behind me. As you can see, I traveled only with a fanny pack around my waist and kept my hands free during the trip which turned out to be a really good idea. All photos were taken by my cell phone camera.
Places to rest and reflect nearby.
The police department adjacent to the Notre Dame Cathedral. I was so impressed at the beauty of the architecture and those amazing doors!
Another photo of the police department building from a distance. We have quite a few law enforcement officers in our family and they really enjoyed seeing these photos. 🙂
The River Seine. ❤
We walked along the River and saw this tour boat passing by. It would be fun to partake of this tour if you had more time to stay in Paris.
We then walked and I took a random photo of the lovely streets and alleys in Paris.
Tricia and I had a fantastic lunch sitting outdoors at a sidewalk café. There were many choices of restaurants and we selected a good one. Tricia ordered the food since she speaks French and I do not. My sandwich was delicious and that is mushrooms that you see peeking out underneath the toppings. Yummy salad plus French fries of course!
After lunch, we caught a train to see the Eiffel Tower. ❤
Getting closer to the Tower!
So massive!
There were a lot of people touring the Eiffel Tower. As you can see, the clouds were dark though the rain held off until later when we left and caught a bus. We were very fortunate not to get wet that day! 🙂
I took several photos from the bus window of Paris street scenes.
The bus was very crowded and I stood for a while which made me glad my hands were free. Look at the amazing architecture! 🙂
Beautiful statue. This photo is odd, I am not certain why there is a black hashed line and figures too. I hope you can look past those images. Interesting though…
We exited the bus and went to the most amazing department store called Galeries Lafayette. Tricia and I stopped to enjoy tea and a pastry and the area we sat in provided this amazing view of the interior of the store. Remarkable! 🙂
The gorgeous domed ceiling of stained glass.
Another view….what a way to shop! ❤
While there, we made use of the powder room and this is the view from the powder room window! I could not resist taking a couple of photos!
A Paris view ❤
Our next stop was a very special church…a blessed place called the Sacre Couer Basilica and dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Sacre Couer is located at the summit of the butte Montmartre and is the highest point in Paris. ❤
This is the view standing in the area leading up to Sacre Couer.
Sacre Coeur. ❤
Another view of Paris.
Tricia with a fantastic view of Paris behind her. 🙂
When we entered the Sacre Coeur, the statue of the beloved Saint Therese, the Little Flower, greeted us. At that point, I experienced what I can only describe as a watershed moment on a spiritual or interior level. It was so powerful and yet so comforting and I knew in my heart that I was blessed to visit this holy place, Sacre Coeur, God is there. ❤
We were able to attend Mass while there and my feet did not touch the ground. There was no thought of taking photos. After leaving the Sacre Coeur, Tricia and I walked the adjacent streets nearby and nibbled on a crepe made for us “to go” and we watched the artists drawing portraits of people posed in front of them. Amazing artistic abilities and so interesting to observe.
We left the Montmartre area by taxi in order to return to the train station on time and catch our train back to London. Once back in London, we caught a train to Tricia’s house and the robust day of our Paris events came to a happy end. A day like no other! 🙂
p.s. I have one more post to make of the heavenly time spent in England. I hope to post it before the Sasha Festival begins. I will try! Thank you for visiting! 🙂 xxx
Sasha Shangri-La 
It was a great day, I’ve only visited Paris in August before. So much nicer in May and with a lovely friend ❤
Thank you Tricia. A perfect day to visit Paris! 🙂 xxx
hi Ginger it looks like you had a great time in Paris. my mother named me after St Theresa of the flowers and when I was little she used to call me little Flower xx
Hi Theresa! It was a great time! What a beautiful name you have and I love that you were the Little Flower in your Mother’s eyes. Thank you for writing. 🙂 xxx
Thank you for sharing your wonderful visit to Paris Ginger, gosh, you did such a lot in your day. Tricia organised a perfect mini tour for you. I followed in your footsteps just 2 days ago, around Montmatre and into the Sacre Coure. We also found a wonderful Art Nouveaux/Arts & Crafts church at the bottom of the Montmartre steps, I had never seen it before and that was such a treat as I adore that style. I’m glad to hear you ate a crepe or two, yum!
Thank you Janet. It was a very full day but we did not get overly tired. I think our adrenaline levels supported us very well even though this happened on the heels of the exciting SCW. I am so happy you were there two days ago! Maybe next time I will be able to see the arts and crafts church too. A wonderful place to visit.❤ xxx
OH! Oh and oh again! ‘Ah yes, I remember it well!’
I went with my boarding school for the week to hopefully brush up on my French (although I’m afraid that that didn’t happen!) and visited all these places listed here (though can’t remember paying any attention to the Police department buildings!) plus the Arc De Triumph and an evening boat trip down the River Seine.
So pleased that you enjoyed visiting the Sacre Couer Basilca or The White Chapel as it is sometimes called. How exciting to have attended Mass as well. I remember buying the most delightful little miniature (probably Sasha size!) glass Rosary from here… hopefully it is still here somewhere.
Have bought quite a few limited edition Steiff Bears from Galleries Lafayette when I was collecting those
Did you have time to go up The Eiffel Tower? I wasn’t able to make it right to the top platform as it was too windy but made it to the first level. (My sister’s husband proposed to her at the very top and gave her a lovely solitary diamond ring… whilst I came back down with only a few pens and pencils and key-rings as gifts!)
I’m so thrilled to hear that your wonderful visit wasn’t rained upon especially as it looked as though you hadn’t any ‘waterproofs’ with you. Shame though that Finn and Gertie (plus your new NP girl) didn’t get to go with you for the photoshoot.
I love your reference from the movie “Gigi”. I am singing that song as I write! I am glad you enjoyed Paris too! I bought a few key chains too for family members. Sacre Coeur was divine! After Mass, we entered a gift shop there but sadly it was closing for the day. I quickly grabbed a prayer card and a couple of wooden crosses for my sons and was glad to have those momentos. I wish I had bought a rosary but my thoughts were hurried to leave the shop. The ladies working there appeared tired and so ready to close up shop. Maybe another time ❤️
We did not have time to go up the Tower though it was my choice to move on. I did not want to wait in the lines when we could be seeing more of Paris. How very special that your sister was engaged there! A very romantic place. ❤️
I had no rain gear! Good that the rains held off! With the very compact time window of visiting Paris, and the many changes of rains, buses and taxis, it was not possible to take the dear Sasha children along. If we had stayed a night, I would have brought at least one. It was hard to decide and I think it was the best I could do considering everything. Thank you writing Kendal and I so enjoy your comments! 🙂 xxx
Absolutely wonderful Ginger, what a fantastic time you had with Tricia in Paris! The photos are great and it’s really quite amazing how big the Eifel Tower is, isn’t it? I’ve not really seen photos from the angle you took them, the feet are enormous!!
The line and the figures in your photo, are they graphics on the bus windows? Because we have those here too, I’ve seen different things like this before.
How lovely too that you were able to attend Mass at the Sacre Coeur!!! I’m glad you were able to have that additional spiritual experience. Just wonderful.
A super post 🙂
xxx
Oh thank you Sharon! We had a very full and fantastic day!!! The Tower is tremendously big, I was so surprised to see it’s huge footprint!
Thank you too for the explanation of the graphics….it was puzzling but interesting! Sacre Coeur was the highlight of the incredible day. I am so very happy to have had this amazing experience in Paris. ❤ XXX
I’m so glad you were able to have a day trip to Paris and you visited some places I visited with my husband in 2001 when we had a 3 day and night trip to Paris, also via the Eurostar. We went up the Eiffel tower as far as the first big platform, great views, we also went into the Galeries Lafayette and up to Sacre Coeur and Montmarte. We were lucky to visit several other places too (including the Louvre) however there is only so much you can squeeze into one day and you definitely managed to do a lot in the time you were there – brilliant.
Later, in 2008, we took our daughters with the caravan and camped on an island on the Seine at the outskirts of Paris and took the double-decker train into the city to show the girls a bit of Paris. I’d love to go again, there is so much to see and do.
Thank you Doll Mum! Your time in Paris sounds very similar to my day there. The sights are just wonderful and the energy of the City is invigorating. Camping on an island on the Seine sounds fantastic!!! What a great experience for you and your family. I would love to go again too. Maybe one day! 🙂 xxx