After a relatively uneventful ride through Paris traffic, our taxi dropped us off at Hotel Tamise. This small hotel, at just 19 rooms, is located on a quiet street just off the Rue de Rivoli overlooking the Jardin des Tuileries. It’s a perfect location for exploring the major sights in Paris, especially for first-time visitors like Tim.
Although I knew our room would not be ready, the staff at the hotel was nonetheless extremely welcoming at this early hour. After inviting us to sit down, we were offered coffee and breakfast pastries, and our luggage was quickly whisked away. We were told our room would be ready in an hour, so Tim and I set out to do a bit of exploring.
We walked to the Jardin des Tuileries, a public park located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde. It is a popular place for strolls and is a cultural attraction for Parisians and tourists alike. The two ponds looked to be a wonderful place to relax, with people occupying many of the chairs. I found it interesting that as early as the eighteenth century, individual chairs replaced park benches because they were more comfortable. These green chairs have become an integral part of the parks in Paris.
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| Jardin des Tuileries |
We walked through the Tuileries to Place de la Concorde, located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. The centerpiece of the largest public square in Paris is the Luxor Obelisk, which the Egyptian government gave to the French in the nineteenth century. We dodged traffic to try and take a few photographs of the obelisk and the Arc de Triomphe in the distance.
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| Place de la Concorde |
We returned to Hotel Tamise and checked into our room. We were surprised at how spacious it was compared to many rooms in France, and we knew it would be just fine for five nights.
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| Hotel Tamise |
After resting for a bit, we began our walk to Sainte-Chapelle for our timed entry. On the way, we stopped at an outdoor café for lunch. We ordered a croque monsieur (a hot sandwich made with ham and cheese) for madame (me) and a croque madame (a croque monsieur with the addition of a fried egg) for monsieur (Tim). Our server laughed, and we enjoyed the word play.
Sainte-Chapelle is one of the most incredible churches I’ve ever visited, and I wanted Tim to experience the stunning beauty of its stained glass windows. Built between 1242 and 1248 for King Louis IX, Sainte-Chapelle is a gem of Gothic architecture on the Île de la Cité. We were lucky to visit on a sunny day so we could truly appreciate the dazzling display of the oldest stained glass in Paris.
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| Sainte-Chapelle |
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| Dazzling Stained Glass Windows |
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| The Rose Window |
Unfortunately, it was very crowded, and sharing the space with hundreds of other visitors encouraged us to hasten our visit. Still, it was an amazing experience. Tim compared Sainte-Chapelle to the Sistine Chapel and said there was no comparison.
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| I Had to Include More Images of the Individual Stained Glass Windows |
On the walk back to our hotel, Tim and I took a break at another café for coffee, wine, and crêpes. Here, we enjoyed people-watching, one of the most entrenched of Parisian pastimes. I enjoyed seeing the various flower shops with their sidewalk displays as we continued onwards.
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| Beautiful Sidewalk Displays - Even Paris Loves a Gnome |
Tim and I both were very tired and looked forward to getting back to the hotel. Between the issues with my knee and Tim’s hips, I think we overdid the walking today. A brief nap was quite welcome.
We finally dragged ourselves up and out for an early dinner. We only wanted something simple, so we stopped at the nearby Café du Tuileries for pizza and wine, and some more people-watching. I think we’re really getting into Parisian café culture.
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