The Adventure

After a train ride under the English Channel, my father and I arrived late in the evening in Paris, France. We checked into our hotel, but, not wanting to waste our limited time in the French capital, we decided to go on a long midnight walk around the city.

It was still a very happening place late at night, especially around the Tour Eiffel. A lot of the streets, however, were fairly empty, as people were concentrated at the tourist attractions. This was a nice change of pace after two days in the congested streets of London. We made our way towards the famous Tour Eiffel, passing through the Place Vendôme and by the Obélisque de Luxour on the way. I really enjoyed seeing them, since we don’t really have monuments like that over in Canada or anywhere else nearby. It was especially to learn that the Obélisque de Luxour dates back to historical Egypt.

As we continued walking, we passed by another famous landmark, the Arc de Triomphe. It’s a very large and impressive archway, but I found it even more amazing to pass underneath and look up. The bottom of the arch is covered with intricate details carved into the stone. Just another reminder why I love European architecture: every inch of the structures are filled with intricate details.

Finally, we arrived at the Tour Eiffel, which was where crowds really started to grow. Shops were still open and there were street vendors on the streets around the tower. While the rest of the city had been quiet enough, there was an audible difference around the Tour Eiffel. I can’t say we did much there, just walked by for a while, taking it in from every angle. Next time I visit, I’ll have to go up the tower. After the tower, we turned around and walked back to the hotel, with more adventures in store for the next day.

The next day, we embarked on another walking tour of the city, taking in the sights in full daylight this time. We walked by several cool churches (a favourite of mine), and even went inside Saint-Germain l’Auxerrois. A trend in my travels has been witnessing architectural feats from the outside, without going inside, but this church was just proof that I should do that more often. The interiors are always as impressive as the outside, filled with artwork and intricate details.

The Louvre Museum was right across the street from the church. The line to get inside was so unbelievably long that we didn’t go in, but it’s a place that’s impressive to see from the outside as well. The covered walkways around the perimeter of the building have intricate details on the ceiling that you would simply never see if you didn’t look up. It was fun to discover these “secret” details and spend some time around one of the city’s most popular attractions.

Our next notable stop was the Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Conciergerie, which we passed by on the way. Due to the ongoing construction, it was hard to get a good look at the iconic church, but I was glad to at least be able to see the top half. The atmosphere was also bustling around the cathedral, regardless of its state. There were some live street musicians, making it a nice place to just hang out for a little while.

After this stop, though still relatively early, we unfortunately had to head off to the train station again for our next journey.

Highlight

I definitely enjoyed seeing the Eiffel Tower in person, witnessing an attraction that draws so many to the city. However, I preferred the overall vibe of the city rather than any one part. Besides, I generally prefer intricate, old stone architecture over buildings like the Eiffel Tower. These were all found around the rest of the city, creating the classic French/Parisian atmosphere. I distinctly remember the beautiful feeling of wandering around the empty Parisian streets late at night and taking in the vibes of the old town. It was equally great witnessing it all during the day as well, seeing the historical buildings that lined the streets, whether big or small. As much as a monument is impressive and can draw an audience, I feel like it’s nothing if it isn’t surrounded by an equally beautiful backdrop. That’s why it’s so hard to choose favourites in some of these cities, because their entireties are filled with neat historical buildings and intricacies tucked in every corner.

Concluding Thoughts

All that to say, I would definitely revisit Paris! My time there was far too short to see much other than the common attractions, and there’s still so much I’d like to see. Next time, I’d like to revisit some of the same sites during the daylight, go into the catacombs, and of course, discover more cool old buildings and cathedrals. Though it’s not my favourite city I’ve visited, I absolutely understand why it gets so much hype, and I would still recommend others visit as well.