2nd Visit to PARIS: Tuileries Garden , Louvre Pyramid and Eiffel Tower at night / Family Travelogue 15 June 2015

view of Eiffel Tower from Trocadero, Paris, France

The Iron Lady is lit up from sunset to 1am/2am (in summer) and twinkles for 5 minutes every hour.

We had  spent almost a week in Paris during our 2013 Europe tour., two years before this trip.  We would  have gone directly to London from Brussels,  we had thought though, it could be a  regret not to stop by Paris even for a night.  More so, a visit to the very first store of Chanel at 31 Rue Cambon.  In 2013, we purchased our bags at its branch at Galeries Lafayette.

Our visit to Paris this trip was truly short.  We arrived at Gare du Nord. at half past 12noon and left the next morning for London as early as 7:10.  Gare du Nord (Paris Nord) is one of the six large terminus stations in Paris located at the 10th arrondissement and the busiest in Europe.  It is the station for the trains to Northern France and to  UK, Belgium and Netherlands  We had stayed at Hotel Cambrai, few minutes walk from Paris Nord,  booked on 26 December 2014, Superior Quadruple Room with Bath at 120 euros for a night stay.  Apparently, we did not want to miss our train to London.

So, what had we covered for a day?

Place de la Concorde with the view of Eiffel Tower and Grand Palais, Paris, France

By the time we had our lunch, it was 3pm.  We  had  purchased  a local sim for GPS use and 2 sets of 10 carnet.  We took the metro to Concorde- one transfer.  Paris has a very good transport system, just beware of the pickpockets.  We suggest not to carry designer stuff when taking metro, so not to attract these thieves as they are really good at it.  You may be wondering how did we manage after our visit to Chanel and other shops.  We brought two hand carry luggage.

Off the Concorde Metro... the Place de la Concorde. We were so tempted to walk around to the Champ Elysees, to the beautiful bridges, to the great architectural design museums... but we were worried the shops we were to visit would be closed.  It was nearly 4pm.

Check out our visit to Paris in 2018, we had visited more popular places in the city and this time we had visited four museums:  Louvvre, D'Orsay, Rodin and Picasso.  The post still under construction though.

You may want to see the places we visited in Paris in 2013, please click the link.

Finally, I got my very first white shop bag from Chanel.  It was like I bought a bag just for the shop bag.  haha of course not!!!  I have a separate blog for Chanel 31 Rue Cambon, please click the link.

Fontaine de la Concorde at Place de la Concorde, Paris, France

Place de la Concorde is one of the major public squares in Paris.  This place was once named Place de la Revolution during the French Revolution from 1789 to 1795.  During that period, a guillotine was erected in the square.  King Louie XV1 was one of the many important people who were executed in this historical place.  Likewise, Queen Marie Antoinette and the King's sister, Princess Elisabeth.  

Large Round Basin  surrounded by big statues at the Tuileries Garden in Paris, France

Tuileries Garden is one of the beautiful gardens in Paris.  It is in between the Place de la Concorde and The Louvre in the first arrondissement.  This place was originally created as the garden of the Tuileries Palace in the 16th century.   The Tuileries Palace was the royal residence of the Kings and Emperors from 1564 until it was burnt down in 1871 by the  Paris Commune to fully demolish the Monarchy and Imperial System in France.   In 1883, it was decided to fully demolish  the ruins of the Palace and sold the remains to private sectors.  It was opposed though by many important organizations, the ruins were part of the history of French. 

Man made lake in octagonal shape at the Tuileries Garden, Paris, France

The are two big basins at the Tuileries Garden.  One is in  round shape,  located  near the Louvre.  The one in octagonal shape is located besides the Place de la Concorde.

A cup of Gelato a day when in Europe.

Arc de Triomphe du Carousel

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

***the photo was actually taken during our visit to Paris in May 2018.

The triumphal Arch at the Place du Carrousel was built between 1806~1808 to commemorate the victories of the Napoleon military in the previous years.  This arch is different from the one at the far end of Champ Elysees. They were built in the same year though with the same purpose. Arc de Triomphe d l'Etoile is twice bigger than this Arc de Triomphe du Carousel.  Latter also served as gateway to the imperial palace, the Tuileries Palace.

Louvre Pyramid, Paris, France

A large pyramid made of glass and metal was erected at the courtyard of Louvre Museum with three small pyramids around.  The large one is the known main entrance to the Museum.  After the purchase of ticket, there is an escalator/stairs going down the hall.  Down there, there is another Ticket counter and escalator going up each for the three wings of the Louvre Musuem.  Should you want to see the popular painting of Da Vinci first, Mona Lisa, take the way up to the Denon Wing.

We visited the Museum during our visit in 2018.  We did not have to join the long queue, we had the museum pass.  The large pyramid is the main entrance though, there are other passages to skip the long lines.  You could go direct to the hall where there is also a ticket counters with short queue by entering from the Louvre du Carrousel, an underground shopping mall near the Louvre and the Place du Carrousel.  It would be a short walk along the shops and restaurants following the signs to the museum.

Louvre Pyramid, Paris, France

***photo taken in May 2018, after a visit to the Louvre.  It was nearly 10pm, sun was about to set. 

View of Eiffel Tower from Trocadero, Paris, France

We went back to the hotel to leave the two hand carry luggage we brought.  After a bit rest, we headed to Trocadero to watch the beauty of the Eiffel at night.  We climbed the tower in 2013 to the summit.  We have a separate post, please check it out.  Eiffel Tower in 2013

view of the twinkling Eiffel Tower from Trocadero, Paris, France

We could never have enough of Paris.  We believed it was not our last.  We would still be seeing the City of Light and it's a promise.

My husband and I was back in Paris on 18 May 2018.  We had stayed for three days and covered a few of the popular places and Musems: Picasso, Louvre, Tuileries, Place de la Concorde, Pont Alexander, Musee D' Orsay, Rodin, Luxembourg Garden, Arc de Triomphe  d l''Ettoile and Notre Dame Cathedral.

Continued from Brussels, Belgium

Off to London.

continues to Day trip to Oxford University on 12 June 2015