I love Paris…

With the French Open finals looming this weekend, I so wish I could be in Paris - the City of Lights. I love Paris, and not only in the summer when it sizzles. This picture was taken on 15 December 2007 when it was freezing in Paris. We decided to do our own “Paris by Night” tour, on foot. We started at 18:30 at the Bastille, crossed the Seine at Pont d’ Austerlitz and walked along the river till we reached the Notre Dame around 19:30 where we rewarded ourselves with a delicious crêpe and listened to Christmas carols. We crossed Pont Neuf and then went on to the Louvre. From there we turned away towards Place Vendôme, the Opéra and around the Madeleine reaching the bottom of the Champs Elysées at 21:00. The 30 minute uphill stroll along the tree-lit Champs Elysées took us to the Arc de Triomphe. From there we went to the Trocadéro. The whole evening we could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, shining like a beacon, getting closer with every step, and then … suddenly the magnificent larger than life sight of the Tour Eiffel! Flashing. Brilliant. Unforgettable! I love Paris, especially when I’ve walked 4 hours in 0°C and is rewarded with such a sight. Then it sizzles!