Climbing the Eiffel Tower

A reader asked about the Museum Pass. You may purchase a Pass for 2, 4 or 6 days. Price is 32 Euros, 48 Euros or 64 Euros. There are many museums that one probably would not go to; but most of the big ones are on the list: Louvre, d’Orsay, Chateau Versailles, and the list goes on and on. Check out their website at parismuseumpass.com. We have six day passes and have already saved about 30 Euros on entrance fees and we’ve still got four day left on our tickets. We will probably save 25 Euros plus on admission fees and we don’t stand in long lines. Looks like they will be well worth the price.

Another bonus that is new this year: you can preorder and print your tickets for the Eiffel Tower; a real time saver….normally you might be in the line to purchase tickets for up to three hours. We took advantage of the opportunity before arriving in Paris. Today was our day to climb the Eiffel Tower. We had tickets for 12:30 pm…waited in a very short line and by 12:35 we were in and waiting in the line for the elevator to the second level. From there we did have to queue with everyone for the elevator to the top, but the wait was not all that bad. We were finished by 2 pm which is very quick for going to the top of the Eiffel Tower during the summer!

Our morning began with Mass at Notre Dame; a wonderful experience in the choir room behind the main altar; Jenn, Mary, Tushar and myself attended. Then off to the la boulangerie for fresh bread for breakfast in our room after Mass; it was still closed at 7 am when I was out and about earlier in the morning.

We gathered the group together in the lobby about 10 am and headed for the Metro. After arriving at the Eiffel Tower area, we walked to the nearby Rue Cler area to show the kids one of our favorite areas to stay….we have rooms there in August at the end of the trip. Several purchased crepes while there as they are really, really good at our favorite crepe maker on Rue Cler. Then back to the Eiffel Tower for our journey to the top. A wonderful morning adventure for all.

We all split off afterwards; a few heading for the Rodin Museum, another group to the Army Museum; we were headed towards the hotel for a rest. After several hours we met with Jenn & Kelly and walked to the Louvre Museum at 5:30 for our first visit of this trip. It’s open until 9:30 pm on Friday nights during the summer and we took advantage of the extended hours. Our major visits were to see the Winged Victory Statue and the Mona Lisa.

Walked back to the hotel….not an easy feat as we are all suffering from “tired foot” syndrome and Kelly has the beginnings of a blister on the bottom of his foot. We picked up some food and headed to the Seine River again for some time to enjoy the sunset and river boats as they cruised by with their dinner parties and tourists. Hardly a seat to be had by 9 pm along the quay; but we called it an early evening and headed for the hotel about 10 pm.

An end to another wonderful day in Paris; three of our kids are out riding Segway’s tonight… they began at 6 pm and will ride for four hours through the streets and parks of Paris experiencing the night lights before the end of their tour. We’re anxious to hear their story tomorrow.

Early tomorrow morning the group is headed for Chateau Versailles by train except for Mary, Tushar, Jim and myself…we have another adventure; we’re meeting a French couple for lunch in their home. Mary and I met them in Australia in 2008. More on that tomorrow. Bonsoir…