Bonjour à tous!

Today officially began our exploration of Paris and all that comes with it. Everyone woke up bright and early to begin our day with a 2-3 hour walking tour led by Professor Zinder.

Taking the 13 line to Champs Elysee, we met with Professor Zinder to begin our tour towards the Eiffel Tower. Professor Zinder gave us her background to explain how she ultimately became to live in the Paris, with details of her culinary career in pastry along the way. Living in Paris, she is able to beautifully speak the language and understand their culture, exhibited in the way she warns us what to expect and in the telling of the history behind many monuments.

Station by our hotel on the 13 line

Petit Palais, built for the 1900 World Fair

Group photo (minus the author)

Professor Zinder and her insanely large map

On the tour, we stopped in front of the Grand Palais to go over some brief details of the city. The Grand Palais is directly across the Petit Palais, both immaculate and beautiful. On the way to the Eiffel Tower, we crossed the Seine River on Pont Alexandre III, one of the most beautiful bridges in Paris due to the details glass lamp posts and gold statues.

View of the Eiffel Tower from Pont Alexandre III

Ultimately, we reached one of the most famous towers in the world. We took in the beauty along with the history of the monument, learning how it was also built for another World’s Fair, and how she is in dire need of a new paint job (which happens every 7 years).

A more upscale neighborhood in Paris

Fontaine de Mars, a restaurant for locals and tourists named after the god of war

Tower of Eiffel, named after the business man who bought the plan from the original architects (and Professor Zinder’s crazy map)

After the tour of the Eiffel Tower, everyone split into their own groups for the walking tour project. Banessa, Corrina, and I were assigned of Palais Garnier opera house, so we took the 9 to the opera house to do some recon for the upcoming days. After a long morning of walking, we grabbed lunch at a nearby restaurant with some traditional French crepes, coffee, pasta, and pizza. We returned to the hotel ultimately, mainly to wind down a bit, and prepare for the adventures to come later on tonight (maybe). All in all, today’s tour was a great way to start our “first” day in Paris, and what a better way than to visit what it is most associated with.

Palais Garnier Opera House

Pasta Carbonara, Crepe Fromage, Pizza Margherita

Something about clean Parisian train stations makes us silly