Notre Dame, the Opera and a CHEESEburger

Today we had planned a day of leisure to take a few tours on our own. Our first taxi driver told us that everything we needed to see was "above ground", and the easiest way to see it all was to walk. We took his advice and walked EVERYwhere! For energy and to fuel our day, we started with a croissant and coffee. (OK, we may have started everyday with this!)

We lucked out and it was a picture perfect day. Our first stop was Notre Dame. Touring the cathedral is free, but they do take donations/offerings. One of the neatest part of the architecture is the many gargoyles around the cathedral known to ward off evil spirits. You can see them from every side. They offer free guided tours of the inside in various languages throughout the week. Just look on their website for the language/time. There is so much history inside the cathedral. The stained glass windows are so beautiful. The most famous are the Rose Windows - so much detail and beauty. There are also famous statues throughout, our favorite being Miss Joan of Arc! Definitely a must-see in the city!

 

 

We walked from Notre Dame (and walked and walked) to the Opera House. Everywhere you walk in Paris you can find some historic monument or famous "square".  You could just spend the entire day strolling in the various neighborhoods and never tire of seeing something new. It was so beautiful.

We finally made it to the Paris Opera House. This was probably the most unexpected yet top tour we did! On a previous tour, someone had mentioned that the inside was even more beautiful than the outside. As you can see below, the outside is magnificent itself. (You can also see the crazy drivers. They just drive where there is space!)

We bought our tickets for our audio tour and took off. I mean. COME ON, GUYS. Look at this. Can't you just imagine people being dolled up and going to a performance in their ballgowns and tuxes!? It would be the perfect place to people watch - that's for sure! 

We were not supposed to take pictures "inside" the actual performance hall, but we had to take a quick pic to show you the detail. And look at the ceiling. Work. Of. Art.

The halls and spaces were just over the top. You could also go outside to the balcony that stretches over the front of the building. It looks out over the streets of Paris.

I'm sure you all have heard of the Phantom of the Opera. Did you know that this is HIS opera house?

Here is a neat article that talks about the myth vs reality. He has his own box at the opera, Box Number 5. They leave it empty at every performance just for him. I love that.

We highly recommend taking a tour if you are able. If it is hot, cool, rainy, etc...it's the perfect place to spend a few hours. We would love to see a performance here. Maybe one day!

Our croissant from earlier had long gone! We looked for somewhere to eat right around the Opera and found Mon Paris!  They had seating either inside or outside. The service was very friendly, and there were a lot people there. It was a mix of locals, businessmen, and tourists. The prices seemed a little high, but probably pretty "normal" for that area of the city. We decided to split a salad and a burger. The salad was so fresh and flavorful. 

Then came the burger. Would you like a side of burger with that cheese!?!? :-) YUM. I promise there is a burger under that cheese and bacon. And that unassuming side of "frites" behind the plate. The French really know how to prepare a potato! It was the perfect late lunch.

Time to keep going and walk off that lunch. Happy and full we are headed to the Eiffel Tower! To not overload you with pictures, we are going to dedicate the entire next post to the tower herself. She's worth it! Until next time!

XO,