Our first trip to France started in, none other than, Paris. We were there for 1 and 1/2 days, which is not nearly enough time to accomplish much. However, we already know we will be going back, likely 2025, to see Notre Dame Cathedral when it is reopened. It is still close from the 2019 fire, but is scheduled to reopen December 2024. While it was sad that we could not see the inside of the cathedral this trip, we are grateful for the amount of support shown to rebuild. Initially, the repair and restoration of the cathedral was estimated to be 30+ years. 

Being that we had such limited time, and from previous experience elsewhere, the first thing we did was book a ticket for the Hop on, Hop off bus tour. If you travel to a city that has this, I recommend you do it early. This gives you the best overview of what's available, and can help you better decide how to plan out your stay. Heck, you may even see something you did not know was nearby that interests you. One little confession, most of the pictures you see in this album we taken on the bus tour. Hopefully, that proves my point of taking the bus tour ;)

We had some weather to deal with, too. Rain and heat were fighting us. Rain we could handle, it just meant my camera wasn't out. The heat.....that's a different story. I knew I was not drinking enough, the heat pointed that out by making me feel a bit ill. If you are wondering why we went to an aquarium in Paris, that's why. It was indoors, shaded, and something we could do at a calmer pace. Plus, the whole family enjoys marine life, so it really wasn't that bad of an option. 

I will say, Paris is a very beautiful city. There was quite a bit of construction/restoration happening around the entire city. However, this seems common in most cities, especially when it comes to historical buildings/landmarks. If there is something in particular you want to see, check for details ahead of time to make sure it will be open the day you want, and if there are any areas closed for repairs. 

Now for some pointers I learned.

- If you plan to visit the Louvre, be prepared for crowds and a larger than expected building.

- The lights on the Eiffel Tower are on a timer. They come on at dusk and go off around midnight. Keep in mind, the "sparkle" effect (blinking strobe lights) only happen at the top of an hour, and last for roughly 5 minutes. Some might think it silly to wait, but it's worth it, in my opinion.

- The Hop on, Hop off bus tours stop early. Don't get caught on the other side of the city, unless you don't mind calling for an Uber. (Extra tip: Uber is cheaper than a taxi). So, double check the time the bus stops running for the day you are using it. 

- Some public restrooms will need to you either pay to use, or show a receipt that you are a patron of a particular establishment. For instance, the bathroom for the restaurant out in front of the aquarium required you to show a receipt. 

- Book a tour for the Eiffel Tower. If you were in Paris prior to 2015, you may remember being able to walk directly up to the Eiffel Tower and walk under it. That is no longer the case. You must enter through 2 security checkpoints to get onto the tower. The reason I suggest booking a tour is because the wait time can be quite long if you do the walkup line. To save yourself from waiting so long, and to maximize your sightseeing time, book a tour and report at the time suggested. You will still need to wait in a line, but the line is much shorter.

- Be sure to either have access to the internet on your phone, or have a translation app on it. To get menus and brochures in different languages may require this technology. Or, you could always just learn French.

- Be prepared to see their police and military walking the airports and streets. Why is this something to know? Because some people, may be caught off guard seeing groups of officers carrying their semi-automatic rifles around. 

- If you travel in July, be prepared for detours due to the Tour de France.

- If you travel in August, expect some places to be closed for European Holiday (Vacation). Yes, entire businesses close for vacation.

- Be prepared for lots of street vendors, particularly around the Eiffel Tower. Most of what they sell can be found in giftshops anyway. Will the street vendors be cheaper? Sure. However, with as many times as they pick up their cloth and bang the items together, you may wish to spend your money on something that is treated better.