Nana's last day in France

Paris (week 16)

One more packed day of site-seeing before Nana heads home.  On this day we started out where we left off - on the Île de la Cité - visiting Notre Dame de Paris.  It being Sunday, mass was being held when we were there, so we got to see the priests and organ in action.  They still allow tours around the periphery, so we could still see all the chapels, the rose windows, etc.  Again, it was very busy but since the cathedral is so much larger than Sacré Cœer, there was room to move around and ponder if you wished.

After lunch at a café next to the cathedral, and some time for souvenir shopping, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower.  It was also swamped with tourists, even the lines to walk up to the second stage were long.  So we walked around and had a nice snack across the river by the fountains of the Jardins du Trocadéro, eating cupcakes we bought on a side street on the Île de la Cité.

For our final stage, we travelled to the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile.  We were there as the sun was setting, so we got to see the west-facing wall turn orange in the light, as well as the rekindling ceremony at the tomb of the unknown soldier.  We then ate dinner on the Champs-Élysées lucking out by getting a table with a view of the Arc de Triomphe.

The next day, we all travelled up to CDG airport to see Nana off.