13 May, Sunday: We arrive in Paris!

Sunday, 13 May, arrival day:  The plane landed on time at Terminal 1.  We got through immigration without problems in little time, even with the long lines.  Found our way to Terminal 2 to catch the train.  The RER B took awhile and was crowded.  We transferred to RER C at St. Michel Notre Dame--not an easy train to get into with its huge step and a half up and luggage.  We got off at Ponte d'Alma and made it to the apartment around 1030am.  Were met by Pascal's assistant who checked us in and gave us a handwritten map to the nearest grocery and boulangerie and the English phone number for the G7 taxi.  We were not going to brave the RER for the outgoing flight!

 

After checking in to the apartment, the next order of business was lunch.  We wandered down to Rue Cler and caught the tail end of the market.  Decided to eat at Le Café du Marche which was good.  I had my favorite Chevre Chaud salad;  so simple, so tasty!  

Afterwards we wandered to Champs de Mars and over to the Eiffel Tower.  I knew the elevators were a hideously long wait and had prepared hubby and niece for the need to hike up.  A very short line later, we were trudging up the 740+ steps to the second level.  The views were superb on that beautiful Sunday.  The hike was not hard but was tiring.  We all agreed that it not super scary (niece doesn’t love heights) and worth it.  The elevator line for the third level was very long but we finally made it all the way to the top.  Niece was impressed and so were we again.

It was a perfect day for a nap

The lines for the elevators were so long

Back down to earth, we headed home to the apartment to rest before dinner.  We walked over to Café Constant but decided to go to the nearby pizza place, can't recall or find the name.  I know, pizza in Paris on our first day...but it was very good and light in our exhausted state. Afterwards, we walked home via Champs de Mars for night views of ET.  Were in bed by 11pm.  All agreed it had been a brilliant first day in Paris!