Paris - City of Love

When we think of February we think of Valentine's Day.

When we think of Valentine's Day, we think of LOVE.

So this month we'll focus on love and romantic destinations.

And where better to start than The City of Love - Paris!!

Nothing says LOVE like a wedding....

Couldn't resist snapping this photo of a bride and groom and their wedding photographers.  

The Eiffel Tower has got to be the most iconic landmark for the City of Love and is not to be missed!

The Eiffel Tower at Sunset.  A most spectacular sight!

No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the LOuVrE. (see what I did there! lol. I do LOVE the Louvre) I have been to Paris 3 times and to the Louvre each time.  Each time I followed a different strategy, as taking it all in one visit is too daunting.  First time, we followed the museum's guide to see the not to be missed exhibits.  The second time, we were studying Greek mythology so I made a scavenger hunt for my children and we found exhibits that referenced the Greek myths in some way.  That kept them happily engaged as I wandered and took in the art.  On our latest visit, we raced to the Mona Lisa upon entering the museum to avoid the crowds blocking our ability to get a photo with her..She's way smaller than you think!

And then found this painting which moved me the first time I saw it and I've sought it out each visit.  Its called The Deluge.

And then we wandered leisurely throughout the museum enjoying its many and varied works of art.

 Paris is a City for Lovers.  Here is a Bridge of Locks - where couples in love write their names on locks and put them on the bridge and throw the key into the River Seine to symbolize their undying affection.   They have since been removed due the structural damage their weight was causing, however my understanding is Paris is trying to determine a new place for them to keep the tradition alive.

Whats not to LOVE about these views from the top of the Arc de Triomphe?

 The Conciergerie,  not a building one might associate with love as it  was formerly a prison and is now mostly for courts of law, but I loved its beauty and the serenity around it as we walked through the city on a gorgeous sunny morning.  

Notre Dame Cathedral - Because my family loves me, they willingly passed up the ability to tour the towers of Notre Dame.  Because I love them, I would have happily waited for them in the nearby park and people watched so they could go, but in the end we all spent some time enjoying sandwiches on French baguettes and people watching in the park rather than attempting the 387 steps required to tour the towers.

Often, our favorite vacation memories come from the unexpected sites and activities we stumble upon.  In this case the street artists gathered outside the Centre Pompidou.  Eating gelato and watching all the activities, and even participating in the Chinese dance was a highlight of our visit!

In closing this post, I realize I'm missing a photo of a very special part of visiting Paris - the CREPES!  Apparently I loved them too much to take time to take a photo so you'll just have to take my word for it and get yourself to Paris to see if they look and taste as good as you imagine!