The second destination on my family’s European trip was France. We took a train from Italy that went along the Cote d'Azur to the beautiful coastal town of Nice. After spending some time in the sun, we drove into Paris where we stayed for the rest of our time in France. The Eiffel Tower was of course the main attraction, and for good reason. It's visible from almost anywhere in the city. At night it would glitter from the thousands of flashbulb lights that the city installed. I have a fear of heights, but I knew I had to face my fears and go atop the tower. It was quite the view! We visited The Louvre to see the Mona Lisa, and saw the Notre-Dame cathedral afterwards. Scroll down to see how our trip went.
2009
Nice, Paris
Bravely making my way to the top of the Eiffel Tower
Located on the Champ de Mars, the Iron Lady sits just above 1000 feet tall. There's a few levels that visitors can go to, one which even has a restaurant. It truly is a miraculous sight to see, whether you’re standing below it or at the top. You can see the flashbulb lights in action in the fourth picture below.
The glowing Eiffel Tower
My sister, brother and I
Standing below
Flashbulbs lighting up the tower
We visited several cathedrals in France, and Notre-Dame was the most incredible. This medieval cathedral is considered one of the greatest examples of French-Gothic architecture. I was fortunate enough to be able to experience it before a devastating fire destroyed the spire and roof in April of 2019.
Beautiful stained glass inside a cathedral in Paris, France
We traversed all around the city. I can't even remember how many statues and museums we saw. The Louvre was very cool, but I must say the Mona Lisa was a bit smaller than I had expected, but exciting to see in person none-the-less. You can see my brother Michael demonstrating that life imitates art in a few of the pictures below.
The Mona Lisa was underwhelming
My brother Michael and his friend
Deep in thought
The famous Venus de Milo
Can't forget about the beach! Nice was a quaint town, with pristine beaches and some incredible restaurants. They had a nude area on the beach, which was interesting to say the least. I also tried a crêpe for the first time. It was delicious, and now every time I order a crêpe I think of Nice. Towards the end of our stay we took a Segway tour along the beachside where we saw bright red Ferraris race down the streets.
My brother, dad, sister and I enjoying the beach
