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So our latest trip took us to Paris for a long weekend break to celebrate my wifes latest birthday, it was also another Bucket list adventure as I wanted to try the Eurostar from London St Pancras, so a 6am trip to London to catch the 10.26 train, it was a great experience, it takes just over 2 hours to reach The Gare du Nord station in the heart of the city once you leave the amazing St Pancras Champagne bar which is a must for us on every visit to the famous London station (hence the 6am start) to get a glass or two in early before departure.
On arrival in Paris we checked into our hotel, I booked the comfortable 25hours Hotel Paris, Step out of the station onto Parisian soil and there it is – It is a declaration of love for the vibrant spirit of the 10th arrondissement and its inhabitants. Glossy, modern and with a location you can’t beat, you’ll be in the heart of the hustle and bustle with the entire city at your feet Not long after checking in we headed to the metro (right outside our hotel) to take a train to the amazing Ritz Hotel for afternoon tea, we have had many afternoon teas around the world (see our afternoon tea blog) and this one did not disappoint, full of charm and elegance as you would expect from this elegant 5 star hotel. We finished our first evening in Paris with a visit to Tour Maine-Montparnasse, also commonly named Tour Montparnasse, it is a 210-metre skyscraper located in the Montparnasse area of Paris, Constructed from 1969 to 1973, it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011, the view was spectacular with a view of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Les Invalides, the Sacré-Cœur and Notre-Dame. Our second day was magical and a bit of fun as well, we took a trip over to the Latin Quarter of the city, also known as the 5th arrondissement, the quaint Latin Quarter is home to the Sorbonne University and student-filled cafes. It's also famed for its bookshops, including the landmark Shakespeare & Company. However our trip there was to do a Wine and Cheese tasting experience, I have recently found Red wine! (dont judge me) so where better in the world to learn about some of the amazing wines of France. This class is an excellent opportunity for people who want to have a light introduction to French wines and discover how they pair perfectly with French cheeses. What more could you ask for on a Saturday lunchtime, however an hour drinking wine at midday is not a good idea with Lisa! if your interested in more details about all the different wine and cheese classes experiences take a look at this website, wine-tasting-in-paris.com. Thierry Givone is a great host. Later In the evening we visited the spectacular Moulin Rouge Paris We had just seen the Broadway hit show in New York so I had to now see how the real Moulin Rouge was done in its rightful home of Paris, I booked a VIP table with an incredible view that included plenty of champagne and a lovely meal before the dancing girls took to the stage, an amazing show that has to been seen if your ever in Paris, it is also a great chance to dress up in black tie attire for the amazing Parisian cabaret. THE SHOW: LA REVUE FÉERIE The Moulin Rouge is the spectacular world where all the emotions, surprises and effervescence of the Parisian festival since 1889 are lived, invented and shared. Through the magazine "Féerie" composed of a troupe of 80 artists recruited from all over the world, 1,000 costumes of feathers, rhinestones and sequins that sublimate the body of the artists, attractions with exceptional numbers that punctuate the show, and the inevitable dance of the French Cancan, the emblematic cabaret of Paris invites you to live an unforgettable magical experience in the heart of Montmartre. After a bit of a lie in following the evening before, we took the metro over to the most famous landmark in Paris, The Eiffel tower, I had booked lunch at Madame Brasserie which is on the first floor of the tower, a lovely restaurant with a window table that had a great view of the city, the food was excellent and we highly recommend a visit if your ever in the city. To end the evening I had booked a romantic trip down the river, The Seine is France's third-longest river, extending 485 miles from Dijon to the English Channel. The river has been the subject of many famous impressionist paintings, including Monet's Bathers at La Grenouillere and Renoir's Seine River at Asnieres. The Seine still supplies about half of the water used in Paris, some beautiful sights including the tower lit up at night. A fun packed lovely weekend in the Parisian city which only being 2 hours away by Eurostar is a great weekend adventure not to be missed. A few pics and video below. Comments are closed.
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