Though we started out a few minutes ahead of schedule, it was a hectic morning from the moment we left our London loft until we boarded our Eurostar train to Paris. We eschewed a taxi ride in favor of navigating through the subways — an idea which may have made more sense in theory than in practice. With one subway line closed for weekend enhancements, we had to add a transfer to the mix, creating crazy maneuvers of kids, luggage, and the stroller to get to St. Pancras International Station to catch our train.
Fortunately, the connections were quick and the check-in process was a little less intimidating than it seemed when reading the online instructions and warnings. We were whisked through check-in and security lines and ultimately were settled on the train in plenty of time before departure.
It was good to be on the train.
Compared to our previous rail experience, the train cars and seats on the Eurostar train to Paris were larger and more comfortable. The train reached speeds of 186 miles per hour on the journey, getting us from London to Paris in just over two hours. All of us managed at least a bit of sleep during the journey.
While the station is large, the platform was far enough away from the main building area that it took some time to realize we had actually made it to Paris.
Our arrival in Paris was fairly uneventful until we reached the taxi stand. At that spot, an incensed man was yelling at the train station security to such an extent they had to restrain him. We also had trouble finding a taxi to take us, given the size of our party and apparent lack of “baby insurance” for some drivers. In the end, we had a relatively quick, quite scenic, and seemingly-more-expensive-than-it-should-have-been taxi ride to the hotel.
Ready for our third taxi ride of the trip.
Emmie covering her ears, perhaps due to Noah’s cute (but somewhat loud) singing.
The staff at the hotel provided precise instructions for the 15-minute walk to the Eiffel Tower. Along the way, we swung into Carette, another restaurant I identified via positive reviews, for a quick takeaway lunch to eat with the Tower’s scenic backdrop. It was wildly expensive, with sandwiches the size of a Voortman wafer cookie costing €2.60. Gee Gee and Grandma Mac had crepes from a stand, though Grandma’s only enjoyed a few bites before a bird swooped down for a bite.
Really expensive, really basic sandwiches.
As far as I know, Gee Gee’s crepe was enjoyable.
We then took a bazillion photos on the 10-minute, picturesque walk to the Eiffel Tower. Because we were unable to secure tickets in advance, we quickly found a spot in line before Amanda sought out four bottles of water for the reasonable price of €10. After around an hour of waiting, we made it through the various security checkpoints and purchased tickets to begin the elevator ride to the Eiffel Tower’s second level.
After exiting the elevator, we quickly whisked the tired kids in different directions; Noah stood with Amanda in the queue for the toilet, while Emmie and I sought out some overpriced food to satisfy appetites unfulfilled by the micro-sandwiches we had purchased earlier in the afternoon. We walked away with a croque monsieur sandwich, french fries, and a large bottle of water.
Noah and Emmie take in the sights and sounds of Paris.
A hands-free method of sharing my fry with Emmie.
Grandma Mac and Gee Gee stayed on the second level while Amanda, Noah, Emmie, and I continued the journey up the second lift to the Tower’s 81-story-tall summit. Both kids loved the view from the top but Emmie wanted freedom to run and Noah wanted to be held: both tough combinations given the wild crowds and peak of daytime heat. We spent enough time on the summit to walk around it twice and snap a few photos.
Noah looks at Paris from the summit of the Tower.
Amanda says it best: “Hot, exhausted, and covered with with my favorite two sweaty and sticky little people at the top of the Eiffel Tower! I wouldn’t have it any other way!”
We were all exhausted by the end of our Eiffel Tower visit.
We made the walk back to our hotel to freshen up before departing one final time for the evening, with the intention of walking to the nearby McDonald’s. With tired travelers and hungry kids, the thought of the known quantity provided by McDonald’s was appealing. However, for the first time on this trip, my map memory was truly disastrous and we ended up at the pretty-but-difficult-to-appreciate Arc de Triomphe. After consulting a map on the back of a bus stop, we managed to derive a return route to the hotel to keep our unplanned walk around a mile in length.
This lousy photo is literally the only documented evidence of our one-plus mile detour.
Just before the hotel, we spotted the McDonald’s in the distance and made the decision to continue with our plans. Gee Gee, Amanda, Noah, and Emmie were satisfied with Chicken McNuggets and French Fries, while Grandma went with the standard Filet-O-Fish. I branched out a little to try the Le 280 sandwich, which looked to have potential but tasted no better than standard McDonald’s fare. The prices were the most shocking piece of the stop. Apple juice boxes were three times as expensive as they are in the United States, and our full meal ran over €30. Self-service fountain soda is non-existent here; the same goes for drink refills.
Emmie at least loved the McNuggets.
Gee Gee, Amanda and the kids returned to the hotel, while Grandma Mac and I took a taxi back to the Eiffel Tower area to catch a Bateaux Pariesens sightseeing cruise along the Seine River. We boarded the boat at 10:00 p.m. and were treated to an hour of picturesque views as the final light from the sun diminished. While we somehow missed any solid glimpses of the famous Notre Dame Cathedral, we saw many Parisian landmarks like the Louvre and took in the on-the-hour sparkling lights on the Eiffel Tower.
Grandma Mac in front of the Eiffel Tower, just before our walk back to the hotel.
While hot during the day, the weather was perfect by evening, a fitting end to a trip which has been filled with near-ideal weather. We’re up early tomorrow morning for breakfast at the hotel followed by a taxi to the airport for our return to the United States.