Paris, day 2. The first objective of the day is “the bar where Angelina Jolie is sitting in The Tourist” and the second objective is the Louvre Museum, to finally say “I’ve seen the Mona Lisa”, but let’s go back to the itinerary.
Day 2- Morning: Musee du Louvre
Mytip: food
For the breakfast we chose Le Nemours that is not only a beautiful café near the museum, but also the one where Angelina Jolie drinks a tea in The Tourist. We had a good breakfast with an amazing view on Place Colette, in front of La Comédie-Française.
Address: 2, Place Colette Website: www.lenemours.paris/
After breakfast, we went to the Louvre, we got in from the pyramid because we had to get the discount, but if you don’t have any kind of discount is much more convenient to buy the ticket online (www.louvre.fr/en) and skip the queue. When we arrived at 10 am there was a very short line, but when we finish our visit, nearly at 13 am, it was already much longer.
Knowing that we would have few time to see the collection, I’ve made a list of the 15/20 masterpieces I wanted to see, and in 2 hours (with some difficulties with the map and the museum’s app) we saw nearly everything. The only bad news of the day was that the 19th century French paintings’ rooms are closed until February 27. 2018 (Schedule of Room Closures). Therefore no Liberty Leading the People for me to see.
Mytip: Museums
Most of the museums are free entry for EU citizens under 25, you only have to show your ID at the ticket office.
Furthermore there’s free entry for everybody under 18.
Among the museums having this kind of discounts: Louvre, Musée d’Orsay, Musée de l’Armée.
Finally, every museum has its specific discount categories, you will find everything on the websites.
Day 2 – Afternoon: Notre Dame e Galeries Lafayette
After the Louvre visit we where desperately searching for something to eat, fortunately I had one free week before the departure and what a better way to try to not think to the exams grades that never appear on the university website than googling “where to eat in Paris?”.
Mytip: Food
Le Camion Qui Fume started as a food truck selling hamburgers. Now they have 2 food trucks, 3 restaurants and home delivery.
We tried the one in Rue Montmartre, even if it’s a restaurant it maintains the truck food soul. They have a lot of different hamburgers, both traditional and innovative receipts, and the best fries of my life. We tried the “le barbecue” and the “le californie”, both recommended.
Address: 168, Rue Montmartre
Website: www.lecamionquifume.com
After lunch we gave it a try getting in the Musée d’Orsay, but the queue was too long, so we opt for Notre Dame. We were stunned in front of the amazing facade when it starts a storm, so we were forced to go somewhere indoor.
Therefore we went to Galeries Lafayette. It reminds me of Harrods, 10 levels of clothing and accessories. The art nouveau structure of the building is worth the visit and the dome is spectacular. At ground floor I found a beautiful beret from their collection, 100% wool and made in France that became my souvenir from Paris.
Day 2 – Night: Tour Eiffel
By the time dinner came, we realize we spent more than 24 hours in the City of Love without seeing the Eiffel Tower. So we took a bus, and we stopped on the Pont d’Iéna side at the “Tour Eiffel” stop, right at the bottom of the tower. It was the most fascinating thing I’ve seen in Paris, I don’t know if it was because of the lights or because the size of the tower but it was really a breathtaking moment, especially for me, because I was expecting “just an iron tower”.
I ought to be jealous of the tower. She is more famous than I am. – Gustave Eiffel
