Paris

February 14-18, 2007
AC880 YYZ-CDG, AC871/415 CDG-YUL-YYZ

Another winter break and a return to Paris.  Although it ended up being on Valentine’s day, it was not conceived that way, but it worked well with the seat sale and the free nights I had booked in Paris.  It turned into a nice long weekend, and although there had been storms, the flight over got out okay.  The Park Hyatt lived up to its billing, and although we would certainly never pay to stay there, did enjoy the lovely service.  The weather was also quite pleasant.  Although not tropical, it was a good rest from winter, and despite it being our third trip there, we made it to a few new places.  Our bad luck with flights continued as our flight home was very delayed; however, the very accommodating concierge called me on my cell and put us on the earlier flight through Montreal, so we were home more or less on-schedule.

Courtyard of the Louvre with I.M.Pei entrance

City Hall decked out for winter fun

Notre Dame towers (traditional view)

Notre Dame (rear view)

Eiffel Tower overlooking the Seine

Bridge over the Seine, watched over by gold lizard

Eiffel Tower lit up at night

Eiffel Tower lit up at night

The Pantheon, home of a Foucault pendulum and numerous tombs

(Very small) sample of the stunning stained glass at the Sainte-Chapelle cathedral

Soleil couchant, part of Les Nymphéas, Musée de l’Orangerie (newly reopened)

Ancient foundations under the modern Louvre

Sphinx statue, the Louvre

The Eiffel Tower lit up at night, from the top of the Arc de Triomphe