Sunday March 29, & Monday March 30, 2026 France Here We Come

And, I'm off again. Last trip, hopefully, on this knee.   I'll return and a few weeks later have a left knee replacement.   

This time, my good friend, Bettiann Parker will be with me as we travel first to Paris for a few days on our own.  Bettiann already has her bionic knee so I'll be the one looking for the bench this time around! We will be able to see some things that Viking cannot offer us including a tour of Notre Dame and a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower as well as a cooking class we scheduled to make French macaroons.

Then we meet the Viking river cruise ship for a sail north on the Seine River as far as Rouen.  But, while we're in Paris, Viking will take us to the Louvre for a date with Mona.   We'll also get to the Palace at Versaille.  Once we sail north, one of the highlights will be a day excursion to Normandy Beach.  We'll return to Paris and be put on a fast train down to Lyon for another river sailing on the Rhone River south through the Rhone Valley. We'll end our 15 days in Marseille and fly home from there.

We're both trying something different this time; not checking bags.  So it will be a total of 17 days with whatever we have stuffed into our carry-on and 'personal item'.  You have to love air carrier lingo.  The personal item must be able to fit under your seat.  If needed (and it will be), there's laundry service on the ship.  

So, it's off to the airport Sunday at 3:30 am due to the TSA strife for a 6:30 am flight, via Charlotte NC to Charles De Gaulle airport (Paris) arriving Monday 7:45 am (Paris time) or 11:45 pm Arizona time.  Let's hope for some sleep on some plane.  Why is it always almost a 24 hour day of flying to get someplace I want to go?  Go figure!

Follow along for the sights of Paris.

So with all the talk of TSA lines, we buzzed through in under 5 minutes.  Touchless TSA Precheck works, especially at 4 am.  The B gate security was closed so we had a healthy walk back from C gate security but we had nothing else to do at this hour of the day.   We’re so early, none of the coffee shops are open.   We have to wait until 5 am.

First leg of the trip

We had a four hour layover in Charlotte NC and boarded on time.  It looked like we would take off on time until we were informed that the proper trash containers were missing.  One hour later and maintenance finally came back with the containers.  So we took off an hour late but our pilot made up the time and we arrived at Charles de Gaulle airport only 15 minutes after our scheduled arrival. 

Immigration checkpoints went smooth and we were met in the arrival hall by the car service I hired.  No waiting!    The ride into the city to the hotel was slow. Traffic is heavy here in Paris as well.  

Still. we were at our hotel at about 10: 00 am.  They stored our luggage and we were off to find a good cup of coffee and a croissant.

Our hotel 

We’re staying in the Latin quarter of Paris with many restaurants and wine bars surrounding us.  

But more importantly, we were only a five minute walk to Notre Dame Cathedral our next stop.

Walking toward Notre Dame we passed a chocolate shop with Easter candy.

The architecture of the Latin Quarter.

Crossing the Seine to arrive at Notre Dame.  Pretty narrow here

When they say you don’t need a ticket or a reservation, it’s true.  The line moved very quickly and within 15 minutes we had snaked our way through the line and entered this magnificent building.  It was all self guided and we walked at our own pace even with the crowds.  An average of 30,000 people enter every day…and this is Holy Week with Palm Sunday being yesterday.

What a magnificent church.  The stained glass windows are beautiful and the baroque style is beautiful with high columns and beautiful soaring ceilings.  The roof fire of April 2019 has been repaired inside.  Theee is still a crane and outside work being done but you would never know it inside.

Inside the cathedral 

The pipe organ above and in the rear of the church 

Tired but awake after 20 hours of travel 

After spending an hour in the church we headed back to our hotel via the famous English book store Shakespeare and Co which opened in 1951.  We browsed a few minutes and then collapsed in the waiting area of our hotel for about 30 minutes while they finished our room and we could access it about two hours earlier than normal check in time.  

We walked through this garden on the way to the book store

Shakespeare and Company 

So traditional, French music on the corner 

They have been very accommodating so far at the hotel and while the room is small, we actually have a step in shower rather than a tub, something I requested.  

The reception has ordered us a taxi for tomorrow morning as we have a 9 am tour to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  We will get adventurous and take the Metro back since we have plenty of time if we get lost.

It was definitely time for a short two hour nap and now maybe a short walk and an early dinner and more sleeep to catch up on.

Dinner was across the street from the hotel.  Some light fare as we’re still tired and off our time zones.   Dinner called for French onion soup and a soufflé made with Grand Marmier. 

And now for a shower and bed! even though it’s still light out.  Tomorrow will be here and our 8 am taxi to the Eiffel Tower.