After a good night’s sleep, I woke refreshed at about 8am.  I snagged a croissant from the hotel breakfast area (which I later learned that breakfast was 12 Euro – oops!) to hold me over, and walked to the Metro station and took the subway south to the Pont Marie stop, on the north side of the Seine adjacent to Ile Saint-Louis, a small island in the Seine.  My Facebook friend Katherine (who has visited Paris over 70 times) had recommended checking the island out, so I strolled from one end to the next, stopping at a small shop for a broccoli and gorgonzola quiche and a rhubarb torte.  From there I made my way west to the island that houses Notre Dame, stopped a few more minutes to admire it, and crossed to the south side of the Seine to the statue of Saint Michele.  It was there that I met up with Dan and Sarah, who’d arranged for us all to take part in a free walking tour given by Sandeman’s, a tour company that gives walking tours throughout Europe.  I ate my treats while waiting, both of which were delicious.  Unfortunately I had my hands full and didn’t get pictures, but they were both very appetizing.

The tour guide was Mexican, lived in the UK for a time, and had been in Paris 7 years.  The first stop was at Notre Dame, where we learned about the history of the building and some about the French Revolution.  We then stopped near the State Police headquarters, where he pointed to bullet holes that have been preserved since the Nazi occupation of the city during World War II.  We then stopped on the Pont Neuf Bridge, where we learned about King Louis IV, and about how the small half-moon cutouts were used by early day tooth extractors who used alcohol to “anesthetize” patients before hammering teeth out and throwing them in the river.  We then made our way to and across the Pont des Arts, former the “love bridge,” that once contained padlocks that couples attached to the bridge, throwing the key into the Seine, to symbolize eternal love.  Next came the Louvre, where we learned about its history, and the history of how the Mona Lisa became so famous (mostly because it was stolen and later found).  The last stop was just west near the Jardin des Tuileries, a huge city park, where we could see the Eiffel Tour and learned some of its history.  There was a wealth of fascinating information about the history of the city and each location that I’m leaving out, so if you’re ever in Paris, I highly recommend it.  While it’s free, a nice tip is fair, though even with that, it’s a steal.

After the tour, they invited me to join them, so I walked with them along Rue de Rivoli on the north side of the park, then into the square housing the Colonne Vendome, a statue of Napolean, and surrounded by 5 star hotels and high end stores.  We strolled back to the south side of the Seine, eventually finding a Monoprix grocery store to pick up some meat, pate, cheese, and baguettes, then found a small park in which to have a picnic.

After our lunch, we parted ways, and I headed back up to the Seine, and walked several miles along it to the base of the Eiffel tower.  The closer I got, the busier the walkway along the river got, and by the point I was at the base, it was packed with tourists.  By this point my feet were starting to feel the miles, so I plopped down in some grass and got on FaceTime with the girls. I had the camera set up so the tower was directly visible behind me, and the girls were all giddy with excitement when they saw it.  After chatting with them a few, I called my mom to check in with her.  By this point I was ready to stop walking for the day and have a couple beers, but not after a pit stop at the Pullman hotel nearby for a pit stop.  Bathrooms on the streets in Paris cost money, and as with many large cities, business don’t allow people to use theirs, so my standby trick of finding a nice hotel and discretely finding the toilets by the meeting rooms worked once again.

About a 30 minute ride on the RER C and then the 2 Metro, I got off in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, with fantastic smells of all types of food to match.  La Fine Mousse is one of the top rated beer bars in the city, and was a nice little spot.  There were a few bar stools, a few tables for four, and several tables for two along the window/walls that were open, as it was pleasant enough outside.  After a table beer and a Cantillon Kriek, I headed back to the 2 Metro, and took it a few stops away, and walked the several blocks back to the hotel.

After a shower to refresh after walking miles in almost 90 degree heat, I walked a few blocks to L’Ardoise Gourmande, a nearby restaurant that had excellent Yelp reviews for their classic French cuisine.  I was attracted to the prix fixe menu and reviews of excellent service, and the fact that they had duck, a favorite of mine.  I sat at a table for one on the sidewalk outside, with a nice view of an early 1800s era Catholic church.   The server (who I believe to be the owner) was quite helpful with navigating the menu and pouring me a glass of her favorite Bordeaux.  I ordered the escargot as an appetizer, and while I’m glad I got to experience it and enjoyed it, would be fine passing on it next time.  The duck (canard) was served with a red wine sauce and mashed potatoes.  The skin was crispy, and the meat was tender, so perfectly cooked.  By far the best duck I’ve ever had.

I walked back to the hotel after a loop around the church, stopping at a grocery store for a snack, and after packing up most of my belongings, was asleep pretty quickly, around 11pm.