Day 31 - Taking in the City of Light

I flew from Bastia to Paris on Sunday for my final stop on this European Soccer Excursion.  There are no matches to be seen in Paris, but I wanted to come see the City of Light since I was so close and I had never been. 

The flight from Bastia to Paris was about an hour and 40 minutes.

Au revoir Corsica.

After dropping off my bags at the hotel my first stop was lunch.  I had read about a delicious spot near my hotel called Le Floreal.  It's described as an American-style diner with French flare.

Doing a bit of Paris research and game planning for the afternoon site seeing.

Nothing says Paris like a cheeseburger and fries. Actually, there's a bit of a burger war going on in Paris at the moment.  Along with Le Floreal there are a handful of other gastro-type restaurants who have either added the American classic to their menu or focus solely on making delicious burgers.  Le Floreal's was decent, definitely hit the spot, but I wouldn't go comparing it to In-N-Out or Umami Burger just yet.

 

 

 

With a full belly it was time to do some site seeing.  First stop the Champs-Elysees for some shopping and the Arc de Triomphe.

Avenue Des Champs Elysees, considered one of the most famous streets in Europe along with Las Ramblas in Barcelona, is lined with every name-brand store you can think of. With such an extensive roster of shops, you can imagine the crowds.

I made a quick stop at the Paris-Saint Germain team shop to grab a team pin. I've been getting a small pin for each of the teams.

 

The Arc De Triomphe is nearly 200 years old and attracts nearly 1.5 million visitors a year. Its interior was recently renovated and it reopened in 2010.

Next on the list was the Eiffel Tower.  Not too far from the Arc, I took the lovely evening stroll back down Champs Elysees and across the Seine River over to Paris' most iconic landmark.  It was about 7pm by this time, which was perfect because I was told to check out the Eiffle Tower at night when it's all lit up.  Great suggestion.

On my walk I stopped on the Pont Alexandre III bridge to take in the fantastic sunset views with the Eiffel Tower in the backdrop.

Sunset in Paris.

Throughout the night at the strike of each hour the Tower would light up with thousands of little lights which made it look like it was sparkling.

Just to the east of the Tower there's a large park filled with people sitting and eating and drinking wine and enjoying the view.

It is truly a massive and impressive structure. As many times as I've seen the Eiffel Tower on TV and in books and online, it is awe-inspiring when you see it in person.

The Eiffel Tower at night.

 

With two of the city's biggest landmarks under my belt it was time to grub.   I am staying in the Marais and Eastern Paris area which is conveniently located near some of the more popular bars and restaurants, one of which is Le Petit Marche.  It's been described as "gastro-chic" and it served French cuisine with an Asian twist.  After I checked into the hotel and changed, I headed off to dinner.

Le Petit Marche is in the Bastille area in eastern Paris. I dug this photo because it had the vintage Vespa parked in front...so French.

 

I started with the seared tuna with sesame seed crust.

Having recently had steak with bacon and cheese and then a cheeseburger for lunch, I opted for a healthier choice. I went with the daurade fish (sea bream) with asparagus and a delicious watercress and broccoli puree.

I've made a habit of ordering dessert, something I'll have to break when I get home.  Until then, indulge. I had the delicious creme brulee with a passion fruit glaze.

 

A solid first meal (it was actually my second, but first dinner) in Paris.  There are so many cafes, bistros, brassieries - honestly, I don't know the difference - so picking and choosing where to eat is going to be difficult.  It's like New York, there are fun, enticing spots on every corner.  So much eating, so little time. 

On my walk back to the hotel after dinner I actually ended up walking the wrong direction, but my miscue led me further into the Bastille area and to a happening street called Rue De Petit, where I stopped for a couple drinks.  I jumped into a place called Que Pasa where I hung with a few fellow travlers until the place closed around 1am. 

I figured that was enough for day one in Paris.  I called it a night and headed back to the hotel, the right direction this time.  Day two will consist of some more site seeing and hopefully a few more delicious Paris feasts.