The start of tour had finally arrived. After a good night’s rest, a quick covid test, and a petit petit dejeuner, it was time to switch hotels. And though the new hotel was only a few blocks away, it was in a new neighborhood with a completely different feel of the city.
Check in at the hotel was a breeze, and though I was early, the hotel was ready for me. I found my room to be welcoming, cozy, and comfortable. I absolutely loved that I had a window that opened, and though I only had a view of the street below, I didn’t care. Because I was in Paris!!
After getting settled into my room, I took a stroll through the neighborhood and ended up at the Champs de Mars where I grabbed a café crème and did a little people watching before heading back to the hotel to get ready to start the tour.
Our group was to meet up with our tour guide, Arnaud in the lobby at 3pm with proof of our negative covid tests. Once those were checked, we were handed our headsets and our museum pass and metro card. We took a walk around the neighborhood, through the wonderful Rue Cler on our way to La Terrasse du 7eme, where we were to dine later that evening. After a welcome drink and a round of formal introductions, we got on our private coach to take a guided drive around the city. We circled the Arc de Triomphe, marveled at the extravagant storefronts along the Champs Elysees, and saw people dancing in the streets near the Opera Populaire. I found it very hard to sit still in my seat because I wanted to take photos of everything. I could continue to detail our bus ride, but I’ll let my photos speak for themselves.
The bus tour concluded in front of the restaurant where it began, and after choosing our check-in buddy for the week, we all went inside to enjoy a lovely meal together.