A winter visit to Eiffel Tower and Musee D’ Orsay

We really don’t know what had been holding us back from visiting Paris. Perhaps it was its closer proximity to UK and a thought that we could visit it whenever we want. At last we booked our maiden trip to Paris for the month of February in 2018. And we were indeed quite giddy with excitement to visit this chic city. We are sure most of you will agree with us if we say Paris holds a certain charm, an elegance and allure which no other city in the world possesses. 

We flew from London to Paris CDG airport. It had just stopped snowing when our plane landed. It did dampen my spirits a bit as I’m not that efficient at treading snow filled slippery grounds and walking is a nightmare in such conditions. But keeping our fingers crossed, we took a taxi and reached our hotel Villa Beaumarchais .

A Little about the Hotel !!!

Villa Beaumarchais is located in the 3rd arrondissement of Paris, which is in the heart of the historical area of Marais. The nearest metro station is located just 260 metres away (Chemin Vert, Line 8). A certain old world charm and elegance is quite visible in the decor of the hotel. The lobby is large and the cosy lounge is furnished with comfortable sofas and a fireplace. But the main show stopper is the glass roofed indoor courtyard filled with palm trees and other green vegetation. We were lucky that our junior suite overlooked this beautiful oasis. Our room was bright and spacious. The hotel served an american breakfast which was quite nice and decent. 

• 

• 

Eiffel Tower in the Snow

As is the case with most of the people, our first point of excursion was Eiffel Tower as well. We caught a metro to reach there. I always used to think that Eiffel tower is overhyped. I mean how could a wrought iron lattice tower be such a point of love and interest. But how wrong was I!! The moment I first set my eyes on this iconic landmark, I was gobsmacked. Firstly it looked much bigger in real life  than it looks in movies or photos. It looked regal against the clear blue sky. 

• 

• 

Unfortunately, due to snow the lifts and stairs were closed so we could not go on top of the tower. It meant we had extra time to just explore the area though everything was covered in snow. It was a little bit difficult to walk in such slippery conditions but somehow we kept on going. Luckily by evening all the snow cleared. 

• 

• 

Musee d’ Orsay 

Later we went to Musee d’ Orsay which is home to a large number of Impressionist artworks. It’s the second most visited museum in Paris after Louvre.

• 

• 

Our then 8 year old was studying about Van Gogh in school so he was quite excited to visit it. Besides Van Gogh, you can also swoon over masterpieces by Manet, Monet, Cezanne, Renoir, Degas and Pissarro. 

Later we set off to see Arc de Triomphe. It’s one of the most famous monuments in Paris standing at the western end of Champs Elysees. It looked so grand and majestic.

• 

• 

After some shopping at Champs Elysees, we again set off to see Eiffel Tower sparkle under the night sky. The view no doubt exceeded our expectations and it was incredible. The tower looks amazing enough when glowing but when it starts to twinkle, it’s otherworldly. 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Our first day in Paris came out to be quite productive. Considering the weather conditions were not favourable, we were satisfied with our progress so far. 

Getting Around Paris

During our trip, we had a mix of metro and taxis. Some metro lines were closed due to flooding of the seine river, so taxis came handy at that time. For Metro we recommend buying a pass for the number of days you will be there. A single ride with the subway costs 1.90 Euro and you can go anywhere as far as the subway takes you. 

Useful Tips

• Wear Comfortable walking shoes as you will be doing lots of walking
• Be Careful in public places at all times especially in the metro. There are pick pockets all around
• It does get windy and chilly in the evenings in February. Keep your layers handy
• Use websites like Parispass, Tiqets etc to book museum’s tickets online at discount price and skip the long queues