Summer Vacation: Day 14 - Paris

For our last day in Paris and our last day of vacation, I decided we should make a list of the things we all wanted to do/see/eat.  Originally I had hoped to spend the day in Montmartre and take the kids to Sacre Coeur, but we had a second day of tickets for the Batobus and lots still to explore on that route, so stuck to that.  I threw away the piece of paper with our list on it without taking a picture first (what WAS I thinking?!), but I know that we managed to do everything on each of our lists except Roy's (he's too generous with his time to make sure we all get our lists completed before his own).

These were our lists:

Leighton:
- salted butter caramel macaron
- walk on other side of Champs-Elysées
- buy the knight that he really, really, really wanted
- croissant
- trampoline at Jardin de Tuileries

Riley:
- buy a souvenir Paris fan
- chocolate macaron
- Eiffel Tower at night
- buy a Paris shirt
- trampoline at Jardin de Tuileries

Mommy:
- buy a piece of clothing
- ice cream from Amorino
- Eiffel Tower at night
- crepe
- Galeries Lafayette

Daddy:
- buy something

The kids and I ate and got ready quickly and then went to get the last souvenirs on their wish-lists and some croissants and macarons while Roy got ready.

We then met Roy and headed for the Batobus to get us closer to the Jardin de Tuileries.  We got off in front of the Musee d'Orsay and played in the maze on the sidewalk before walking across the bridge.

We quickly found the trampolines.  I had read about them online and the kids noticed them the day before, so we had promised to bring them back.  The had so much fun jumping and would have jumped longer, but you had to pay in 5 minute intervals and their time was up.  Plus, it was scorching hot again and we still had lots of waking planned.

We walked up to the Galeries Lafayette.  I had read somewhere that it had a rooftop view of the city, and it looked gorgeous inside.  Plus - shopping!

We made our way to the rooftop and considered having a drink up there, but all the shaded tables were taken.

We went back in and ended up in the cafe area and decided to eat lunch there.  There were plenty of options and air conditioning, so it seemed like a perfect choice.  The kids' meals were a great deal.  They kids got a giant slice of pizza, a juice or water, and ice cream (there were other options for entree and dessert as well).  I loaded up a salad plate with anything that would fit on, and it was a great price as well.  There were some delicious looking cheeses, but I wasn't feeling hungry enough for bread and cheese, so I skipped it.  Although now I regret that decision thinking about how good it looked!

We then used the bathrooms.  Poor Riley got stuck in her stall but eventually managed to get the lock undone.  And then it was time for some shopping!  Leighton got another knight from the toy department, Riley tried on all sorts of clothes and decided on a skirt and dress, and I got a sweater (it will be a few months until it is cool enough so I can wear it!).

The building inside is gorgeous!

We then started walking down to the Champs-Elysées.  We walked through more lovely shopping streets - and Riley and I liked this shoe!

We stopped in the shade in the Jardin de la Nouvelle France (I think that is what it was called - the big park between the Place de la Concorde and where the shopping starts along the Champs-Elysées.  We got ice cream and a couple crepes (ticking more things off the to do list!).

And then it was time to wander and shop.  I got a few more things.  We went into Renault quickly, and then we started heading back to the apartment for dinner and to pack.  We decided that although it involved more walking, it would be quicker to just walk instead of taking the Batobus.

We walked past a little boutique near the apartment that we had been past every day.  There was a shirt in the window I really liked, so we stopped in.  It was pricey but I loved it and bought it!  There was so much in there I would have loved to try on and buy, but I reigned myself in!

Across the street was this Church of Saint-Pierre du Gros Caillou.  Somewhere Leighton had seen that our little section/neighborhood was called Gros Caillou and they liked seeing this sign every day.

We went to the apartment for dinner and packing.  Then we went for gelato at Amorino - they make the scoops look like petals on a flower!  It was super delicious!  The flavors were all yummy that I tried!

Then we walked over to say goodbye to the Eiffel Tower.

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Total walking: approx 5.8 miles or 9.3 km, plus walking as we shopped in the stores!!!
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