The year of 2008 has put a lot of wear and tear on me and my family. I missed most of the summer due to traveling. My most recent trip was to France. I spent a week in Versailles and Paris. All I can say is WOW!! The experience can be summed up with one word – Manifique! In Versailles I had the opportunity to walk the grounds and gardens of the Palace. The Palace is ENORMOUS and extremely non-frugal. I now know one of the reasons the French Revolution took place. If I was a peasant – starving and freezing and the King and Queen were living in the lap of luxury I too would revolt! The Palace has 34 gardens each with its own water fountain. I also had the opportunity of walking the ground of the Petit Trianon (Marie Antoinette’s Estate). The grounds were fascinating and probably my favorite part of the entire experience at Versailles! I really enjoyed the Hamlet portion of her estate. The Hamlet is a village that Marie Antoinette wanted to provide country amusement and for herself and her children. There are 12 cottages encircled by vegetable and flower gardens. Please see the pictures!
Day 2 was spent walking the city of Paris. I loved every minute of this experience! I must have walked 10 miles – but we saw everything we wanted. We started off by seeing the Eiffel Tower. I had forgotten how large the tower is. I took pictures (see right) and then decided to hike to the second level of the
tower (4 Euros). Well 700 steps later I was there and man what a view!! You could see all of Paris. It was magnificent!We then took the metro over to the Arc De Triomphe. Once again I had forgotten how magnificent the monument was. It was incredible to see it! Because it was windy (and it’s always windy in France) the French Flag was flying in the middle of it. It was beautiful!
We then decided to walk down the Champs-Élysées toward the Louvre. Man what a walk. I should have jumped on the metro and saved my legs and feet, but I decided I was on one of the most famous streets in the world and I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. The Champs-Élysées is probably the most popular retail street in the world. You name a retail company or product – it was there. However once you get past all the hoopla of the retail shops, you found the more intimate and quieter side of the world famous street: parks, trees, cafes, benches and my favorite – street vendors selling baguettes.
Finally we got to the Louvre and its world famous gardens. I have to admit the crystal pyramid it sticks out like a sore thumb and is out of place. However once on the grounds, I did experience one of Paris’s unpleasant offerings: gypsy’s and street beggars. The gypsy would not let me go and insisted on making me a
braided bracelet. I told him I didn’t have money and he insisted it wasn’t about money. He made me the bracelet and wanted $16 Euros ($24 USD) for it. I said I didn’t have any money and no way in the blessed world would I give him $16 Euros for a bracelet that cost $.20 cents to make. This is where I made my mistake – I pulled out my coins from my pocket – totaling $6 Euros and in the next second they were gone. He wanted me to ask my colleague for more money I told him no. He left angry – but at least he left!!From the Louvre we walked over Pont Neuf Bridge and made our way to Notre 
Dame Cathedral. You literally walk around a corner and BOOM there it is. Words can describe how beautiful the world famous Gothic cathedral is. I couldn’t believe the detail of the sculptures both inside and outside of the monument. Once inside, I was immediately noticed how dark and dreary it was. The stained glass was incredible! 
There were thousands of people outside waiting to get inside, or taking pictures. However, I walked around the back of the cathedral and this is where the real beauty of the edifice is! Not only is the architecture amazing, but you don’t have to fight 
the crowds. There are also some swings and teeter-totter for the kids.
I left Notre Dame and went to the Paris Opera House (see below right) and again was amazed out the beauty and size of the building. In order to go inside the Opera House you need to pay $8 Euros which I didn’t have from the stupid gypsy I encountered at the Louvre. Just being in the lobby of the building you could see how beautiful the facility would be.
Once outside the Opera House, I jumped on the metro and headed for the Sacré-Coeur Basilica (see below). I remember when I was little going here with my parents and brothers and sister to feed the birds. My grandfather owned a home just across the street from the remarkable basilica. It was a very special moment for me because I could imagine my mother as a little girl running around with her sisters and cousins playing in the very spot I was standing.
Although the trip was short, it did give me a taste of what France is all about. It made me proud of my French heritage. It made me think of my parents – my mom being French and my dad loving everything about France. It showed me sights and sounds I will never forget. However, the one thing it taught me the most is – I need to come back again with Mandy, McKenzie, Indiana, Presley and Grandma!
What a trip! Vive la France !
Dame Cathedral. You literally walk around a corner and BOOM there it is. Words can describe how beautiful the world famous Gothic cathedral is. I couldn’t believe the detail of the sculptures both inside and outside of the monument. Once inside, I was immediately noticed how dark and dreary it was. The stained glass was incredible! 
There were thousands of people outside waiting to get inside, or taking pictures. However, I walked around the back of the cathedral and this is where the real beauty of the edifice is! Not only is the architecture amazing, but you don’t have to fight 
the crowds. There are also some swings and teeter-totter for the kids.I left Notre Dame and went to the Paris Opera House (see below right) and again was amazed out the beauty and size of the building. In order to go inside the Opera House you need to pay $8 Euros which I didn’t have from the stupid gypsy I encountered at the Louvre. Just being in the lobby of the building you could see how beautiful the facility would be.
Once outside the Opera House, I jumped on the metro and headed for the Sacré-Coeur Basilica (see below). I remember when I was little going here with my parents and brothers and sister to feed the birds. My grandfather owned a home just across the street from the remarkable basilica. It was a very special moment for me because I could imagine my mother as a little girl running around with her sisters and cousins playing in the very spot I was standing.
Although the trip was short, it did give me a taste of what France is all about. It made me proud of my French heritage. It made me think of my parents – my mom being French and my dad loving everything about France. It showed me sights and sounds I will never forget. However, the one thing it taught me the most is – I need to come back again with Mandy, McKenzie, Indiana, Presley and Grandma!
What a trip! Vive la France !
