Bon jour Paris - Happy Birthday to moi.

Lucy and I had a weekend away in Paris for my birthday. We began in style with a 2.5 hour trip on the Eurostar from Kings Cross to Gare du Nord. Having made it to the hotel by bedtime, it was lovely to put head upon pillow knowing I would be turning 30 in France.

Unsurprisingly, I woke up early and excited. Lucy was as happy as I, so we headed out to get some morning sunshine and see the sights.

I knew I was in a stylish kind of town when I saw the effort they take with public toilets:


We had most of this stylishness to ourselves as it was definitely the tourist off season. So, we found ourselves strolling empty and winter-barren pathways around the Louvre complex. Fortunately, it was warm and the first celebration of the day was a sugary birthday crepe in the sunshine at at the end of Le Jardin des Tuileries.

The next logical step was along the Champs Elysses towards the Arc de Triomphe. Cue Standard Tourist Photograph Number One:


The Arc is the centre of a massive roundabout that stretches to five lanes wide. Not that there are any lanes marked. Cars go crazy, so pedestrians are fortunate to be able to scurry underground and emerge mole-like in the middle.

The Arc is very pretty, and I didn't it realise it was quite so detailed with all the inscriptions of wars and the fallen. They have plans for a museum inside as well, but it was basically empty when we made our wobbly way up the inner spiral staircase to the top.

The view was pretty good. It was nice to get some more sunshine and capture Standard Tourist Photograph Number Two:


I had been told to approach the tower from the Trocadero, and being up high made it much easier to work out what they meant. So, we absorbed as much vitamin D as possible and made our way southwards. A cute but not amazing restaurant fed us salad nicoise, and shortly enough we were at the Tower.

I had planned to be on the top at 2:48pm, but the queues just looked too long and I was feeling my age (!). Instead, we walked along the Esplanade towards Le Hotel de Invalides (STPN3):


This building was founded by Louis XIV in 1640, but eventually became Napolean's Tomb. Thus, the interior is rather posh:


It is quite an interesting monument, with some good displays. Not many people I know have seen one of Napolean's hats, and aside from the fact it might be the one he actually died in, it is kinda cool.

The rest of the complex is given over to army memorabilia. That didn't catch our fancy for very long, so we headed back out.

One of the things I have learned about Paris is that only a small proportion of the monuments and things make it into the guidebooks. So, I was caught by surprise by the grandeur of the many bridges over the Seine. I think the French do a good golden horse:


But, they do food even better, and the next stop on the itinerary was a birthday celebration to find out just how well.... (this is the bit where I refrain from mentioning I had to go home for a nap first.)

We were fortunate to find somewhere traditional next to our hotel:


It looks innocuous enough, but Bistrot Richelieu was awesome. My entree was pate as good as the best I have ever had, and this was followed by steak with scalloped potatoes and a stewed tomato. We toasted our happiness with champagne and had a good time being a little bit spoiled by the magnificent garcon.

Prior research had given me an idea to finish the night with some dancing in a women's bar in Marais, the lavender quarter. We duly made our way via Metro only to find my information was wrong, and there was no dancing to be had. Fortunately, emergency creme caramel and tart tartan were available nearby...

So, in a tiny cafe in a beautiful city, my birthday came to an end.