may 30, 2025 rick Steves Day12 historic Paris

Proposed Plan:

Today we’ll leave the rolling hills of beautiful Burgundy and journey to our grand finale in captivating Paris. On arrival, we’ll meet our local guide and take a stroll through the city’s early history, beginning at its birthplace, the Ile de la Cité. We’ll learn about two of the world’s most important Gothic churches: the resilient and legendary Notre-Dame Cathedral and the exquisite Sainte-Chapelle, before continuing on to the lively, bohemian Latin Quarter. Your evening is free for exploration and dinner on your own in this elegant capital.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep in Paris.

Actual Events:

Where am I? What country am I in? Do I say si, ja, or oui? Not sure if it is being sick or just late in the trip, but I am pretty sure that we woke up in Beaune, France. It was a cute little town but I think everyone was a little anxious to get to Paris! The drive wasn’t too bad, with pretty scenery on the way. We got to our hotel around noon and the rooms were ready so we could check in. Very surprised with the room. Adequate size, quiet and air conditioning! It is located in the 14th district and there is everything we need just steps away, including laundromat and pharmacy! The only sad part about reaching Paris is that we had to say good.bye to our bus driver, Erik. He was a jewel.

Before getting a little rest, Nick and I headed over to the local pharmacy for drugs! Then we met up with our local tour guide, Delphine. She took us on a walking tour of Notre Dame, the Left Bank of the Seine and we ended with a tour of Saint Chapelle. She is a native Parisian, so it was nice to get her perspective on the history and architecture. The temps were a bit on the warm side, but we became experts at finding the shade.