Last week was my first proper summer holiday. Leigh Anne and Allison were in Paris, so I chunneled it over to meet up with them.
First stop - Eiffel Tower!
I absolutely love this shot. The clouds are my favorite.
We may or may not have had to wait in line for 2.5 hours to get up to the top.
We tag teamed standing in line and took breaks for more photo ops - this is from the other side of the Eiffel tower.
Paris from above!
In line to get down from the top.... we were so over lines and crowds!
After dinner we had coffee on the Champs Elysees waiting to climb the Arc de Triumph for sunset views of the city
Before climbing up!
On top of the Arc
My artistic attempt at capturing the progression of the night sky. These pictures were taken about 5 minutes apart... so cool!
The next morning while Leigh Anne presented at her conference, Allison and I hit up the famous cemetery - Pere Lachaise
This is us at Fredrick Chopin's grave
Another artistic attempt - the many metro signs of Paris!
That afternoon/evening, we went shopping and meandering around the Marais district
Me watching our crepes being made
Yummmm crepes with nutella
At dinner - a delicious authentic French meal
The next day, we went to Versailles. It was the highlight of our Paris trip for me. Upon arriving.... it is enormous. Even this far away we couldn't get the whole building in the picture.
A little closer up - look at all the gold!
Inside the hall of mirrors - the Treaty of Versailles (which ended WWI) was signed here
The view from out back in the gardens
The gardens were absolutely massive. And absolutely gorgeous. We seriously spent 4 hours exploring! This right outside the palace, looking down the main drag...
Beautifully manicured!
One of the little trees mid-pruning - haha
We stopped and watched these fountains which were choreographed to music!
We ate our picnic lunch midway down the main drag... and had quite the view!
Cute little corner of the gardens lined with trees
At the bottom of the hill, with Versailles in the back (took us about an hour to walk this far and yet you can still see the palace behind us!)
We decided to take the 40 minute hike further down to the little Hamlet that was built for Marie Antoinette. It was so worth the extra hike!!! SO adorably picturesque!!!
She basically recreated a little British countryside village with a bunch of thatched roof homes
Al in front of the cutest little building ever.
Like, REALLY? So beautiful!
On the train back to Paris - exhausted from all the walking!!!
On our way to dinner that night, we saw Shailene Woodley walking along the Champs Elysees!
At dinner - so happy to be off my feet with a life sized diet coke (well, for Europe's standards at least)
On our last day, we headed to the Musee D'Orsay before chunneling it back to London. I love the architecture of this train station turned museum!!!
View of Paris from inside one of the museum's massive clocks
We found this adorable little creperie for lunch
Allison is very excited here - gluten free crepes!
Back in London - breakfast at the Orange. Cutest place ever.
Then on to the National Gallery for some of the best art in Europe
And the visit wouldn't be complete without scones and clotted cream!
I had a work event that night, so Allison and LA went to Matilda. And raved (just as much as I did a few posts ago!)
The next morning we climbed to the top of St Paul's. Allison and Leigh Anne in the whispering gallery... about a third of the way to the top
Al and I at the top top - always beautiful views from up there!!
We then headed to the Tower of London. Why am I awkwardly holding my ice cream cone like a microphone?!
View from the Tower Bridge from right outside the Tower of London - Olympics are right around the corner (as if we needed the reminder)
We took a tour from one of the beefeaters...
Tower Bridge from inside the Tower of London...
That night, Megan came over and cooked for all of us! Such a treat - bummed I didn't get a group shot of the actual dinner!
The next morning, we headed to the London Eye.
Big Ben photo op on the way over the bridge!
On the Eye! So much more fun that we were anticipating!
View from above - you can see Big Ben, Westminster, and Buckingham Palace in this shot
A shot from the very top!
Aaaaaand we've made it to the end! Final parting shot from La Fromagerie which was the perfect ending to a perfect week!!
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