April 2025
This is my third time to Paris, but I haven't updated my travel blog on the City of Light since my first visit here in 1999! I was just 22 years old then and had an old, grainy camera. I went back with my husband sixteen years later in 2015 and then went back again a couple weeks ago with all four of our kids! It was fun to be with them as they experienced this beautiful city for the first time!
Our first day in the city, we went to the Louvre.
My sister-in-law Heidi and I with the Venus de Milo.
My daughter Lacey in front of the Winged Victory of Samothrace from 190 BC.
And my daughter Ella impressed by the Mona Lisa!
Family Selfie with a Mona Lisa photo bomb.
Even the ceiling of the Louvre is a sight to see!
My son Tanner in front of Jacques-Louis David's The Coronation of Emperor Napoleon from 1806-1807.
Another glimpse of Winged Victory of Samothrace
My daughter Lacey in front of one of my very favorite paintings:
Eugene Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People from 1831.
Walking along the Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the background
Although this was my third time to Paris, it was the first time we made it inside St. Chapelle. The inside of this chapel is surrounded by beautiful stained glass windows, which tell the story of Jesus's life - leading up to, during, and after. Most of the stained glass (~70%) is original (!!) and this is where the Crown of Thorns used to lay (now in Notre Dame). It forms the largest expanse of stained glass in the world and is a very popular spot! So make sure to get tickets and a timed entry well in advance!
The beautiful St. Chapelle!
And Notre Dame! Last time I was here (1999 and 2015), it was before the fire. So, it was neat to be able to come back and see her beauty from those that saved and restored her after the fire.
Square Louis XIII in Marais
Lacey and Riley immediately recognized this place from one of their favorite shows, The Miraculous Ladybug and had fun re-enacting the scenes.
And of course, no visit to Paris is complete without seeing the grand Arc De Triomphe!
At 163 feet high, it's the largest triumphal arch in the world. It was erected by Napoleon in 1806 to commemorate his imperial army's victories.
Macarons from Laduree along the Champs-Elsees 😍
Travel Hack: Go to the Sacre-Coeur. Elbow your way through the MOBS of people and make your way to the back..... where you get pretty much the same view and have the whole place to yourself!
But make sure you leave plenty of time to walk around the Montmartre neighborhood - it's artsy and fun and delightful!
And then make your way by foot down to the famed Moulin Rouge 💃
This was another first for me this time - the Rodin Museum. I loved it! Make sure you pick a nice weather day to do this one because much of it is outside as his sculptures are on display in beautifully landscaped gardens which surround his home/indoor museum.
I love this picture. If you look behind my family, you can see The Thinker and if you look behind that, you can see the Eiffel Tower. Three layers of Parisian awesomeness.
Tanner, my thinker, with Rodin's Thinker.
The Kiss.... too much passion for my 12 year old Ella 🤣😘
If you get the Museum Pass, this is included and does not require advance reservation/timed entry.
There are several options for day trips around Paris and Versailles is a must-do!
Advanced reservations/timed entry is highly recommended. Otherwise, depending on the time of year you go, you will wait in a very long line or won't be able to go at all. This is also included on the Paris Museum Pass. So if you have that Pass, all you need to do is make your timed entry reservation.
I also recommend you download the (free) Rick Steve's app on your phone which offers a free audio tour of this incredible palace!
The ornate Hall of Mirrors!
And the gardens which go on for days!
And last, but certainly not least..... the Eiffel Tower.
The ultimate symbol of Paris!
While you can see it plenty throughout the city from a distance, making your way to the Trocadero to see it up close and personal is a whole other experience in and of itself.
And plan your "Eiffel Tower day" to go well into the night so that you can see the Sparkle after dark!
See below for highlights from my first time here in 1999:
Sept. 3-5, 1999.
Ahhh, Paris. This is truly one of the most amazing cities in the world. There is SO much to see! But, as we all know, the most famous thing there is to see is the Eiffel Tower, built in 1889 as a temporary structure for the Universal Exhibition. Thankfully, it wasn't taken down after the Exhibition and is truly a sight to behold in person!
We were there in 1999, so there was a countdown on the Tower to the
Millennium - 120 days!
And, no trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Louvre! Here I am with my friend, Monique, in front of the world-famous Mona Lisa!
Outside the Louvre with my friends Monique and Kelli.
Notre Dame. It's foundation stone was laid by pope Alexander III in 1163, but took nearly 200 years to complete construction. Beautiful!
And, while a bit morbid, we had to see the tunnel where Princess Diana was killed. We were there just 2 years after her death, so there were memorials of her everywhere.
Verdict: This is obviously a no-
brainer. GO, GO, GO!!! In fact, after writing this post, I've decided I must go back, but this time with a nice, digital camera in one arm and my husband on the other!
Aug. 31, 1999: Florence, Italy. Florence is located in Tuscany and is probably most famous for Michaelangelo's David statue (this is a replica - the original is housed inside the Galleria Dell'Accademia; it has been there since 1873) and "The Dome", officially known as "Il Duomo."
Here we are enjoying a delightful lunch in one of many outside cafes. 
Il Duomo. It was originally designed in 1296, but consecrated in 1436.
Overlooking the beautiful city.
