We came to Paris at a great time. The first morning after we arrived, we scanned the breakfast buffet at our hotel and headed out to see what else we could find. Just a short distance down rue Saint Germain we found a McDonalds. After an Egg McMuffin and a cup of coffee we were ready to go on an adventure.
As with any new place we visit it takes a while to get acclimated to where you are, which direction is north or south and where your hotel is in the scope of things. Everything in Paris is viewed from the prospective the Seine River. Is it located on the Left Bank or Right Bank? Which bridge do you go across to get there?
We stayed in the Latin Quarter at the Hotel du College de France located at 7 rue Thenard. That address is on the Left Bank just South of Notre Dame Cathedral. The reason it is called the “Latin Quarter” is several colleges are located there. At some point in ancient times the students spoke Latin, hence, the “Latin Quarter”.
The Hotel du College de France is a 2 star boutique hotel that is in a great location. It is within 2 or 3 blocks of the Seine and walking distance to many attractions. Two attractions, The Eiffel Tower and The Arc de Triomphe, are a good distance away. If you don’t mind walking and enjoying the sights, it doesn’t seem that bad. However, you might want to take the Metro when returning to the hotel.
The Metro system in Paris is rather complex. It takes some time and study to figure out which subway train to take and what the connections will be to get from point a to b. Some of the trains are very crowded. A couple of times we felt like sardines. Another person could not have pushed their way onto the car. We were warned to beware of pick pockets in these situations but never had a problem. We stayed alert, kept our backpack close to us and carried money in our front pockets.
Intercity trains are run by the French TGV Authority. There are several train stations in Paris served by the TGV. We arrived at Gare de Nord which was extremely busy and crowded. People were moving though the terminal shoulder to shoulder. We departed Paris via Gare de Lyon. It was less crowded and easier in which to get around.
Paris was a busy place on almost every level. People were going to and fro. The museums were crowded and the sidewalk cafes were teeming with customers. Spring was definitely in the air.
We found one of the best ways to enjoy Paris is to find a spot on a park bench or at a sidewalk cafe. From there you get to see Paris in motion.