My spouse Sandy and I hadn’t seen our close friends Alan and Martine in the flesh since vacationing with them in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2019. Post-COVID, the four of us had tried to arrange another reunion, preferably in a locale that would be new to us all. But for one reason or another the plans didn’t get very far.
Well, one day four months ago, Sandy and I, who reside in Pennsylvania, USA, figured the best way to uncomplicate the situation was to visit the married couple on their home turf: Paris, France. And from there, we decided, we’d extend our trip by spending time in Brussels, Belgium, a city we never had set foot in and which by all accounts was appealing.
We made the travel arrangements pretty quickly. The weeks went by. Finally, on the 19th of September we found ourselves with our pals in their beautiful home in one of the world’s greatest cities. We bunked with them for four days, enjoying our time with them immensely, and in their company explored a good bit of Gay Paree. Sandy and I give our Parisian sojourn a rating of 10 out of 10. It absolutely was that good. The subsequent four days spent in Brussels, though, were another matter. Compared to Paris, which is a significantly magical place, Brussels seemed quite lacking. We had a nice amount of fun there, sure, but rate that leg of the trip only a modest 6.5 out of 10. Alas, you can’t have it all. Not always, anyway. In Paris, however, we did.
Now, though Paris is superb, it’s not perfect, so let’s get a few of the downsides out of the way: Like any big city, parts of town contain an unnerving volume of vehicular traffic. And annoying numbers of people maneuver on the sidewalks of many streets, such as those in the popular area where Alan and Martine reside. Not all of Paris is necessarily worth a tourist’s attention, either, though, to me, the gritty neighborhoods I briefly saw exuded a je ne sais quoi sort of charm nevertheless.
Enough about the negatives. Man, so much of Paris is straight out of a delightful dream: Elegant architecture; the comforting heights of its buildings (Paris is almost skyscraper-free); the parks, museums, bistros and baked goods that far more often than not impress; the sense of history filling the air; and the river Seine, quietly commanding respect as it flows peacefully from west to east through the middle of the city. And that’s just for starters.
I’d been to Paris four times before, three of those visits with my wife, and was fairly familiar with its major attractions, layout and vibes. When Martine (via Facetime a month before the latest get-together) asked me what I might want to do in Paris in September, I left it pretty much up to her and Alan. Except for one thing: I was curious to see what condition Notre- Dame Cathedral is in. A devastating fire, in 2019, destroyed the roof, spire and other upper portions of the church, and caused severe damage elsewhere in the structure. Since then, an intense effort has been under way to restore the medieval icon to its former glory (click here to read an excellent article about the fire and Notre-Dame’s rebirth). The cathedral’s official reopening is scheduled for December of this year, barring complications.
Martine and Alan granted my request. One day after our arrival in Paris, they led Sandy and me on a most-satisfying walk. A couple of minutes after leaving their abode, we strolled through the gardens of Palais-Royale. In no time after that we reached the Louvre, an astonishingly large museum, and its enormous courtyard. The courtyard was mobbed. The Louvre’s galleries probably were too. We walked a few more blocks, then crossed the Seine by way of the Pont Neuf (New Bridge), soon descending a stone staircase to the river walkway. Everything I’d seen so far struck me as picture-postcard-perfect, or damn near close to it. I am not exaggerating.
Along the left bank of the Seine we ambled, and after about 10 minutes Notre-Dame came into good view. We climbed up another stone staircase, returning to street level, to see the cathedral properly. Heavy equipment still was on the scene, indicating work remained to be done. However, Notre-Dame looked remarkably healthy all in all. I’m anything but a religious person, yet was relieved and happy that incredible efforts, not to mention nearly a billion euros, had saved one of Paris’s and the world’s most famous creations.
But we weren’t done for the day. Our walk continued, taking us through the Latin Quarter (where we stopped for refreshments at the lovely Café G), the sprawling Luxembourg Garden, Place Saint-Sulpice and beyond. I was especially smitten by the area of Luxembourg Garden set aside specifically for young children and their caregivers. It was touching to see little ones at ease and having fun.
Left to right: Alan, Sandy, Martine.
I could go on and on and on, describing the other activities that filled those four days. But I think you get the picture. It’s not by accident that Paris is one of the most-visited cities on our planet. It’s got what it takes, and more.
Yeah, Another Blogger 
I know someone else who just got back from a European trip and said exactly the same thing about Brussels! Anyway, I’ve never been to France and your essay makes me want to go there very badly.
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Hi. Yeah, Paris didn’t disappoint. Bad weather, though, could make a person’s experience there less than stellar.
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Good for you two, getting away and enjoying life in what looks to be (and sounds like) a beautiful place! Nope I’ve never been to Paris. I’m in awe that you could walk to the Louvre from their house. I read all about that museum when I took an art history class in university and can only imagine how amazing it would be in person.
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Hi. The Louvre is incredibly big. It’s U-shaped. And each part of the U is real long. There’s probably a million or more objects on display in that museum.
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Thanks for the trip “back home” (for me). Haven’t been to Paris this year. Itching to go back… Glad you enjoyed your trip. Sorry about Brussels a city I too like very much. Maybe not appealing to all. Very good food though.
Cheers
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Hi. Brussels was by no means a washout for me and my wife. We had a decent amount of fun. And I drank a bunch of Belgian beers I’d never heard of before!
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Great. Belgian beer is very good. Unusual too. Did you have some kriek? (Cherry flavoured beer)
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Hi. I’m not into fruity beers, but I should have tried it anyway. The beer I liked best is Orval Trappist Ale.
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Neither am I. But kriek is so particular, one in the afternoon on Place de Broukhère is like a ritual.
Trappiste is good. 👍🏻
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Hi, Neil – I have found memories of past trips to Paris. Thank you for taking us back their, and rekindling these memories! ❤
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Hi. In retrospect, I wish my wife and I had stayed a day or two longer. Great city.
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Long time since I’ve been to Paris but it’s one of the world’s great capitals to be sure. I also agree with your assessment of Brussels, by the way.
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Hi. Sandy and I had some good times in Brussels, but not as many as we would have liked. We didn’t really connect with that city.
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Great reading your post of Paris. We’ve been wanting to revisit and explore deeper and wider. Your post helps; would love to visit the museum and cathedral especially. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks for adding your thoughts. I appreciate it.
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I’m so happy for you, Neil. Paris is special, and around every corner is something that will take your breath away. I’m so glad you were able to experience it!
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Hi. My wife and I were fortunate to be there. A big plus was staying with our friends — that was much better than being in a hotel or AirBnB!
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There really is no way to give Paris less than ten out of ten. Great account, makes me miss the place hugely.
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Hello Shane. There’s so much to see and do there. And so much of the city is beautiful. What a place!
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Glad you had a nice trip to Paris, it is a lovely city. I rate Brussels considerably higher than you – it isn’t Paris, but there are lots of gems to be found and it’s the home for the Magritte Museum (one of my favourite artists).
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Hi there. I did some fun things in Brussels. My next story will go into that. Take care. Have a good week.
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I don’t think I’ve ever been to Brussels. And I definitely don’t like their sprouts. Paris is for sure a cool city, especially when the weather is nice. And it has a special memory for me; the last time we were there, I proposed.
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You picked the ideal place in which to propose to your wife!
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It sounds like you both had a wonderful trip, thanks for sharing it with us!
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I was lucky to be there. Such a beautiful city.
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I’m so glad you had such a wonderful trip!! And I’d love to read more about it too.
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Thanks Ann. I’ll next publish a piece on Brussels. That will do it, I think, for Europe 2024.
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How exquisite! Glad you had fun, Neil.
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You can’t beat Paris!
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I wondered where you’ve been. Now I know.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
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Hi and thanks. I’m back in the USA and back to writing!
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Very cool. I’d love to visit Notre Dame, although the Luxembourg Garden in your photos looks very picturesque as well. And I could spend a whole three days wandering around the Louvre (what a thought!) Thanks for sharing!
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Hi. Luxembourg Garden is enormous. I saw only half of it, probably. There were loads of people there, for good reason.
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I finally went to Paris for the first time 2 years ago and I loved it! Can’t wait to go back. I haven’t been to Brussels, but hopefully we will hear about your trip! Ciao, Cristina
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Hello there. Have you seen the movie Midnight In Paris? It’s terrific.
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Nice post 🌺🌺
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I love cities generally, and the crowds are part of it for me. IThe bustle is so full of energy. Plus, I’m an avid people-watcher. I do love Paris. It is beautiful. But I sort of feel like it has a lot of competition in that category. To me where it stands out – as does everywhere in France – is food. You simply cannot go wrong at a cafe in Paris. The biggest downside for me is the language. I’ve studied French, but am terrified to speak it. I know that everyone seems to speak English, but still… Having personal French tourguides – that no doubt would make a trip like this spectacular!
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I speak French, but poorly. I usually can get a basic point across, but not more than that. So, when someone speaks to me in French and at a normal conversational pace, I’m lucky to understand more than a couple of words. For sure it made things easier to have my friends around. (With my wife and me, they speak English. They are fluent in multiple languages.)
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Sounds like you had a fabulous time!
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Paris did not disappoint!
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Oui, oui. Paris est magnifique! Glad you and Sandy enjoyed yourself in the city on the Seine. And thanks for the update on Notre Dame. It was all scaffolding last Ed and I saw it in 2022. I know what you mean about Notre Dame–it’s a HISTORIC landmark. I certainly don’t approve of what went on in the Coliseum, LOL, but when we visited it in September (my first time since 2003), it still had the power to take me back through history. There’s something–a certain je ne sais quoi (no idea what the Italian is for this)–about stepping back and looking at the human timeline through the millennia that still brings tears to my eyes.
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Evening, Amy. You’re Anonymous in this one. It was great to be able to see Notre Dame. It took intense and highly skilled efforts to restore the church. And I think I read that the cause of the fire is still unclear.
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I wrote you a very brilliant (LOL) and Fancais-filled comment. Hope it came through. My computer/WP has been “weird” with your site recently.
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Hi. Your original comments arrived (see below). Have a great week!
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I’ll see what I can so about that “Anonymous” in the future. It would come in handy sometimes–teehee–but not here.
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I’m envious that you’ve been to Paris 4 times! I hope to get there someday. . .
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I’ve never been to Paris, but this looks like it was a lovely trip, Neil! I have been to Brussels, though (and loved it), so I’m gonna run over to the other blog post to see why you gave it a 6.5/10.
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Fun to read about your adventure, and see the photos.
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Always a charming city, the food, the neighborhoods, the art museums. I was there last right before Notre Dame burned. Very impressive that they were able to rebuild and restore so quickly. It shows the priorities of their culture.
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Howdy, Ruth. My friends live about half a mile north of the Louvre. An interesting thing is that, in very recent years, a lot of Japanese eateries have opened in their neighborhood.
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Such a pleasing-to- the- eye harmony from the beautiful Hausmann buildings — your blog makes me long to see Paris again
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Hi Sherri. Paris awaits you!
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What a fantastic time you had… I agree with every observation you made about the beautiful, picture perfect architecture of Paris. It really is one of the most aeshetically charming cities in the world and even more so when you have loved ones staying there which you clearly have 💚💚💚
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Hi. my wife and I were very fortunate to have been there. Our stay in Paris was wonderful.
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This sounds and looks amazing! What a trip.
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You can’t go wrong with Paris!
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I can almost imagine although I’ve never been.
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Oui, oui! How magnifique to have amis in a city like Paris!
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Plus, they have a big, beautiful apartment. Staying with them was a pleasure.
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Amazing, I loved exploring Europe this summer too!
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Hi. Thanks for stopping by. If I visit Europe again, I likely will head to Italy. I’d like to see Napoli, for instance.
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I covered Rome, Venice, and Florence this time. But there’s so much more! I’ll be going back with a different itinerary hopefully soon.
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Wonderful! Your post brought back some fond memories for me. Looks like you had decent weather while you were there. I hope you had some amazing food!
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Hi there, Ruth. We ate very well, both at our friends’ home and at cafes and other eateries. I even ate a couple of snails — I had never had a snail before.
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I never warmed up to Paris, never got the vibes.🤷♀️my husband instead loves it but I’m not sure if it is really the city he likes or the cheese shops😉
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The cheese shops are outstanding. So are the bakeries!
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Yes worked there lived nearby Versailles, Paris is a mouvable feast indeed! Salut!
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