Winter Holidays 2023 Paris – France
Today, on December 26, 2023, it’s 6:00 AM, and we hit the road for a very long journey of 1250 km—the longest distance I’ve personally driven. Despite the rainy weather, we safely arrived, finding a Domino’s Pizza open for home delivery. We also stocked up on essentials from the local store near our Booking accommodation. Today was a day on the road, and tomorrow promises a day of exploring Paris.
On December 27, 2023, being the first day, we chose to visit the Palace of Versailles and the Park of Versailles, as it’s a slightly distant location from Paris, and the weather was sunny. Next, we headed to Grande Arche Defense Plaza, where we were amazed by the modern and densely concentrated architecture. We enjoyed a delightful Christmas market, tasting Indian and Moroccan cuisines. Afterward, we headed to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. As it was already evening before returning to our accommodation, we had to visit the Eiffel Tower. Our first impressions, especially from my wife and Ada, were emotional—it’s truly a jewel of architecture. We parked near Paris Joffre Ecole Militaire, using the account created at Indigo Parking, and everything went smoothly. Afterward, we walked to visit Palais de Chaillot, Trocadéro Gardens, where a small Christmas market was set up. The kids wanted chocolate waffles, and this concluded our last stroll for today.
Approaching the New Year 2023, today, on December 28, 2023, we left the car in the Indigo Joffre Ecole Militaire parking lot. Well-rested, we continued exploring Paris on foot, savoring what it has to offer. We headed towards Hôtel des Invalides, then crossed the Alexandre III Bridge towards the Grand Palais, which was under renovation, so we explored the Petit Palais instead. From there, we walked towards Place de la Concorde on Avenue des Champs-Élysées, and then to the Madeleine Church in Paris, where a small concert was taking place. The next destinations were the Opéra Garnier, followed by the Louvre Museum and the Jardin du Carrousel. As the evening set in, we decided to walk back to our accommodation, crossing the Seine via Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor and passing through Esplanade des Invalides. We reached our Booking location quite early, around 8 PM, but after a full day, it felt just right.
Today, on December 29, 2023, we decided to visit the Eiffel Tower. We discovered that we could have purchased tickets online with a scheduled entry time, but with kids, scheduling such things can be challenging. After waiting in line for two hours to reach the top level, we took the advice of a guide ahead of us in line and went directly from the elevator that goes from the first stop to the one leading to the summit. This was a wise decision because when it gets crowded, Eiffel Tower organizers stop access to avoid overcrowding. The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower is breathtaking—Paris is a city that preserves its spectacular architecture remarkably well and is a superb tourist destination. After some convincing and because it was getting dark, we decided to descend by elevator to visit the lower floors. After the first descent by elevator, we went down the stairs to the first floor, where there were souvenir shops and a restaurant. After visiting, we continued to descend the stairs to the base of the Eiffel Tower, spending some more time. It was already evening, and we headed back to our car to reach our accommodation.
Wow, December 30 is almost here, the prelude to New Year’s Eve. Today, we decided to drive to the Panthéon, finding parking nearby with the help of INDIGO Parking. From there, we continued on foot to Notre-Dame de Paris, still under repair after the fire on April 15, 2019. Being close by on the island, we headed to Sainte-Chapelle, and from there, we crossed St. Michael’s Bridge and went towards our car. The next location to visit was the City of Science and Industry Museum. The kids were thrilled, with plenty of enjoyable activities, including a room dedicated to video games. We left at closing time, being asked to head towards the exit, or else we might not have made it out.
On December 31, New Year’s Eve, we decided to visit Disneyland Paris. To our surprise, they no longer had available tickets, so we plan to return in July to enjoy the National Day fireworks. The next planned location was the Paris Catacombs, but again, tickets were no longer available. This too will remain on the to-do list for July. We headed back to our accommodation to rest for New Year’s Eve. At 10 PM, we already parked the car at Indigo Paris Joffre Ecole Militaire and walked to Avenue des Champs-Élysées. Access was well-organized, with police and streets in the area blocked to avoid congestion. There were strict security checks, and we managed to enter through Avenue Montaigne 20 minutes before the New Year’s Eve fireworks. After Avenue des Champs-Élysées, the exit was organized through Place de la Concorde, and we crossed the Alexandre III Bridge, then crossed Esplanade des Invalides towards Parking Indigo Paris Joffre Ecole Militaire. Thank you, Paris, for the spectacular fireworks.
Welcome, 2024! Today, on January 1, it’s the last day to explore Paris. We chose to take a boat ride on the Seine, boarding near Pont d’Iéna on the right side, where you’ll find Batobus Station – Tour Eiffel. It can drop you off at various tourist locations along the Seine. Alternatively, you can choose Vedettes de Paris for a guided round-trip cruise on the Seine. We opted for the latter and were pleasantly impressed. Tomorrow, being a rather challenging day, we decided to head back to our accommodation for some rest.
