Paris Day Two: Afternoon

Refreshed from lunch we headed North from the Eiffel Tower to the Arch de Triumph. The greatest triumphal arch in the world, the arc can be climbed for one of the most panoramic views of Paris. Here at Place Charles de Gaulle (named after my favorite French President) seven major roads intersected and 3 arrondissements (or neighborhoods) of Paris connect. Honoring soldiers fighting for French since the Napoleonic period, this monument was breathtakingly beautiful. This weekend the Arc signifies the finish-line for the Tour de France and the whole city is a buzz with the excitement of the event.

From the Arc we ventured down the Champs-Elysees. Called 'the highway of French grandeur', this boulevard was designed of promenading. It's witnessed some of the greatest moment in French history and some its worst defeats, such as when Hilter's armies paraded down the street in 1940. On the stroll we passed Cartier, Swarovski, Louis Vuitton just to name a few. The walk ended at Place de la Concorde. This octagonal traffic hub is dominated by one of my most favorite French monuments, an Egyptian obelisk from Luxor and its the oldest manmade object in Paris (from 1300 B.C.). During the Reign of Terror at the time of the French Revolution, the guillotine was erecting on this spot and claimed thousands of heads. Now this place is almost quiet and serene sitting right in the middle bw the peaceful Tuileries Gardens and the riches of the Champs-Elysees.