On Monday, June 7 we arrived in Paris after a poor night of sleep on the train from Amsterdam. We obtained passes on the excellent Paris Metro system and were able to quickly find our way to the Champs Elysee area of Paris.
One of the major sights in that area of Paris is the Arc de Triomphe. This 160-foot arch was begun by Napoleon in 1806 to celebrate the victories of the Grande Armee but also to "feed French sculpture for ten years". Various artists added sculptures to the arch walls over the years. The arch was completed in 1836 and has since served as a location for triumphal celebrations in Paris. Conquerors and liberators have held parades here and the annual July 14 military parade is also held here. Click the button below to view a landscape photo of the Arc de Triomphe.
We were able to check in early at the Hotel Arc Elysee and we found a nice breakfast at a local pastry shop. Afterwards we took the Metro to visit the Notre Dame Cathedral. I took several pictures, most of which did not develop well. The two below, however, show the exterior of the cathedral as well as one of the many beautiful stained glass windows. We learned of a concert being held there the following night and decided to attend.
That evening we went to sleep early to recover from the poor sleep on the train the previous evening.