There is no way on earth I would pass up Paris, no matter what other destinations I have included in my annual trip to Europe. This year, while the TGV pulled into Gare de Lyon from Cannes at a little after 9p.m. I noticed it had been raining in the city of romance. I didn’t care, the rain is always refreshing in Paris and I have actually been in the city every month out of the year and every single time it had rained. It usually bothered me, but I’ve come to accept it and now even embrace it. Paris isn’t Paris without rain.

We hopped on the RER (urban rail network train) from Gare de Lyon to our Hotel in Charles de Gaulle Etoile (between VIIIe and XVIIe arrondissements) and within a five minute walk, landed in front of our quaint hotel with minimal frills and turned in for the night.

I usually sleep with the windows open, normally for fresh air, but in the case of Paris, just so I could hear the sounds from the boulevard close by.  It’s my lullaby to a good night sleep, while  in my favorite place in the entire world.

The following morning, after eating a quick pastry and drinking an espresso at a cafe, we began our day, by walking from Arc de Triomphe towards Place Saint-Germain Des Pres (6th arrondissement). We didn’t have a plan. This was our usual walk, every year, on day one in Paris.

Along the way we came across: {click on first photo to start the slide show}