December 17th

Our Paris Christmas tour has kicked off!

Tonight we enjoyed a stroll around our hotel’s neighborhood, including the Hotel de Ville. The city hall of Paris is always a location for festivities, but it is extra special at Christmas. Take a walk with us around one of several Christmas fun zones in Paris.

December 18th

December in Paris is chilly, but the fog and cold didn’t stop our travelers from exploring today.

We started our day walking through the fancy shops off Champs Elysee, to the Seine for a riverboat cruise. After, we visited one of the many small Christmas markets around the city and warmed up with mugs of hot wine. We walked the Champ de Mars and learned about the Eiffel Tower, then lunched on the charming market street, Rue Cler.

Our final activity was a new one—a tour of the Bourse de Commerce and Pinault Collection, one of the newest museums in Paris. They made us a high tea to finish the visit, including the Christmas Log (bouche du Noel), the typical French Paris Christmas dessert.

December 19th

We did so much in Paris today that it’s hard to pick one thing to share…we are so tired we are skipping dinner!

You may be wondering about the status of Notre Dame, so here is what we heard today…

Notre Dame caught fire Easter week of 2019. The cause is up for speculation but there were renovation works on the roof and spire at the time. The assumption is that a cigarette may have started it, and seeing as how the timbers in the roof were centuries old, a small spark was enough. Another theory is that the devil caused it. Who knows?

The fire was so intense that it melted the lead and copper roof, creating toxic air in Paris for almost a year. The heat made it difficult to fight, and they say that if the fire had gone on another 30 minutes, the whole thing would have collapsed.

Luckily, it did not. A massive restoration project is underway, funded from around the world. It will be rebuilt exactly as it was, even if there was some debate about making it modern, with a glass ceiling. The hope was to have it done for this summer’s Olympics, but as you can see, not happening. The current projection is a 20 year process, so we are looking at 16 more years. Good news, though, work is moving along, and just this week they put up the scaffold to start on the new spire. Most of the work so far has been cleaning and excavations in the foundations which have lead to discoveries of artifacts. The stained glass will be better than ever as it had never been cleaned before! In the end, the church will rise again, new and sparkling like never before. You just have to wait another 16 years.

December 20th

Bonjour from Paris!

I am so excited to be hosting our Paris Christmas tour from a neighborhood I’ve always wanted to stay in, Ile Saint-Louis. This little island in the Seine is so atmospheric and quiet, yet also smack-dab in the middle of the city. I’ve found it to be the most convenient location I’ve ever had a group. But the best part is the late evening and morning, when the city is groggy and the light is gorgeous. Come along with Lucca and I for a morning stroll around our little island, watching the sun rise over Notre Dame.

Our Paris Christmas tour took a field trip to the city of Arras, famous for its Christmas market. We also got to learn a bit of the history of Flemish France. Allons-y!

December 21st

Today the group cooked (and ate) a whole holiday dinner at Cook’n with Class. This evening was a holiday concert at Saint Chapelle.

December 22nd

The last full day of the tour began with an optional trip to Versailles. Many on the trip chose to spend this time shopping and visiting museums instead.

Our first Christmas in Paris tour is wrapping up tonight, and we’ve had such a nice time. Paris is always a good idea, but the city is so decorated and festive during the holidays, it was a great way to enjoy the season. There weren’t crowds like I’m used to, the city was mostly locals. Our hotel on Il Saint Louis provided a perfect central home base, and our guests all enjoyed their Paris Pass which got them into virtually any sight in the city. I could not have loved this week more.