674. That’s the number of steps it takes to get to the second level of the Eiffel Tower via the staircase. Can you guess what I did today??
I (again) slept in after staying up later than usual for the concert last night. I went to Café de la Mairie, in the shadow of Saint-Sulpice, for a breakfast of pain au chocolat and hot chocolate before heading to the Champ de Mars and Eiffel Tower. While I waited for the next bus, I wandered around Saint-Sulpice church for a few minutes.
I know there are elevators that can take you to the top of the Eiffel Tower, but thanks to my claustrophobia, I’m not much for elevators. Instead, I booked a ticket to climb the stairs to the second level. Not exactly the top of the tower, but it’s still pretty high up. I arrived early so I could wander around the Champ de Mars and take some pictures before my allotted time to climb the stairs.
The stairs are broken into two sections; 327 stairs to the first level and then another 347 to the second level. You might think there wouldn’t be too many people on the staircase, but you’d be wrong. Since the elevator tickets sell out so far in advance, many people are left with no option but to take the stairs. And the line for tickets was pretty long. I’m glad I bought mine in advance before I left home! Both levels have shops, restaurants and 360 degree views of Paris. On the way back down, I sat on the terrace for a few minutes overlooking the Champ de Mars.
Let me tell you, you work up quite an appetite climbing up and down 1,300 stairs! Next stop: Rue Cler to pick up picnic provisions for lunch. Rue Cler is a small street known for its many small food shops and is only a few blocks from the Eiffel Tower. I wandered around for a while and did some window shopping before backtracking to pick up my chosen picnic foods: a ham and cheese panini, some gougères, two macarons, and a Coke Zero. (Fun fact: I have yet to find Coca Cola Light – the European equivalent of Diet Coke – since I’ve been here.)
Then it was back to the Champ de Mars to find a spot to enjoy my picnic lunch. In my mind, I would sit on the grass in front of the Eiffel tower beneath cloud-dappled skies. The reality was that much of the lawn was fenced off and/or muddy and sunny skies soon gave way to clouds. That didn’t stop me from enjoying my meal on a bench not far from the base of the tower.
The clouds made me rethink my afternoon plans and I found myself back in my room for a couple of hours before heading out again. My final outing for the day was a quick one. I walked over to Luxembourg Gardens and sat for a little while by the beautiful pink tulips.
Then I stopped at La Crêperie du Clown for a lemon and sugar crepe and a glass of French cider (or cidre, as they call it here). Before heading back to my hotel, I stopped at Monoprix to get a soda, yogurt, and pastry so I can eat breakfast in my room tomorrow. I have to be at the train station (relatively) early for an outing to visit some famous gardens… any guesses where I’m going?
Traveling with Laura 