Last Update:01/06/00 About This Site About the Author

We officially began our vacation from Kelkheim when we caught the 21:43 train to the Hochst station. After finally getting to the main Frankfurt station, we boarded the train to Paris, found our sleeper compartment and settled in for our 22:47 departure. You'll notice that the time is military, European style, which we like better. Our sleeping compartment was pretty small as you can see from the pictures. Sharon took the top bunk. The conductor came and took our passports and tickets. We we're kind of concerned until our next door neighbor told us he did it so that he wouldn't have to wake us when we crossed the French border. After we had a beer, we called it a night. Neither of us slept very well - we woke up every time the train stopped at a station. It stopped eight times according to the itinerary. We awoke at 6:30 and got off the train at 7:10. Overall our first experience taking an overnight train trip was pretty good. It sure was cold waiting on the connections and after we got off in Paris though!

First priority in Paris was to get some Francs. We found a machine and withdrew 600 FRF - about $100. Although we packed light, we needed to ditch our luggage so as to be more efficient tourists. We lucked out that our hotel is just outside the next subway stop (Gare du Nord) from the Paris-Est station where we arrived. We lucked out even more that they let us check in at 8:00 in the morning. After a shower and the breakfast buffet at the hotel, we headed out for Versailles.

As recommended by the hotel clerk, we bought 10 subway tickets for 52 FRF. The subway is pretty easy to follow if you have a map. It's laid out by color and the signs are great. It took a station change and a fairly long trip to get to Versailles. It's outside of Paris to the Southwest. Upon arrival at Versailles, we had to buy tickets to get out of the station (and to get back in on the way back). I guess it's outside the Paris subway system so they make you pay extra.

The Versailles Chateau was a short walk from the station - we followed the signs. What a huge and beautiful place!!! Words cannot describe the artwork, sculpture, architecture, ornamentation, and history we saw there. I only took a few pictures because I needed to save some for the Eiffel tower, but I could have taken hundreds. This place makes the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC look like a log cabin! We took one recorded tour and just walked through the other part. After about 2 1/2 hours, we headed for the Eiffel tower.

It just so happened that the Eiffel tower stop was on the same subway line, so after a short ride we were there. I said 'let's take the steps'. Sharon was kind of reluctant. The line to walk up was the shortest and cost the least , so we walked up. It wasn't a bad walk. We got to the 2nd level. You have to take the elevator up to the very top. The views were absolutely spectacular (see the pictures)!! After a snack (French fries of course and beer) we walked back down and came back to the hotel.

Oh, I forgot. On the way to Versailles, we had to change stations and in the process of finding the other station, we ran across Notre Dame. Since it wasn't our primary goal we didn't go in. We did walk all around it and got some good pictures.

Overall first impressions? Paris is a huge, beautiful, and friendly city.