Back on our bikes, we rode from the Marais towards Montparnasse. We’d planned to return our bikes then, but found the Velib stations all full. We checked several before deciding to just park and lock them so we could adventure on, joining a short line that would lead us into the Catacombs of Paris.
We descended into the catacombs, and I was immediately glad we’d gone home to change. Despite the nearly 80′ day, it was damp and chilly deep underground Paris- the catacombs are consistently 57′ and wet, regardless of weather.
The sheer size of the catacombs was just astounding. It felt like we were walking around underneath Paris for hours, party to an endless bone parade. I’m not easily spooked, and I didn’t find the catacombs all that creepy, but I was totally intrigued by the logistics of creation, and impressed by the design.
After communing with the dead, we needed to get the graveyard off us before supper. Riding towards home, we finally found openings to return our bikes, so we walked the last little bit back to our apartment. It was a quick turnaround, and before we knew it we were off to dinner at le Relais De l’Entrecôte, as recommended by my good friend Dana.
They serve exactly one entrée, steak frites, and the line is always out the door (at several locations), because they do it incredibly. The meal began with classic green salad with walnuts, and our dinner quickly followed.
And just when we’d polished off a plate of perfectly cooked steak, crispy fries, and the most delectable savory sauce, the adorably uniformed waitress whisked it away to refill it. I hadn’t realized it was AYCE, but promptly adjusted my thinking and made room for two more servings.
We were full and happy as we left dinner and headed to the Arc de Triomphe to gander at the city’s skyline. So it was a bit of a letdown when we found that they’d closed the ticket booths earlier than advertised, and we’d missed it by minutes. As you can see, there was a good sized crowd of disappointed folks, but no drama materialized.
We admired the Arc from underneath, and decided to find the silver lining. After such a long and busy day, a little low key time was welcome, so we snagged a bottle of wine and spot by the Seine to indulge in an after dinner drink.
We sat and talked and laughed and smooched- I swear Paris brings out public displays of affection in people! The romance is real, and I was seriously smitten with my sweet husband as we strolled along the banks of the Seine and headed home for the night.
loveRavayna
