3 days Paris over New Year's Eve

After lunch we make our way to the Augsburg train station. From here, our TGV departs around noon. The tickets should be bought a few weeks in advance, so you get even over New Year's Eve to quite cheap tickets. The tickets can be purchased directly from the Deutsche Bahn. After a little under 5 hours we arrive already in Paris. 

Once there, we learn that public transportation is free today! We make our way to our hotel. This is located at the metro stop Montparnasse and is thus perfectly connected with public transport.

After we had deposited our luggage in the hotel we make ourselves on the way into the 5th Arrondissement to find a Restaurtant for dinner. We decide on the restaurant Quartier Latin, where we get served very tasty pizza!

To be on time at midnight at the Eiffel Tower we make our way there after dinner. Due to Corona, the big fireworks at the Champs-Élysées are unfortunately cancelled. Arriving at the Eiffel Tower, we are impressed by the sheer number of people there. The traffic circle at Place de Breteuil was unceremoniously converted into a parking lot, even a Flixbus parks in the middle of the traffic circle!

We have taken ourselves two small bottles of champagne, with which we toast at midnight in front of the Eiffel Tower. Just in time for the new year also countless fireworks start in the surrounding Paris and also at the tower itself there is, although actually canceled, a small lightshow. We still enjoy something the mood in the new year and then slowly make our way back to the accommodation. The streets on the way to the subway were unceremoniously converted into sidewalks. Arriving at the subway station, we decide to walk a few more stations, considering the queue.

The next morning we make ourselves again on the way to the Eiffel Tower, this time to go up. Since we are both still 24 we pay only 14,10€ p.P. to go up to the top. The tickets can be bought online, the tickets to go all the way to the top are there but usually already sold out. We are lucky and still get tickets on site. First, a large elevator takes us up to the 2nd floor. From here we take a smaller elevator to the top. Already from the elevator, the view of the surrounding Paris is impressive!

At the top we enjoy the view. We take a few more photos before taking the elevator back up to the second floor. From here we decide to take the stairs down. These run inside the impressive metal structure of the Eiffel Tower.

Once down, we make our way to the Arc the Arc de Triomphe. From here we walk along the Champs-Élysées past the Jardin des Tuileries to the Louvre Museum. Here we visit the courtyard with its famous glass pyramid.

Passing by, we had seen earlier that there is still a Christmas market set up in the Jardin des Tuileries. We make our way into the hustle and bustle and drink a mulled wine there.

We then head back to the 5th arrondissement to have dinner in one of the countless restaurants. We decide on the LE 38 M, here we enjoy very tasty cocktails and burgers.

Before we make our way home to the hotel, we make another stop at the Eiffel Tower to admire it again at night.

In the morning we make our way to the Cathedral Notre-Dame. Since the fire, the cathedral has unfortunately closed, but is still worth a trip to look at the architecture from the outside. Afterwards we sit down in the cafe L'Esmeralda to have breakfast there.

Then we take the metro to Galeries Lafayette. The interior of the department store is really impressive. A visit is worth it just because of the roof terrace, from which you have a Perfect view of the Eiffel Tower.

From here it goes for us further to the basilica Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre. After conquering the steps, the spectacular view over downtown Paris reveals itself once again. On the way to the metro we walk past the vaudeville Moulin Rouge.

Since we liked the Christmas market yesterday very much we make ourselves again on the way there, in order to eat in the evening. We eat a saussage at one of the countless stands.

Sad that we already have to go we make our way to the train station and get on the TGV back to Augsburg.