Paris - Day 4

Last day in Paris.  4 days was definitely not enough for us!  We started at the Eiffel Tower where we waited a ridiculously long time.  We didn't get to go all the way to the top because it was closed until just before we went up due to the wind.  Then by the time it opened the line for the top was extremely long since no one had been allowed up all day.

We ate lunch along Rue Cler which is known for being a great market street where you can pick up your fish, your cheese, your bread, and everything else you could need from the little shops.  Unfortunately it was Monday and a lot of things were closed.

Then we headed over to the Champs Elysees.  We had two very important stops to make.  Stop 1 was at Lauduree to try some of their famous macarons.  We got yelled at for taking pictures.

Stop 2 was at the Louis Vuitton flagship store.  I've never seen such craziness.  I saw people buying multiple very expensive bags at a time.  I also saw people at the airport with whole trolleys full of their purchases that they were waiting in the VAT line for.  If you're in the market for an expensive purse I recommend making your purchase in Paris.  Due to the exchange rate, the purse was slightly cheaper.  Add in the fact that I got my VAT refunded and didn't have to pay 10% sales tax if I'd bought in Chicago and it was about $200 cheaper.

We had to hurry because were meeting up with Liz and Ellen again to do a bike tour around town.  You know it was an American company running this tour because they made us wear these hideous safety vests.  The French would never left safety get in the way of something as important as fashion.

Not long after we started, we got rained and hailed on (for the second time of the trip!) which is why we are also wearing these sexy ponchos in addition to the vests.

You can see the ominous clouds coming.

After the rain finally stopped it was quite beautiful at night, although also quite miserable being as we were soaking wet and freezing.

The best part was biking around the Louvre at night.  So quiet and beautiful all lit up.

Liz and I looking slightly bedraggled.

After the bike ride, a river cruise along the Seine was included.  Our guides brought wine which our group managed to polish off.  The river cruise is a don't miss event in my book.  It's nice to see the city from a different vantage point.

I can't say that I'd recommend a bike tour.  First, there were lots of older people who kept randomly falling off their bikes or being very slow.  One group made it about a half of a mile before someone fell and the whole group gave up which we then had to wait for our guide to take them back to the shop.  It was also hard to bike as we kept having to stop and start because of Paris traffic.  Finally the tour was supposed to run 6 pm - 10 pm, then we were going to grab a late dinner.  The tour went until midnight and the Metro was nearly closed at that point.  And I was starving!  The company was excellent though and our guides were very entertaining and knowledgeable about the city so there were some high points.