Paris, France - September 2025

 The day after MSM trip, we visited Musee d'Orsay and attended the midnight show at Moulin Rouge. 

View from the d'Orsay at sunset. - The Paris Olympic balloon and Sacre Coeur Cathedral in the background.

                                   

Musee d'Orsay restaurant.

Portrait of Dr. Paul Gachet - Painting by Vincent van Gogh.

Monet's water lily pond.

Arriving at Moulin Rouge for the midnight show.






Inside the theater


At our table.

Cheers!

New friends at the next table.

We saved the best for our last day in Paris. We started the day by meeting Lam Boi, my cousin and her husband, Chan Ninh at Tuileries metro station. Nice to be able to meet up with them this time. It had been 11 years since we saw them last!. They had a full day plan to show us around Paris on our last day. 

Close encounter with the Olympic Balloon in Tuileries.  Enjoy having the locals as tour guides!!

A windy morning in Paris.

Tuileries Garden.

Galeries Lafayette.

                                                 View from Galeries Lafayette rooftop.

A very nice lunch at Chatelet-Les Halles.

Thank you, Lam Boi and Chan Ninh for a wonderful day in Paris. You are great hosts!~~ Good bye Lam Boi, Chan Ninh and Paris.  Until we meet again.... 

Mont Saint Michel, Normandy, France - September 2025

Paul had been to this UNESCO  World Heritage Site about 50 years ago. I had never been to and wanted to visit for a long time. It worked out well that we could go to Mont Saint-Michel for a day trip from Paris. It was a long day, 14 hour tour with Get Your Guide Tour. We made it back to Paris not too late and I am glad to cross it off my bucket list.!

The tour meeting point- early in the morning.

Almost four hours later, Mont Saint-Michel appeared in our view.

A footbridge connect the mainland to the island. Mont Saint- Michell in the background.

 MSM in 1975 - The red Volkswagen in picture was Paul's car. 

Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island.


Walking the ramparts - enjoying the view of the bay.
 

Looking out from the rampart.


 Part of the rampart.

In addition to the abbey and ramparts, the island is home to a historic medieval village.




Many shops and restaurants in the village.


Inside the village.


King's Gate - La Porte du Roy, the entrance to Mont Saint-Michel and the medieval village.


Leaving Mont Saint-Michel.

The familiar Eiffel Tower greeting us on our return to Paris.

*****

Paris, France - September 2025

We made it to Paris after two and half hours of train ride. Our Airbnb apartment was in Batignolles neighborhood in the 17th arrondissement of Paris. It's a short walk from Port od Clichy metro stop.

Saint-Michel of Batignolles church.

That afternoon we explored the Montmartre area as it's not too far from our apartment. We did not make it up to Sacre Coeur Basilica because of the steep hill. But, walking around the Montmartre area was a lot of fun.

Saint Jean de Montmartre.

Inside the church.

Moulin Rouge - Will come back for an evening show later.

We were lucky to get two tickets to Nortre Dame Cathedral the next day.  The appointment was 1:00pm. It was a nice morning, we enjoyed a nice walk along the River Seine and Ile de la Cite'. 

Pont Au Change, the River Seine

Notre Dame Cathedral reopened in December 2024 since the fire in 2019.

The restoration work is ongoing but the interior was beautifully restored including cleaning of the stone walls and polishing stained glass.

One of the rose windows.

The restored grand organ.

The altar and the nave.

Taking a break after leaving Notre Dame Cathedral.

                                                       A visit to Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

                                                                Jim Morrison gravesite.

Leaving Pere Lachaise Cemetery, we took metro to the Eiffel Tower and Parc du Champ de Mars.

Eternal Flame Monument for Princess Diana - She was killed by auto accident in the tunnel underneath.

Across the street from the Eternal Flame, we found a nice spot for a picture with the Eiffel Tower. 

                     It's a pleasant surprise to bump into Dien and Kim at Parc du Champ de Mars.

As Dien and Kim continued their bus tour with the group, we went to Latin Quarter for dinner.

Beefsteak dinner.

And beef bourguignon.

                                                 

                                  The Olympic 2024 Balloon lights up Paris night sky.