The Home Stretch

The most exclusive stretch of real estate on the planet, the Champs-Elyséey, leads away from the Arc de Triomphe.  

PARIS

When you look at your watch in northern Belgium and it is 9:30pm, usually the first thought through your mind isn't, "Let's drive 3 hours to Paris!'  But then again, after 36 hours on the road you aren't exactly thinking normal thoughts.  So heeding the spirit of adventure, we decided to make a late night run to the City of Light for the final leg of our Blitzkrieg tour.

Eiffel Tower, three minutes after the lights went off.  If doing a night tour, BE SURE TO GET TO PARIS BEFORE 1 am!

We cruised in on the freeway, and headed to the center of town.  Immediately we found the Champs-Elysêes and headed towards the Eiffel Tower.  Unfortunately, the lights are turned off daily at 1am!  We arrived 3 minutes too late, and therefore just had to do our best to see its outline while staying away from the multiple protests going on near the tower.  (Hunger Strikes seem to be the most popular.)  Afterwards, we grabbed a quick pan chocolate at a pastry shop and searched the other major landmarks of the city. 

In front of the Louvre.

WINE COUNTRY: DIJON AND BEAUNE

The buildings and chateaus of the Burgundy region are straight from a storybook. 

In order to be home in time for practice on Tuesday, we headed south from Paris early in the morning.  Around 7 am, we stopped just south of Dijon (yes, where the mustard comes from) for breakfast in a small town called Beaune.  I had never heard of it before, but according to the "Let's Go" guidebook it was a place filled with charm.  It didn't disappoint.   Beaune is surrounded on all sides by miles of vineyards, called the Côte de Beaune, and is world renowned for its "Bergundy" wines.  The buildings are all a characteristic sandstone color, and every corner reveals a post-card worthy site.  After seeing what a small village looks like in Italy, Bavaria, and Belgium, it was cool to see the French version.

Leading north from the town is the famous "Route des Grands Crus" wine route.  A half-dozen small towns dot the highway while signs point in all directions to renowned vineyards.  We didn't have time to stop, but we will surely come back before we leave the continent!

Just another cute street in another cute French city.

There are over thirty places to taste local wines... and by local I mean from century old vineyards producing some of the best sweet wines on the planet.

Amazing pastries & croissants.

After 6 countries in 48 hours, we were finally home!

~ J. Twice