Bonjour, tout le monde! Today is July 14 – also known as Bastille Day in Paris, France – commemorating that time in 1789 when the French rebelled against the monarchy by storming the Bastille (prison). Out of all my Europe photos, I thought it appropriate to blog Paris today.

In April I spent two weeks in Europe with my significant other. The trip was anything but spontaneous – we’d been planning to go for almost four years. Early 2016 marked milestone birthdays for both of us, so we took the opportunity to make it happen.

This was my second trip to Europe ever. Paris was the only city I revisited, this time after five semesters of French education under my belt. Did it help? A little bit. Admittedly, I was rusty. And believe me – saying that the French are particular about their language is an understatement. Luckily, I remembered the words for “cheese” (fromage), “wine” (le vin), and “baguette” (baguette)! Next time I plan to brush up for a month before visiting.

There are so many sights to see in Paris – you can’t possibly tour the city in a matter of days. We stayed in the 10ème Arrondissement between the Gare Du Nord and Gare De l’Est. Our first apartment was on the sixth floor of an old building with a spiral staircase – worth the climb for the amazing view (pictured). Highlights also pictured include: La Basilique du Sacré-Coeur, Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Les Catacombes, Musée du Louvre, Place de la République, Les Jardins du Luxembourg, and of course, Le Tour Eiffel. Anyone traveling to Paris in the near future: I recommend visiting the Eiffel Tower at night! Crowds are significantly smaller and the view is infinitely spectacular.

Not pictured: Our (nearly) private showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show at a theatre in the Latin Quarter with live French shadow cast, complete with impeccable costumes and (simulated?) adult behavior. This was, easily, one of the most memorable parts of our entire trip.

Thanks for looking! Stay tuned for more Europe on the Blog.