Paris was the first destination on our inter-rail trip. As we only had one evening there, the Eiffel Tower was the very top of our list of things to do – and so the one thing that we had pre-booked. The views across Paris were spectacular, but it was seeing the tower up close that really made it worth the visit. From the first floor, looking up and down through the glass flooring at the structure of the tower itself gave me an appreciation of the landmark that pictures never had. Whilst it would have been good to be able to go to the top (people with reduced mobility aren’t allowed to for evacuation reasons), it’s by no means something everyone does, and I don’t feel like it took away from the experience.
After a quick detour through the park for a crêpe, we made our way to the Seine. I had my heart set on a river cruise, but it was getting late and I wasn’t sure we’d make it. I’d read that not all the piers in Paris are wheelchair accessible, but the one by the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be. Frustratingly , we only found stairs down to the dock and no obvious ramp or lift. After fifteen minutes of searching, we gave up.
Still determined to catch a river cruise, we headed toward Port de la Conférence, the dock used by Bateaux Mouches, which I’d read was wheelchair accessible. It took us about 25 minutes to get there and the route was following a main road along the riverbank – so not the most interesting journey and I started to doubt that it would be worth it, even if we did manage to get to the pier in time.
Eventually, we made it onto a boat and I’m really glad we did. Cruising along the Seine was a really relaxing way to get a feel for Paris in a short time. Rather than rushing from sight to sight, we could simply sit back and watch the city unfold — the bridges, the architecture, and the lively riverbanks where groups of people were dancing and drinking. On summer nights, especially in June when the evenings are long and warm, the river takes on a festival-like atmosphere. The cruise was especially good with limited time, because in just an hour we felt immersed in the city. Our timing worked out perfectly too: we reached the Eiffel Tower just as the lights came on for the first “sparkle” of the night.
We had an early start the next morning, but before heading back to the station we stopped at a little café just around the corner from our hotel. It was probably the most expensive breakfast I’ve ever had, but sitting outside at a bistro table only minutes from the Eiffel Tower, it felt worth it. A family at a table by the window chatted in French, while we enjoyed coffee, croissants, and French toast as the city woke up around us — it felt like a scene from a film! Just sitting around, eating good food and soaking up the atmosphere is one of my favourite things about travelling — and that simple pause, away from the rush of sightseeing, was the perfect end to our time in Paris.
Though it was a very short trip and there was plenty more we could have done, I left feeling that we’d experienced enough to truly say I’d been to Paris, rather than just passed through.