Paris, Beaune, Megeve, and Chamonix, France, and Courmayeur, Italy

Kathy and I traveled to Paris, France, and a few other cities there in late August and early September.  Despite all the domestic travel Kathy and I have done over the years, we had never been overseas (sounds like an old-fashioned term) before this year.  We have been to Hawaii, the Carribean, Canada, and Mexico, but never to Europe.  One of my friends lives part of the year in Megeve, France, about an hour from Geneva, Switzerland, and has invited us to visit him and his wife for years.  We decided 2010 was the year to go.

We left Cincinnati Wednesday, August 25th.  Direct flight to Paris, about 8 hours.  Good flight, had a good meal an hour or so after take off, all the red (or white) wine we wanted, a couple of Benadryl, goodnight for a few hours!  We arrived around 6:30 in the morning Paris time.  Made our way through customs, got our bags, got a train from the airport downtown, we were on our way.  Pissed off my first Parisian by not putting my bag on the overhead rack on the train, even though there were plenty of seats.  Young lady gave me a dirty look!  Oh well, old, ugly American!  Got to the main train station, switched to the Metro (subway), got to our station, walked up to the Champs Elysee, two blocks to the Marriott, and checked into our room around 9:00 AM.  All good so far!

Everyone told us to not go to sleep--stay up, push through, etc.  Well, we did.  Unpacked, left hotel, walked toward Arc de Triomphe, had a little breakfast on a sidewalk cafe.  Best part of Paris, watching the people walk by.  Great people watching.  Sidewalk cafes/restaurant chairs all face the street, so you can see and be seen.  Really cool!  

Okay, a confession, we walked to the Arc de Triomphe, looked around, went back to hotel and took a knap for a couple of hours!  But, we got up, went to Notre Dame Cathedral, spent the rest of the day there, as well as walking around the neighborhoods nearby.  Was really cool.  Had a little rain, but nothing too bad.  Went back to hotel, rested, changed, then went out to dinner. 

More entries to come--I'll make this a serial. 

Here are some links to pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/dshaut/BeauneFranceHeartOfBurgundyWineCentral?feat=email#

http://picasaweb.google.com/dshaut/ParisPicturesAugust2010?authkey=Gv1sRgCNj3zOuyvfDQjwE&feat=email#

http://picasaweb.google.com/dshaut/VersaillesFranceAugust2010?feat=email#

http://picasaweb.google.com/dshaut/MtBlancAndChamonixFrance?feat=email#

Dave