Oh my God, that first night of sleep was glorious. I think we were asleep the second our heads hit the pillow. We went to bed around 8:45 PM and set an 8:15 AM alarm, thinking twelve hours was just an emergency alarm just in case we overslept. Turns out it we were exhausted. We snoozed it immediately and didn’t actually wake up until about 10:45 AM.

We had a Notre Dame tour booked for 10:15 AM, but we both agreed that sleep was more important. Once we were finally up, I checked my phone and rebooked us for a 3:00 PM time slot instead. Thankfully the Notre Dame entrance fee is free so it didn’t mess up our plans too much. 

We took our time getting ready and headed downstairs to find lunch. Our plan was to walk around and see what looked good. Most restaurants post their menus outside, and we’re always drawn to places with good ambience.

We eventually made it to this square, it was so cute we had to stop for a quick photoshoot of course!

We settled on Café G. It wasn’t listed on the menu, but I asked our server and he brought one out for me anyway. We ordered cappuccinos, two croque monsieurs, and my very important pain au chocolat.

The croque monsieurs were not what we expected at all. They were almost calzone-like instead of the classic open sandwich style. Everything was good, but between the pastry and cappuccino, I filled up pretty fast.

There was another photoshoot outside in the square after lunch too.

Satisfied with the photos, we made our way to Notre Dame. It was only about a ten-minute walk, so we arrived with plenty of time. As we were heading inside, the attendant told me I needed to button my coat because my skirt was too short, which made us laugh. Thank goodness for long overcoats.

Notre Dame was absolutely stunning. I am so glad the reconstruction after the fire was complete and that we were able to go inside. The stained glass was incredible, and the artwork and woodwork throughout the church were just as impressive. We did the audio guide, and while it covered a lot, I honestly don’t remember many specific details.

One thing that did stick with me was learning about the organ, which was one of the greatest in the world at the time it was built. We later found out they had held organ concerts the day before, and I was so bummed we missed that because it would have been amazing to hear it played.

After Notre Dame, we decided to head to another museum we had spotted the day before, the Musée de l’Orangerie. It was a bit farther away, so we braved the metro for the first time. Jordan found an app that tells you exactly which tickets to buy and which lines to take, which was a lifesaver.

Finding the correct line was harder than expected. We made it into the station easily, but the signage was confusing and we hit what seemed like a dead end. Once we realized we just had to keep walking farther into the station, everything made sense. It was still a little overwhelming, but we figured it out.

The ride itself was quick, just one stop. We got off without any issues and felt very accomplished after successfully navigating our first metro ride.

Of course, we stopped for some quick bird photos along the way. I also noticed a staircase built into the bridge specifically for people walking bikes up and down, which I thought was such a cool piece of urban design.

When we arrived at the museum, the attendants told us there were no tickets left for the day. We never take no for an answer, so Jordan went online and managed to find an unreviewed ticket service on Viator that still had availability. It felt a little sketchy, but we decided to risk it. After paying, the confirmation email said we would receive the tickets within the hour, which was stressful since the museum closed in about an hour. Thankfully, the tickets actually came through pretty quickly and we made it in.

The first exhibit was Monet’s Water Lilies, which was absolutely beautiful. Monet believed the best way to experience the exhibit was in complete silence so visitors could meditate, but it was pretty noisy with the crowds. Even so, it was incredible to see in person.

Downstairs, there was another exhibit featuring artists like Picasso and Matisse. At one point, I noticed someone sketching and told him it looked nice. I didn’t want to bother him, so I walked away, but Jordan noticed he seemed like he wanted to say something.

We went back, and he tore out his sketch and gave it to us. It was such a kind gesture and such a special thing to have.

We continued through the museum, taking everything in, and learned that the building itself used to be a bastion in the 16th century, which was a fun bonus fact.

As the museum was closing, we headed outside into the courtyard to figure out our next move. While we were there, we managed to catch the Eiffel Tower lighting up with its hourly sparkle show. It was so beautiful, and it made us even more excited for our dinner there the next night.

Earlier, Jordan had looked up a hot chocolate spot with amazing reviews that ended up being only a ten-minute walk away. Even though they were closing in an hour, we decided to try our luck. We got seated with no problem and ordered two hot chocolates and a few pastries.

The hot chocolate was basically melted chocolate. It was incredibly rich and decadent, and we loved it. The pastries were great too, although we definitely ordered too much and were absolutely stuffed afterward.

Since we wanted to eat dinner like true Parisians, around 8:00 PM, we decided to walk over to the Galeries Lafayette. It’s a massive department store filled with luxury brands and shops.

The inside was overwhelming in the best way. Jordan was on the hunt for a Patagonia puffer but had no luck. I, on the other hand, got distracted at a sunglasses shop and found a must-buy pair of Gucci sunglasses. Jordan spoiled me and bought them as a Christmas and birthday gift, and I felt like a very lucky wife!! Love you Jordan ❤️

After that, we struggled a bit to find our way out of the building, but eventually made it and hopped back on the metro for a longer ride this time, a whole four stops. We’re basically Paris metro pros now. 

We had just watched the film Amélie, and the metro photo booth was a pretty major theme throughout the movie, so we thought it would be fun to take some photos. After receiving our snapshots, we headed back to the hotel to drop off our purchases and find somewhere for dinner.

Reddit had recommended Chez Fernand, so I booked us a 10:00 PM reservation and we walked over. The restaurant ended up being adorable, with a great atmosphere and very friendly servers.

We started with escargot, which was my first time trying it. The shells were still attached, and the waiter brought over clamps and a fork. I’m very glad I asked how to eat them because I had no idea what to do. He gave us a quick demo before we dove in. They were served in a garlic butter sauce, and while I wasn’t sure I’d like them but still wanted to try the classic French fare, I actually enjoyed them way more than I expected.

For our main dishes, I ordered the signature beef bourguignon, and Jordan ordered the Black Angus hanger steak with homemade fries. I had tried beef bourguignon earlier in the trip, but this one was on another level, with much richer flavor and depth.

After finishing up our wine and water, we headed back to the hotel to settle in. We had a 10:15 AM tour the next morning that we definitely couldn’t sleep through, since it was a paid tour of the Musée d’Orsay.