A Look at Our Long Weekend in Paris

I am finally posting about my trip to Paris!  I have 2 or 3 more posts coming, just about the food. 

I have mentioned my best friend, Casey, several times on my blog. Our friendship goes back to the end of middle school/beginning of high school. She and I had basically every class together in high school, and also went to UNC-Chapel Hill together. But she went there on a full ride (ahem, brilliant!) and I was a normal student. 😉 We are different in some ways, but in most ways, we are pretty much the same person. After college and the beginning of her career, she eventually moved to Paris, to further her job, and live closer to her wonderful French boyfriend, who is now her husband. She and Antoine have two amazing kids. Over the past 8 years or so, we have really only seen each other when she comes home to NC to visit. My husband, my parents and I did travel to France in 2009, and she and Antoine were wonderful hosts.

Being across the Atlantic from her is tough. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in her early twenties, and that makes it even harder. I remember the exact moment, years ago, when she called to tell me of her diagnosis. I am not able to be there when she’s sick or in pain or having tests done, and the main way that we keep in touch is through frequent texting. So being able to take this trip, and have a girls’ weekend away in PARIS was incredible. I wanted to be able to come close to where she lives, instead of her always having to come near where I live to see her. Paris seemed like the obvious, appropriate place. (Hello!!!) My only disappointment is that I wasn’t able to see Antoine or her kids. This timing worked out well, because all of our kids are in some version of preschool, and like I said before, OUR HUSBANDS ARE SAINTS.

Before we left for the airport

Casey and I had a relatively quick trip. She and I both arrived in Paris on Saturday morning, and we left early Tuesday morning. She was my tour guide and translator the entire trip, and I am so grateful she was patient with me as I complained how my feet hurt from walking! (Seriously though, we walked 11-13 miles/day).

We stayed in the Saint-Germain area, and explored many parts of Paris. We were near the Seine and the Louvre, so the scenery was gorgeous. We spent time in the Marais, and also in other areas. We walked (and walked and walked!), ate, and shopped and had a fabulous time! Honestly, neither of us are fully into museums, so we chose to base our trip around exploring and eating. We did walk around the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. She lived in Paris a few years ago, and I had traveled there previously and done several of the must-see places.

I wish I had taken pictures of all of the beautiful doors we saw!

We had an incredible trip!  I realize how once-in-a-lifetime this was, and I am so grateful to Casey for all of her planning, and to our husbands and my parents for taking care of our kids!