Eiffel Tower

It was time to tackle the Metro (short for Metropolitan), Paris' answer to NY subways. It runs from 5:30 AM till about 1:15 the next morning. It's cheaper to buy tickets in bulk (a dozen tickets/pp for 3 days is sufficient). Unfortunately, they don't have metrocards - so instead of just 1 multi-pass card, you'd be holding 12 small pieces of paper - like a bunch of purple confetti.E had given me a couple of important tips. Paris is best seen walking - so first of all: Leave your heels behind! Wear comfortable, flat, walking shoes (or sneakers). Second, Beware of Pickpockets! Stay alert and be mindful of your belongings at all times. They'll usually lurk in crowded trains, stations, elevators, crowded tourist spots, and anywhere you least expect them.
It was fairly easy to navigate the system once we got the hang of it. To catch the correct train, we had to find our destination on the map, then follow the color-coded rail line its on to the end of the route and note the name of the final destination. This final stop is the direction of the train. In the station, the name of the final destination is posted in the passageways, so we just had to follow them for our direction.


To avoid the long lines, we were at the Eiffel Tower by 9:30 AM.
EIFFEL TOWER


LES INVALIDES - L'Hotel Royal Invalides (gold dome) was built by Louis XIV for soldier's injured in his service. It is one of the most beautiful XVIIth Century monuments in Paris. Napoleon's tomb, as well as that of his son, the King of Rome are both located beneath the dome of St. Louis Church, built by Mansart.

L'ECOLE MILITAIRE ET LE CHAMP DE MARS - This was designed to accomodate 500 "poor gentlemen" to convert them into trained officers. It was constructed by Gabriel. Since its founding, this school has become one of the centers of French riding skills. It was transformed into a garden in the early XXth Century.