We all have that list inside our mind. The list of things you want to do and see in this life. Some things are easy to check off, others require a bit of work, and some might never happen. One thing on my list is to sit in front of the Eiffel Tower and drink wine while eating bread and cheese.
The first time our group of 4 set eyes together on the Eiffel Tower was at night, Sparkling in French glory. We were on the hunt for something to eat late at night with a backpacker budget. Two problems with this: French restaurants are not open late and backpacker budget and “tourist” area don’t mix. Steve had been to Paris before and remembered eating at cheaper places on the other side of the tower. So we walked under the giant beast with grumbling tummies. Photos do not give the Eiffel Tower justice to its size. It’s quite impressive!
All of us looking up
We noticed the line was short to get to the top but our tummy grumbles were more important so we said to ourselves “another day” and made out way out of the Eiffel park grounds. Upon exiting we noticed a sign with symbols. From what we could tell it said No drinking alcohol in the park! What?? How can that be? This is France! You always see movies with people drinking wine and eating baguettes in front of the Eiffel Tower.
On the day we did plan to have our typical French picnic we brought our coffee mugs with us as a just in case measure, a North American trick to get away with drinking in public. It must be coffee right? While searching for the perfect piece of grass to sit on we noticed lots of armed guards with automatic assault weapons in the area and also some normal dressed gentleman with earpieces walking amongst the trees. Unsure if this is normal security or if the terrorist alert was a higher color that day, we felt smart for bringing the coffee mugs.
So we sneak poured our wine into the cups, cut up some cheese, and ripped apart some bread. The sky was epic with the most amazing clouds we have seen in Europe, and the Eiffel Tower did its job well. It was a moment to never forget.
Cheers!
I said the same thing the first time I saw it just a year ago,you see it in movies all the time but to see it in real is an epic moment.We have that same picture but with Tammy & Rob, but we had no wine,we went and did it legally,sat in a outside cafe & had a beer {very expensive] & felt very european with our scarves around our necks.
I love Paris, it’s my favourite city. I’ve been many times and sat in the Jardin du Champs de Mars with bread, wine and cheese. I don’t think there’s a law, or even a stigma, against having a bottle of wine between some friends in a park here in Europe. But I’ll bear it in mind next time I’m in North America!
The best thing I ever saw there was a group of about 12 people who had taken a table, chairs, table cloth, candelabras, cutlery, crockery, food etc and had a proper banquet sat in the sun in front of the Eiffel Tower. I watched as they brought their equipment, set up, had a toast and then tucked in. It was lovely watching them (though I was quite envious as I sat with my plastic cup).
If you’re ever round there and hungry again, there’s a smashing sausage stand just over the bridge from the Eiffel Tower, where the little carousel sometimes is (great candy floss there too).
I’m glad you liked the Suk Spa (I’m the Alice of footprintbooks) I had a foot massage there just before I flew on to Australia and it was SO GOOD that I was still relaxed when I was queuing for immigration some 12 hours later.