Paris, France …our last day

August 30, 2025

The day dawns with clearer skies, and after a better night’s sleep, we feel more ourselves. With no major agenda, today is meant to be easygoing. Breakfast at the hotel is once again a pleasure, and sets us up nicely for the day.

We head out on foot toward the Marais district, beginning with a stroll through the elegant Place des Vosges.

From there we meander through the narrow streets, enjoying the mix of old architecture, lively shops, and cafés:

A stop at the Marché des Enfants Rouges—one of the oldest markets in Paris—is interesting, although these days it has evolved into more of a foodie haven, featuring stalls that offer tempting international eats. It was too early for lunch, so no sampling here:

The streets are full of cafes and restaurants with Parisians doing nothing but chatting, smoking and enjoying coffees al fresco, we gawked a bit at a well-presented group all in their “Sunday”  best who were leaving a reception…

Further on, we passed the Eglise Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais with the garden in front dedicated to the victims of the November 13th, 2015, terror attacks. If you see the tents on the top of the staircase, it seems some homeless people have an encampment there…

...and at one of the intersections close to the Seine, a young lady is strutting her stuff with a friend, photographing her…an amateur photo shoot… she cares not a whit about the stares of the male population…

Along the way, we notice excursion boats plying the Seine :

… and think, “Why not?” Soon, we find the Batobus, a hop-on, hop-off service that runs between nine major sites along the river, including the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, etc. By chance, we are near the Hôtel de Ville stop, so we inquire at the booth and purchase two 24-hour passes for €46. It’s a clever system: unlimited rides, as often as you like, within the time period…

Off we go. The skies have cleared, and it has become a beautiful day…

Our first stop is the Eiffel Tower. The area is packed with visitors and hawkers, yet the mood is festive. A street musician from the U.S. belts out soul classics from the 1970s, adding to the atmosphere…

After soaking it in, we re-board and continue onwards, enjoying the views …

At the Saint-Germain-des-Prés stop, we hop off again to find a café. Nature breaks aren’t always easy to come by, but eventually we find a spot where we can order a couple of beers without the pressure of a full meal. Refreshed, we wander around this posh neighbourhood before heading back to the river and re-boarding.

With the afternoon slipping by, we decide to stay on board until returning to the Hôtel de Ville stop. It proves to be a fine choice, as the Batobus gives us sweeping views of the city’s great monuments—sights that would have taken hours to cover on foot.

From there, we walk along Rue de Rivoli back toward Place de la Bastille, where we come across the tail end of a celebration, and two of the participants graciously allow me to take their picture before finally returning to the hotel for a siesta.

Dinner tonight is at Bistro Pradel, a place we had read rave reviews about for its classic French dishes—steak tartare, steak frites, and the like. With our reservation at 6 p.m., we arrive on the dot, hungry and ready. The food is good, though it lacks the panache of the bistro experiences we remember from years past, e.g. Le Caveau in Montreal.

Still, it’s enjoyable, and afterward we stroll back through the lively café- and restaurant-lined streets of the 11th Arrondissement to our hotel.

All in all, a very pleasant day and evening, and we feel stoked for the adventures to come.