Of Stairs and Hunchbacks: Paris

Our last day in Paris and the last day of the honeymoon.  We went to Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame first to try to beat the crowds.  There was no one there and we just walked into the church.  It's quite deceptive -- it is beyond enormous inside.  

The railing along the Metro stairs

Palais de Justice

One of the famous Rose Windows, taken down during the war and reinstalled.

A view of the buttresses

We climbed over 400 stairs, up a small, winding, stone staircase, to a narrow walkway to view the famous gargoyles. Each one was a little different, which was very cool.

I cannot tell you how excited I was to see this guy.  

Then we climbed another 100 steps or so up an even narrower staircase to one of the two bell towers and viewed one of the incredibly large bells -- like the one Quasimodo rang in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Views from the upper roof 

We made the very long and dizzying descent.  As we walked back to the Metro station, we found a very cool nursery and florist.  

 And nearby was a retired Art Nouveau Metro station. 

Next stop, Pere LaChaise...