Last Day in Paris for Kate and Carter

The final day in Paris had arrived and we were exhausted.  We went to church in the morning, took a little catnap, and had our usual Sunday lunch with fresh pasta from the Marché de Avenue Saxe behind Ecole Militaire.  I managed to run over to the market Saturday morning before we left for Chartres to get the fresh pasta, a delicious melon, more white peaches and some broccoli for Sunday lunch. 
We had two more places on Carter's List to visit on Sunday--Sacré Coeur and Jardin du Luxembourg.  First on the list was Montmartre and Sacré Coeur, which entailed three métro rides plus a ride up the funicular because our feet did not want to climb all those steps!  Notice Carter has been making good use of the sunglasses we bought Friday.  We had blue skies and beautiful weather during his whole trip.

Kate and Carter at Sacre Coeur

We enjoyed a great view of the city.  But we were surprised there were no street performers.  Andrew always loved the guy juggling and doing amazing tricks with a soccer ball in front of Sacré Coeur and we thought Carter would like that.

Below Sacre Coeur

We walked up behind the basilica to the Place du Tertre to see the artists.  The square was swarming with tourists.  Kate and Carter were constantly stopped by artists wanting to sketch their portrait or a caricature.

Place du Tertre

We remembered a good gelato store across from the square and we were ready for something to cool us down.

Waiting for Gelato

We walked around a bit but it was so crowded up there and getting hot.  Can you tell this is not my favorite place to go?  It was always Andrew's job to take visitors up to Montmartre.  We walked back down the hill and watched a guy making huge bubbles.


Bubbles

Watching the bubbles

We were ready for the slower pace at Luxembourg Gardens.  We had 14 stops on the métro to Saint Sulpice and had seats.  It was time for another Kate and Carter nap.


Napping on the Metro



We walked to Saint Sulpice first.  Kate remembered how we had visited here on our last day in Paris on her 17th birthday.  She never dreamed she'd be back two years later with her fiancé.

St. Sulpice

There was a mass going on inside and we sat for a few minutes and listened and rested our feet.  It was a short walk next to the gardens.  We found shade trees to walk under as we made our way to the fountain where the kids sail the sailboats.



We found some chairs in the shade for a little rest before walking out the other end of the gardens past the old marionette theatre. 



The pension on rue d'Assas where Kelly and I lived on Study Abroad in 1980 was just outside the gate by the theatre.  There was an art exhibit inside the marionette theatre.  Kate and Carter indulged me while I pointed out the floor where I lived in the pension and the building across the street from it where we ate dinner every evening. 



I took a picture while we waited for the No. 8 métro at Concorde.  It seemed like we have spent a lot of time this trip, as always, waiting on the bench to ride the last three stops home to the apartment. 

Finally we were back at the apartment.



When we got home, I started packing Kate's suitcases and Kate prepared a picnic dinner with baguette sandwiches and little canettes of Coca.  She and Carter went to a quai on Ile St. Louis that she had spotted during our Seine boat ride.  It had a great view of the back of Notre Dame.  They took a couple of selfies.

Kate came home crying, saying what a great time they had had and that she didn't want to leave Paris.  Carter did his best to console her and promised they would come back.  Kate said when they graduate from college in three years would be the perfect time and didn't we want to bring them back with us then as a little graduation present?  I am all for it--I never need an excuse to come to Paris.







Kelly took them to the airport early Monday morning and we were left with a very quiet apartment.  Michelle picked Carter and Kate up at the airport in Salt Lake and sent this picture of them from there.  Thank you Michelle!

Salt lake Airport



We will be home soon and getting ready for their wedding in just over two weeks.  What a great summer!