Let’s rewind to April of 2019, before the “big pause” was hit on the world.

Looking at flights for a wedding in South Italy, I kept encountering the same layover: Paris. It was always 7 hours too.

Off I went to Google -- “Is 7 hours enough time to spend in Paris?” The answer I received, in short, was “Non.”

So, after figuring out what time I needed to be in Puglia for the wedding, and realizing I would have some time to play with, off I went to book my flights.

Miami to Paris was my first leg, followed by Paris to Puglia the next day, with a layover in Rome. With only 18 hours to play with in Paris, next thing I needed was a centrally located hotel.

I eventually landed on a spot just up the road from the Eiffel Tower. Oui!

Hôtel Elysées Union was a cute little boutique hotel, serving more as “home base” to shower a couple times and change clothes before heading off to my next adventure. Let’s just say, no sleep was had there. There was too much to see!

There was the famed tower and a guided tour of the Louvre. I cruised the River Seine over to Notre-Dame and up the hill to Sacré-Cœur, along with a few more stops in between. I made sure to waste no minute of my 18 hours in “The City of Light!”

With the Olympics on TV and all these familiar sights and memories of this whirlwind trip in my mind, I long to return to Paris.

Hopefully sooner than later, and... for at least a couple days next time! 😉