I've always scoffed at idiots that name their children after a city, we'll Adelaide is the exception, but you're not really naming her after the city of churches are you? Is it a city? Anyway I won't do it anymore if they name the kid Paris - I LOVE this place!

We did a long stint up from Lucerne into Paris, arriving at about 4pm. Somehow in all Gab's battle planning she had entirely missed the perpandicular avenues of the Champs Elysees. The cabinet was assembled and the plan to take Ave Montaigne was born over the cab ride. Seriously, what a mecca. Every design house I've heard of and plenty I haven't line this beautiful avenue down each side. Averting the storm of heartache at the prices and boredom at the content, I walked the kids down to the cafe on the river, we sat in the sun and watched it fade behing the tower for the next few hours while Gab launched her French stimulus package.

We strolled back to the Champs-Elysees along George V and Pierre Charron avenues, awesome menswear along here. We met up with Winne and Cham and had dinner on the main drag. Emerson managed to stay awake through most of dinner :)

The next day we took a short city tour before climbing the tower. First lift of the day meant it was empty upstairs, we went all the way to the top! The view was gobsmacking, even through the fog. Being so early in the day not much had burnt off yet. Look for the panoramas in the photo album. Back down and off to the Louvre.

We B-lined it for the Mona Lisa. Bigger than I thought, and as impressive as any portrait of someone could be to the untrained eye at 20 paces. So the rest of the place. Here again the battle plan had to change because most of what Gab was keen to see lives at Mussee d'Orsay. We ended up strolling for hours just in the French 16th-18th century pieces. Max counted 146 butts, Emerson 1598000, though she might have made that up.

From the Louvre we walked over the river, along a little bit visiting all the art and book stands, then into St Germain, we've ended up here a few times this trip. This time we were in amongst all the little galleries. Again Gab had a better look around while the kids and I found some more sunshine in a cafe. The sunshine and 1664 more than compensated for their lack of barista ability.

Still on the left bank we visted Musee Rodin. Beyond The Kiss, Gates of Hell and of course The Thinker we're not too familiar with his work. Most of the Museum was closed for renovations, but The Gates and Thinker are both on display outside in the gardens. Through the doors and Max bolted away shouting "The Thinker!" by the time we caught up to him he'd sat himself at the foot of the plynth and was mimicking the statue. Look for it in the photos.

You could spend days in St Germain, but sadly our time was up. Just time for a final afternoon cafe beer before we had to meet up with our tour group for our farewell dinner. Remarkable how bad the food was, I think the chicken was cooked the week before. Company, wine and of course free wifi tried to make up for it.

The highlight of the evening though was to get on the Saine and take a cruise to watch the illumunations. All the way up river Emerson had that Bridge of Sighs idea floating around and decided she had to kiss someone from the tour as we passed under each bridge. Fanta clearly works quicker than Amsterdam cookies :)

Timing was perfect, getting us back downstream and in front of the tower as the 9pm twinkle lit up. I guess you must eventually take it for granted, how sad for the them. A final tour around the city and we were off back to the hotel.

I could visit most other cities from this tour again. All of them have a lot more to offer and were exciting/intriguing enough that I go away wanting to visit again. Paris however has infected us. I could live here.