Paris 2024, Day 2 (part 1)

My first truly full day in Paris and it was definitely packed with lots to do.

First up was making my way to the vicinity of the bib pick-up for the Marathon Pour Tous. I got to the area early enough that I decided to walk around the area a little bit first. And that meant my initial views of the Eiffel Tower.

Walking a little further afield in the direction I mistakenly thought the bib pick-up was worked out well for some additional sights and angles on the Eiffel Tower.

An interesting statue at the Viaduc de Passy, and a unique angle on the Eiffel:

I unwittingly stumbled upon this memorial to the victims of the Holocaust at the hands of the Vichy government:

"The French Republic, in homage to the victims of racist and antisemitic persecutions and crimes against humanity committed under the authority of the government of the French state 1940 - 1944 -- Never Forget"

When I finally got to the area being used for Marathon Pour Tous bib pick-up, Stade Emile-Antoine, the line was only halfway up the block -- not bad.

By the time they opened up, the line bent back in on itself so that it was 3 lengths of the block. But it moved really well. I was in and out in less than ten minutes.

By the time I got out, the line increased still further, so that it was five lengths of the block. Oy! Glad I was there early.

Finally, I was off to the Eiffel Tower for the view from the summit I had booked in advance. But, as I was there early, I had some time to kill.

Finally, the time came to make my way up to the top. First, we went up to the 2nd platform, which then requires exiting the elevator to move to a more central elevator to take you up to the top.

And close by, directly below, were all the ants waiting on line to pick up their MPT bibs:

Just down the Seine is the Hotel des Invalides, and on the right bank is the Louvre (with the Olympic "cauldron" parked the ground).

After taking in the sights from the highest tower in Paris, it was time to walk down via the inordinate number of stairs in one of the legs of the tower. Some of the sights were impressive, even from within that metal substructure.

The Olympic rings were SO close!

After stopping for a tasty lunch at their brasserie, it was off to the Hotel des Invalides, where Napoleon's remains are. But first, I needed to scope out precisely where I was going to watch the men's marathon at 40km, to include the Eiffel Tower in the background.

There were a few monuments out in front of the complex that is the Hotel des Invalides:

There are many little rooms surrounding the central area that holds the coffin of Napoleon underneath the grand Dome, each having another important figure from French history.

Under the main level is the tomb of Napoleon I, and the final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte, surrounded my etchings in ten separate scenes.

Through the backside is the Honor Courtyard, off of which there are many interior rooms with other temporary or permanent exhibitions.

Given how long this is so far (and I've held back lots of additional photos), I'll post the remainder of the day separately.