the view from room 15 of the Hotel Jardins de Paris Morny

Dana and Claudia at the Arc

Dana & Matt

Brian & Claudia

Dana, Matt, Claudia

Napolean ordered the arch's construction in 1809...

...as a monument to
the triumph of his armies.

Too bad his empire began to collapse almost immediately after.

The Arc stands in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle.

Dana, Parisian tree-hugger

Claudia is clear for take-off.

I, Claudia

If the Frenchies can drive
around the Arc, they can drive
around Dana & Matt.

The arch is 50 meters
high and 45 meters wide.

taking a brunch bench break

Can you see the dog
on that dude's motorcycle?

Claudia and Brian, a couple
blocks east of the Arc

Each July 14, Bastille Day
(French National Day)...

...a military parade starts at the arch and proceeds down the Champs Elysées.

the underside of the Arc

The Arc is engraved with names of French generals during Napoleon's regime.

Reliefs are carved
all around the structure.

Dana

The last leg of the Tour de France bicycle race culminates here, too.

Matt's better side.

Since 1920, the tomb of
France's Unknown Soldier
has been sheltered
underneath the arch.

Matt snaps Dana.

The eternal flame commemorates the dead of the two world wars.

The flame is rekindled
every evening at 6:30.

The Arc wasn't completed
until 1836.

At the top are 30 shields;
each bears the name of one of Napoleon's successful battles.

Claudia, Dana, and Brian
at the base of the Arc

Dana discovers a church.

It's at Place Saint-Gervais.

the classical facade of the church

the nave

This church was the
very first parish on Paris'
right bank of the Seine.

Dana

This main part of the church
was completed in 1657.

A German bombshell struck
the church during worship services in 1918, killing almost
100 parishioners.

The Monastic Community of Jerusalem holds its daily liturgy here.

Dana and Claudia...

...pose as we cross the Seine.

Dana loves shopping...

...and she does need a new hat.

Check out the woman
inside the restaurant.

I pretended to be focused on Dana
as I captured the lady
with her dog on her lap.

I swear, she was feeding that dog with her fork! Quelle horreur!