Fat Tire Bike Tours

We arrived in Paris early Sunday morning.  After making our way through baggage claim and customs, we were met by our shuttle and wisked off tour hotel, L'hotel Paris France in the 11th arrondissment of Paris.  The kids were super tired but very excited.  Our first stop, lunch!  The kids were starving so we decided to check out a café in our neighborhood, Café République.  We ate t to our hearts content and decided it was so good, we would come back for dinner.

The tomb of Marcel Marceau

Our first official stop of the day was the Cimitière du Pere Lachaise, Paris' largest and most famous cemetery built in the late 1800s.  The goal, keep these kids moving and visit the tombs of some pretty famous folks, like Moliere, Chopin, Marcel Marceau and even Jim Morrison of the Doors.  The kids were divided up into teams and each given a map and several famous people to find.  The goal, find each tomb and take a picture of it to prove you were there.  The first team back wins.  The prize, pastries!  Paid for by Madame, of course.  After a few quick tips on cemetery etiquette; no running, screaming, etc, they were off.  Ms. McCloskey and I took a little tour of our own as well and some two hours later, the winning team of Abby, Valeska, Haley and Kim made it in first.

La cimitière du Pere Lachaise

The main event of the day, however, was a ride through the streets of Paris at night with Fat Tire Bike Tours.  Oh my gosh, can I just say I have never had so much fun in Paris in all my years of coming here?!  Our guide was Nick, a transplant from southern California.  We each road tested a bike,  (some of us had to make sure we remembered how to ride) slipped on our yellow safety vests, took off.  We took on taxis, busses and raced with glee down the boulevards and over the bridges of Paris.  Incredible.

Nick, our fabulous guide!

The Louvre at night.  Yep, I took that picture.