After a day off, I was keen to do the final leg to Paris to end our 2 week adventure. The weather was cool and dry, perfect for cycling. Fred led us along a bike path along the Seine for the first 10 km before we turned SE and headed towards La Defense.
This is a major business district west of Paris, noted for its spectacular modern architecture. We had coffee before riding around the plaza admiring the buildings.
We then cycled down toward the avenue leading towards the Arc de Triomphe for some more photos.
Fred then lead us through some back streets and bike paths to the park that is home to the Louis Vuitton Foundation.
After the quiet of the park it was on to the busiest street of the day, Avenue Victor Hugo which led us to our lunch spot for the day, the Arc de Triomphe.
After admiring the skill or craziness of the cars and bikes negotiating the Place de l’Etoile, we headed down Avenue Kleber to Trocadero and our first sight of the Eiffel Tower.
After joining the throngs for our pictures and dodging the people selling selfie sticks and Eiffel Tower replicas, we cycled across the Seine and along the bike path that runs beside the river. We were excited when we caught up with Zwaantje and waved and took photos of each other at Pont Alexander III.
We stopped for a beer to celebrate our arrival in Paris, then cycled past The Louvre, Orsay Museum and Notre Dame before finding Zwaantje moored at Quai Bercy, where the film crew for Tom Cruise’s latest Mission Impossible film were based. Sitting on the deck after dinner with our new friends as the sun set over Paris was a perfect end to the day.
Route of today’s ride Bougival to Paris – 35 kms
Total kilometers Bruges to Paris – 532 kms