What would you do with two free days in Paris?

Oo-la-la! Paul and I are enjoying la belle vie in Paris.

We arrived two days before our tour is to begin, so we've had time to explore and savor Paris at our own pace.

This evening, after dinner, we saw the Eiffel Tower, all lit up at night.

Then we took a long walk along the mall behind the Eiffel Tower, where many young people were gathered in the warm evening air to watch comedy skits on a big movie screen.

Afterwards, we walked along Rue Cler, in a lovely upscale neighborhood, with lots of lively outdoor cafes, filled with people eating and drinking, even at 10 p.m.

This morning we took the Metro, the Paris subway, to Montmartre, the highest hill in the city. There we saw the elegant white Sacre Coeur basilica. A mass was being led by a nun in full habit, singing in a sweet soprano voice.

From there, we walked to a square, Place du Tertre, where painters still sell their artwork. Paul bought a small painting from an artist he met.

We even saw the Moulin Rouge, the cabaret famous for its can-can dancers. Unfortunately, the evening's show was already sold out.

Yesterday, we walked around our neighborhood, the Marais, and had lunch at the Place des Vosges, a grassy square with fountains, surrounded by elegant townhouses built for France's royal and aristocratic families.

From there, it's a short walk to the Seine River,

and across the bridge to the Notre Dame Cathedral.

Ah, Paris! Delightful in September -

and through all the ages!