Grands Visit Paris – Day FIVE!!
THURSDAY PLAN
(If it’s Thursday in the 19th arrondissement; it must be Christmas!!!!)
Notre Dame (English Tour Thurs 2pm) Towers 10am – 5:30 (last access 4:45) (Paris Pass) –
Do the Ile de France – walk to Centre Pompidou
Centre Pompidou (Closed Tuesday 13 euros, kids free) 11:00 – 9:00pm (Paris Pass)
BUTTES CHAMONT PARK – around 4:30 – to meet a French/American couple, see their lovely apartment, cuddle a cute baby and have real BRITTANY CREPES !!!
WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID:
Notre Dame in the a.m. -went all through the cathedral, but were advised that the steps up to the top were “closed today”. Ah well, another strike. Wasn’t too crowed at all! Yeah! 
Walked out and past the famous “green booksellers” on the Seine, towards
La Sainte-Chappelle, the famous stained glass Cathedral of Saint Louis IX, the only King who was canonized and who Saint Louis (MO) is named for. Musee Pass also good for this! SO BEAUTIFUL-especially on a sunny day (was) because the entire top floor is magnificent stained glass. Our Saint Louis King did it right! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainte-Chapelle
A quick-lunch at Kentucky Fried (shhhhh!!)
To POMPIDOU CENTER to see the Modern Art – incredible which also had a MATISSE Exhibition going on! Outside we found the Igor Stravinsky Plaza to see the famous water art, the LIPS, etc. Great place for photos!
Marais, next stop – past a “poupee shop” – and a place for beverage (Cassis drinks), to see the cute streets and special shops in the Marais.
Headed past Hotel d’Ville (where the ice skating is during winter) and then
past lovely perfume shops, clothing boutiques and of course on ROSIERS the famous L’as du falafel
my favorite place for an inexpensive all vegetarian pita sandwich. No time today – had to get to the 19th! So, to ST PAUL Metro stop where we headed to Bastille (did see the TOP of that column) which is where the famous Bastille Prison was – Fr. Revolution –
Got off at Jaures – walked to BUTTES CHAMONT PARK images near my friend’s beautiful apartment. This lovely park was created by Napoleon III in 1800’s.
http://goparis.about.com/od/sightsattractions/ss/parks_gallery_3.htm
From there – we could relax at our friends luxury apartment where we imbibed in a FEAST of crepes and all sorts of beautiful fruits, veggies, cheeses, wines, ciders, champagnes, & lovely desserts (along with sweet crêpe desserts!) WOW! (And she said this was going to be “simple”!!!) 🙂 Then we played a really fun game-quiz on Paris where my friends made special cards with all-encompassing French, France, Paris questions – some of which I had no idea the answer!!! SO! we all learned a LOT and 9-year-old J was the “life of the party” with all his “ I know, I know “ enthusiasm!! We surprised them with questions on Saint Louis and on Boston which really was fun too as they weren’t expecting this. And some of the questions were so weird/funny – on Missouri – Thanks to G & O for finding out those the night before.
The winners of the quiz (my family) received 3 big packages that were another incredible surprise!! Tour de France shirts/caps, gorgeous scarves, t-shirts,sticker art books, museum books, key chains, lotions and potions from France’s finest cosmetics and an INCREDIBLE bottle of CHAMPAGNE from our host! They were spoiled rotten It was so much fun!!!! 
We left to go back to Apt – but B and I took metro to Trocadero to pick up their suitcases while my husband and my son went back to Apartment with kids. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/parsp-renaissance-paris-le-parc-trocadero-hotel/
What a night!! Took a Taxi to Gare du Nord from the Hotel and made it with only 2 minutes to spare. Last train!!! Whew!
FRIDAY PLAN
Sacre Coeur (9:00 – 6:00) – BUS or M to Abbesses – and then walk
Espace Dali (adults 10 euros, kids 6 euros) 10:00 – 6:00 EARLY AFTERNOON = Cafe across from VanGogh’s house in Montmartre
or Sandwiches
Amelie’s Cafe on Rue Lepic (Cafe des 2 Moulins) – very 50’s inside –
Happy hour is 3.50 euros starting at 7p – Plats – tres cher
Montmartre SUNSET – maybe?
CRUISE ON SEINE – LAST NIGHT!!!
a day in the life of an adventuresome couple; not your average AARP Seniors
Letters from Marseille 
What a fabulous evening! Wow.