Day 7 - The Reader's Digest Version of Paris

Today was our full day in Paris and we took full advantage of it. We managed to hit the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysees, the Eiffel Tower, the Seine, Notre Dame and the Louvre. Because we overwhelmingly spent our time in tourist areas, I did not see much in terms of French culture or behavior while in Paris. 

The Arc de Triomphe was our first tourist stop of the day. We all took pictures in front of it along with lots and lots of other tourists. 

Arc de Triomphe

Next up? The Champs-Elysees, which is a mix of Rodeo Drive and a mall in the US. Louis Vuitton and Cartier and Sephora, oh my! 

Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Elysees

We then headed to the Eiffel Tower thinking we would be able to go up it. After some debate between the group, we decided to forego the long lines and head off to another must-see destination. But not before taking a ton of pictures. 

 

We broke off into two groups after the Eiffel Tower. Our group went and did a Boat Tour on the Seine. It was an hour long and we got to see the major sights along with some history about each of them.

Next up was our visit to Notre Dame. The line looked incredibly long but unlike the Eiffel Tower, it only took about five minutes to get through. Notre Dame is an incredible architectural feat. I am always stunned with the buildings from hundreds of years ago that seem like they would be impossible to build without today's technology. Granted, it took 200 years to build, so it was no easy feat. 

Next on our agenda? The Louvre. Once again I was in awe at the sheer magnitude and architecture. 

After the Louvre we were all ready to head back to the hotel for a little pre-dinner downtime. For dinner we headed back towards the Notre Dame where we had pizza for lunch and sat down for a final meal together. Our last supper if you will. 

After dinner half of us headed back to the hotel, while the other half stayed out. And boy am I glad I was in the early group. The others didn't make it back until almost 5 o'clock in the morning. 

Day 6 - The US in Paris

Today we headed to the train station and made our way back to Paris. On the agenda? A visit to the US Commerce Services in the Figaro Building. Then it was free time to take in as many Parisian sights as we could fit in the next two days. 

So we headed to the US Commerce Services and had to go through security on the 4th floor of the Figaro Building. They took our passports, had us go through a metal detector, ran our bags through an x-ray machine and took out any and all electronics. If that was the security in the Figaro Building, where they lease the 4th floor, I can only imagine the security at the US Embassy. 

I had never heard of the US Commerce Services before this meeting and unfortunately so. For a company like the one I work for, this is a service we should be taking advantage of. They make introductions, provide trade leads, set up events and  help with licenses and regulations among many other services. As a US manufacturer doing business abroad, having the right connections and relationships is critical for international success. Unlike the US, which is a transactional business society, many other countries (France included) and relationship focused societies. This means you need to know the right people in order to get the job, or even a foot in the door. There needs to be trust between the parties, as opposed to the lowest price. 

After our meeting we headed to the Hard Rock Cafe Paris for a quick drink, then it was back to the hotel to freshen up before dinner. After we ate, the entire group hopped onto the metro to see the Eiffel Tower lit up at night.