We went to L'Orangerie the next day-just to see Monet's Waterlilies-but with kids,not worth the trouble at all.And unless you appreciate art-skip it.While I do have some pictures from there,nothing impressed me enough,that I wanted to upload it.

Located right inside the Jardin de Tuileries,with an ice cream store next to it-that was what saved the day.It was slightly rainy and we sat under a canopy of trees while the kids polished off some ice cream.

Noel enjoying his usual White ice cream-Vanilla.

The Obelisk brought all the way from Egypt.

The obelisk commemorating the place where Louis XVIth was guillotined was right outside the garden as was a gold draped pharaoh more windblown robes than unsmiling Buckingham Palace guards.

But the best part came next.We had made a list of places we need to see in Paris but Champs Elysees was not high on the list.Since L'Orangerie was a more of a whirlwind tour than a sit back and take it in experience we had time to spare and we were standing out facing the Champs Elysees and decided,with a nudge from Rick Steves,of course,to do the walk to the Arc De Triomphe-a 1 mile walk,lined with history,but made all the more alluring because of a McDonald's at the tail end of the walk.So off we went with our eyes on the prize-make that fries.

Arc de Triomphe views from the Champs de Elysees.

The Arc was impressive from a distance,but once we walked closer,it was awe inspiring,to say the least.You walk up the stairs-pretty tiring,but the views were so good,it was worth all those calories burned!!

A video camera high up on the Arc records people below at the base and it makes good spying!!

The view from the Arc de Triomphe.

More views.

A thunderstorm drenched us at the Arc,but we managed to take shelter at one of its columns and enjoyed the downpour and the sound and light show that accompanied it.See the storm clouds in the picture above?

Later we took a walk in the Marais neighborhood and found it interesting,but then again,history has its fans,and history fans with tired kids can only do so much!

Also a note:

Rick Steves-you are absolutely amazing!We bought both the books-the one on France and the one on Paris-maybe we should have skipped the Paris one,but your suggestions on walks,tours,guided tours was spot on!!We picked the apartment we stayed in from a website mentioned in his book,the hotel we stayed in at Azay Le Rideau from his book too-and boy were we right on!!!

If you are planning on traveling to Europe,then listen to this guy!!We for one,will do what he suggests blindfolded,because he is right all the time.