The first day in Paris was not quite as busy as the first in Rome, but we did manage to accomplish quite a bit. The first stop after dropping our bags at the hotel in Montmartre was going to the Hotel des Invalides. After lunch in a trendy "fruit bar" along the Seine, we walked along the river until reaching the island on which both Sainte Chappelle and Notre Dame are located. Both churches are beautiful in their own ways, Sainte Chappelle with its overwhelming and intricate stained glass and Notre Dame with its surprisingly austere yet grand stone construction and carvings.