Paris Day 1-A Fairy Tale...

In the realm of possibilities, I'm sure there are some who could find a better way to start their Paris adventure. For myself though, it doesn't get any better than my first night. Morgane met me at the train station (I was a little nervous about whether or not she'd be there). After a little bit of initial awkwardness upon seeing each other after 5 yrs (a small mix up on the subway) we arrived at our stop (Villiers Station). Walking out of the Tube in London was amazing for me, this was well beyond that and can never be replicated. As I reached the top of the stairs I was greeted with an exquisite view of Sacrè Couer directly in front of me, perched on its hill top. Mon dieu et bonjour, Paris.
Morgane has secured an amazing flat for me while I'm here--beautiful. The windows look out onto a wonderful courtyard that give the building a serenity unthinkable in a city of this size. After sitting and talking for awhile we set out on the 1.5 mile (give or take) walk towards Montmarte. Morgane guided me through the more pleasant side streets as we made our way to the top. We turned a corner and there it was in front of me. I hadn't realized we were "there" already.
If you've seen the view (especially at sunset) then you know the glory of Paris. If you haven't, then we are out of luck because I haven't the ability to describe the magnificence. We made our way into the church, a jewel in its own right, and as luck would have it the sisters were in the midst of a choral prayer. Nothing could have amplified my awe in the church like their voices.
Upon leaving the cathedral, we paused on the top of the steps leading towards the front doors of the church. We sat picking out the scenes and monuments of the city, admiring the view for some time before making our descent.
Eventually we looped back down the hill towards the flat passing the Moulon Rouge (the sex trade is still strong in the area, and despite this...or perhaps as a result...the neighborhood is trendy). Despite the late hour (1030) we were able to eat dinner at a traditional bistro around the corner from the flat. Morgane naturally handled the ordering, seating, etc and then towards the end of the meal, I was asked in perfect English (w/out a trace of accent) if everything was good by the host. It really threw me for a loop. But, to answer his question and to fill you all in, it was great. I had duck--when in Rome, right? Dinner at this bustling bistro was a perfect cap to end the long day.