The Ballon de Paris is worth a visit, but the Eiffel Tower is better
🏞️Every time the weather is nice, I can see the hot air balloon floating next to the Eiffel Tower from the bridge over the Seine near my home. The beauty of them together is so captivating that I’ve always wanted to experience it. Recently, I saw a ticket discount on a deal site and snapped up a package for one adult and one child. Today, the weather seemed decent, not too hot, and I checked the official website to confirm it was operating normally, so I took my kid there. It wasn’t the best weather, with a bit of thick cloud cover, but it was passable. 🌁On a weekday morning, there weren’t many people, so we could board right away. The balloon was quite stable, surrounded by a net, which actually limits the view a bit. The height wasn’t too great, about 150 meters. We stayed in the air for about 10 minutes, gently rotating to get a better view. The wind was a bit strong up there, but it was a comfortable summer breeze. Overall, it was a nice experience. 🏞️But at 150 meters, it’s probably only a little over half the height of the Eiffel Tower, and the location is in the southwest of Paris, so the view isn’t as expansive as from the Tower. For tourists who want to overlook Paris, the Eiffel Tower is the way to go, while the hot air balloon is more of an occasional treat for residents. The park where the balloon is located, Parc André Citroën, is quite nice itself, with a large area and one side close to the Seine. It has fountains and lawns that are well-maintained and beautiful, and many events are held there each year. 🎈On the lawn today, I saw a few interesting characters: Mr. Handstand, who seemed to hold his pose for about 10 minutes; Mr. Somersault, who practiced his flips several times in a row, doing two flips each time, looking very agile; and Ms. Sunbather, who at around 22 degrees and 11 in the morning, was sunbathing in a bikini on the grass, looking very relaxed. There are also several small fountains for kids to play in, and I saw a few children in swimwear running and frolicking in the jets of water, having a great time. #ParisHotAirBalloon #BallondeParis #ParcAndréCitroën #OverlookParis