The Night We Chased the Eiffel Tower Lights (Because Why Not?)

You know those moments when life throws you a curveball and instead of ducking, you just decide to swing for the fences? Well, here’s a story for the books—or at least for your mildly-entertained scrolling.

A few years back, we were at this corporate family day, about 200 kilometers from home. You know the kind of event—free food, awkward conversations with your coworker’s spouse, and those bounce houses your kids think are the height of luxury. It was fun, but as the evening wore on, something started itching at the back of my brain. A wild, spontaneous thought: “Why stop here? What’s stopping us from driving another 300 kilometers to Paris for a walk?” Spoiler alert: Nothing was stopping us. Except maybe sanity, but we rarely let that stop us!

After a little pondering (and one of those epic family debates that involve a lot of shrugging and “why nots”), we loaded up the car. Paris wasn’t on the agenda, but sometimes the best plans are the ones you make while sitting in a parking lot with a bag of leftover party chips.

We hit the road like we were auditioning for some low-budget, European edition of "Fast and Furious." A few hours later, we rolled into Paris, bleary-eyed but buzzing with adrenaline, to find the Eiffel Tower lit up like the world’s fanciest nightlight. Trust me, it’s way more impressive than those cheap LED strips you stuck under your kid’s bed, or at least, that's what the kids told me!

The walk around the tower? Absolute magic. There’s something about Paris at night that feels otherworldly. The locks on the bridges, the glowing streets, and the kind of vibe that whispers, “Yeah, you made the right call, buddy.” Sure, it was cold, and yes, we were wildly underdressed for the occasion (think corporate-casual meets sleep-deprived tourist), but who cares when you’re literally strolling through the heart of romance itself?

Oh, and the drinks? Let’s just say sipping something warm while the Eiffel Tower sparkles in the background is peak "we totally nailed this" energy. We didn’t do much else—no museums, no fancy dinners. Just a walk, a drink, and a whole lot of soaking it all in. No more, but absolutely no less.

As the tower’s lights dimmed, signaling the end of its shift as Paris’ most Instagrammed landmark, we got back in the car. Exhausted but content. Or, as we say back home, "moe maar voldaan." Translation? “Tired but fulfilled.” Which, let’s be honest, is the ultimate vibe you want to take to bed after a day (and night) like that.

We finally crawled into bed hours later, knowing full well that our spontaneous detour had turned a regular day into a legendary one. Moral of the story? Sometimes the best memories come when you say “screw it” to logic and let adventure take the wheel. Life’s short—take the drive.

P.S. Next time you’re second-guessing a bold idea, just remember: If we can decide to drive 500 kilometers round-trip for a random Parisian stroll, you can absolutely go for that thing you’ve been hesitating on.