Paula and Tom Buttel may be used to the sights of the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben in the background, but that doesn’t make them any less charming. The couple, of the Village of St. James, marked their 17th visit to Paris, and their fourth to London on a self-guided tour of the two cities in mid-May. Their itinerary included a mix of famous destinations and smaller ones, with a focus on the cultures of each. “We had only been married a few years the first time we went to Paris,” Paula said. “It’s been our favorite city ever since.”

Tom and Paula took their first trip to Paris in 1971. It didn’t take long for them to fall in love with everything about it, from the restaurants to the wealth of famous landmarks. With each trip to Paris, the couple became even more fascinated with French culture, learning a fair share of the language along the way.

They took off for their latest trip to Paris on May 10, and it was just as exciting as their first.