Hello,
My husband and I are living in Paris for a month. Some of you may have seen my trip report on Barcelona before (http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/a-month-in-barcelona-trip-report-and-blog.cfm)
Anyway I will be posting links to my blog here for those who want to follow along.
Here is the first one with pics, although I pasted the text below:
http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/another-side-of-paris.html
***
We have been in Paris 24 hours now, and my love affair has begun (again). We were here before, almost a year ago, for a week in St. Germain de Pres. It was lovely and perfect to be in the 6th arrondisement, with all the people, the bustling cafes, easy access to all the tourist sites. But now we are back to actually live here, and I imagine like most Parisiens, we can't afford to do that in St. Germain.
So here we are just outside of Paris actually, right between the town of Saint-Mande and Montreuil, near Vincennes. For those who don't know, we are basically just east of the 12th Arr. Now this is a real neighborhood. We dont hear any English here. We see families pushing strollers. But all the things we love about Paris are still here - the local boulangerie and fromagerie (bread store and cheese store), the Sunday market, the beautiful parks. Yes, on Saturday night if you want some action you have to get on the metro and head into the center. But we are five minutes from the #1 metro line, which takes you pretty much anywhere you want to go, and fast.
***
Last night we arrived to Orly airport, and after talking to someone at the tourist information desk, determined what I already knew, which was that we didn't have much choice other than to take a cab. We could have taken two trains, but with our luggage that didn't seem like a good idea. The cab from Orly to our place took quite awhile because of traffic, and cost 40E, exactly what we had been told it would cost.
I was delighted to find that our apartment is at the back of a group of buildings set off the street around a courtyard, so it is extremely quiet. Lugging our bags up rickety spiral stairs in the dark was not so fun, but we've come to expect that. When we entered the apartment and looked around, I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. The apartment is great, especially compared to the last one. It is so cozy, there are lots of books on the shelf and pictures on the wall, the kitchen has most of what we need, the couch is large and comfy, and overall you can just tell that a female once lived here, or at least set it up. Of course it is small, but the space is used very efficiently.
***
The next morning we slept too late as usual, then hurried to the market we'd heard about, hoping it would still be going on. And it sure was. It was much bigger than I had expected, and the stalls of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, fish, prepared foods, etc. went on and on and on. I will have to return and take pictures but at first I was just overwhelmed. I had forgotten to bring the shopping cart/bag in our apartment that everyone else had with them so I wasn't sure how I would carry everything, or even what I wanted to buy, or how to say what I wanted in French.
Eventually we settled on wanting to make roast chicken (recipe and pics to come), among other things, and we plunged right in. All the merchants were very friendly, and those that could speak English actually did so with us. No rude Parisiens here! We chatted for awhile with an Italian who sells fresh pasta at the markets here and lived in the U.S. for several years. He liked us so much he even threw in some free mini cannolis!
[I should mention though that unfortunately the market is not cheap. For example, a small cauliflower and five tomatoes was over 7 euros! Some things are cheaper than others, like the onions and potatoes and garlic weren't bad at all. It was a bit of sticker shock after Spain, and I'm not sure the supermarkets will be much better; I'll find out tomorrow when they are open.]
After we feasted on bread and cheese, bread w/butter salt and radishes, and some soft boiled eggs, we got the chicken ready and into the oven, and then took a walk to the nearby park - Bois de Vincennes.
This park is huge, and reminded me a lot of Central Park (although it's not in the center of town here by any means). There is a path around the park for biking and running, and near where we entered the park there is a pretty little lake. We only saw a small piece of the park, but I can tell I'm going to be spending a lot of time there. We lay on the grass soaking up the sun, watching all the families, thinking that we have to come back with a picnic soon.
A Month in Paris
Recent Activity
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I look forward to following your adventure.
Im in - thank you!
How exciting! Looking forward to more!
How wonderful! Friends of friends live in St. Mande, and whenever my friends go to Paris, that's where they stay. I've never been, but they speak highly of it.
Looking forward to following along, and Happy Poisson d'Avril!
Have a great month. I'm along for the ride.
Oh goody! I'll take a virtual month in Paris if I can't have the real thing. Wonderful, inviting photos.
signing up for the experience too!
I will be happily following along!
So excited for you...would love to spend a month in Paris! Can't wait to hear all about it.
Looking forward to your reports. Thanks!
Oh boy, looking forward to this one!
Could you give us a link to the apartment?
This will be a fun report to read. Looking forward to more.
Great reading! Will be following your blog as always!!
I will follow your report with interest; will live in Paris for a month next september!!!!!
So glad you get to spend a month there,I am happy to have 2 weeks in June,Looking forward to hearing more.
This is an exciting report. I'm looking forward to reading more.
You have me hooked
I'll be checking in daily for my Paris fix. The photo of those strawberries had me drooling. I can't remember ever having berries anywhere that were as sweet as they are in France. It's like eating candy. I'm also putting that park on my list for our next trip. It looks so inviting.
It is not that the market is expensive -- you bought products that are not at all in season! Obviously you had to pay more.
But I am very happy that you are discovering a new location and have already learned the very important lesson that there is a lot more to Paris than Saint Germain des Prés.
During your excursions in the Bois de Vincennes, you might want to go around to the back side and see the unusual park that I made a report about a couple of weeks ago: http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/nothing-to-see-in-paris.cfm
Kerouac - You must be right about the produce. I didn't think about it because at home the only things sold at the outdoor markets are what is in season right then. But it certainly doesn't seem right for cauliflower, tomatoes, eggplant, strawberries, etc to all be in season. So at the markets here, things are sold that are grown from far away and brought into Paris??
And thank you for the link to your park report, that's great!
Yes, they are grown all over the world, but the country of provenance is always marked on the price sign -- that's a law. "Kenya" "Chile" "Morocco" "South Africa"
Don't think of the outdoor markets in Paris as being "farmer's markets." The market people are professionals who go and buy their produce at the central market in Rungis around 2 or 3 a.m. and bring it to the market location for opening time.
can't wait to get some of those strawberries in May and they should be in season....none like them in the US. can you post if you see cherries in season also? Oh and the asparagus...will eat it every day while we are there!!
Kerouac - thanks for the info, that makes sense. I have seen the provenance signs in the supermarket but didn't pay attention at the outdoor market.
Cornelius - When we were here in late May last year strawberries were in EVERYTHING at the restaurants, it was wonderful! .
I did notice that a lot of the strawberries now on sale do indeed come from France -- but they are of course hothouse strawberries. Field strawberries will be on sale in a few weeks.
Kerouac, you are such a great source of information, thank you!!! And I imagine field strawberries will be cheaper...
Field strawberries will cost less and taste infinitely better. I live in the South and as a kid we got all our strawberries from Arkansas and Louisiana in May when they were in season. I lived off strawberry everything for weeks and we made preserves (confiture) and froze some berries, as well. We didn't get them any other time of year.
I still despise hothouse strawberries from FL and CA... they just don't have the flavor!,
One of my favorite Paris things is a perfectly simple strawberry tart! Throw in macarons, ice cream, sorbet and all the other wonderful desserts the French can make with strawberries and you are gonna be very happy in a few weeks!
Sharbear: so happy to find this report. Many thanks for taking the time. And another vicarious trip for all of the rest of us.
we'll be in Paris in two weeks, my mouth is already watering. Why does everything taste so much better in Europe? (rhetorical, folks)
Well our baby strawberries from the other day tasted so good, it's hard to imagine anything tasting better..maybe they were field ones already? I can't wait for all the strawberry treats!!
Eating the CA strawberries now and flavor just is not there but at least they are organic.
I'm another who will be reading your posts for the vicarious thrill of it all.
Thank you! I will keep checking your blog. My sister and I are going to Paris for the 1st time in May.
Great first day. I'm excited to read the next 29.
I'm hooked already and looking forward to getting my Paris fix! Keep it coming.
Thanks ExpatP! We love wine and that sounds like so much fun, will have to contact them and see how expensive it is...but we are trying to be very good with our budget right now so hopefully we will have some money leftover for fun treats like that!
I will be in Paris this Friday for a week with my 17 year old daughter and a good friend. I am wondering if many places will be closed on Sunday and Monday for Easter. My friend wants to go to the flea markets and wondering what their schedules will be. Anyway, how's the weather, by the way?
Hello - the weather has been really nice, in the upper 50s/low 60s with sun, although right now it looks like it might rain soon. This will be my first time here during Easter but from what I read most things are closed on Sunday and Monday, but I don't know details about the markets...if anyone does I would like to know. I'm kind of bummed that we will miss a weekend day because that is when my husband is not working and we can really see stuff!
Ok having just poked around a bit more...it seems shops will be closed, so I'm guessing no markets, but tourist attractions like museums, etc will be open if they are normally open on sunday/monday. Do check schedules for the museums, I stupidly went to the L'Orangerie museum yesterday forgetting it is closed on Tuesdays.
But would love for someone who actually has lived here longer than a week to let us know about Easter, thanks!
Here's my latest post, on Canal Saint-Martin: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/canal-saint-martin-and-more.html
What a wonderful report. I love your photos. You must be really enjoying yourselves ♥
I'm going to look into one of those canal rides for our trip. I think it'd be very fun (and a nice break from all the walking we'll be doing)! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your report! We leave in about a month and a half, for about 8 days, but I'm already getting excited.
As an ancestral Lorrain I will answer your blog question about quiche vs tart. A quiche is a traditional Lorraine dish made with lardons (chopped bacon), cream and eggs. If there are any other ingredients, it is not a quiche! End of story, so the place where you ate was correct and respectful in calling something with other ingredients a tart (actually it is a tarte salée = savory tart).
However, the term 'quiche' has been extended with no respect for tradition, both in France and throughout the world, to describe just about any savory tart. Last Friday, we had some employees leaving my office and on Thursday afternoon, my boss said he was going to buy some quiches as the main food item. I warned him against it immediately since we have a number of Muslim employees. He said "I wasn't going to get any quiches containing pork -- I am planning on buying a spinach and goat cheese quiche, a salmon and onion quiche and a courgette quiche."
I replied "those are not quiches" and walked away. He was perplexed.
That night he sent me an email saying, "you were right" and attached a link defining quiches, which made it clear that other savory tarts are often called quiches "abusively" and that the only authentic quiche is a quiche Lorraine.
Having been vindicated, I ate those other tarts with gusto, as they were excellent.
HA, thanks Kerouac! This is especially good for me to know, as I don't eat pork. However, I think that while the restaurant may have been respectful in calling this a tart, they were disrespectful with what they called a quiche, as it definitely contained tuna, and not pork.....So I wonder what they think the difference is!
Lantana - the canal cruises do look nice, although I've only ever taken the ones on the Seine. However you should know there are a bunch of locks and they do take some time getting through, so it's more of a slow cruise...
LOL Kerouac! sharbear84, please do report back about closures on Easter S & M-this question is coming up.
Nice blog--a tarte by any other name....
I'll be here all month. I enjoyed Canal St. Martin today and look forward to whatever you have planned for tomorrow! I've only been to Paris in the winter so I'm enjoying a spring visit
Thanks for all the kind words and encouragement to keep writing!
Here are some thoughts (and my 100th blog post): http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/its-little-things.html
Hi Sharbear...happens to everyone...I went to the Louvre on Tuesday a few years ago! Duh!
I have had my education today and now know that real men don't eat quiche...it's most likely a tart and that's ok!
sidney - pleased you liked the canal st. martin - did you go north to south or south to north?
lucky you to have a month in Paris!
At least I made it back to L'Orangerie today...and of course one of the jokes the "cruel" guards played on me was telling me the museum was closed! I freaked out a little and then they felt bad, ha!
Enjoyed the photos and am still happily jealous! The bread, radishes and butter are a combo in Jacques Pepin's fast food cook book. Slice french bread, butter the bread, arrange very thin slices of radishes in a flower-like design and salt it.
We LOVE Jacques Pepin..I wonder if that is where my husband first go the idea for the radishes - they are his favorite thing with bread and butter. Here we have discovered the amazing salted butters to go with them!
From your blog: "And seeing everyone walk around with baguettes under their arms makes me happy."
During our stay in Paris last year, we began to notice that it was very rare to see an untasted baguette being carried. Just too tempting. We were certainly amenable to following that practice!
Yes...I always have to take a bite of mine..especially when it's hot!
The lovely end of the baguette that everyone bites off has a special name, but I cannot remember what it is. Anyone recall what it is?
annhig--my sarcasm didn't translate well. When I said "here", I meant in front of my computer following along on sharbear's trip.
I did wander around Canal St. Martin once--in February--so didn't get to experience the vibe I imagine exists in the warmer weather with lots of people around enjoying the cafes and people watching on the waterfront setting.
Tip of the baguette: le quignon? or le crouton? I've seen both, not sure which is right.
In Paris, we generally call the end of a baguette the crouton.
Congratulations on your 100th post! I think it's just great that you have a whole month in Paris. What an opportunity.
I'm really enjoying your blog
I will be having my month in Paris this year through you Sharbear. I am looking forward to "my trip".
Schnauzer
sidney - desolé!
Thanks for all the kind words!
My latest post on a day spent first in the Marais, eating falafel and shopping for Passover pastries, and then at the Musee de l'Orangerie, finally: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/le-marais-monet.html
lovely description of the Orangerie, sharbear. I STILL haven't got there, we just seem to run out of time each trip.
we did see most of the works at the Monet exhibition last year, though, and [probably, though it's too long ago to remember it in detail] in the old Jeu de Paume museum that preceded the musee d'orsay. [I know, I don't look THAT old, do I?]
Again, a nice blog and shots. Yes, just the size of the Monets is impressive, and the works on the lower level of the Orangerie are wonderful.
Where do "we" go next?
Reading about your experiences in Paris is such a delight, sharbear! I'm enjoying every word.
For some reason I teared up when I enlarged the photo of the Jardin des Tuileries pond/fountain. Paris is just so beautiful!
Thank you so much.
Great post about rue des Rosiers and the Orangerie. There are a few paintings by Chaïm Soutine downstairs, a painter that I have always admired. Oddly enough, I see his daughter every day when I visit my mother in her nursing home. She is a lovely old woman with a lot of incredible anecdotes. I don't know why she is in a municipal nursing home when the value of a single painting by her father could pay for 50 years in a nursing home.
I wrote a report about Soutine once: http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=arts&action=display&thread=1036
I saw that there is currently an exhibition devoted to Modigliani and Soutine at the Pinocothèque private museum. It just started and will run until September 9. I will try my best to go there.
http://www.pinacotheque.com/
I am enjoying your photos of Paris in the spring---we always go to Paris in Sept. so it has a different look. The food photos just make me want to be there right now. I think I'll go out & buy a lottery ticket, haha!
Last Sept. we did like the Canal St. Martin boat ride, but I would only suggest it on a beautiful day. The beginning from the Bastille, the underground part, the first lock, and the end in the basin were so interesting. The middle locks got a bit slow & long---so my recommendation to go on a beautiful day and enjoy the view.
Last Sept. we did like the Canal St. Martin boat ride, but I would only suggest it on a beautiful day>>
I completely agree, TPAYT. in the summer, it might be nice to get off at the Parc de Villete [they will stop the boat there if anyone wants to alight] and explore there, rather than waiting til it gets back to the basin just below the park where the trip ends.
Great report as is your blog. The photos of Canal Saint-Martin are compelling as is the restaurant! Bookmarking for our May visit! Thanks SharBear
Enjoying your blog and the comments here. Thank you for sharing your experiences and impressions. I am eagerly anticipating my week in Paris at the end of April; a whole month would be sooooo much better!
Waiting for your heavy rain report on Tuesday!
Kerouac - Did you ever do a report on the 19th arrondissement as the current center of Jewish life in Paris?
I just reread your piece about Mme Soutine. Are you still visiting with her? What a story.
Annhig, it took a fourth visit to Paris for me to get to L'Orarngerie, but it is worth it!
Annhig, it took a fourth visit to Paris for me to get to L'Orarngerie, but it is worth it!>>
one day, Denise, one day - perhaps i'll have to resort to going back to Paris by myself.
Kerouac - I know, the forecast looks terrible. Not happy about it. Am intrigued on a possible report from you on Jewish life in the 19th arr?
We didn't do much this weekend, we were exhausted from Passover seders that went late. Although we did stumble on this AMAZING park that is sort of underneath the streets, I think it's called the Promenade Plantee. I think one of my missions on this trip is to visit as many parks as I can, but I will need the weather to cooperate. It's been so...grey.
Looked up Promenade Plantee - very nice. Looks like NYC's High Line
Iantana - exactly what I was thinking! It's like the low line though, ha. We were just wandering around Paris and there it was. They don't seem to make a big deal about these things here the way the high line was such a big deal when it first opened in NYC. It's just, oh yeah, here's another gorgeous green space in the middle of the city. Ah, paris...
sharbear - have you seen Kerouac's report on the Promenade Plantée?
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-the-promenade-plante.cfm
You are giving me so many ~fresh~ ideas for my July trip, sharbear. Thank you so much. I'd already planned to do an evening Seine cruise but - thanks to your recent post - I plan to cruise the Canal St. Martin, too.
I'll hope to find the Promenade plantée as well. I LOVE parks and find that they're such a great way to get to know a city.
Have fun!
I did make a report of the Jewish part of the 19th, but I wasn't really satisfied with the photos, so I never really brought it up again.
http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=paris&action=display&thread=5603
lantana - if you are going to do the canal st. martin, get the brochure of the company that does one [we picked them up from their ticket office on the Seine] or book through their website, to get €4 off per person.
if you go the paper route, make sure that you have one brochure per person - you need one each to get the discount. Here's the link:
http://www.canauxrama.com/e_index.html
Thank you very much, annhig.
no probs, lantana. hope you enjoy it.
Man, I am really bummed out by teh constant grey/rainy weather...I know, can't complain, I'm in Paris right?? But every time I go out to walk around, it rains on me, and then I go home...
Wait until a bus splashes all of the water in the gutter on you like me today.
Bad weather is a bummer. Hope it improves soon. Meanwhile, you might look into passing time indoors at some of the city's municipal museums, all of which offer free admission to their permanent collections:
http://www.paris.fr/english/museums/municipal-museums/p8229
There's a special exhibit at the Carnavalet now of Eugène Atget's photography that I would love to see. There is a charge of €7 for that.
Oh dear - your forecast doesn't look very hopeful, either. Stay dry!
sharbear - maybe you will pick a few museums to enjoy
Kerouac - Thanks for the link to the report on the 19th Arr. Like so many of your pieces, it allows us outsiders a special "slice of life" view of a part of a city we are still hopeful of getting to know much better.
Yes, Kerouac, thank you!
And yes definitely planning on some museums...today some were closed, and I"m just a wimp about going out in the rain, I know it's silly. . I definitely want to go to the Carnavalet, and I want to visit the Rodin museum but I should probably wait for a nice day for that because of the gardens? A lot of other stuff I want to do is outdoors, but if it keeps raining I will definitely be visiting the museums.
But lest you all think I've done nothing lately, at least I have been cooking, if anyone is interested. I realize it's not exactly a normal Fodors post, but here it is anyway: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/french-cooking-how-to-make-vegetables.html
You should definitely go to the Rodin Museum on a nice day. The garden is wonderful.
The cauliflower looks yummy!
No complaining Sharbear...while they are nice cities, I will spend this week in Columbia, SC and Charlotte, NC...not quite Paris!
I do agree, wait for Rodin for a nice day...lovely!
nice food, sharbear! very enterprising. i have cooked in some of the apartments we have rented in Italy, particularly in Venice, where eating out is so expensive, and the produce in the markets so enticing.
in Rome i found that we ate out all the time - it's much cheaper, and there were so many restaurants I wanted to try.
I took advantage of some sun today and headed out Pere Lachaise Cemetery..
http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/pere-lachaise-cemetery-morrison-and.html
Loved the recipe and appreciated the cemetery. Please keep it coming! Agree about the Rodin Museum--inside and out, it's neat.
Tip to everyone: Musee Carnavelet closes most of its rooms between noon and 2:30, I think every day. We got there at ten of twelve and they were nice enough to warn us that we probably shouldn't buy the audio guide, as there wouldn't be much to see for awhile. It's so French...I can not imagine a museum in the U.S. ever doing that! We only had a few hours so we just went nearby to the Musee d'art et d'histoire du Judaisme, which, while not free, was really great. More on that in a future post, but just wanted to share what happened!
Hi sharbear84,
Enjoyed reading your post about pere-lachaise-cemetery. I was a big fan of Jim Morrison & the Doors, and vividly remember when he died. Your photos are awesome. I really enjoy cemeteries (i know, weird, huh?) Two of my favorites are the cemetgery in Savannah, GA (from MIdnight in the Garden of Good & Evil fame) & the National Cemetery at Vysehrad in Prague.
Looking forward to more posts about Paris. I will be in Paris for the first time this summer & can't wait. Where do you go when you leave Paris? What an awesome opportunity for you and your husband!
Two and half weeks!! So nice to know that I can look forward to fresh strawberries! Pere Lachaise, can't wait. You should read Waiting for Gertrude by Bill Richardson.
HI Kwoo - the cemetery in Savannah is a favorite of mine as well - I'm glad you mentioned it because I accidentally said it was in Charleston on my post, but I've fixed that now!
We are actually going to be in Prague for a few days at the very end of our trip so I will make sure to check that Cemetery out as well. (and it's not weird, I really enjoy them too.)
We are going to Bologna, Italy next after this!
Question for all: Does anyone know a book store where I can find an ENGLISH guidebook? Going to Amsterdam next weekend and would like to bring an "old fashioned" print guidebook, as we probably won't have data plans on our phones there to look things up on the internet.
What wonderful photos, sharbear. We plan to go to Père Lachaise in July. My daughter loves Chopin and we hope to find his grave there. Thank you for your lovely reports!
Here's a link to English bookstores in Paris: http://www.secretsofparis.com/english-bookstores/
Have fun in Amsterdam!
Thank you lantana!
Chopin's grave was one of the ones I was looking for and didn't find - I do hope you have better luck!
I am spending the month of May in Paris and reading your report is so great.
Enjoying your cooking experiences and I will try some cooking this trip. Usually I just buy some of the fabulous roasted chicken and potatoes and eat lots of great bread.
Enjoy the rest of your stay and keep writing about your experiences on this great trip
Here's my latest post on Parc des Buttes Chaumont: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/ship/home.do?br=R&shipClassCode=VI&shipCode=SP
Today we spent a wonderful day in St German, will post on that soon.
Tdk - it is great to buy the roasted chickens and potatoes! We did that last week. Those potatoes are so greasy but soooo good.
Oops, sorry, wrong link! Embarrassing, sorry.
This is the right one: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/parc-des-buttes-chaumont.html
We really enjoyed the park too. If you get over to that neighborhood again, you might enjoy a walk around the Mouzaïa. I learned of it from another of Kerouac's great photo essays. Here's a link to my thread with links to his photos, and a link to my photos.
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/paris-la-mouzaia.cfm
Paris, Château de Vincennes, Mouzaia, More
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=108002609441102028513&target=ALBUM&id=5671320188151607793&authkey=Gv1sRgCLzZoOr704uHNA&feat=email
I'm really enjoying your blog and look forward to seeing new posts. Hope your weather has improved!
Interesting photos! I'm really loving them.
Off to look up "your" park
WARNING TO ALL: Whatever you do, don't throw out your metro ticket until you're done with your journey! Our lovely day was just ruined by the metro cops who harassed us until we paid a ridiculous fine because we didn't have our validated ticket on us. 25 euros a person?? And it would have been more if we didn't have unused tickets on us (which makes no sense). I understand this is the rule but we had NO idea. He claimed there are signs in English everywhere, but I have never seen them. I really wonder what would have happened if we just walked away without paying, which my husband wanted to do, or tried to go back to the garbage can to get our ticket out! I thought they would let us off with a warning after I explained, but no....well, I just want everyone to know so they don't make the same mistake!!
Also, just to be clear, the demeanor of these folks was extremely rude, threatening, and designed to intimidate tourists, from what it seemed like to me. I'm sure lots of people on here will tell me that I didn't follow the rule, and I should pay, and why did I cause a fuss. Maybe this is true, but the whole thing left me feeling quite unsettled.
Sorry that this happened to you, but it's true that you must keep your ticket until the exit. The ticket checkers end up being 'rude' because so many people lie to them all day. It is a very difficult job.
Yes, I do understand it is a bad job. I just don't understand why such high fines for an alleged crime of 2 euros....I was happy to hand him over the unused tickets instead, or 5 or 10 euros. Just a deterrence thing? He acted like 50 euros was nothing, but it is a LOT to us on this trip. And how many tourists try to jump the turnstile? We were clearly tourists, showed him our american IDs, etc.
Also, I don't understand why he would lie and tell me there are signs in lots of languages everywhere. Yes, I should have looked up what the little thing means that pops up when you put your ticket in, but there are certainly no signs about this in English are there??
Anyway, you live you learn, this is a foreign country. I realize I will probably feel different about this in the morning but it sings right now.
*stings, not sings.
I actually dont want to turn this thread into talking about what just happened to me, so I promise I will be back soon with a much happier and more positive post!
I'm so sorry about your bad experience. I've read that it's important to keep your ticket but your story really underscores the importance.
I'm sorry
Thanks, I appreciate the sympathy. I just feel kind of stupid about it actually. We went to a really lovely concert in Sainte Chapelle right before, so I"m trying just to think about that.
sharbear - so sorry you got caught by this. we got fined in Italy for not having got our tickets validated on the train, which was ENTIRELY my fault. fortunately he only fined us €20.
do try to put it down to experience, and don't keep kicking yourself, which i know is difficult.
tomorrow is another day!
We got caught not having validated tickets on the train, as well.
Yes, sharbear, I do believe it is meant to be a deterrent. In Berlin, riding "schwarz" was a favorite pastime for teens. You could always tell when they quickly hopped off the train car after the men in blue jackets got on.
It's important to have a wide variety of stories to tell when you return home.
I'm loving your trip. Thanks for sharing!
And I promised a more positive post today, and here it is, all about our wonderful day in St Germain on Saturday: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/perfect-day-in-st-germain.html
p.s. I saw a peacock this morning in Bois de Vincennes with its plumage all unfurled!! It was amazing! And I managed to catch a photo which I will post soon.
I continue to be thrilled by your photos
I can't wait to visit the Jardin du Luxembourg - and I can definitely pick up on the festive mood of Rue de Buci from your photos!
Would love to see a pic of that peacock~
Hope you're continuing to enjoy yourself.
Loved St. Germain shots!
Thanks!! The rain is relentless here...I knew spring was rainy season here but I had no idea that it would be every day like this. Oh well, it's still Paris!
sharbear84, several years ago our desk clerk told my SO that our weekly pass would work on the RER to La Defense. Unfortunately that is in Zone 3 and was not on our pass. He went solo and was asked by the Metro Police to show his ticket. He had no idea he was out of the zone on the pass. They were going to arrest him! This was on Saturday afternoon and he would have been in jail until Monday! They even called for a car. Luckily something more important came up and they let him go. He was really shaken by the experience.
I'm so sorry about the rain. It looks like sunshine on Friday.
Gomiki - WOAH!! They didn't just ask for a fine? They wanted to arrest him?? wow...I guess it's good we didn't see what would happen when they threatened to call the police...my husband of course wanted to call their bluff but I didn't want to spend my time in Paris in jail thank you very much. I'm so glad your son did not end up in jail!
Tomorrow it is supposed to rain all day again.
If you need a quirky refuge, I might suggest a trip to the Cent Quatre in the 19th arrondissement. It certainly won't use up the entire day, but there is often lots of interesting things to see (I think it opens at 11 a.m. -- free).
I made one of my inevitable reports about it: http://tinyurl.com/cfjbcba
Something else that most tourists don't see is the Grande Galerie de l'Evolution in the Jardin des Plantes: http://tinyurl.com/2ajvree
My latest post on our afternoon on Ile St Louis and the concert in Saint Chapelle: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/ile-saint-louis-saint-chapelle-concert.html
Thanks Kerouac! Helpful as always. I still have some more "on the beaten path" destinations I"d like to get to...I will just have to stop being such a wimp about the rain, I think. And go places where there at least won't be large lines outside.
Sorry about the rain. I know it sucks to stomp around in that but at least you have some suggestions from kerouac.
I have to say that I am surprised that you were unaware that you have to keep your ticket until you exit the Metro station. I will say that I don't really recall seeing signs to that effect in English, but I also would not expect signs in English. We don't have signs here in French, so unfortunately, we all have to know the "rules of the road" for everywhere we visit.
A concert at Ste Chapelle has to be good medicine for the sting of the incident, I hope! Maybe you will laugh about it someday?
Another rainy day possibility might be the Palais de la Porte Dorée. It must be fairly close to where you're staying.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais_de_la_Porte_Dor%C3%A9e
The building itself looks very interesting and contains the museum of the history of immigration.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cit%C3%A9_nationale_de_l%27histoire_de_l%27immigration
Well, it didn't rain all that much after all, although it did rain a bit. Typical.
sharbear - sounds like a lovely Sunday afternoon. How funny about "Le Week-End" being closed
Thanks for the pics and for the link to the classical music tickets/calendar.
kerouac - Cent Quatre looks really interesting. Thank you for the tip - and for the great photos.
Thanks for the reminder. I don't remember if I always keep my ticket but I will now. When my husband's wallet was stolen on the train it was devastating but it makes for a good story now and honestly the sting is gone. I am loving your blog and your pictures.
Yes, it was a nice day today! It rained on me for a few minutes, but I was in the Rodin gardens, and everybody scurried inside like they might die and I just pulled out my umbrella and enjoyed the sculptures all to myself for a few minutes. And then just like that, the rain was gone and the sun was out again.
Oh and here are the promised peacock in the park photos from a few days ago: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/bois-de-vincennes-part-ii-peacock.html
Finally, better weather. The peacock is gorgeous, as is the park. I am living vicariously through you and the Bon Appetit Insiders Guide to Paris that I just picked up!
Gorgeous peacock pictures! Are these birds living wild in the bois? Glad you had some sun for the Rodin Garden. Those sculptures are amazing, aren't they?
Not only are the peacocks beautiful, but they are huge! I especially enjoyed your photos of Luxembourg Park & St. Germain because that is where we will be staying this summer. I am writing down Le Comptoir du Relais for lunch! I'll have to pencil in a concert at Sainte Chapelle, too! Thanks.
Thanks, I think the birds are living wild there! Sure looked like it. And yes, the sculptures are amazing. The idea of putting many of them in the park is just perfect.
Kwoo - you have picked a great area, glad I can help even a little bit!
Oh, definitely hit Le Comptoir! It's a favorite of ours, kwoo!
Enjoying your report and pics immensely. I cannot wait for a good walk in Luxembourg. My ortho doc is going to give me an injection for plantar fasciitis so I can! I think lunch in Le Comptoir sounds divine!
Sorry about your run in with the metro cops. They can be rude. We were chased on our way to Burgundy last year. Two very very large cops in a teeny vehicle pulled us over and were screaming at us in a torrent of French that we could not understand. We shrugged at them said parlez-vous anglais to which they shook their heads non! So we took off and they followed us til the next exit on A6 screaming out their windows the whole way!
they followed us til the next exit on A6 screaming out their windows the whole way!
Why do I find this description hard to believe?
Believe it! It happened last May! Actually I was wrong. We were on our way to the Lyon airport after our stay in Beaune.
"We shrugged at them said parlez-vous anglais to which they shook their heads non! So we took off..."
Perhaps they were not happy that you "took off." Why were you stopped in the first place?
Please can anyone help me - we are leaving early in the morning on a Thalys train for Amsterdam, and I am so dumb I did not realize the tickets I have are print at home, and we have no printer and there's nowhere around here to go print them out. Does anyone know if they will print for me at the station???? Please advise. Thanks.
They were most unhappy before we took off! I think we were stopped because my husband was looking at his gps on iphone trying to locate airport. I feel the need to describe us as well travelled seniors well versed in protocols to avoid judgment.
Can't help you sharbear but hoping for the best!!
Well it all turned out ok, got our tickets printed at the Mercure hotel across the street...sorry for the panic. Amsterdam was lots of fun, but it's nice to be back "home" now even if it is our last week. What a delight to think of Paris as home even if it's only temporary....
Here are some pictures of what we eat at home that I posted: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/breakfast-at-home-in-paris.html
Did you post a link to your "home" in Paris? If so, I have missed it and would like to know more about the apartment.
Delicious sharbear! My mouth is watering. Can't wait to show my daughter all your pics.
Glad you had fun in Amsterdam.
I did not post a link to the apartment yet, but I'll do so when we leave...which is *sniff* at the end of the week...
I also just can't resist telling you all that we had lunch today at Taillevent (2 michelin star restaurant)...a long-belated wedding gift from dear friends. How's that for a fabulous present?? It was amazing!!
My thoughts and pics on the Rodin garden:
http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/rodin-in-rain.html
Awesome photos! I definitely want to visit the Rodin when we are there this summer. Hope we have the time to relax in the lounge chairs!
Enjoying your trip report. Reliving many of our trips through you and your wonderful pictures.
Lovely!
Enjoyed all the photos, sharbear
I looked up your restaurant. How divine!
Thanks for posting those photos. It is great to hear about others' experiences. I am glad the tickets worked out. Hope the rest of the trip goes well.
Great pics! Taillevant looks awesome! What did you dine on?
And here is my post on Taillevent! http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/taillevent-gets-my-three-stars.html
p.s. Went to Monet's house/gardens finally!
Have you ever been inside the Rodin Museum? It is one of the most romantic museums I've ever visited. Guess that gives you something to look forward to
Really. Very romantic. Camille Claudel's work is well represented, and there are some charming film clips as well!
But the garden does stand alone, as you discovered, as an engaging exhibition. Those giant doors are fantastic.
Ahhh perhaps I should have gone to the museum, although I think parts of it are under renovation right now. I just didn't have a ton of energy at the time and had been spending too much money, so opted for just the garden. But you're right, something to look forward to for next time!
Last May I just went to the gardens and enjoyed them so much. Had gone in the house years ago. The gardens are a destination in themselves IMHO. Am enjoying your stay sooo much. Vicarious living keeps some of us going.
Im glad I can help!!
Wow! Your blog and pics on Taillevent are beautiful and make my mouth water. What an experience!
Some more misc. restaurant stuff: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/best-of-rest-tartines-hot-chocolate.html
Also, something very cool happened last night. After dinner with my uncle and his friends, we went to their hotel, Hotel Luticia, and a jazz band was playing in the lounge. All of a sudden George Benson came out and sang "Georgia on my mind" with them. Only in Paris!
Lord, that is some delicious-looking food. Like you, I could eat that roast chicken tartine daily!
Thank you for all these great restaurant tips
How cool about George Benson (I admit I had to look up who he is).
loveeedddddd the food in Paris.. oh man i'm jealous of you sharbear. i'm a big foodie as well and you got my stomach grumbling! gastronomy is just as important to me on vacation as a-list attractions
Lantana - i didnt know who he was at first even though everyone we were with and all the hotel staff clearly did!
Sorry i made everyone hungry ha.
Im in the airport now sad to be leaving paris...but going to italy so cant complain! I have a few more paris posts queued up though so you're not rid of me yet.
I keep reading....have a great time in Italy. If you go to Venice please post photos - I can continue to live vicariously!
Bon Voyage! Looking forward to more...
We will be in venice next weekend for a few days! We ate in milan and then lake como with my parents , ending in Venice. Then we will be based in bologna for the rest of the month.
My writeup/photos of Monet's house and gardens: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/and-finally-giverny.html
I'm just catching up on all of this because I was in the Ardennes for a few days. Giverny looks like it was at a prime season for the flowers -- I really must get back there one of these days, but I take a car to go there.
Didn't know who George Benson is? Oh, what a sheltered life....
Sharbear - what great photos! I love the stream and the bamboo. All the photos I've seen before are of the pond and the bridge and the house and gardens. This was a real treat! Thank you so much.
Giving away my age but I would die for a small venue with George Benson! Maybe we'll have to stop by the hotel Luticia for an after dinner drink and catch some cool live music! Be there in 2+ weeks and collecting info from your blogs Shar. Yay!
Here's my last post about Paris, a wrap-up post: http://www.eatdreamtravel.com/2012/04/paris-wrap-up-off-beaten-track-edition.html
What? Do you mean to say you're leaving just as the weather is improving?
Oh my, how did a month pass so quickly. Loved your food shots and I still haven't made it to Giverny so enjoyed those pix a lot. Were there peonies planted there in Monet's time? I don't recall seeing paintings of them. Gorgeous, eh?
Hub and I based near Bon Marché once and loved saying 'grand epicerie' as well as gawking as often as possible.
My, how time flies as I can't believe it has been a month! I will miss your posts and pics of good eats, hot chocolate, lovely parks and on and on.
Thank you for spending the time to share the beautiful photos and comments of your stay. And, to be moving on to Italy is another treat! And, please don't hesitate to share food and drink pics of Italy, too!
Thanks everyone for following along and for the kind words! I will continue posting from Italy; I will start a new thread here on Fodors. I just haven't done it yet as we are travelling around right now with my parents.
Kerouac - of course the weather got better when we left, as I knew it would, and we brought the rainy cold cloudy weather to Lake Como! oh well, what can you do. At least the Bologna forecast for the next week or two warms my heart, can't wait for sun and 70 degrees...
Thanks for a month of good reading.
ditto to BeachGirl247
It was sunny and about 23°C in Paris today.
Grrrrrr
Lucky you, kerouac, (she says faking a smile). Pea green with envy!
Long overdue link to our apartment in Paris: http://www.airbnb.com/rooms/9474
Your apartment looks lovely. I am fascinated by your trip and have checked out many of the other pictures. Looking forward to your next posts. Hope I can find them. Where in the US do you actually call home? One post indicated maybe Chicago.
Great looking apartment at a great price. I was very interested until I saw it was on the 3rd floor with no lift
Thanks for posting the link.
Looking forward to following your Italian adventures.
We are actually in between "homes" in the U.S. right now. We lived in Chicago for several years, and then in the Washington D.C. area where I am originally from. Probably going back to Chicago when this travelling adventure is over, but not sure. Or perhaps we will call Paris or Bologna home instead
MaineGG - unfortunately yes it's up stairs and they are not easy stairs...
You can always find my posts on www.eatdreamtravel.com
I will probably start other threads on fodors too, I am catching up after a vacation (from vacation, ha) with my parents in Milan/Lake Como/Venice. Just arrived yesterday to Bologna and it is wonderful!
Just catching up on your post. I can't believe you were able to see George Benson, impromptu, in Paris. So fabulous!