Alone in Paris on my Birthday 30 Aug 08 .TRIP REPORT
Sep 3rd, 2008, 04:04 PM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Alone in Paris on my Birthday 30 Aug 08 .TRIP REPORT
I just returned from 2 weeks in Provence caring for an elderly relative in Viens (small medieval perched village in the Vaucluse/Luberon area). Visiting Apt, Avignon, Roussillon, Gordes, Lacoste, Bonnieux...and many of the other towns that I have visited for the last 25 years. This was my second trip to Provence and Paris in 6 months - this time alone.
Anyway, my plans included a full day and night in Paris on my birthday with a friend. At the last minute, my friend baled out on me....as oftens happens! So off the TGV at Gare Lyon and checked into my room near the Sorbonne by 11 am... I decided to make the most of it and boy did I.
Being alone gave me new freedom to go where ever I wanted...and however...no complaints about walking too far etc. I headed out of my hotel around the Sorbonne and down to St Chappelle and Notre Dame...I meandered around the Ile de Cite and over to the Pompidou (which in 5 trips I have never made it into the Pom). I enjoyed the view from above as well as the 2 modern art floors (with the exception of the inflatable art...had too much of that Walmart crap in my college dorm room if you know what I mean)...but the Chagalls etc made up for the "Oh puleeze art."
After Pom, I headed up the shopping area of Rue Rambuteau to St Eustice, Les Halles and beyond to the Lourve area...where I saw St. Germain L'Auxerrois. Having just gone to Musee D'Orsay and a marathon Lourve day on April 5/6, I decided to head down the Rue de Rivoli to shop and have some of Angelina's famous hot chocolate (yes, it was 90 degrees out...so I had rasberry sorbet too...it was my birthday, after all!)...The Chaud Chocolate de Anciennes African was absolutely fabulous...people watching there was great too.
This fueled me to continue on to Place de la Concorde where I spent quite a lot of time photographing architectural details, the obelisk and tour de Eiffel. I didn't walk all the way to the Arc de Triomphe Etiole and the Champs Elyse (I had been walking for 7 hrs at this point -time to turn around)....but walked back up through the Lourve gardens. It seemed like all of Paris was back in town after holiday and everyone was outside. I made my way back to Place Dauphine to watch the sky color with sunset with thousands of people.
I then went along Notre Dame crossed back to the left bank up to St. Severin and Cluny looking for the clay oven pizza spot ...after a bite, I made it back to my room near Luxembourg Gardens by 10pm to soak my feet and pack from my early am flight home....now THAT was a special birthday! I suspect I covered more ground than had my husband, kids, or girlfriend joined me....lucky break!
ciao!
Anyway, my plans included a full day and night in Paris on my birthday with a friend. At the last minute, my friend baled out on me....as oftens happens! So off the TGV at Gare Lyon and checked into my room near the Sorbonne by 11 am... I decided to make the most of it and boy did I.
Being alone gave me new freedom to go where ever I wanted...and however...no complaints about walking too far etc. I headed out of my hotel around the Sorbonne and down to St Chappelle and Notre Dame...I meandered around the Ile de Cite and over to the Pompidou (which in 5 trips I have never made it into the Pom). I enjoyed the view from above as well as the 2 modern art floors (with the exception of the inflatable art...had too much of that Walmart crap in my college dorm room if you know what I mean)...but the Chagalls etc made up for the "Oh puleeze art."
After Pom, I headed up the shopping area of Rue Rambuteau to St Eustice, Les Halles and beyond to the Lourve area...where I saw St. Germain L'Auxerrois. Having just gone to Musee D'Orsay and a marathon Lourve day on April 5/6, I decided to head down the Rue de Rivoli to shop and have some of Angelina's famous hot chocolate (yes, it was 90 degrees out...so I had rasberry sorbet too...it was my birthday, after all!)...The Chaud Chocolate de Anciennes African was absolutely fabulous...people watching there was great too.
This fueled me to continue on to Place de la Concorde where I spent quite a lot of time photographing architectural details, the obelisk and tour de Eiffel. I didn't walk all the way to the Arc de Triomphe Etiole and the Champs Elyse (I had been walking for 7 hrs at this point -time to turn around)....but walked back up through the Lourve gardens. It seemed like all of Paris was back in town after holiday and everyone was outside. I made my way back to Place Dauphine to watch the sky color with sunset with thousands of people.
I then went along Notre Dame crossed back to the left bank up to St. Severin and Cluny looking for the clay oven pizza spot ...after a bite, I made it back to my room near Luxembourg Gardens by 10pm to soak my feet and pack from my early am flight home....now THAT was a special birthday! I suspect I covered more ground than had my husband, kids, or girlfriend joined me....lucky break!
ciao!
