OH Good, another ongoing trip report.

I'm very interested in the 11th and what you find there. We will be staying in the 3rd, but close to the 11th in Feb. I always hear of the great restaurants and good vibes of the area, can't wait to check it out more....love to hear your views on it too.

Great start, BikerScott and Jamiekins. I tried to rent the same apartment once and it was already booked. Love that location and the price cannot be beat.

Have fun and post when you can.

"150 square metres" is not tiny at all. My own 3-room two level flat is 75m² and nobody has ever called it tiny!

Great start you two! Looking forward to your daily wanderings around the city. Hopefully some photos too?

Sorry - I'm used to square feet - just did the online conversion, the flat is probably closer to 14 square metres, or 150 square feet..maybe 10 feet wide, by 20 long, including the kitchen and bedroom...essentially the size of a biggish hotel room.

Glad you got there safely on the Eurostar and gosh, those annoying Australians! They're all like that

Have a great trip.
Kay

I'm really enjoying how you tell it like it is. Can the flat be viewed online? It sounds perfect, particularly the price!

Rock on, Scott - your dispatches from the field are assuaging my grief over not being in Paris right now.

Paris Christmas 2009
December 27th 2009 - January 3rd 2010

Day Two - Footsore

We managed to sleep in this morning to the blissful hour of 10:30! The bed in our little garret is fairly comfortable - a little soft for me but heaven for Jamie (my parents forced my brother and I to sleep on plywood for the early part of our lives, at least in my memory...thus my preference for a harder mattress). Dave (owner of the flat) called at 9am to arrange to meet tomorrow morning so that we could pay him (yes, the keys were left for us, we haven't paid anything other than a deposit).

As we have our priorities firmly in order, we first went on a mission looking for the Monoprix to stock up on wine, champagne, scotch, and some food if there was any room in our bags. It turned out not to be too far, maybe a 10 minute walk from the flat. There were a surprising number of gypsys and other assorted homeless people asking for money and selling magazines - the neighbourhood seems a bit down and out, I wouldn't have expected so many. We also dodged more little puppy landmines on the way there and back than I've seen in the entire rest of the time I've been in Paris - 5 previous trips combined! Don't know what it is about the 11th, but there is some poop out here.

The Monoprix was, as is expected, wonderful. Someone once mentioned that it's a budget french grocery store, but it certainly puts the British grocery stores I'm used to to shame (well...Tesco's and Sainsburys...it might rival Waitrose). We picked up supplies for the week and walked back to the flat, mentally preparing ourselves for the 101 stairs. Being on the sixth floor didn't seem like such a big deal when we booked the place, but after going up and down them a few times, it was becoming a bigger deal...I don't think my Dad could've handled it (he has a bad knee).

We unloaded groceries, had a quick bottle of water, and headed back out looking for a recommended restaurant for lunch. It was a bit of a farther walk than expected. We eventually found L'Estaminet up on Rue Oberkampf and sat down for our meal. The cafe is small and a little shabby looking - typical workingman's parisian cafe complete with jazz on the stereo and a zinc bar top. No printed menus, just blackboards around the place with today's selection. They had a reasonably priced set menu for €12.50 for an entree and a main. Jamie went for the lentil and escargot soup, I started with an assiette du cochonaille - both were MASSIVE. Jamie's soup was very tasty and my giant plate of mixed pork products was fantastic - two type of sausage, bacon, terrine and gerkins. We were both a little full by the time we'd finished all that, then they brought our mains. We both had the trio de grillades - three types of grilled meat and a giant serving of chips. After we'd gotten through the chicken breast, duck breast, and little steak, neither of us were sure we would be able to move.

Rather than walk back up the 101 stairs, we decided to see how far of a walk it would be to Opera. It's quite a ways as it turns out, although an interesting walk. The 11th is a vibrant little place - loads of kids and families, it seems like an area that people actually live in, rather than a tourist trap like the Latin Quarter, St Germain, or even the Marais. Maybe not as glossy and polished as those parts of town, but full of character, and a whole lot cheaper!

The area around Opera and the massive department stores Galleries Layfayette and Printemps were PACKED with people doing their post-Christmas shopping. After a brief stop in Printemps for me to use the bathroom (the flat has one of those electric bogs, I'm afraid to use it in case it explodes) - a bit expensive at €1 but worth it in the end.

We were feeling a bit parched at this point, so found a conveniently located cafe not too far from Printemps but far enough to be slightly away from the hellish crowds. We had an overpriced 50cl of not too bad wine and watched the shoppers do their thing. There are some very interestingly dressed people in Paris this time of year – it’s about 5 degrees Celcius, but you’d think we were above the Arctic Circle the way some people had kitted themselves up.

Post beverage, we walked to Madeleine to see the fancy-pants shops around it and possibly have a LaDuree macaroon – the queue was huge so we immediately gave up that plan. Instead, we kept walking down to Place de la Concorde and then through the Tuileries. By this time, our feet were starting to get a bit sore, so we braved the metro system and headed back in the direction of our flat.

We’d never actually been to Bastille, so we got off the metro and took a look around before walking back towards ours. I’m not sure what I was expecting of the Bastille area, but not what it turned out to be – seemed very quiet and sedate other than a fairly large group of kids on rollerblades and skateboards.

Even the walk back up to our neighbourhood was not what I was expecting – every other store seemed to be either a bathroom showroom or a store where one could buy a motorcycle helmet (if you’re in the market for either, Avenue Richard Lenoir at Bastille appears to have just about the best selection in the known universe). We stopped in a little U-Marche to pick up some nibbles for dinner and found our flat – the 101 stairs seemed a lot farther this evening after our epic walk than it did first thing this morning. I suspect we’ll both be a bit sore in the morning.

This evening’s plan includes some wine, maybe a beer, and our picnic dinner while we listen to our classic jazz on the computer. After dinner we may head back downstairs for a nightcap at one of the many cafes and bars, if we can handle the thought of having to come back up the stairs.

Hah -- Bastille is the motorcycle capital of France!

Great report.

I am loving this! I can relate to 101 steps. There were even more where we stayed in Berlin. We made serious plans for the day. No frivolous trips back to the flat!

What's the big deal? I have helped friends who lived on 6th floor walkups move. There was all of the furniture, the cartons of books, the clothes, the pots and pans and the dishes, and all of the boxes of mysterious items. Up and down all of the flights of stairs for 3 hours. Let me calculate how old I was at the time.... hmmm, about 45. Did it almost kill me? Yes.

oh my kerouac...I cant imagine! We were just talking about that on the way up the stairs tonight!!!

Great report. The benefit of 101 stairs is its offset of the croissants, wine, macaroons etc.

Biker and Jami...

I feel a bit sheepish in mentioning this...(something I'm almost sure you know about)...but just a short walk from Parmentier Metro lies the famous Pere LaChaise cemetery...a fascinating place to visit (even at 5 degrees C)

...your report is brimming with a goodly amount of sweet nostaligia..keep it rolling....and have a great New Year.

Stu T.

You two know how to have a good time. Fun report.

Here is the link to the apartment: http://www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=1208

We love it...all 101 stairs and all! Its about the size of a hotel room, but has a basic kitchen. Its a great deal, and only about a block and a half from Metro Line 3. We would definately stay here again.

We will take some pics this week and post, but the pics online are veru accurate.

OK, now back to some wine!

Wonderful, jamikins.

I've wandered around the 11th many times now and really like it.

Anselm

Ah, 17 square metres -- it's marked right on the site.

Interesting factoid: one end of rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud is considered to be a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism. The other end is well inserted into the decadence of the Oberkampf bo-bo bar area.

I'm loving your report. We stayed in your neighborhood two years ago and discovered some good restaurants: Astier, 44 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud if you want to splurge on a wonderful meal, you won't be disappointed. Much less expensive but very good is Au Trou Normand, 9 rue JPT and Chez Imogene, 25 rue JPT. Au Coin de Malte, 21 rue Oberkampf, is very inexpensive and good. Enjoy!

And some pics from 27 - 29 Dec:
http://picasaweb.google.com/jamie.a.shearer/ParisForChristmas2009?feat=directlink

Fabulous eclectic selection. I particularly like the reflections in puddles and the 'stolen' photos of people doing what people do best.

jamkins, wonderful report. I had dinner at David and Aryalyn's flat (and also two young ladies that were staying in your garret). Like us, David is a jazz buff, Billy Holiday was playing when I arrived.

Great pix!

where was that staircase? Refreshing to not see the same monuments over again

I like the one of Scott's nosetip. The others are fun, too. Thanks, j and s.

Thanks everyone...link updated with Scott pix as well.

The staircase is the weird black and white that looks like fennel...if you see the tiny patch of light at the top that is our flat.

More report to come shortly for today!

Now I am really jonesing for Paris big time! Agree with kerouac, those puddle reflections are great.

For those that can get Spotify, here's the soundtrack to our trip:
http://open.spotify.com/user/scottt/playlist/7q08X1MWLGYIF6nGIae3Rw
and
http://open.spotify.com/user/scottt/playlist/00AB3vwGhPUqOaWkn8OlOd
(vocal and instramental jazz from the 50's and 60's)

Nice pics and nice report. Your garret looks very similar to the VacationinParis #176 in the 2nd, also on the 6th floor. The ViP flat costs more but has an elevator, AC and a good sized bathroom. It also has a Monoprix in the same building.

Paris Christmas 2009
December 27th 2009 - January 3rd 2010

Day Three – Photo Ops, Anyone?

We started the day with an alarm at the ungodly hour of 9am – a full lie-in for some people, however we’re on vacation with a large supply of wine and scotch, it seemed early enough for us. We did our usual morning routine, featuring me sucking down large amounts of fresh coffee and water trying to work out why I had an upset stomach, extreme sensitivity to light, and a pounding headache – I blame something I ate, as is so often the case.

After a quick stop at the cash machine up the road, we finally met Dave, owner of the garret room we’re staying in. Dave is a quiet-spoken, extremely friendly American ex-pat who’s made his living in Paris with his wife Aralynn for the last 23 years. We sat at the little cafe over the road (L’Autre Cafe) and enjoyed a good chat and a cup of espresso (Jamie even had one, despite what it does to her – she gets the jitters for HOURS).

Next was a wander through the market on Blvd Richard Lenoir – I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, even in winter the French markets make the British ones look sad and pathetic (no offense to any Brits out there, but it’s true – the fruit and veg on offer at the market today in the middle of winter is amazing, and we’re firm British farm market shoppers!). We picked up a half a roast chicken and a little bit of rabbit terrine for me and headed back to the flat, ready for all 101 steps.

We dropped off the food, had some more water, and headed for the Metro at Republic – not the closest we could have gone for, but it wasn’t raining much yet and we wanted to enjoy as much dryness as possible – we didn’t quite make it before the skies opened up. Fortunately we’d both brought umbrellas and managed to stay somewhat dry, although I’m not sure my shoes will ever be the same.

We got off the metro at Chatelet and managed to find exactly the wrong exit for what we were looking for – we were on a mission for soupe a l’onion, Au Pied de Couchon was the location (yes, for those trying to translate, that’s the foot of the pig....mmm...pig feet...). After far too long of wandering around aimlessly (when will Jamie learn that I’m ALWAYS right?!?) we found the restaurant and were led to the 2nd floor for our lunch (3rd floor for our North American friends) – I can tell you the stairs seemed a really long way for some reason.

Lunch was excellent – onion soup with a good half inch of melted cheese never fails to hit exactly the spot, wherever that spot happens to be. The good half bottle of wine we had with it seemed to take the edge off the headache as well, which is surprising considering I was positive it was due to a mild case of food poisoning.

We were doing really well until the table beside us all ordered the andouillette sausage plate. I had a brief yet memorable run-in with andouillette in Rennes a few years ago, and while I agree that it tastes fantastic, there is just something about the odour that turns my stomach (for those uninitiated in the glory that is andouillette – it’s basically sausage made out of the lower intestine of a pig. I don’t care how much you wash it, there’s an odour. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination).

Post lunch we embarked on a photo contest to see who could take the best “people” shot. I firmly believe that I won, however Jamie may dispute that as she took some fantastic photos. We started by walking down Rue Montorgeuil, on which we entertained ourselves trying to work out how to pronounce, as well as trying to take a photo of a French-looking person walking out of a boulangerie holding a baguette – harder than you’d expect.

The photo contest took most of the rest of the afternoon and took us from Les Halles all the way over to the Left Bank and a little wine bar we’ve been to in the past (Bistrot des Augustins) where we enjoyed a Kir for Jamie and a well-deserved Ricard for me (apparently my accent is appalling to the French, and they can never understand when I say Ricard, even though when they say it, it sounds the same. And I’m pretty much bilingual!).

We’d had enough walking for the day, so decided to take the trusty number 96 bus home – conveniently departing from Rue St Michel and dropping us off a few blocks from the Marche Franprix where we stocked up on chicken stock, couscous, gavottes (the most glorious of the French biscuits, you must try them if you ever see them), and of course, more wine.

We made our way back to our little garret and it’s 101 steps and settled in for a night of photo editing, roast chicken and couscous eating, and jazz-listening-while-beveraging. A more Parisian evening I couldn’t imagine.

Great photos from both of you. I am enjoying your report immensely. Almost (almost) as good as being there.

Au pied DOES have the best onion soup. I was seated on the first floor and enjoyed people watching

I think I have a new dream....Paris at Christmas! Thank you both this great post and the fantastic pictures, especially the people pics.

--Annie

I love the almost monochrome photo of the white bulldog with baker in white and woman in black.

Paris Christmas 2009
December 27th 2009 - January 3rd 2010

Day Four – Madness in Montmartre (not really though)

(photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/jamie.a.shearer/ParisDay4?feat=directlink)

Jamie rudely awakened me at 10:30am this morning. Apparently the small child somewhere downstairs woke her up, but how that is my problem, I’m not quite sure. Either way, we got up and got ready, the acrobatics required to have a shower in the smallish shower stall a good way to limber up in preparation for the day.

First mission (after the initial coffee mission of course) was to find the Metro station up the street – Couronnes. It was an interesting walk – the further up Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud we walked the more Islamic it seemed to get – someone recently pointed out that the upper part of JPT is one of the hotbeds of Islamic fundamentalism in Paris and I can see it...

We took the metro to Chateau Rouge in the hopes of having a quiet lunch at a restaurant that Jamie had read about in the Green Guide for Paris – Aux Negociants. Unfortunately Aux Negociants no longer seemed to be there – only the second time the Green Guide had ever led us astray (the first was a rather disappointing dinner in St Remy in Provence – food was dubious, super-tight t-shirt and jeans on the waiter was even worse...). The only option was to walk up the hill to Sacre Coeur to continue our tour. Why they insist on putting interesting things on the top of bloody steep hills is beyond me.

So we had to stop for a bit when we reached the top for me to stop sweating – no one wants to see that. Feeling fully prepared for what was about to befall us, we headed towards the thronging crowds around the church and main square at Sacre Coeur. Maybe it’s because most of the non-touristy stores in Paris are closed between Christmas and New Years, but Montmartre was more crowded that we’ve ever seen it before.

We rather quickly ducked into La Mere Catherine just off Place Du Tertre for a slightly overpriced lunch, made up for in a small degree by the entertainment provided by the table next to us. We spent almost the entire lunch trying to work them out – two older extremely posh German ladies, an older either French or German gentleman dressed to the nines, complete with designer sunglasses indoors (think Vegas lounge act from the 70’s), and a slightly younger EXTREMELY loud American gentleman wearing far too much gold in the form of massive bracelets, rings, and necklaces (think New York Mafioso from gangster films from the 70’s), all speaking English and German interchangeably. Very odd.

Having come to no firm conclusions, we paid our bill and loaded up our cameras. We spent a good hour or so wandering around the top of Montmartre taking photos and being generally entertained by the antics of tourists and touts trying to part those tourists from their money. Somewhat uncharacteristically, even I was accosted by an overly enthusiastic and aggressive twit trying to convince me that what my life was missing was a shitty bracelet which he was prepared to make for me on the spot.

We made our way down the precipitous steps in front of Sacre Coeur and towards the Abbesses metro station, being briefly waylaid in a convenient and most agreeable wine bar/bistro just down the street (La Sancerre). A pichet of quite tasty wine and several dozen sneaky photos by Jamie later, we stumbled back to the metro station and took the short trip to Jules Joffrin metro station, at which Jamie had heard of a market street – Rue Du Poteau, and specifically a shop that specialized in rotisserie meats (meat on a stick, the ultimate delivery system for food).

The street, as market streets go, was a bit disappointing. There were a few shops, including the rotisserie shop...a couple of bakeries, a few fruit and veg shops, some cheese shops...nothing to go out of your way for really. On the other hand, the people in the Charcouterie where we bought some roasted potatoes and carrot salad were incredibly friendly, and the selection of rotisserie meats at the rotisserie place was impressive – we picked up two rabbit legs and two chicken skewers, all for €12. For comparison sake – yesterday we got ½ a roasted chicken for €6, whereas a whole chicken at this place was €6.

It was only 5:00 and we weren’t ready to head back to our place for dinner, so we ducked into Cafe De la Place just across the road and had an unbelievably good bottle of Lussac St Emilion in a very nice cafe, with a friendly waiter to boot. We spent an enjoyable while sipping wine, chatting, and watching the people of the 18th walk past (and stand in a hugely long and slow moving queue over the road in the bank).

As we were sitting, the heavens opened and it began to pour. We ran across the road to the metro, managing to stay slightly dry. By the time we got back to Couronnes metro station it was raining even harder. We ran for the Marche Franprix just opposite to stock up on essential supplies for dinner (okay, just wine, but still essential), then back to our garret. We both got absolutely drenched from the knees down, despite the umbrellas – I’m not sure my shoes are ever going to dry out. Into every vacation a little rain must fall I suppose...

Sorry about the rain - you'll have to try some dry wines to compensate!

Please keep up this marvelous travelogue!

Wonderful report and your pictures are fantastic! Now I'm thinking Christmas in Paris would be great!

Enjoying your report and the photos are beautiful. You both have a good eye for composition.

You make even the periods of not having fun sound fun.

Paris Christmas 2009
December 27th 2009 - January 3rd 2010

Day Five – New Years in Paris

(photos from Day 5 - http://picasaweb.google.com/jamie.a.shearer/ParisDay5?feat=directlink)

We only managed to sleep in until 9:30 this morning before Jamie was up and ready to go. I wasn’t, after a long night listening to someone in our flat snore (here’s a hint, it wasn’t me), the girl in the flat next door talking on what I assume was a webcam, and the noise from outside. I was especially unenthusiastic as I’d accidently broken the coffee pot the evening before while washing the dishes, and would therefore have to McGuyver some sort of method of pouring hot water through coffee grounds and into a mug.

We packed up after an unsatisfying and slightly gritty cup of coffee and walked down to Republic, looking in all the bric a brak stores we could see looking for a replacement coffee machine – unsuccessfully.

We ended up taking the bus, rather than the metro as planned – it’s so much more interesting than the metro and generally as convenient, if not as fast. It dropped us off at Hotel de Ville, where we made one last attempt at coffee machine replacement at Darty (we saw a few on the way, but they were all too big – the one in the flat is a little 4-cup jobbie rather than a full 10 cup system – down to counter space).

We were both quite hungry and thirsty, and it was starting to drizzle, so we decided to find a cafe to sit and have some lunch and watch people walk past. What better place to watch people than in the Latin Quarter, so we had a really atrocious pichet of white wine and some quite good onion soup at one of the cafes in Place St Michel, being entertained by the Americans at one table and the Venezuelans at another attempt French.

By the time we’d finished the wine and soup, the drizzle had cleared, so we walked up to Luxembourg Gardens looking for interesting photo opportunities. Somehow the temperature had dropped from 14 degrees the prior day to just above freezing, and neither of us had really dressed for it – I froze in my t-shirt and jacket, and wished I’d worn the sweater I’d considered that morning. Jamie was much more stoic, as is often the case.

There weren’t many people in the gardens, not surprising I guess given the time of year and the weather. Plan B was the Musee D’Orsay, which we’ve never managed to get around to visiting on our previous five trips to Paris. When we got to the entrance we found all the people that should have been in the gardens – they had all chosen to stand in the largest queue I’ve ever seen in Paris (with the possible exception of the Eiffel Tower in summer). We quickly decided that just about the last thing we wanted to do was stand in a queue in the freezing cold when there were any number of conveniently located cafes which in addition to having wine, also had heat.

We found one on Blvd St Germain and enjoyed another pichet of wine. This time we found entertainment watching the endless stream of people walk past our little spot (Jamie taking endless random photos). While sitting the cafe, we couldn’t help but notice a busy patisserie right across the road, and the thought of a tasty éclair was enough to get us moving when the last of the wine disappeared. The éclair was bloody tasty.

The temperature had dropped even further, so we abandoned our plan of walking across Pont Alexandre III and went straight for the metro at Place de la Concorde instead. A brief stop at an Italian food store, and another at a wine shop, and our New Year’s day food prep was done (as well as my winter supply of quality Calvados). We dropped off the bags in the garret, I had a quick nap while Jamie cleaned up her photos.

Dinner plans for New Year’s Eve were based on recommendations from Fodors – a meal at Le Tastevin on Isle St Louis. We arrived for 8:30 and were greeted by an enthusiastic Annick and a slightly off-pitch singer warbling French classics with gusto, even if not generally in the same neighbourhood as the key (it all went pear-shaped when she tried to hit the high notes in My Heart Will Go On from Titanic – I think even Celine Dion has trouble with some of those). We sat down and checked out the menu, although both of us knew what we were going to have before we’d even arrived.

The Chateau Neuf de Pape was an excellent compliment to the meal – Coquilles St Jaques followed by Fillet de Beouf with foie gras and a truffle sauce for Jamie, and foie gras with truffle sauce followed by roasted venison with mashed chestnuts for me. We both then had a very tasty pear gratinee by Berthillion, then a very odd apple and camembert gratin – both ingredients individually are quite tasty, but don’t really go well together as it turns out.

The New Year’s countdown was extraordinarily odd – the music stopped a few minutes before midnight, someone counted down from five, a waiter popped one of the two giant balloons suspended from the ceiling filled with confetti, then the lights went out the other balloon was popped, then the lights came back on. Small glasses of champagne were handed out, then midnight passed. Overall, dinner was very good –the food was very well done and the atmosphere was really nice for a festive evening.

We headed out into the Parisian night, full to bursting with mostly wine and foie gras, extremely pleased with the year past (for the most part) and looking forward to a happy and prosperous 2010. Most of Paris seemed to be out and about having a good time. We made our way up our 101 steps (as tiring on day 5 as they were on day 1, although the volume we ate and drank may have had something to do with that) and had a final toast.

Bonne Annee de Paris tout le monde!

Bonne Annee a vous !!!

What an entertaining trip report! One day I will go to Paris at Christmas time! I really enjoyed your pictures!

Enjoying the report and the wonderful pictures - thanks for sharing them!

Lovely. Happy new year to you.

Paris Christmas 2009
December 27th 2009 - January 3rd 2010

Day Six – Freezing on New Year’s Day

(photos from day six: http://picasaweb.google.com/jamie.a.shearer/ParisDay6?feat=directlink)

For some reason, we slept in until 11am this morning – it seems that the “City of Lights” becomes the “City that Never Bloody Sleeps, Yells A Lot, And Breaks Bottles All Bloody Night” on New Year’s Eve. We turned in at about 2:30, but I was hearing the festivities outside until at least 6am in the morning. Twits are twits the world over.

My MacGyver Solution #2 for coffee worked a bit better than the first try, but still wasn’t ideal. Plus, we’d forgotten to pick up breakfast supplies when we did our grocery shopping the other day, so we didn’t spend too much time in the garret before heading out.

First mission was supposed to be a snack and a coffee for me; however we instead had onion soup and wine at a cafe on Place de la Republic. Unfortunately the soup was actually a bit tasteless until we’d poured an unreasonable amount of salt into it – disappointing. The croque madame that the people beside us had looked lovely - wish we’d had that. We finished lunch (it was after noon, so the wine was permitted, although as Jimmy Buffet so rightly pointed out, it’s five o’clock somewhere...). The Metro took us quickly to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The decision to tackle the Champs Elysees from the downhill side had been a strategic one – there would be loads of posh people out shopping we thought, and we’d end the walk up the hill with the Arc de Triomphe. We hadn’t, however, counted on the blistering cold or the fact that all the really posh people had done their shopping before Christmas – it was just us and the tourists freezing our butts off (we are clearly not tourists, we’re travellers, but not in the living in a caravan in a school field kind of way). Okay, it wasn’t actually that cold from a Canadian perspective, but we’ve been in London for a few years and have become soft and complacent, and unwilling to deal with sub-zero temperatures.

There wasn’t actually much to see on the street as it turned out. There wasn’t even much traffic on the Etoile so no near-misses or accidents to enjoy (watching heavy traffic at the Etoile is one of the greatest joys of Paris – quantum physicists could watch it to learn about complex relationships and it must send car insurance underwriters into convulsions just to think of it). We decided to find the most heavily touristed area of Paris – the Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower, being amazed on the walk down Rue Kleber by the detritus of the previous night’s festivities. Even the Russians got into the act, leaving an empty bottle of Russian champagne on the pavement.

The Trocadero didn’t disappoint, being fully congested with both bundled up tourists and the jingle-jangle men who follow them like flies do big piles of...well...you get the idea... (so named jingle-jangle men because of the sound their giant hoops of Eiffel Tower key chains make when they shake them). We spent some time taking photos of the Eiffel Tower and of people taking pictures of the Eiffel Tower (I like to think of them as meta photos) before walking down the stairs and across the bridge to the tower itself.

If you wonder what everyone in Paris does on a cold New Year’s day, evidently it’s go to the Eiffel Tower and stand in queues. We’ve never seen it so busy there – it was difficult to walk across from one side to the other – absolutely mental. We eventually made it across and tried to find a cafe for a warming cup of coffee – everything close to the tower was packed so we walked further and further away before walking past one with a spare table.

We sat down, unbundled, perused the menu and decided on a hot chocolate for me, a glass of wine for Jamie, and a slice of chocolate cake to share. The waiter was horrified – we were in the restaurant section and wanted just dessert? Madness, evidently. We were hustled off to a tiny table crammed into a corner, which we decided wasn’t quite what we were looking for.

We eventually found a cafe farther from the Eiffel Tower that was willing to let us have just a drink and dessert – it was actually just around the corner from Les Invalides. Great little place choc-a-bloc full of rugby memorabilia, including a huge supply of signed rugby balls and jerseys. We enjoyed a very tasty hot chocolate, wine, and cherry tarts (the French do tarts better than any nation in the world as far as I’m concerned, and I’m willing to forgive them just about anything based on this. That and the wine. And the food. And the architecture, and the people, and it goes on and on and on...).

Somewhat warmer we braved the frigid streets of Paris, heading towards the Metro and our return to the 11th for dinner and possibly wine (alright, almost definitely wine). A quick stop at one of the few open boulangerie for a baguette and some chouettes (little puffs of choux pastry dusted with a sugary crust – so tasty) and we were home. Dinner this evening included the aforementioned baguette and beef tortellini with ragu sauce we’d picked up the other day at the Italian market store. Very tasty. A quiet night in, but well-deserved after last night’s extravagance.

ttt to read later

Its more easy a life if the mind is full up with wine...thanks for sharing your beautiful trip report and the wonderful pictures...it brings back lots of memory...enjoy yourself and your stay...

BikerScott, are you a writer in real life? This is such a good read! Happy New Year to you and Jamikins and thanks for taking me to Paris for New Year's Eve with you and Jamikins.

You were in the Garret? Why was it only 200 euros?

I am really enjoying your report and pictures. Laughing at lots of the tale and "illustrations"! I had to laugh and roll my eyes at the photo of the spoon stuck to the nose trick! My four nephews always had to do that around family get togethers (Occasionally even though two of them have passed the thiry mark, they still do it.) and pretty soon their sons will be doing it, I am sure! also saw a fair bit of it in the cafeteria during teaching days!

thanks for sharing your wonderful holiday with us!

MademoiselleFifi - yes we are in the Garret...it was 300 euros, but we paid a 90 euro deposit when we booked, and then paid the remaining 210 euros when we arrived. Hope this helps!

Glad everyone is enjoying the report! Makes it more fun to write when you know people are reading and enjoying it!

I'm loving your reports. You have made me laugh out loud a few times and your pictures are fantastic (I love pictures of people just going about their business, so much more interesting than just the same monuments over and over again!)

Thanks for taking the time to do this during your trip!

JO

I'm enjoying your report and photos. I have friends in Paris during this same time, I've been checking to see if they are in any of your photos! I love Paris also and like to read about other's adventures there while I wait for my next visit. thanks!

Great, great report, Scott. Love your writing style.

hi Scott,

love the report, and the price!

how did you find it?

Annhig - Jamikins found it on Fodors of course (linked through from Slowtrav)

Paris Christmas 2009
December 27th 2009 - January 3rd 2010

Day Seven – Last Tango in Paris

(photos from day seven: http://picasaweb.google.com/jamie.a.shearer/ParisDay7?feat=directlink)

I spent the night last night with a raging migraine – I’ve never had one before and didn’t enjoy the experience. Sufficed to say that I didn’t get much sleep and woke up a bit grumpy and out of sorts (after the two or three hours of sleep I did manage to get). Note for next trip – pack extra strength ibuprofen (and probably a full first aid kit, because let’s be honest, I can hardly go two days without doing myself an injury – this trip alone I’ve managed to pour boiled water over my hand, stub my toe at least three times on the fridge, knock various bits of myself in the shower, trip, hurt big toe walking too much, strain my back turning over in bed, and twist my neck).

Our first stop of the morning was the pharmacy just across the street for my super-french strength nurofen – the French don’t do drugs by half measures and I got the full 400mg dose box, which calmed down what was left of my headache in no time.

We took the bus from Jean-Pierre Timbaud all the way to Gare Montparnasse for a wander through the really nice market there. It constantly amazes me how the French manage to find enough fresh produce to do a quality market in the middle of winter (it was even snowing, as they sold leeks, beets and potatoes). We spent a few minutes trying to find the excellent restaurant we ate in the last time we were in Paris but were obviously on the wrong street – it was one of those excellent Parisian 7-table tiny restaurants that the chef obviously opened because he loves serving quality food, rather than trying to make a fortune (unlike some of our celebrity chefs).

We enjoyed the sights and smells as we walked through the market – we hadn’t had breakfast and the cooking chickens and sausages made our mouths water. At the end of the market street was the main entrance for the Montparnasse cemetery (we’d done the Père Lachaise cemetery on a previous trip). We spent a little while wandering around looking at the ornate French sepulchres, coming across Serge Gainsbourg’s grave along the way (sort of a French version of late, great Jim Morrison, grave complete with flowers, poems, photos, drawing etc, much as Jims is in Père Lachaise).

Having had enough of gravestones and freaking COLD winds, we left the cemetery through the opposite entrance, looking for a restaurant Jamie had found in one of her guide books. Unfortunately, it had both changed names AND was closed, however up the road was an interesting market street with just about the largest supply of butchers I’ve ever seen in one place (Rue Daguerre in the 14th).

We spent probably a bit longer than is reasonable looking at the chopped up bits of former animals, then had lunch at La Chope Daguerre. The chef, or owner (its sometimes hard to tell) welcomed us in, gave us a seat, and suggested the poulet with the tone of a man who has purchased more of the special than he now expects to actually sell. In fact, the poulet was also recommended by the waitress, and with two suggestions, how could we refuse? €14 got us a ¼ chicken with girolles mushrooms, roasted potatoes sautéed in some sort of delicious fat, and a bit of salad. More than either of us could eat. And wine, of course.

We almost literally rolled out of the restaurant and across the street to a little shop selling various types of fresh pastas and sauces – we’d enjoyed the pasta so much the previous night that we decided to do it again. We bought another €12 of tortellini this time with a basil and tomato sauce. I was complimented on my French by the guy at the store (I have an odd Outaouais Quebec/Western Canadian accent that Parisians seem to find mostly incomprehensible – the Outaouais region is the bit of Quebec just northeast of Ottawa – a sort of Canadian farmer French, but it’s what I learned as a kid). I felt very proud that I was understood – usually I get a blank stare and confusion...

From the 14th, we took the metro to the Latin quarter for the trying on of hats and photography of tourists and shop owners (I was thinking of getting one of those giant fur hats with the ear-flaps as it was so bloody cold, but after trying a few on I realised that 1. I looked like a monumental twit and that 2. see point 1). Photos taken, streets wandered, massive hordes of people bumped into, restaurant touts trying to get us to eat their particular skewers of meat ignored, and we decided that we were thirsty (by day 7, I’m sure you’re detecting a theme to our travels).

We found a sympathetic cafe just outside the heaving masses and sat for a bit enjoying a cafe crème and a bit of wine, watching the scenery walk past. There are very few things in this world as relaxing as sitting in a French cafe in Paris watching the world walk past.

Post beverage, we decided that what we really needed was a bottle of wine, so we walked up the hill to our old stomping grounds just below the Pantheon on Rue Des Ecoles and specifically La Petite Périgourdine, where we’d spent far too many happy hours (and euros) over the past few years. Not much has changed at La Petite – a bit of a renovation from the first few times, but some of the waiters are the same, even after 6 years...

We took the bus back to our little garret, stopping at the Marche Franprix on the way to pick up a bottle of wine and 6 boxes of gavottes (only three for me, the others for co-workers back in London – seriously, they are spectacular and you must have them if you see them). Dinner was excellent as expected, followed by an evening of photo editing, writing, and packing.

After a week in Paris with nothing in particular to do and nothing in particular to see, at probably not the best time of year to be here, we’ve both decided (or re-affirmed more accurately) that we both love it here – Canada will always be where we’re from, and London is where we live, but I think France is where our hearts are and where our livers will probably eventually give out.

Final thoughts for our fellow Fodorites after a week in Paris between Christmas and New Years:
- If you've never been here before, this might not be the best time to visit. A lot isn't open between the two holidays, especially outside the really touristy areas, which makes the touristy areas even more crowded than normal.
- Pack for several types of weather - in the week we've been here, it's been up to 14C above, below freezing, sunny, rainy, and snowing.
- Don't worry about looking like a tourist by wearing sneakers or ski jackets. You will never look like a Parisian, nor would you probably want to. The fuzzier the giant hat, the better
- Try venturing outside the tourist-centric Latin Quarter, St Germain, the Marais etc...we love the 11th, the 14th, and the 18th, and I'm sure there are so many more intersting bits of Paris we haven't seen yet. It might not be as polished, but it's the real Paris.
- Seriously, try a gavotte. They sell them at Marche Franprix, and G20, and probably elsewhere - look in the biscuit aisle.
- When in doubt, find a cafe, order a coffee or a wine, and relax. Everything seems better in French cafe.
- If you can, rent an apartment, rather than a hotel room. It's nice to have a place you can call home even if only for a little while, and even nicer to have a little fridge stocked with cheese, wine, and milk for your morning coffee.

Please ask if you have any questions - we're more than happy to share our experiences.

Thank you, Scott, for an inspiring report. You're quite the writer and she's quite the photographer. A good match.

Thanks Treesa...although I have to admit that Scott takes half the pics in the family...and cooks too...darn it I am a lucky woman

This is just so good! Scott, are you a writer in your work? I think you and Jamikins should be travel writers/photographers and entertain/inform us with your travels .Wouldn't that be a dream for most of us....but you would be better than most of us.

Thank you for a most enjoyable report.

I've loved it being in real time too, I've read it every morning this past week and will miss it!

Happy New Year, and please go back to Paris soon!

I enjoyed your report and pictures immensely. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks everyone...we made it safely back to London this afternoon (sigh). We had the most relaxing time...no schedule to follow, no must sees to fit in. Great trip.

Gomiki - Sign me up for that job anyday!!! That would be our dream...if only we didnt have a mortgage hahahaha!

Stay tuned for a Dublin weekend in Jan, Easter in Budapest, a long weekend Venice in May, and a week in the Cinque Terre/Piedmont Italy in June!

Don't know how I missed this the first time but it was a delight to read it all at once. Wonderful photos, adorable loft and a treat to read.

Hope you come to Washington DC sometime.

I'm so sad this is over. I've read you exerpts every day and love the photos.

I stayed in the 14th my last trip to Paris and really loved that area. Thanks for the daily reports.

Thanks for a wonderful report with pictures! Looking forward to hearing upcoming reports of your winter and spring weekend jaunts!

PS I didn't think you looked like a twit in the fur hat. In fact with the temp at 7 degrees Fahrenheit, 10 inches of snow on the ground and lots more swirling down, I wouldn't have cared if I looked like Super Twit in the hat; it just looked warm and comfortable!

LOVE your report and photos! Great sense of humor - I guess you gotta laugh your way up those 101 steps!

I really do love many of those photos - you (both) have a great eye and way of framing things.

Paule

Love the 11th, love the 14th, love your report and photos. Happy New Year to you both. Reading and viewing this has been very cheering to me. Thank you!

I loved reading your reports and looking at your photos. Now I really do need to visit at New Years - Paris in winter is still much better than Southern Ontario! Where in Canada are you from?

Hi Timsmom...we are from BC...although Scott spent several years growing up in Ottawa. We definately miss the snow

Jamikins, great report!!! Loved 2008's report and this one surpassed it. Can't wait for this year's trips.

Bikerscott. It is the way the holiday fell. We have come numerous tomes this timeof year and this being our last night practically everything has been dead and closed these past two weeks. It is not normal. People have just started coming home it seems in the last few days. .

cherrybomb...that explains it! There really was a lot of places closed over the week!

I know - some of my favorite restaurants were closed. I had a sad.

How did I miss this earlier? Fantastic photos. I stayed in the garret a couple of years ago and would rent it again in a heartbeat. I loved that neighborhood.

I loved your report and will get to the photos when I have loads of time to view them slowly.
So, you met with Dave - is that the same Dave-in-Paris that used to be quite active on this board??
I will give your regards to BC when I visit for the first time in August - meeting up in Lacombe and doing the two National Parks over two weeks -Can't wait to be in Canada!!(VIA PARIS, OF COURSE!).

Hi tod,

Yes, I believe the Dave is the same one!

Enjoy BC...it is really beautiful and let me know if you need any help planning!

Thanks I am topping for myself!

how beautiful your pictures are - glad I found your post

Thanks jujubean, glad you enjoyed it!

Thanks so much for your report. I'll be in Paris in March and am staying in the 11th. Your info was very helpful and I've made a note of all your restaurants and Bus 96!

Your trip report and photos are wonderful! I especially love the candid shots of people in Paris. Do you have any tips on taking such photos?

ncart - thanks so much! We go somewhere where there are lots of people doing interesting things - market streets, squares, around major attractions etc. And then we people watch!

Love your report. We'll be staying in the 11th this February.

Have a lovely time!! It is now our favourite place to stay in Paris!!!

Thanks -- any suggestions for cafes, restaurants in the 11th?

There are a few! At Parmentier metro stop there is a great place for drinks and food called L'Autre Cafe http://www.lautrecafe.com/

Also this place gets rave reviews, we are eating here in Nov when we go again http://www.restaurant-astier.com/en/

Hope this gets you started!

Jamikins

So glad this resurfaced, partly because it's so fun, and partly because we plan to stay nearby ~ the same time this year. If anything, it's better on rereading.

I didn't realize the 23rd of Dec through the 2nd of January would be high tourist tide until I saw the dates of our trip coincide with Highest Rent for Paris apartments. I feel better forewarned now, and will plan on wearing earplugs to bed New Year's Eve.

Good to learn that street markets keep buzzing beautifully in winter. I've lifted other notes from this worthy thread. Thank you again.

So glad you enjoyed it again! It's a magical time in Paris...enjoy every minute!!

Thanks for the recommendations. Perhaps you'll post others when you go in Nov.

Yestravel...we already have a few reservations.

After all the good reviews here we have booked a dinner at Reed.

And we always walk by this place and it gets good reviews as well so we are eating here on the Friday night we arrive: http://www.restaurant-astier.com/

Will let you know our thoughts when we return!

I've got Reed on my list too. Looking forward to your recommendations. have a great trip!

Astier is where I had one of the best meals of my life (many years ago). I'm afraid to go back since I know it can't be topped, lol. Lapin a la moutarde. So good. Great cheese cart, too (at least way back when).

I'll be eager to hear about your experiences, jamikins (not to mention the rest of your report). Enjoy!

Hi yanky girl! U ready for Sandy? Think i'll add Aster to my list.