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December 26/27, 2011
Whether it was the movie MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, or a conversation about Paris with friends’ who had recently returned from a trip there, we felt the urge to experience the city over the Christmas holidays. Having visited Paris several times in the past, but always in spring or summer, we thought that the experience of being there over Christmas would be special. This idea just emerged in the fall, so we felt lucky to be able to book a non-stop to CDG for the day after Christmas. We did some homework on hotels, and thanks to input from folks on Fodor’s, we booked the Hotel Le Regent in the 6th, which turned out to be a good decision. Other than checking in with friends on Fodor’s , and taking notes from fellow Paris lovers, we didn’t have much time to do any other planning. With the exception of booking a concert for New Year’s Eve in St. Germain des Pres Eglise, we decided to just imbibe the experience of being in Paris, play each day by ear, and enjoy the holiday atmosphere.
On December 26, we awoke to a beautiful, sun-filled day. . .mid 30’s. . .a great day for flying. With all the other holiday happenings, and the rush to pack, we were happy that the weather would present no flight concerns. As usual, we left a bit early for our 5:45 PM flight, preferring to have a cushion of time rather than last minute anxiety. As we were heading along our normal freeway route, we noticed an unusual traffic clog. A quick call to Artimis gave us the emergency message that the freeway had just been SHUT DOWN! (Upon returning home from our trip we learned the very sad news that a lady had made a suicidal jump from her car. We were glad that we didn’t know this at the time!) Just in the knick of time before getting stuck on that freeway with no close exits, and who knows how long of a delay, we were able to change lanes and switch to an alternative route. After dodging that bullet, we had a smooth ride to the airport, parked the car, and had time for a Starbucks and lite bite before boarding our flight.
This Delta 767 flight was full, as are many flights these days. As an experiment, we had paid an extra $80. P.P. for Premium Economy seats, after having checked them out on Seatguru. Our Row 21 was an exit row, and it did turn out to be a benefit to have more leg room and an easier in and out access for restroom breaks. Boarding went smoothly, with the flight attendants scrambling to assist everyone with getting their carry-on luggage stowed. It was now dark outside, and our flight was pushing away from the gate at 5:45 sharp. About ½ hour into the flight, the attendants came around with snacks and drinks, including beer and wine, and informed us that hard liquor was complementary in Premium Economy. However, for us it was a merlot and Heineken. The flight was smooth, with the exception of a couple of bumpy areas over the Atlantic. About 1 ½ hours into the flight, dinner was served. Not comparing it with the food on Singapore Air, which we’ve flown over the past two years, the meal was decent. The cabin was quite cool, but with our layers, and a down puffer coat as an extra blanket, we were comfortable and attempted to catch some shut-eye. Our MP3’s helped muffle the cabin noise. Before landing, coffee/juice and a breakfast snack was served. . .enough to give a little pick-up. Our flight arrived a ½ hour early. The huge size of CDG made for a long taxi to the terminal, and we had a few minutes’ wait for the gate agents. Immigration went fairly quickly. Before de-planing, we were given a luggage carousel number 45 which turned out not to be non-existent. But with a little searching, we spotted ours on another carousel. Although air travel is sometimes fraught with frustrations, this flight was pleasant. We thought the Premium Economy Seats were worth it under the cirumstances.
With luggage in tow, we proceeded to the Terminal to meet Victor’s Taxi Service for a tranport to our hotel. (Thanks to Denisea for the suggestion of Victor.) We didn’t see anyone carrying a sign with our name, but upon asking a nice lady at the Tourist Info desk who phoned Victor‘s Taxi Service, we found out that the driver was sitting at the Exresso Bar waiting for us. (A great place to meet!) As we left the airport in a nice Mercedes en route to downtown Paris, we found out that the driver from Victor’s Taxi Service was Victor himself. We had a nice conversation, and Victor shared some interesting information about life in Paris and pointed out things of interest along the way. As we approached the city centre, a soft sun was shining on the Arc de Triomphe. . .a warm welcome to this wonderful city. Victor didn’t need our printed card containing our hotel address, useful for many taxi drivers. He had us dialed in on his GPS, and in a matter of minutes we were pulling up to the Hotel Le Regent on Rue Dauphine, about two blocks down from Pont Neuf. Before unloading our luggage, we made arrangements for Victor to provide our transport back to the airport, although at this time we hated to think of our return trip!
Before leaving home, we had e-mailed the Hotel Le Regent, telling them of our very early arrival, requesting that we might check our luggage. But upon approaching the reception desk, the lady informed us that our room would be ready in about ten minutes. Just a perfect opportunity to cross the street to the Café Buci for our first sampling of delicious glazed croissants and café crème. At this early hour, most of Paris had not yet awoken, so the streets were pretty quiet. Upon returning to the hotel, we found that our hotel room was ready. A word about the hotel: Hotel Le Regent is a typical little French hotel. . .small reception and lobby, very small elevator, and small rooms. We booked the standard room, thinking it was not worth the 50 or so extra Euros per day to upgrade. Our room # 14 was very small, as described, but had everything one would need: mini-frig, safe, armoire-type closet, flat panel TV, hair-dryer, etc. The décor was attractive and the hotel was very clean. We joked that the lobby and elevator must be the cleanest in Paris, as each time we passed through, the same man was cleaning! The bathroom in our room was very, very small; in fact, when we inquired at the desk, we were told that other standard rooms had bathrooms that were a bit roomier. Next time! The hotel staff were all very friendly and helpful. Our favorite thing about the hotel was its great location on Rue Dauphine-right at a 5-point intersection of little streets. Cafes, boulangeries, restaurants, little shops, pharmacie. . .all were right at our doorstep. On previous trips to Paris, we’ve stayed in the 7th, in the Marais, near the Arc de Triomphe, etc. but we found this location to be our favorite.
The sun we witnessed as we entered Paris must have been a tease, because as we left our hotel, intending to have our first stroll along the Seine, the sky was overcast and a slight wind had created a chill. . .just enough that our stroll along the river was short-lived. We also knew at this point that our traditional jet-lag day boat ride on the Seine would have to be postponed. We crossed the Quai and did window shopping as we made our way toward Notre Dame. As we got closer, a sign listing “croque monsieurs” and “croque madames”, with a colorful restaurant host at the door flagging people into the Café de Petit Pont, found us enjoying our favorite lunch selections while looking out onto Notre Dame. Before our trip, we wondered how different it would feel in Paris without all the sidewalks cafes. Our first lunch gave us the answer. Heavy clear vinyl fitted over metal framing with propane gas heaters allowed the same space and tables to be used in the winter.
After that tasty lunch, we made our way across the Petit Pont to approach Notre Dame. Again. . .a first for us. . .seeing the large Christmas tree in front of the cathedral! Although there were quite a few people in the square in front of Notre Dame, and waiting in line to get into the cathedral, it was a comfortable-sized crowd which we came to appreciate as we witnessed the numbers growing exponentially as the week went on. Inside Notre Dame, the main Christmas flowers were red anthuriums, instead of poinsettias, and at the creche, some spring flowers were sprinkled among the greenery. Even though we’ve visited Notre Dame a number of times, we always find ourselves spending a couple of hours there. In spite of the overcast skies, the rose windows were outstanding! However, at this point, both of us felt our energy waning; in fact, we were dragging. We had arrived fighting colds, fatigued from all the holiday celebration at home, and having gotten little sleep on the flight. So, contrary to our normal pattern when traveling to Europe, we decided to head back to our hotel to catch a brief rest in order to gather a little energy for a first Parisian dinner.
It worked! After about three hours or so, we were ready to head out to a local restaurant for a light dinner. Darkness had fallen, and as we stepped out of the hotel, we were greeted with the colorful holiday lights on the buildings, and strung across the streets. A tip from the hotel receptionist led us to the restaurant L’Atlas, just a short block down from our hotel. It was a perfect find. For our first evening: French onion soup! And steak frites. . .with wine, of course Topped off with some ice cream. During the meal we had a great conversation with a native English couple who had moved to Paris. They described L’Atlas as their favorite local restaurant. We knew we would return, especially for one of their house specialties: moules.
The only downside to our late afternoon rest, and long conversation at dinner, was that instead of getting on a more regular Paris time schedule, we didn’t get to bed until midnight, and by then were in for a full night of very deep sleep. But, all in all, we thought that we had had a great first day in Paris!
PS ADDENDUM This is our second composition of this report. Yesterday, after we had written, edited, and previewed our report, I must have accidently hit a key on my laptop which caused the whole report to delete. Still don't know what I did. After working for a time trying to retrieve it, I decided to compose it on Microsoft Word and do a "Copy and Paste" to this site. That way I could SAVE as I went on. Just a thought to share. Hope to do another part of our report soon.
Our "Christmas Week in Paris" Experience
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Great start and looking forward to more...
Can't wait for the rest
Hmmm...I recall someone recently mentioning that Victor had no-showed them at CDG...wonder if they were at the Espresso Bar. Glad it worked and I look forward to the rest.
Today was gray and rainy and my flight was 3 hours late; I found myself really missing Paris, so thanks for the "fix"!
“About ½ hour into the flight, the attendants came around with snacks and drinks, including beer and wine, and informed us that hard liquor was complementary in Premium Economy.”
Interesting info – “spirits” no longer free on Delta Atlantic crossings, eh? For regular tourists that is . Personally, I only drink wine, but I know several folks who would be disconcerted at that news.
Tomarkot, looking forward to the rest of your holiday trip to Paris…
Good repor t. Waiting for more, with thanks.
Thanks for the report, tomarkot. We've stayed at Le Regent in the past but never in a standard room. The upgrade is worth it much like the premium economy. We pay dearly for a precious few square inches or feet but so worth it!
We've stayed all over Paris (and never had a bad experience) but we love the area around Le Regent best!
Waiting for more!
Yes, more please.
Great report - I, too, awaiting the next installment.
Great report! Looking forward to more!
Good reading this report. Waiting for more.
t
Sounds like a perfect first day. Looking forward to more - and thanks for taking the time!
Thanks to all for your encouraging responses. Will start working on Day 2.
December 28th
On our first overnight in Paris, we slept well; in fact, so well that, when we awoke on the 28th, it was late morning. Contrary to yesterday when we had our café crème and croissants while the streets were still quiet, today the neighborhood was alive, and the price of our little petit dejeuner rose from 7.50 EUR at the bar, to 13.60 EUR as we sat at a café table. (This price difference was especially noted by DH!) The outgoing, good-humored waitress, who seemed to know many of the customers, made it worthwhile to have a table “on the sidewalk”; vinyl enclosed and heated! It was a great start to our day.
Although there was no sun, and temperatures were again in the low 40’s, the wind of yesterday had subsided. We walked up to Boul. St. Germain, near the Odeon Metro, and caught a taxi to Musee Jacquemart Andre. En route, we enjoyed the sights and holiday decorations. As we approached the museum, we witnessed large crowds clamoring around the entrance. Having been to other popular museums on previous trips to Paris, always purchasing a Museum Pass, we naively thought that this smaller museum would not be so known and visited. So, our one regret of the trip: not having pre-purchased tickets on-line at home. Along with us, there were quite a few other disappointed people. An older gentleman, the “gate controller” at the museum, spoke so brusquely and rapidly in French that even the French people had a difficult time understanding him. From his tone, it wasn’t difficult to ascertain that there were no tickets available, and this was confirmed by a French-speaking couple next to us. Oh well! This museum would be something “on our list” for a future visit. So. . .to re-group. . .we decided to grab a taxi down to the Arc de Triomphe area. The friendly driver told us that there was a minimum charge (6.30 EUR) so he offered to give us a “tour” of side streets along the way to the Arc to meet our minimum amount. Very nice of him! It was quite a feat when he made a U-turn on the Champs in order to us let off near the Arc! After the taxi ride, we enjoyed re-visiting the little neighborhood around Ave. de Friedland where we had stayed on a former trip. So many interesting little shops. No matter how many times we visit Paris, we always enjoy seeing the Arc de Triomphe, and strolling on the Champs! When it was approaching our lunch time, we settled upon Café George V. . .mainly because its menu had luncheon offerings which we liked and we were able to get a front “sidewalk table” in order to people-watch where diversity was truly in evidence. It was a very leisurely-paced lunch , as are most meals in Paris. (35 EUR for lunch with wine). Wandering from shop to shop along the Champs can consume more time than one realizes! The one store which surprised us with its large crowd was the Mercedes dealership. We wandered down Ave. George V, window-shopping at the high-end shops, intending to have dessert and coffee at the Four Seasons. However, as we entered the gorgeously-decorated lobby, and made our way over to the bar and restaurant areas, we discovered each to be full, with the host telling us that they were booked with reservations for the remaining hours. So we enjoyed the beautiful decorations inside the Four Seasons, and found a wonderful little dessert stop up the street: Le Paradis Du Fruit, a classy spot with a great variety of desserts and cafes.
By now, it was dark. As we headed back up Ave. George V toward the Champs, the lights of the Fouquet Restaurant stole the show on one corner, while quite a large crowd had lined the opposite side of the street; so much so that we wondered if maybe there was a concert venue nearby. But not so. They were all waiting to get into Louis Vuitton! A policeman was at the door controlling the flow.
Even though there were throngs of people on and around the Champs, with a large variety of languages in evidence, it was fun to weave in and out of the crowds and witness the excitement amidst all the colorful decorations. Having seen photos of the Champs Elysees with the blue lights, we were surprised that they also turned to red. Standing in the middle strip while crossing the street, one could look from the lighted Arc in one direction to the ferris wheel at the Place de la Concorde. Quite a beautiful sight!
We decided that it was time to grab a cab and head back to our ‘hood for dinner. Our driver did not speak English, but he seemed to sense that we were enjoying the lights, and as we traveled, he would stop at the major sites so that we could snap pictures. We arrived back at our hotel close to 7 PM, and after a quick freshening-up, headed out to dinner at a popular local restaurant, Chez Fernand. Again, the convenience of our hotel was a plus as the restaurant was just about two blocks away Our meal: French onion soup for both, with each of us having a different fish plat. Together with wine and café, our bill was 95.50 EUR. (One humorous note was that when we ordered café crème after our meal, the waiter was amused, saying that the French only drink that for petit dejeuner!)
Following a short after-dinner stroll, we had an interesting conversation with the night desk clerk about the high real estate prices and other costs in central Paris. (13,000 EUR per metre. . .for a small 20 metre apartment, 260,000 EUR.) As in NYC, many of the hotel and restaurant employees live outside the city.
After returning to our room, we recounted our enjoyable day, checked the BBC news, and decided to “turn in” so as to be ready for another nice day in Paris!
Sounds lovely!
Ah, Chez Fernand. Loved our lunch there. Sorry you missed out on Musee Jacquemart Andre, but we didn't get there until my 10th trip, so something to look forward to on your next Paris journey. Looking forward to reading about the rest of your trip.
Maitaitom, nice to hear from you! Thanks for your comments. After all, it was your "Paris at Christmas" video that got us excited about Paris just we after we booked our trip.
Oh my, the George V is lovely at Christmas isn't ?
That LV flagship store is always packed! I don't even like their purses that much, but I would never stand in line just to get in. There was a line down Ave George V when we were there in November.
Denisea, we're with you on not standing in a long line for LV. It's always great to hear your responses. Although we love to travel, this is only our 2nd trip report. But we've experienced that we enjoy reading the reports of others, and as we write ours (maybe too detailed) we're finding that it's a nice "journal" of our trip. . .better than the copious notebooks we usually fill. We hope to post our next segment soon, and appreciate the interest of you and other Fodorites. We want to keep up with your Rome/AC trip; we'll catch up with you on your "Italy" post.
December 29, THURSDAY Day 3
Our little neighborhood didn’t awaken until after 9 AM, and neither did we. Again, the Café Buci beckoned, and energized us for the day.
Because DW was still dealing a residual knee injury, before our trip we had checked into using the Paris buses, in addition to taxis. Thanks to several Fodorites for very helpful information and encouragement. Also, we followed up on the suggestions of Maitaitom and Judy regarding Voltaren Gel, and were able to purchase some at the little Pharmacie next to our hotel.
On each of our previous trips to Paris, we explored and discovered new things, and usually took one day trip outside the city. However, on each visit we still enjoy the famous sights in Paris; and did so more especially on this trip, because of all the holiday decorations. We debated how to best enjoy the next couple of days. A Museum Pass, maybe? We had intended to re-visit a few of our favorites. But with concerns over DW’s knee issue, we thought that we might not enjoy our visits to these museums as much as usual, given the overwhelming crowds in the city. Even with a Museum Pass. . .large crowds mean more standing. Today the weather report was a mixture of sun and clouds, and we were hoping that the chips fell more on the side of sunshine. Ste. Chapelle was within walking distance of our hotel, but the chances of timing the sun to enjoy the stained-glass windows seemed to be a real hit or miss. So. . .we decided that we’d make use of the L’Open Tours bus as transportation to get around to the key sights of the city, and explore some of the surrounding neighborhoods. Conveniently, we could walk a couple of blocks to the Seine, cross Pont Neuf, and pick up the bus to begin our day’s venture. Early in our journey, as we passed the Musee’ d’Orsay with its massive crowds , we felt that we had made a pretty good decision in not purchasing a Museum Pass. As predicted, the sun teased throughout the day. We enjoyed destinations around the city, and snatched those minutes of sun to shoot some nice pictures. We found it interesting to experience, among other things: the Christmas markets at the Palais de Chaillot and on the Champs Elysees; the Place de la Concorde with the large ferris wheel, and the streets in the surrounding neighborhood of the Eiffel Tower; all had a lot activity, and of course, their fair share of vin chaud, patisseries and cafes. We window-shopped around the Madaleine and the Place Vendome, and ended up around the Opera Garnier having a late lunch at L’Entracote, across from the Opera. Our goal was to reach the Galeries Lafayette by about 5 PM, go to the roof terrace, and experience the lights of the city. The outside windows and lights of the Galeries Lafayette were outstanding! We wove through the crowds of shoppers inside to take the escalator as far as possible and climb up to the outside terrace. As we ascended, we could overlook the beautiful decorations at all the store levels. When we reached the 5th level, for whatever reason, possibly because the temp had dropped and a wind had developed, the steps to the outside terrace were closed off. So. . .Plan B. . .What else ??? Have delicious chocolat desserts by the restaurant windows on the 5th floor. We were lucky to catch a window seat looking straight onto the Eiffel Tower, and sat for a long while enjoying our desserts while taking in the lights of the city!
After that delicious treat, we began our descent on the escalator, and made it only to the 3rd level where we just couldn’t pass up the wine bar, with stools positioned to have a wonderful view over the floors below. Overall, this was a day to enjoy the festive surroundings more than to shop. After that final treat, we wended our way to the store exit and caught a taxi for our evening “light tour” on the way back to our hotel.
A large late lunch, scrumptious desserts, wine. . .at “dinnertime“, we just weren’t hungry for a full meal! So jambon/fromage crepes from a take-away vendor near our hotel to enjoy in the comfort of our hotel room was a perfect end to a wonderful day.
" and made it only to the 3rd level where we just couldn’t pass up the wine bar"
I like the way you travel!
Love that wine bar in Galleries Lafayette! It is like a ring side seat over the floors below. We used to have champagne there before shoe shopping as the shoe department used to be on that floor.....it really facilitated some great purchases!
Have had a few Moet Chandons at that bar in the past......ah memories.
DECEMBER 30, FRIDAY Day 4
A cloudy day, light rain predicted. . .maybe hints of weather as in MIDNIGHT IN PARIS? Croissants and café crème a la Boulangerie Paul was enjoyed in our hotel room, complements of DH. . .allowing DW to get a few extra minutes of shut-eye. Since the L’Open Tour bus worked out well for our transportation yesterday, today we planned to use the same to explore the Latin Quarter, Pantheon, Luxembourg Gardens area, and Montparnasse. Excepting Montparnasse, we have not spent time exploring these areas. We had planned on enjoying an elevated view of Paris from the Tour Montparnasse, continental Europe’s tallest skyscraper, by taking the elevator to the 56th floor, and walking the three extra levels to enjoy the terrace view from 680 ft. high. And. . .we looked forward to having a follow-up drink in Le Bar Americain! We were aware that the restaurant had closed for remodeling, but were disappointed to find that the bar also was closed! And, just as we were purchasing our tickets to the outside observation terrace, the rain began. . .more of a drizzle. We thought better of spending 14 EUR to stand in the rain, with heavy clouds masking the city-wide view. Another experience for our next trip!!! But one thing we did do in Montparnasse. . .Christmas shopping for one another. With time constraints at home, we thought that buying gifts for our own exchange in Paris would be more memorable. DW got some beautiful bling! We’d look on Boul Saint Germaine for DH’s gift. After a little exploration of the area of Montparnasse, 1920’s & 30’s home of literary figures like Gertrude Stein & Ernest Hemingway, and artists like Picasso & Matisse, hunger pangs were motivating us to head back to Boul St. Germain for lunch. We were rewarded with an outstanding meal at Hemingway’s old haunt, Les Deux Magots: wonderful quiche and salad, beautifully presented; of course, with wine. And, to top it off, “to die for” cream-filled macaroon topped with strawberries, accompanied with café crème. (64 EUR)
That great meal energized us to explore the interior of Eglise Saint Germain des Pres, the oldest church in Paris, originally completed in 558! It was fascinating to learn the history of its destruction by the Vikings in the 9th century, the re-building in 1163, and the non-religious “multi-uses”of the church during the French Revolution. Standing on Place Saint Germain, with its current appearance, it was difficult to imagine it in ruins after the fire of the abbey and library. One thing of intrigue inside the church is the fact that it has no windows. . .supposedly for acoustical purposes. . .before the days of even primitive sound systems. At least, that’s how the storyline goes. We’ll have our chance to test that out with by attending a concert on New Year’s Eve.
By now, it was dark, and the lights strung across the Boulevard, complemented with the lighting of all the deciduous trees lining the street, as well as the restaurants and shops, were a pretty sight to behold. We couldn’t resist some vin chaud which was nice to sip as we actually did “shop” at the Christmas Market along Boul. Saint Germain, and found some items to bring home as mementos. Continuing down the Boul., we found a cool sweater for DH in nice men’s shop.
Even though our hotel was only about two blocks away, it took a while to wander from shop to shop, check out an interesting little hotel, witness the activity in Le Procope, Paris’ oldest restaurant, in operation since 1686, (on our list for next visit), and finally reach the 5-point intersection by our hotel. En route, there were just too many delicious temptations of sweets along the streets , leaving us less than hungry for a big dinner. For a second evening, the delicious jambon/fromage crepes from the take-out grill near our hotel seemed like the perfect ending to another good day in Paris. As we re-counted our day, we thought about all the history contained in the 6th and surrounding areas, and talked about more exploration on a future visit.
Enjoying your report. very nice writing by the way!
This certainly brings back great memories! I also love that wine bar at GL! And, a crepe sounds so good right now. (Although it also reminds me of getting an earful for trying to pay for a jambon/fromage crepe with a 50 Euro bill.)
We also have done a little Christmas shopping for each other in Paris, so nice, although this year with the little virus, i ended up buying his gift and my own!
BTW, the dates are set for Rome and we are going to stick with Rome only this time. Amalfi will have to wait until next trip. I am finding that I really need that next trip to look forward to and I love the planning.
Anxious to hear more from your Christmas trip.
Your mention of the crowds makes me stop second guessing our decision to go 12/8-15 this year. Hope we can enjoy the holiday spirit you're describing with fewer people!
The apartment for our December trip is on rue Dauphine so I'm really enjoying all of your neighborhood wanderings. Thanks for the great report!
I am so enjoying seeing a "winter" Paris through your eyes.
Thanks for all your responses.
Denisea: Glad to hear about your Rome plans. See response on "Italy"
Judy: Your dates for Paris sound perfect for enjoying the Christmas atmosphere. In fact, from what we picked up, the Christmas markets open in late November. One would think that the crowds in museums would be fewer at that time.
We really enjoyed our stay on Rue Dauphine. What hotel do you have booked for your next trip?
It's fun to share experiences with others who enjoy Paris. BTW, last evening we saw the movie HUGO. . .touching story. . .Paris in the 30's. . .scenes of famous sites.
Our next trip is in an apartment on rue des Petits Champs for 2 weeks in May and in December we've booked an apartment on rue Dauphine fairly close to Pont Neuf. In December our adult daughters will join us. Clearly, we LOVE Paris.
We need to see HUGO!
I was in Paris a few years ago in late November and I loved that time of year.
I have no idea how that posted...anyway, I just missed the lights. The store windows were covered while being decorated for the holidays.
I am loving your report. I was in Copenhagen and Stockholm right after Christmas in 2005/2006, arriving on 12/27. It was a delightful trip. I think winter travel is great.
bmk
This has been fun to read! Makes me want to go back soon.
(One humorous note was that when we ordered café crème after our meal, the waiter was amused, saying that the French only drink that for petit dejeuner!)>>
lol - you should hear what they say if you try to order a cafe au lait!
looking forward to more.
DECEMBER 30 NEW YEARS’ EVE
9 AM. . .light rain. . .Yesterday’s pastries from Boulangerie Paul’s demanded a repeat.
On today’s agenda was a walking tour of our more immediate area. We began by heading in the direction of Eglise St. Sulpice, the second largest church in Paris, just slightly smaller than Notre Dame. We had no idea how fascinated we would be with this area. Upon approaching the baroque church, its massiveness was impressive. A sizable square in front, with large fountains and an imposing central statue designed by Louis Visconti, seemed proportionate to the huge church, and provided a setting for it. If we had not known beforehand, we might not have noticed the mismatched front towers; apparently the south tower was never completed. We learned that construction on the church began in 1646, and continued until 1745, with contributions from a series of architects. It was damaged during the Revolution, and restored and redecorated in the 19th century with the help of Delacroix. It seemed amazing to us that it is still a parish church today. St. Sulpice is famous for its 6,000+ pipe-organ, and its long list of famous organists. Although we had been looking forward to exploring the inside of the church, we were sorry to have to miss the experience of attending a service, or a concert, to enjoy that fabulous organ.
Upon entering St. Sulpice Church, we were again struck by its overwhelming size, more than its beauty. It seemed stark. Off to the right, in the “Chapel of the Angels” we viewed the Delacroix frescoes on the ceiling; each depicting angels, including St. Michael defeating the devil. Interesting that these were completed during Delacroix’ final years while he was fighting illness. Another frescoe on the dome in the church was also done by Delacroix.
Walking down the right side aisle, we observed the meridian line of brass running across the floor rising to a white marble obelisk. Two holes on a south wall window allowed sunlight to pass. Originally, the sunlight landing on the brass markers indicated the solstices and equinoxes and, therefore, helped determine the dates for Easter. Of late, this has been made famous by the Da Vinci Code book and movie.
Behind the main altar is the “Chapel of the Virgin Mary”. We could hear that the Mass going on was almost completed, so we took in a few more of the 21 side chapels. When the mass was finished, we were able to view the sculpture of the Virgin Mary by Jean-Baptiste Pigall. . .beautiful, but smaller than we had anticipated.
As often happens with us, we spend longer time periods than we anticipate when visiting sites, and we were now feeling the need for a nice lunch. As we left St. Sulpice, the raindrops were large enough to call for an umbrella. We did pause in the square to have a long, last look. Overall, we found the visit to St. Sulpice interesting because of its history, and enjoyed viewing the art inside.
The surrounding area of St. Sulpice was charming, even in the rain, with many boutiques and cafes lining its streets. Apparently, the area is considered a “high rent district”. We enjoyed our walk back to Boul. St. Germain, and decided to have lunch at Brasserie Le Lipp, another restaurant with a storied history of famous guests: artists, writers, and politicians. Possibly because it was mid-afternoon, though there was a steady stream of patrons, we were able to get a table. And it was at Le Lipp that we had our most “surprising” restaurant experience!
We were presented with their rather limited menu, all in French. The waiters were busy, and it was evident that they did not speak English. So recognizing “poulet” and “porc”, we read no further, looked at meals at surrounding tables, thinking that they must be what we saw on the menu. DH ordered the “porc”. DW’s meal was a more normal rotisserie “poulet“. DH’s meal arrived very attractively presented on a platter, edged with vegetables, with an inner ring of sauerkraut laden with sausages, with baked potatoes and in the center. . .a pig’s foot!!! Hmmm!!! Had we looked more carefully at the menu, we may have recognized “pied” preceding “porc”, and , no doubt, DH might not have ordered it. However, the meat turned out to be tender and delicious. . . a definite “surprise“! His fav meal of the trip. Of course, Alsatian beer and white wine were perfect complements to our meals!
By the time we finished, the rain had subsided, and we ventured out to walk off our lunches on the side streets surrounding St. Germain. Streets like Rue Furstenburg provided some nice window shopping along our way to the Seine. We joined the many strollers on the Passerelle des Arts (we call it the Louvre Bridge), enjoyed watching all the boats on the river, and decided that today would be the day to do our cruise. We ambled down to Vendettes du Pont-Neuf, and as evening was approaching, began our one-hour river excursion to enjoy Parisian highlights from a different vantage point. Afterward, having ample time before our 8:30 concert, we enjoyed the surrounding lights and shot some night photos. Since our ample Le Lipp lunches, we did not feel like having dinners. So we picked up some nice Parisien goodies to enjoy in our hotel as we freshened up before heading out to St. Germain.
As we headed up Boul. St. Germain toward the church, the New Year’s Eve celebrations seemed to gearing up. The restaurants and cafes were buzzing with early revelers. As we approached Eglise St. Germain about 8:00 PM, where the doors were supposed to open at 8:10, there was already a very long line of concertgoers which stretched from the side door of the church, down the street, and around the corner. But it was a very polite and cultured crowd, and the wait-time seemed to pass quickly. Tonight’s concert featured an outstanding violinist, David Braccini, who was the soloist and director of the 5-piece ensemble. The program included selections by the likes of Mozart and Strauss, but the main feature was Vivaldi’s complete “Les Quatre Saisons”. We believe that we’re not over-hyping when we describe the concert as “totally amazing“. Our seats in the 5th row were well worth the price. We were very happy that we had purchased on-line tickets before leaving home. We’ll definitely check into purchasing one of David Braccini’s DVD’s.
As we left the concert, Boul St. Germain was alive! From what we had read on Fodor‘s, and what we learned from locals in Paris, there were no big fireworks anywhere in the city; that crowds would be on the Champs Elysees, or at the Eiffel Tower. But mostly, New Year’s Eve would be celebrations in different neighborhoods. When we returned to the area of our hotel, we found that the whole 5-point intersection, and the surrounding streets, were already in celebration mode. We stopped in Café Buci for a near-midnight bite, enjoyed the festive atmosphere for a while, and thought about the fact that tomorrow was our last day. We decided to return to our hotel room, and toast the “bubbly” which we had earlier purchased, while watching the BBC feed of fireworks from London, Berlin, and Copenhagen. We wanted to turn in early to be ready to take full advantage of our last day.
I'm sorry you missed the Jacquemart-Andre.
Its temporary Fra Angelico exhibition (now finished) was outstanding, and the reason for the huge queues outside.
Normally, it's a modestly interesting, highly opulent, 19th century house with a couple of collections of the kinds of art and furniture rich mid 19th century collectors went in for. All very well if you like that kind of thing, but not usually something to generate the crowds the Fra Angelico created. By all means return (checking there's not another blockbuster on, since this gallery, unusually, didn't allow entry to its general collections without a ticket for the Fra Angelico) - but don't imagine the New Year queues are a sign of a stellar permanent collection.
There's a lesson here for visiting all big cities. Blockbuster exhibitions like this one, or the even more popular Stein exhibition at the Grand Palais at the same time, often offer once in a lifetime opportunities to understand an artistic phenomenon. If you've not pre booked, you might get in after a very long queue: but you're very likely to miss something you'll never get a chance to see again if you didn't research properly. It's now almost impossible to visit a serious city at a time there's not at least one utterly gobsmacking blockbuster exhibition on, and I can't imagine visiting Paris, New York, Rome or Berlin any more without checking the local listings magazine a month or so earlier and prebooking exhibition tickets.
The Fra Angelico was a real one-off, and won't be trundling on somewhere else. The Stein exhibition has now moved to the Metropolitan in New York (www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2012/steins-collect) till June, and really is worth making the journey for.
Love St Sulpice. It is Chaz' favorite church and we really love the neighborhood around it (The Christmas market there is really nice). Enjoyed re-visiting the church with you all.
, sniffle, siffle)!
The concert you attended at St Germain sounds just wonderful. Can't wait to hear about the last day (
We always make it a point to go to a Church concert when we are in Paris and each time is different but have never been to the one you went to. Glad that you liked ST Sulpice Church. the organ concert is after the 10am Mass on Sunday. That is on our list to do in May. Enjoyed your TR.
flanneruk: On this trip, we tried to remain flexible. We know we'll return and visit the Jacquemart Andre. . .not a big deal. We kinda knew that the Fra Angelico Exhibit was there.
denisea: We remembered your description of the Christmas markets around St. Sulpice, but when we visited, there were none. Perhaps they had closed down earlier. But the ones around Eglise St. Germain were alive.
cornelius: So many choices in Paris! Notre Dame won out for our Sunday (New Year's) this trip. Maybe next time, 10:00 AM at St. Sulpice!
I also remembered denise's description of the Christmas market at St. Sulpice but when I was there the second week in December it was not set-up, there was nothing in the plaza in front of the church. Maybe they didn't have one there this past December?
Oh really? We were there before Christmas this time, so only the CE markets were set up.
It WAS very small but friendly with lots of choices minus the crowds. That's too bad.
What an utterly sophisticated way to spend New Year's Eve!
We've been to several church concerts over the years - different kinds of music, different churches, different arrondissements - ALL were memorable.
Really loving your trip report - thanks!
Oh, I am enjoying your trip report! Your descriptions of Paris in December sound 'dreamy'! Looking forward to more!
Nice to hear from all of you! Will try to post our last day soon.
JANUARY 1, 2012 NEW YEAR’S DAY
By 9:00 AM, we had enjoyed our morning café au lait and were on our way down Rue St. Andre des Arts, through Place St. Michel, heading toward Notre Dame for the 10:00 Mass. For most of our route, we were two of just a few people on normally crowded streets. We weren’t sure just how large the crowds would be in Notre Dame. By arriving early, we were able to sit toward the front, and had time to take in more of the interior beauty as we waited for the liturgy to begin. It was a Gregorian chant Mass, jointly sung by the choir and the congregation. A young woman did an excellent job of leading the people. Since the main parts were in Latin, there was great participation. The Scripture readings and homily were in French, but the program contained Scripture translations in English and in German. So, overall, it was a meaningful start to our 2012 New Year.
As we left the cathedral, the square in front was packed! In past visits to Paris, we had never witnessed so many people in this area. We walked down the street to the left of Notre Dame and had coffee at a little corner café, Esmeralda’s, which looked out on the Pont Saint Louis. The Ile St. Louis looked like an appealing place to explore, so we headed over the bridge in search of a brunch spot. We didn’t have to go far to find another perfect corner café, aptly named Le Louis IX. DW had the most amazing omelette! Interesting how wine goes well with an omelette. And DH had his fav: croque monsieur. . .with a Graumeister beer! How’s that for a pairing? (26.80 EUR) A wonderful experience.
Most of the shops and many of the restaurants on Ile St. Louis were open, and there was a comfortable crowd meandering the streets.
We enjoyed joining that flow, stopping off at the little boutiques, and were able to pick up a gift for neighbors who were attending to our cat, and in the process, DW was treated to a purse and some glass jewelry. After some time exploring the streets, we could no longer resist the Berthillon ice cream. After all, what would a visit to the Ile St. Louis be without some Berthillon sweetness?
As we edged closer to the bridge, we could hear music. In fact, a trio of guys from the US was on the Pont St. Louis entertaining the crowds with jazz. Interesting how music is a draw.
We knew that our time frame was getting shorter, and we wanted to spend a little time enjoying the back and side gardens of Notre Dame. With the more temperate weather in Paris, the gardens still had some color with flowers, such as pansies. Even some of the trees still had leaves, and the grass was green. So, for this time of year, the setting was quite pleasant.
As we left Notre Dame, the line of tourists to enter the cathedral wound through the square, curled around, and was partially across Petit Pont. We enjoyed our last view of Notre Dame, and started toward Place St. Michel. Of course, we needed that café fix, and found a quaint little place right near the square to sip our drink and watch the people of the world go by. While DW had enjoyed getting jewelry, what did DH want for a souvenir? Why, T-shirts, of course. His fav to have for working in the garden. DW has to admit that they are nice reminders of places we‘ve enjoyed. And, if/when they shrink, DW inherits them!
Well, it was hard to put off any longer. The job of packing was awaiting us at our hotel. We decided to get that job out of the way so as to have a relaxed last dinner. We enjoyed our last stroll up Rue St. Andre’ des Arts, by now brightly lit, and back to our hotel.
With most of the packing job accomplished, we walked the couple of blocks from our hotel to our fav neighborhood restaurant, L’Atlas. DH ordered the moules with frites, and DW had boeuf bourguignon, something she has been wanting. The Bordeaux wine suggested by the waiter was a perfect pairing!
We didn’t linger too long at dinner, knowing that we had to rise ‘n shine early to meet Victor, our taxi driver, for our transport to the airport. In order to facilitate our morning departure, we were able to settle our hotel bill before turning in for our last night.
Lovely report all the way. You made Paris in the winter a real treat!
Enjoyed your last report while eating my morning oatmeal! Hate to see it end...almost the same feeling we have on our last night in Paris....sad.
We are thinking of using Victor also in May and would like to know if you were satisfied with him?
tomarkot, thanks for the trip report. It is an appetizer for our trip in March.
flanneruk, thanks for the heads up regarding the Stein exhibit at the Met in NY. We will be in NY for a wedding in April so a perfect thing to do during the day.
cornelius01: Regarding Victor. Yes, we were satisfied. Soon, we intend to share a few more practical details of our trip, including Victor's Service. Stay tuned!
"Regarding Victor. Yes, we were satisfied. Soon, we intend to share a few more practical details.."
Did you ask him, "What's our vector Victor?"
Great report. I am having regrets we didn't make the Christmas trip, but it was nice to live it through your terrific report.
Great last day (love the last meal). Very sorry to see it end.
And maitaitom, I do appreciate the Airplane humor. A serious LOL! We did not think to ask him that, but maybe tomarkot did!
Tomarkot,
thanks much for your report - we are hoping and crossing our fingers that we can take our kids to Paris next Christmas. I'm so glad to hear that even in winter we'll be able to sit at a cafe table!
JANUARY 2, 2012 Departure Day. . .Final Thoughts
Up by 6 AM. . .DH went for café while DW finished up those last minute things. However, at 6:30 the neighborhood was still sleeping. No café available! How would we get our AM energizer? Victor’s Taxi Service was scheduled for 7:30. By 7, as we moved our luggage down to the lobby, our spirits were lifted as we saw the lights of Café Buci. At least we’d get our last croissant and café!
Our flight was out of CDG at 10:30 AM, so Victor had indicated that a 7:30 pick-up would be good. The driver was there (not Victor) promptly. And, maitaitom, our trip to the airport may have begun by Victor’s vector, (LOL) but a traffic snafu necessitated a quick vector change. A few anxious moments. . .but the time delay wasn’t too bad; just enough that we had no time to waste.
Contrary to our relatively quick movement through security at our home airport for departure, and immigration on our arrival at CDG, we had the opposite negative experience on our return trip. Once at CDG, in Terminal 2, in addition to having to figure out what the “2” meant on the monitors behind our flight #, and then finding a “Section 2“, we began a series of 6 security checks: 1. Before entering the area of the “check-in” stations; 2. When lining up to check luggage; 3. At luggage counter; 4. At official immigration check; 5. At “security” conveyor belts and X-ray; 6. Before approaching final boarding. These checks included questioning at each stop, in addition to document checking. We’re not sure if we were with a band of suspicious-looking characters, or there had been some kind of security threat. . .nonetheless, we just about made our flight.
We did not purchase Premium Seats for our return flight, but we must have been doing something right, because we ended up having an empty row in front of us. . .allowing each of us our own row to sprawl out comfortably for the 9-hour return flight. (Strong head winds!) A couple of kids were using the aisles as a running track. Perhaps we had budding marathoners on board! Nonetheless, the noise on the flight was fairly well-blocked with our earphones and MP3’s.
The final security was kind of an “insult”; having to go through the whole 9-yards at our home airport, including the shoe removal. That’s the first time we’ve had that experience! The explanation given was that they couldn’t figure out how to separate the travelers on connecting flights from those who were exiting and leaving the airport. Probably being fatigued added to this little frustration.
As happens to us in all travels, once the fun of the trip ends we just want to get home. As we were waiting by the luggage carousel, we heard discussions about the icy roads, the difficulty people had in getting to the airport, etc., etc. As we left the airport, we knew we were in for a “nail biter” trip home. What was normally a 40- minute drive turned into a 3-hour “black ice” & accident-backup odyssey. However, it was a happy ending, and we were relieved to be home and talk about our wonderful Paris experience.
A few practical suggestions to share, and for us to remember for ourselves:
1. We liked Victor for our transport service. (Thanks to Denisea for the suggestion.) We would use him again, but suggest, after making the reservation, sending him an e-mail reminder the day prior, and having his phone # on hand on arrival. Victor is originally from China, and is very engaging. In the airport terminal, his appearance will be a good clue to recognize him. If you don’t see him, check the Espresso Bar, or have the Tourist Info desk call him. And, for our return to the airport, what we intend to do next time, is push back the pick-up time suggested by Victor to give some margin of error, in case of traffic. We did send an e-mail reminder to Victor the day before our departure, which we would do again. Another thought about the advantage of scheduling a departure transport, such as Victor: the streets were virtually deserted, so we wondered if there was another taxi to be had.
2. Regarding Paris during Christmas week: There were large crowds all over the city, and there was a certain excitement about being there during this week. Having been to Paris several times, as have many of you, we didn’t have our list of “to do’s” and weren’t disappointed if we didn’t get into museums, etc. We would not recommend this week to anyone who was visiting Paris for the first time. And, to those who are planning a visit in early December of next year, we think that it would be a good time to experience the holiday decorations without the crowds.
3. Being there for the first time in the winter, one noticeable difference was the early darkness. 6 PM felt like 10:00 PM in the summer. Partly because of this, we appreciated staying in the 6th, where, after dark, we could step out of our hotel and walk a only a short way to have dinner. Also, the temps were a little nippy (although local Parisians told us that we were fortunate to be there during a mild winter) a short walk home was appreciated. In general, we really like staying in the 6th for a variety of reasons, and would prefer to stay there on our next visit.
4. Although we took along lists of favorite restaurants, patisseries, etc. gleaned from other Fodorites, we found could not enjoy some of the places because we were in the area at the wrong time, or we weren’t ready for a meal, etc. Denisea, we were disappointed not to get to Reed’s. . .but we’ll save our lists and make it to Reed’s next time!
5. We experienced none of the pick-pocketing or “ring scams” that have been described by others. Outside of Notre Dame square, we had one girl approach us with a clipboard. We just turned away. That was it! Maybe it was too chilly for all the “up-to-no-gooders“!
6. We had very pleasant experiences using the taxis. The drivers were very pleasant and courteous. . .and did use the meters. As mentioned earlier in our report, we had one taxi driver pause at sights so we could snap nighttime pictures, and another give us a “tour” of the Champs Elysees to use up our minimum charge.
5. Finally, we want to thank all the Fodorites for their great suggestions, and their interest in the report of our experiences in a city which so many of us love.
Maitaitom: early in our trip prep, we happened upon your trip report and your excellent video of your Christmas week in Paris. They really got us excited about our trip. We’re sorry that you weren’t able to make the trip over the holidays, but it seems like you now have a trip to anticipate in 2012. Happy Trip Planning!
Denisea: Your exciting report of your November visit, complete with pix, was fun to share. We picked up a lot of helpful info. And your helpful comments along the way were encouraging. We’re now interested in your trip planning for Roma!
It’s fun to share our travels with others who have the same interests. Thanks to all for the journey!
"6. Before approaching final boarding."
That's where CDG "Security" swiped our cameras (which we eventually got back) in 2009.
tomarkot...de rien! So sorry your return turned into the longest day ever!! You'll get to Reed another time!
I met Low Country Islander yesterday for lunch and am getting fantastic information on Roma (and some great Paris reminiscing!
Denisea, how nice that you are in the proximity of LCI and could meet for lunch. Fun to share experiences of Paris. And she seems to have had a great experience in Roma also. Planning is always fun, isn't it?
Denise and I had a terrific lunch the other day. We chatted about travel at length and before I knew it, we had been at lunch for 2.5 hours...how tres Parisien!
I hope my exhuberance for Rome will rub off on Denise!
Very lucky for me that I do travel throughout the Southeast and can catch a few fellow Fodorites, when I am passing through!
Gracejoan3 should run for mayor of Paris and LCI should run for mayor of Rome, I think! (or at least have paid positions with the tourism boards).
Denisea and LCI: It must have been a fun lunch: reminiscing about Paris and planning for Roma with someone who shares your interests, and has such good ideas! Glad you could arrange to get together.
Maitaitom: WHEW! Can't imagine the feeling of "losing" your camera with all the memories. What a scare (and frustration) that must have been! Glad that you finally retrieved your "record" of your experiences, and that you shared so many wonderful shots of Paris with all of us. Our pics don't compare with yours, but we would be very disappointed to lose the memories of our trip.
Kerouac: Thanks for the pics of Paris in holiday mode which you posted prior to Xmas. They reflected a lot of what we experienced.
tm: It actually happened as we changed planes at CDG on our Rome - Paris - LAX flight. The "Security" guy at CDG took us aside after we had shown out boarding passes at the gate. He looked through our stuff, and being tired, we did not keep our attention as he deftly removed our cameras. We didn't even know until the following day when we opened our bags that they had been stolen. You can check out our Christmas Rome trip report for all the details, but eventually (at a hefty cost) our cameras were returned to us. A lesson, albeit an expensive one, was learned. Thanks again for the terrific report.
Maitaitom: We just looked up your Rome report. Really enjoyed it! But the part of your "Saga of Missing Cameras" was really riveting, and a good warning to all. See our comments following your report.
Denisea: Since you're planning a trip to Rome, we think you'd enjoy Maitaitom's Rome report which should now be toward the top on the "Italy" section.
Tomarkot/Denisea
Could one of you tell me the contact information for Victor? Thank you.
Hi nwtraveler - Victor's contact info is:
cell: 06-59-83-73-18
Email: taximan4u@hotmail.com
and thanks tomarkot...will check it out!
Thanks, Denisea, for posting Victor's contact info. I neglected to put it in our report.
Denisea
Thanks for posting the contact info for Victor. My trip is in 90 days (not that I am counting) and I get more excited with each passing week.
The info for Victor was also helpful to me as we are also leaving in 90 days and already counting down.
nwtraveler, sounds like you will be there same time as us.
Lovely report. My first trip to Paris was around Christmas time and it was magical.