2 Weeks in France - Paris and Provence - Trip Report
May 28th, 2011, 10:36 AM
#81
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More: http://eatdreamtravel.blogspot.com/2...ravelling.html
and I"ll be posting some "best of" lists when I get back!
and I"ll be posting some "best of" lists when I get back!
May 28th, 2011, 12:56 PM
#83
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Really enjoyed your report and blog. Can't get the image of everyone in bathrobes out of my mind. This certainly is a good solution to the "what should I wear" questions. Thanks for taking the time to write this live.
May 28th, 2011, 02:16 PM
#84
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The Last Night
I wasn't going to post about tonight, but the food was so good, I just had to. For lack of creativity, we returned to the cafe where we had our first dinner, Saturday night exactly two weeks ago - Peres et Filles on Rue Seine in St Germain. We also wanted to be in our old area, as it is familiar to us, even though it was kind of far away (but nothing really is with the amazing Paris metro). That first night we'd had onion soup and frites, and we were planning to replicate that meal. But when we arrived and saw the menus, we were totally disoriented - they were completely different! And no onion soup....what to do??? We decided to stay anyway, as we were already sipping champagne at the bar and waiting for a table.
I figured out what sounded the most like steak frites on the menu, which I figured I should have because I hadn't had it yet and I'd hardly had any red meat for that matter. And Sam ordered pasta in morel cream sauce with asparagus, because he had had a lot of red meat, and he coud eat pasta every day. Well, I'm very glad we returned here even though I felt silly going someplace we'd been, and that we stuck it out with the new menu. The steak was amazing - no chunks of fat like some of the steaks in France, cooked a perfect medium/medium-rare, and topped with onion confit, whose hint of sweetness contrasted well with the game-y taste of the steak. Of course the frites were good too, as was the pasta.
And then, finally, after dinner, I got the nutella banana crepe I had kept saying I wanted but had always been too full to eat. It was perfect. Sam, who'd had several crepes at this point, said that the crepe maker's technique was the best he'd seen yet - smooth dough, evenly spread nutella, and thinly sliced banana. The perfect end to the perfect evening of the perfect trip.
I wasn't going to post about tonight, but the food was so good, I just had to. For lack of creativity, we returned to the cafe where we had our first dinner, Saturday night exactly two weeks ago - Peres et Filles on Rue Seine in St Germain. We also wanted to be in our old area, as it is familiar to us, even though it was kind of far away (but nothing really is with the amazing Paris metro). That first night we'd had onion soup and frites, and we were planning to replicate that meal. But when we arrived and saw the menus, we were totally disoriented - they were completely different! And no onion soup....what to do??? We decided to stay anyway, as we were already sipping champagne at the bar and waiting for a table.
I figured out what sounded the most like steak frites on the menu, which I figured I should have because I hadn't had it yet and I'd hardly had any red meat for that matter. And Sam ordered pasta in morel cream sauce with asparagus, because he had had a lot of red meat, and he coud eat pasta every day. Well, I'm very glad we returned here even though I felt silly going someplace we'd been, and that we stuck it out with the new menu. The steak was amazing - no chunks of fat like some of the steaks in France, cooked a perfect medium/medium-rare, and topped with onion confit, whose hint of sweetness contrasted well with the game-y taste of the steak. Of course the frites were good too, as was the pasta.
And then, finally, after dinner, I got the nutella banana crepe I had kept saying I wanted but had always been too full to eat. It was perfect. Sam, who'd had several crepes at this point, said that the crepe maker's technique was the best he'd seen yet - smooth dough, evenly spread nutella, and thinly sliced banana. The perfect end to the perfect evening of the perfect trip.
May 28th, 2011, 02:19 PM
#85
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Thank you to everyone for reading and offering encouraging words! We loved France so much. We are planning 8-10 months of travelling next year (my husband can work from anywhere where he has internet basically, and I"m looking to take some time of from my real "career" and do some writing), and now I think we absolutely have to include a month in Paris on the itinerary!
I will post some more wrap-up thoughts when I get back and am looking to dream more about Paris from my sad window-less office. It has been great fun sharing the trip with all of you along the way!
If you enjoyed my blog, feel free to check back now and then or follow the blog, as I will be transitioning into writing about the planning for our big trip next year and then about the trip itself of course. http://eatdreamtravel.blogspot.com/
I will post some more wrap-up thoughts when I get back and am looking to dream more about Paris from my sad window-less office. It has been great fun sharing the trip with all of you along the way!
If you enjoyed my blog, feel free to check back now and then or follow the blog, as I will be transitioning into writing about the planning for our big trip next year and then about the trip itself of course. http://eatdreamtravel.blogspot.com/
May 28th, 2011, 03:55 PM
#86
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Absolutely fantastic - loved the report. I am glad you are younger and can burn off the calories more easily than us more mature ones!!
You had a great time and every word was testement to this, I really enjoyed all the detail. I too stayed in Aix - I had four nights and thought three would have been perfect.
Well done and your photos were terrific as well. Thanks for taking the time.
Schnauzer
You had a great time and every word was testement to this, I really enjoyed all the detail. I too stayed in Aix - I had four nights and thought three would have been perfect.
Well done and your photos were terrific as well. Thanks for taking the time.
Schnauzer
May 29th, 2011, 02:08 PM
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Have been totally enthralled with your 2 wks in Paris and Provence. Has been 13 years since I traveled there so I hung on your every word. Sounds like a wonderful trip and only wish I could duplicate it. Your plans for next year sound so exciting. Hope you will blog those as well. Thanks ever so much.
May 29th, 2011, 06:06 PM
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Loved your report and great photos. We're going back to France in September, and, thanks to you, I can stop looking for a one-night hotel near the Gare de Lyon. Just booked the Grand Hotel Dore. Hope we don't run into the same taxi driver!
Best of luck with your future plans.
GG
Best of luck with your future plans.
GG
May 30th, 2011, 04:05 AM
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Thank you!!
MaineGG - so glad I could help. It was quite a struggle to find a place as I waited until relatively the last minute. Enjoy the tiny elevator - I found it charming in its own way, if you have as much luggage as us it will take a few trips! There is a good bakery two doors down to the left as you walk out - we got breakfast there our last morning.
Now I"m sitting at home eating yogurt for breakfast missing French bakeries...although my waistline is thanking me...
We had an uneventful trip home - except for the bomb scare at Orly airport - someone left a bag unattended so when we got there the check -in counters were closed and there were soldiers with machine guns everywhere!
MaineGG - so glad I could help. It was quite a struggle to find a place as I waited until relatively the last minute. Enjoy the tiny elevator - I found it charming in its own way, if you have as much luggage as us it will take a few trips! There is a good bakery two doors down to the left as you walk out - we got breakfast there our last morning.
Now I"m sitting at home eating yogurt for breakfast missing French bakeries...although my waistline is thanking me...
We had an uneventful trip home - except for the bomb scare at Orly airport - someone left a bag unattended so when we got there the check -in counters were closed and there were soldiers with machine guns everywhere!
May 31st, 2011, 12:50 PM
#92
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Here's a "best of" post!
http://eatdreamtravel.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-of.html
http://eatdreamtravel.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-of.html
Jun 2nd, 2011, 09:48 AM
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We were staying on Ile Saint Louis the same week so I am familiar with the weather you talk about. I had a laugh about the metro handle because we couldn't get on a train without the aid of a friendly young man! Wish I'd read your report while I was there so I could check out the jazz festival! I'm going to enjoy your report!
Jun 2nd, 2011, 11:42 AM
#94
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And I finally went back and added pictures to the early posts on the blog that didn't have them before: http://eatdreamtravel.blogspot.com/
Feb 7th, 2012, 12:56 PM
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Thanks tailsock! I am travelling in the U.S. right now and then in europe for several months - and I will be in Paris for the month of April. If you want to follow along, I'm writing about it at www.eatdreamtravel.com
Mar 10th, 2012, 12:02 PM
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Hi Sharbear84,
I am enjoying reading your France blogs immensely. Your blogs have already given me a lots of tips on what to do around Paris and Provence when I visit those places in June this year with my wife. I am also reading your Barcelona blogs - another place we will be visiting during this upcoming trip.
I did notice that the links to your other website (Eat Dream Travel) does not always work (for example the link to Laziness in Provence). And when it does work, the pictures do not display any longer. Just wanted to point it out in case you have not noticed.
Keep having fun and blogging!!
Nesan
I am enjoying reading your France blogs immensely. Your blogs have already given me a lots of tips on what to do around Paris and Provence when I visit those places in June this year with my wife. I am also reading your Barcelona blogs - another place we will be visiting during this upcoming trip.
I did notice that the links to your other website (Eat Dream Travel) does not always work (for example the link to Laziness in Provence). And when it does work, the pictures do not display any longer. Just wanted to point it out in case you have not noticed.
Keep having fun and blogging!!
Nesan
Mar 22nd, 2012, 06:40 AM
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Seeing this wonderful post for the first time and really enjoyed sharing your adventures!
We were in Paris last may, first week of May. We had wonderful weather and loved our first trip (together) to Paris.
We are heading to France for another adventure in the Fall. We will be in The Luberon for 2 weeks, Paris for 2 weeks. We will also be in Nice for 5 days to start the trip.
I am looking forward to seeing your pictures and reading your blog. Reading this thread has made me realize how much we love France and how hard it will be to wait until we leave in mid-Sept.
We were in Paris last may, first week of May. We had wonderful weather and loved our first trip (together) to Paris.
We are heading to France for another adventure in the Fall. We will be in The Luberon for 2 weeks, Paris for 2 weeks. We will also be in Nice for 5 days to start the trip.
I am looking forward to seeing your pictures and reading your blog. Reading this thread has made me realize how much we love France and how hard it will be to wait until we leave in mid-Sept.
