Day 2

Most unusually I was the first one up. DF was most impressed that by the time she’d gotten up and showered there was freshly brewed coffee and pastries on the table waiting for her. This became a trend for the whole week, and I really did adore getting pain au chocolate at the patisserie every morning.

The jet lagged DM and DF got a slow start, but eventually off to the Louvre we went. It was great fun to sit on the benches in the long hallways and give our own commentary of the people viewing the art. I made an attempt to take a picture of the tourists taking pictures of the Mona Lisa, but was scolded by one of the guards: “no pictures of people, only art!” Ok, fine. We had lunch at the Café Richelieu in the Louvre.

The walk along the Champs-Elysees was beautiful. Along the way we sampled what seemed like hundreds of perfumes and looked at myriad handbags. DF made a wonderful purchase at the Guerlain store. That store feels like you’re walking around inside a bottle of exotic, extravagant perfume. DM began her usual habit of spraying a different perfume on each wrist, arm and finger. We stopped at Laduree for macarons. After the all day death march we had a simple dinner of wine and cheese at the apartment.

Bubblywine, I haven't read this thread yet but I just want to say that I remember reading your posts on the Africa board two years ago before you left for Kenya. If I remember correctly, you were so excited about joining the Peace Corps and I'm sorry to hear that you had to leave Kenya so abruptly!

I was planning a trip to Africa back then and now I am planning a trip to Paris. Strange coincidence.

Anyway, apologies to everyone for the off-topic post. Looking forward to reading this.

Bubbly brought back a memory that I had forgotten, at the end of our death march (I think we were on our feet for 8 hours that day), we came upon the Arc de Triomphe, and they were having some sort of memorial ceremony there.

It was all lit up, and the wind was gently blowing all of the flags and scarves in the crisp Jan. night air, and it was really beautiful to see them go through their military steps, honoring those that had fallen or something to that effect.

Made me think about the historic significance of that place. All the world leaders who had passed through that very site at various times over the many years since its existence (built in 1807?).

Surrounding this monument was the world's largest roundabout! Approx. 12 roads with 4 to 6 lanes each all whipping around this huge circle. Interesting to watch, being that we are just now starting to see roundabouts in our area.

Backing up to earlier in the day, had a great lunch at the Louve, I will always count on Bubbly or DM to get the names straight as I rountinely slaughtered everything!

Loved the stores on the Champs Elysee (sp?). Especially Guerlain house of perfume. Glorious smells, and I still love the perfume I purchased there, wish I would have gotten more of everything!!

Day 3, Bubbly, Rose - was that Galleries Lafeyette?
DF

I'm really enjoying your reports.
Three perspectives is very nice.

I do have a question about the Louvre. When we were there in 2006 we were not allowed to take pictures of the Mona Lisa. Very, very strict guards prevented that. A friend was there in 2000 and was allowed to take that picture, so I was guessing it had something to do with tightened security re 9/11.

So, does anyone know if those rules have changed? We were there October 2008 but didn't go to the Louvre again.

Looking forward to the rest of the trip reports. Thanks!

DF and DD posting! This is very fun for me and it is unusual to have 3 perspectives.

I'll offer mine on the Louvre. It's a big place and to me it helps to tackle it with a plan in place. I have a horror of finding myself in the middle of the wing of French Provincial furniture miles from the paintings. We looked at the paintings in the Italian hallway, the Mona Lisa room (all was fabulous) and the paintings from the time of the French revolution. I did 2 turns in the Italian hallway because I love it, then we went and had quiche and salad for lunch in the other wing. It was just right for us.

Walking in the tuilleries was wonderful! It was a sunny day and it was beautiful. We took a jog to stop by Catherine's perfume shop and then were back on the Champs Elysee and on to Guerlain. Love that shop.

Ladies, I'm having trouble keeping you in your identities, but I think DF mentioned the evening ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe. That happens every day; I came home and looked it up. We were impressed with it also, and glad that we saw it. It is somewhat like going to the changing of the gaurd at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington. Only without bleacher seating.

I am enjoying hearing about your trip.

DD = bubblywine
DM = rosetravels
DF = smltwngrl

It is understandable that it would be hard to tell us apart because we're all so fabulous and witty and DM and DF so youthful ;)

Day 3
Trip to Reims
Now, for those who know my family, we have a problem with trains. We’ve ended up waiting for trains at the wrong station, missing them all together, and I personally got terribly lost on the train in Ireland. So, in grand tradition, we just barely caught the train to Reims. Out of breath and sweaty we climbed aboard just in time for one of my favorite days of the entire trip.

First stop in Reims was the Notre Dame cathedral which dates back to the Roman baths and has been standing since the 1200’s. Being inside something so ancient gives one a wonderful sense of perspective. The Chagall stained glass is breathtaking.

In lieu of lunch we snacked on madeleines. We didn’t want to miss our three o’clock appointment at the Pommery cellars. What an experience! We could tell by the size of the bathrooms that they are accustomed to handling tour groups of one hundred or more, but because it was the dead of winter, we got our own private tour. Deep down into the limestone caves to see where they age the champagnes. Amazing. The best part was the end where you get to sample two of the champagnes. DF chose one, and after the guide poured the glass she sniffed it and said “oh no, it has gone flat.” Being the scavenger that I am, I piped up and said “I’ll drink that if you’re just going to toss it.” To this day I am teased for that.

From there we went to check out the town’s second World Heritage site, an old Abby. The museum was deserted and had fascinating artifacts from some of the first people to ever live in the area, over 100,000 years ago.

Dinner was back in Paris at Le Hangar just off of Rue Beaubourg on Impasse Berthaud near the Pompidou Center. DF had a lentil salad and spinach ravioli the size of a pinkie nail in a perfect cream sauce. DM and I both had beef stroganoff surrounded by a small fence of magical little tater tots. Including a bottle of the house red and a chocolate soufflé the bill came to 69E. Quite the deal, we thought.

Day 4
Shopping! Printemps and Galleries Lafayette for handbags, shoes, lingerie and fragrance. And SALES! The shoe department is literally and entire city block. At Galeries Lafayette we spent a grueling 4 hours in lingerie. Not to get too detailed, but I found the most wonderful stuff: three bras, three undies for 46E. I was quite happy. At some point we took a much needed break for lunch at nearby Le Faux-Filet on Rue Joubert. Wine, salad and steak for me. Great food, and the all of the surrounding tables were filled with business men and women having long, wine filled lunches. We were too tired to do anything at all after shopping, so we did wine, bread, salad and cheese at the apartment. So fun to go shopping for food in Paris.

This is bubblywine's mom again, writing to pass on more information about the apartment. We rented a 1 bedroom in the northern part of the Marais for the 3 of us and it was perfect: www.myparisdream.com. It was across the street from the Arts et Metier stop on a block with several construction shops. They appeared to stock plaster and tiles and such and occasionally men with dollies would haul materials around. We liked being in a working neighborhood.

Just around the corner was a natural foods store and there were 2 Monoprix within blocks. We liked the proximity to the beaubourg, Rue Montorgueil, the Bastille and the Marais. Plenty of bakeries nearby, an ATM & flower shop on the corner - it was a very convenient location.

The apartment had a big living room/dining room/kitchen and a bedroom. The bathroom was sort of 'in' the bedroom - the vanity and shower tub were in the room w/ the bed. The first 5 minutes we thought it might prove difficult but after that, it was like one big chick pad. We'd hang out on the bed chatting while getting ready. It was a lot of fun.

The building was very old and we loved the winding staircase with the worn wooden treads. We were happy to stay there!

In a one bedroom where did you all sleep. Love the shopping and eating, keep up the good work.

Challiman - There was a bed, a sleeper couch and a couch cushion as big as a full-sized bed. We each had our own little nest (with mine nearest the door for the pan au chocolate fetching in the morning).

Day 5
Notre Dame was our first stop, and with no line to get up the bell tower, we had no choice but to make the grueling climb. The view was wonderful and midway up there was an exhibit. I liked all the Victor Hugo quotes from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Lunch was salad at Paul’s Bakery across from Hotel de Ville. We sat in the window and watched people. They had a skating rink set up where a few dozen kids were skating around and we stopped there to watch them a few times during the week because it was just so neat to watch.

That was followed by another visit to Printemps, this time seeking out linens in the Home Department (which, by the way, has its own building). Many tablecloths were purchased by DM and DF, along with boots for DM and a wonderful purple handbag for me.

We took the metro to the Eiffel Tower (what? no death march?) after our shopping adventure. We fully intended to go up for cocktails, but having failed to make reservations weren’t able to get in. So, instead we had a lovely evening walk around its base while dodging the guys selling mini keychain versions and long stemmed roses. In a terribly unusual move, we grabbed a cab back to the apartment.

Dinner was at Petit Picard – which we referred to as a miniature Star Trek themed joint. Ooh, I love this place. It is in the Marais on Rue Ste Croix la Bretonnerie, just off of Rue du Temple. I went for the prix fix: escargot wrapped in pastry, filet mignon and a chocolate something or other. All quite to die for.

It's really too bad you didn't enjoy the musuems in Brussels.

I LOVE the Royal Museum of Art in Brussels.

I've just read your "intro" blurb on this post and am already hooked...now I need to read the rest!

Thanks for posting!

Day 6
Visit to Gif sur Yvette

Musee d’Orsay for the impressionists, which I liked much better than the Louvre. Somehow the art was more approachable. In the evening we took the metro to a suburb to spend the night with the family of DM’s exchange student. They were a wonderful family and made a great Moroccan dish. DF was a little wigged out when the daughter took the veal bone and slurped out the marrow. I thought it looked delicious.

Day 7
The family we stayed with took us out to Versailles, which was charming, but not very memorable. Mostly we walked around the gardens, visited Petit Trianon and enjoyed the scenery.

Day 8
DF headed home early in the morning. We put her in a cab and wished her bon voyage. DM and I went to a beautiful mass at St Eustache - a really great organ and choral concert. Afterwards we roamed through the food market that ran along Rue Montorgueil and drooled over the pre-made foods. We had a lunch of couscous in the 5th at Restaurant La Soummam on Rue de Bievre. The portions were enormous.

We checked out the History of Paris Museum, which wasn’t terribly interesting. Also went to the Pompidou center, which I found to be ALL POMP AND NO DO. Disappointing but the views were great. Café des Musees for dinner again, but this time the steak frites wasn’t nearly as good. I had grand plans to watch the Superbowl that night at a Canadian bar on Ile Saint-Louis, but after the steak wasn’t feeling up for staying up all night (game started at midnight, would end around 4am).

YK- Me too. It is entirely possible that I just didn't go to the right ones since I was wandering around without a guidebook or any sense at all regarding where I was.

Day 9
A late morning, didn’t get out of the apartment until nearly 11. Our first stop was the Cluny Museum, which was wonderful. I had no idea that the unicorn tapestries were housed there. What a treat to stumble onto! The best part: it was FREE. Lunch was at Louis Vins in the 5th, a place we’d walked by before. I had pork cheeks in a lentil stew which was to die for.

After lunch it was a full on death march to Montparnasse Cemetery. My favorite find was a tomb where part of the corner had broken off so there was a six inch gap. It was just enough that I could stick my camera in to take a flash picture to see what the inside looked like. Dinner was at the apartment.

Hey Bubbly gal,

Thanks for posting the details of my 8 days in Paris. It's great to have a young mind to remember the details.

My favorite day was the one that we spent in Rheims. The Notre-Dame de Reims was simply the most spectacular building I've ever been in my life. Stunningly beautiful, and jaw dropping gorgeous stained glass. Really hard to fathom how they made this architectural wonder without modern tools. I even liked this cathedral better than Notre Dame in Paris. While we were there, it was virtually empty, which sort of added to the mystic of it.

I also really liked the Abbey of Saint-Remi. Lots of Roman artifacts, and the building itself is really warm and peaceful, lots of limestone floors, walls, and ceilings. Which makes it seem like its glowing inside. Very pleasing to the eye, and the artifacts were amazing. Once again, we were virutally alone while touring this place.

The Champagne house too was an adventure, lots of fun to tour their lovely, unique facility. I was glad that bubbly confessed her crow like tendency to waste not want not, although I will never forget the look of horror on the beautiful french woman's face when someone offered to willingly drink flat champagne. But hey young 20's seize every opportunity for alchohol, especially when they're traveling with a couple of middle age women.

All total we walked six miles in Rheims. We were hungry and exhausted when we got back to Paris, but it was worth every minute of our day to skip food for gorgeous buildings and good champagne!

I also loved the stores in Paris. Galleries Lafayette is such a beautiful store. Loved their wallets, handbags, linens, and lingerie. I have yet to see elsewhere the vast selection of each that they offered there.

It is really fun to travel with friends, who like to do similar things, as we all had the attitude of going with the flow, but willing to walk till we dropped. Of course it helped that DM and myself were allowed to sleep in while bubbly went and fetched our morning breakfast. To me that's an ideal arrangement!

It was also absolutely an advantage to travel with DM, who has been to Paris 3 or 4 times before. She was an expert at guiding us around, and navigating the subway system, which at some stops is downright crazy with hordes of people going full tilt to their destination. I think it's Chatelet or something like that, we referred to it as the Honeycomb, because we ended up 8 floors below ground, and had a heck of a time finding our way to the surface. I think 13 different lines merged at that one stop. Crazy!! We tried to avoid this stop if at all possible. Needless to say, I never let my friend's black hair out of my site for fear I'd spend the rest of my life stuck underground trying to figure out the Paris metro system!

If you go to France, do check out Rheims, that town is well worth the train fare to get there, I'd definitely like to go back there.

DF
PS- Also LOVED Musse D'Orsay, and seeing the Eiffel Tower in person was much better than I ever anticipated - really pretty at night!!!

Day 10
Night train to Venice

At this point my notes were growing fuzzy, so days will be a little briefer. This was our last day in Paris before we headed out on a 2 week trip to Italy. We went to check in to our hotel (Hotel Beausejour in the 11th) where we would be staying in two weeks, on our last night before going back to the states. Brilliantly, we realized we could leave a suitcase with all our Paris purchases as well as my summer/Kenya clothes. Somehow it did not occur to us to leave the giant basket for sorting rice that I’d picked up in Kenya. I proceeded to drag this thing all over Italy for the next two weeks. Oh well.

Near the hotel was a fantastic market. We got enough cheese to last the two of us for a full week, and bought anything that was labeled as “superb.” When asking the cheese lady which of two cheeses to choose she pointed at one, smiled and said quite plainly “ces’t superb!” We were sold. The vegetable guys were all wonderful and flirted like crazy with us in French. We smiled and nodded. Now about this cheese, it was really some of the best stuff I have ever tasted and we bought so much that a week later we still had some left.

We tried to have lunch at Dome du Marais, but thought the menu said something about pigeon hearts. Maybe that means something else (probably does), but we were scared, so back to Le Hangar. DM had the stroganoff again and I had some sort of shepherds pie with duck (DM says its Parmentier.) DM ordered a molten chocolate cake and I went for the orange and grand mariner crepe. After the last time at Le Hangar we had a new rule: we can’t both order the exact same thing.

At the apartment we finished packing and then headed to the station to take the night train to Venice. To recap what we decided to haul around Italy with us: DM’s rolling suitcase, my very small “overnight” bag (the extra suitcase was left at the hotel full of French stuff), our laptop bag, our big bag of food including the super fromage, purses and the giant Kenyan basket. We had a shared compartment with a friendly Italian couple. Plenty of chit chat, but we were worried our cheese would smell too stinky to open it up so we just had bread and wine for dinner.