April in Paris...with a Side of Bordeaux
Apr 26th, 2016, 07:33 AM
#21
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Day 3, 26 Avril 201:
Breakfast the usual continental combo one gets at non-luxury hotels. Although this one has an egg bath. The server automatically brings my grand cafe au lait.
I ran into or spied St. Sulpice 3 times in my walks yesterday and today. It is a gargantuan church and it was surrounded by young adults each time. Too bad I won't be here Sunday for organ recital but will visit the Delacroix works. Will see if rehearsal occurs during the week.
This a.m., armed with a better map, I walked to Le Bon Marche. I want to say La Samaritaine is older but not by much and possibly using different business plan.
LBM originally was a collection of vendors and some workers actually lived there. I am reading "Strapless"--About John Singer Sargent--and author suggests that married women used LBM as a place to arrange assignations. Author also says that Madame X hated her portrait from the gitgo. A note at Isabel Stewart museum from Madame to JSS says the opposite.
Anyhow, it took about 20 minutes and I thoroughly enjoyed watching chic Parisians shopping in this venerable department store. When DH and were here, we met the daughter of a friend at the Grand Epicerie of LBM so it brought a fond remembrance.
Oh, I saw the cutist tennis shoes. Covered with sequins in neat designs. Only 210 euros...
Back outside, I returned to Rue du Cherche Midi. Our old hotel sign not there, but a favorestaurant Le Petite Verdot is.
Breakfast the usual continental combo one gets at non-luxury hotels. Although this one has an egg bath. The server automatically brings my grand cafe au lait.
I ran into or spied St. Sulpice 3 times in my walks yesterday and today. It is a gargantuan church and it was surrounded by young adults each time. Too bad I won't be here Sunday for organ recital but will visit the Delacroix works. Will see if rehearsal occurs during the week.
This a.m., armed with a better map, I walked to Le Bon Marche. I want to say La Samaritaine is older but not by much and possibly using different business plan.
LBM originally was a collection of vendors and some workers actually lived there. I am reading "Strapless"--About John Singer Sargent--and author suggests that married women used LBM as a place to arrange assignations. Author also says that Madame X hated her portrait from the gitgo. A note at Isabel Stewart museum from Madame to JSS says the opposite.
Anyhow, it took about 20 minutes and I thoroughly enjoyed watching chic Parisians shopping in this venerable department store. When DH and were here, we met the daughter of a friend at the Grand Epicerie of LBM so it brought a fond remembrance.
Oh, I saw the cutist tennis shoes. Covered with sequins in neat designs. Only 210 euros...
Back outside, I returned to Rue du Cherche Midi. Our old hotel sign not there, but a favorestaurant Le Petite Verdot is.
Apr 26th, 2016, 07:41 AM
#22
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Sorry, kindle saved above before I finished last sentence above. The hotel is gone, but favorite is still there along with some of DH.
Back to hotel to find online a resto that invited. After writing this, taking a power nap, dinner will be at La Boussole. We shall see.
Back to hotel to find online a resto that invited. After writing this, taking a power nap, dinner will be at La Boussole. We shall see.
Apr 26th, 2016, 08:24 AM
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TDudette, getting my Paris fix but riding along with you. Second Nikki's suggestion of La Cerisae. We liked it so much we went two night during our last trip. It is not open on the weekends!! I hope you enjoy Giverny.
Apr 26th, 2016, 09:30 AM
#24
My first meal in Paris is:Confit de canard et pommes sautees et Mousse au chocolate. To drink, une verre de Cotes du Rhone AOC. 19.50 euros plus tip. >>
tres bien. That sounds like just the first meal i would want but I'd quite like a dozen oysters to start as well!
Regarding the weather, if it's any consolation it's cold here in Cornwall too due to a bitter north wind but sunny so if a sheltered spot can be found, it's ok. I hope that applies in Paris, but if not, it's a god excuse to go indoors and eat and drink.
I hope your second dinner is as good as the first - bon apertit!
tres bien. That sounds like just the first meal i would want but I'd quite like a dozen oysters to start as well!
Regarding the weather, if it's any consolation it's cold here in Cornwall too due to a bitter north wind but sunny so if a sheltered spot can be found, it's ok. I hope that applies in Paris, but if not, it's a god excuse to go indoors and eat and drink.
I hope your second dinner is as good as the first - bon apertit!
Apr 26th, 2016, 09:50 AM
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I suppose we're at a higher elevation here in Ménilmontant/Belleville, but we got snow showers 4 times today, including at the Place Beaubourg and the Forum des Halles and waiting for the 96 bus outside the Hôtel de Ville. In between the sky would clear up completely and the sun would come out. Incredibly weird. The wind was fierce at times.
We found shelter a few times for a hot chocolate, or coffee, or, at the last stop, a glass of rouge.
Have to brave going outside now again in the rain, either for a rotisserie chicken and potatoes or back to Les Entrepôts for one of their great-looking formules.
We found shelter a few times for a hot chocolate, or coffee, or, at the last stop, a glass of rouge.
Have to brave going outside now again in the rain, either for a rotisserie chicken and potatoes or back to Les Entrepôts for one of their great-looking formules.
Apr 26th, 2016, 09:54 PM
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TDuTwo
I'm just around the corner from you on Rue de Lille and Rue de Bac. It's lovely to see the sun this morning and hopefully won't have to wear my whole suitcase of clothes to stay warm. We are here until Saturday when we leave for a little town in Provence called Nove. So far the weather is warm but we will see.have a great stay!
I'm just around the corner from you on Rue de Lille and Rue de Bac. It's lovely to see the sun this morning and hopefully won't have to wear my whole suitcase of clothes to stay warm. We are here until Saturday when we leave for a little town in Provence called Nove. So far the weather is warm but we will see.have a great stay!
Apr 26th, 2016, 10:01 PM
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Bonjour Tdudette et al:
There were a few <i>flocons</i> yesterday here in the 5th, near the Luxembourg, where I’ve been hanging out the past week. Though I was actually strolling through Belleville & Menilmontant yesterday morning, and it was reasonably pleasant.
I’m not often drawn to the big museums, but I did make a special trip to the Orsay when I learned about the Rousseau exhibition there. Such an interesting guy -- I paired that little excursion with a visit to the Jardin des Plantes, where HR is said to have gotten much of his inspiration.
And yes, StCirq, it would vaux la peine to walk a mile through a blizzard for a poulet rôti and patates.
There were a few <i>flocons</i> yesterday here in the 5th, near the Luxembourg, where I’ve been hanging out the past week. Though I was actually strolling through Belleville & Menilmontant yesterday morning, and it was reasonably pleasant.
I’m not often drawn to the big museums, but I did make a special trip to the Orsay when I learned about the Rousseau exhibition there. Such an interesting guy -- I paired that little excursion with a visit to the Jardin des Plantes, where HR is said to have gotten much of his inspiration.
And yes, StCirq, it would vaux la peine to walk a mile through a blizzard for a poulet rôti and patates.
Apr 27th, 2016, 12:05 AM
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TDude, if you're reading this, there's an SNCF strike tomorrow that includes all the Aquitaine lines. I don't know if we'll make it home or not. The strike is supposed to last until at least 8 am Friday, so you may not get in or out of Bordeaux, either. Keep in touch. My email is StCirq at aol dot com. If you don't get through to me, I'll call the Majestique in Bordeaux and leave a message for you (assuming you've been able to get there).
PITA!
PITA!
Apr 27th, 2016, 06:20 AM
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I forgot to say the resto yesterday is Cafe 6. The duck confit was a thigh and leg. There was a non-descript salad and potatoes that looked like tater tots. The mousse was very nice if a tad dense. I gave the meal a B-.
Back to day 3: Rue Guisarde has scads of restos and no parking so many people in the street.
LOL, I made reservation for 9 not 7. Owner says "You must sit here for 2 hours"). To be consistent, I order magret de canard with sauce a fois gras and mashed fava beans. Owner promises I will love his chocolate molten cake and I do so he brings me vanilla icecream with pepper. This meal gets an A/A-. Just the right size meal and very good, but I doubt the fois!
As I return to my room, I pass Machon resto and make res for tomorrow. Back to room and I am still unable to understand the French on TV.
Tomorrow looks like a sunny day so I will try Giverny.
Bon soit!
Back to day 3: Rue Guisarde has scads of restos and no parking so many people in the street.
LOL, I made reservation for 9 not 7. Owner says "You must sit here for 2 hours"). To be consistent, I order magret de canard with sauce a fois gras and mashed fava beans. Owner promises I will love his chocolate molten cake and I do so he brings me vanilla icecream with pepper. This meal gets an A/A-. Just the right size meal and very good, but I doubt the fois!
As I return to my room, I pass Machon resto and make res for tomorrow. Back to room and I am still unable to understand the French on TV.
Tomorrow looks like a sunny day so I will try Giverny.
Bon soit!
Apr 27th, 2016, 07:15 AM
#32
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Make that bon soir!
Day 4, 27 Avril, 2017
Sunny but cold at 7 degrees this a.m.
Set alarm for 7 to eat, buy ticket and catch the 10:28 train from Gare St. Lazare. Guess who slept until 9? Oops. So I skip breakfast and walk over to cab stand at 9:45.
The taxi is a G7 someone else on Fodors has mentioned. I describe the train situation and driver says "can do"! Gare is huge and, imo, poorly marked. At 10:10 a.m., I am thinking the next train and, seeing no sign for billets, proceed to Info all the way at one end.
Voila one can buy tickets here. Take a number and clerk points to nearby doors and I make the trai with 2 minutes to spare.
Almost full train but an easy 45 minutes to Vernon where I share a cab with NYC couple and we beat the crowds on busses.
Day 4, 27 Avril, 2017
Sunny but cold at 7 degrees this a.m.
Set alarm for 7 to eat, buy ticket and catch the 10:28 train from Gare St. Lazare. Guess who slept until 9? Oops. So I skip breakfast and walk over to cab stand at 9:45.
The taxi is a G7 someone else on Fodors has mentioned. I describe the train situation and driver says "can do"! Gare is huge and, imo, poorly marked. At 10:10 a.m., I am thinking the next train and, seeing no sign for billets, proceed to Info all the way at one end.
Voila one can buy tickets here. Take a number and clerk points to nearby doors and I make the trai with 2 minutes to spare.
Almost full train but an easy 45 minutes to Vernon where I share a cab with NYC couple and we beat the crowds on busses.
Apr 27th, 2016, 07:44 AM
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Darn, I missed so many posts. Sorry.
Thanks for strike info. Front desk will let me know tomorrow and I will email you, StCirq, as soon as I know something.
For those of you in the area (or not), I am eating at 7 at Le Machon on 8 rue Guisarde. Come by if poss. I have white hair and a blue t shirt. Off to re-read above.
Thanks for strike info. Front desk will let me know tomorrow and I will email you, StCirq, as soon as I know something.
For those of you in the area (or not), I am eating at 7 at Le Machon on 8 rue Guisarde. Come by if poss. I have white hair and a blue t shirt. Off to re-read above.
Apr 27th, 2016, 07:50 AM
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TDuTwo, it's a general, national strike tomorrow - that means local transport, taxis, garbage collection, everything you can think of may be affected.
I'll email you my cell phone. I may be hard-pressed to get my laptop out to get email. Steve usually gets it on his iPAD for me, but sometimes it's delayed.
We may get stuck in Bordeaux together, which wouldn't be the end of the world!
I'll email you my cell phone. I may be hard-pressed to get my laptop out to get email. Steve usually gets it on his iPAD for me, but sometimes it's delayed.
We may get stuck in Bordeaux together, which wouldn't be the end of the world!
Apr 27th, 2016, 08:10 AM
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I will ask desk to call you or do it from room. I did not buy a phone. Do you think TGV will be affected as well???
I don't think I can get stuck for long outside of Paris. Although we could get into trouble together!
I don't think I can get stuck for long outside of Paris. Although we could get into trouble together!
Apr 27th, 2016, 08:58 AM
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I just read that only 1 in 2 TGVs heading SW from Paris will be running tomorrow. I have no idea how that will affect us, or you. I'm headed out for dinner soon, but will try to get updated information when I get back and send it to you.
