Beginning a Trip Report
Jan 5th, 2011 | 06:16 PM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15
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Beginning a Trip Report
DH and I spent a wonderful Christmas in Paris. Getting there was dicey, with winter delays all over Europe. And the cold was a shock. We have been living in the Southwest US for the past 12 years, we were just plain cold in 30 degree weather. We were prepared; packed boots, gloves, scarves, coats, hats and sweaters. The cold just seeps right under all that garb (I've earned my reputation as a weather wimp). But despite the winter, everything about Paris was wonderful.
So Continental did good by us: changed our flight on the way out to avoid our original layover in Frankfurt. And we arrived at CDG prior to the airport running out of de-icer for the outbound planes. Also on the good list: Paris Shuttle, Hotel de Vendome (more on that), a tour with Scott (Micheal Osman) and tour with Paris Muse. I'm going to write this report in parts, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned those items I booked in advance: I trusted other's recommendations both at Fodor's and other websites, ended up very pleased with my choices! Thank you to all for your opinions and posts!
We arrived and were at the Hotel before noon, and surprisingly, our room was ready. So off we went to explore. I have not been to Paris in 20 years, and it was DH's first trip. Despite the cold, and our extreme jet lag, we walked along the Rue de St. Honore, and thru the Place de Vendome, window shopping. The displays were gorgeous. I kept looking at the clothing, and DH couldn't help but marvel at how tight the cars were parked. I cannot remember the name of the cafe we finally ducked into - but it had "Hot Dogs" advertised in English on the menu board outside and that did the trick for DH
and he enjoyed his hot dog, but was jealous of my Croque Monsieur. After eating, the jet lag set in, and we gave in to the "nap". It actually helped, but limiting the time to 1.5 hours was helpful. Then we did something we never do in the states: We went into a department store on Christmas Eve, along with all the Parisians finishing up Christmas shopping. I was determined to get DH to brave the crowds so I could see the Christmas Decorations at Galleries Lafayette! And yes, it was worth it. Walking back from the store to our Hotel, we detoured down the Rue de Rivoli and into the 228 bar in the Hotel le Meurice. Now, if you are barfly, like us, you need to know that this bar is nice, cozy, not too crowded, impeccable service. Yes, we paid the price. But to us, well worth the service and surroundings. And after the cocktails, we were done for the night.
I'm going to continue this tomorrow... next up: our day tour with Scott.
So Continental did good by us: changed our flight on the way out to avoid our original layover in Frankfurt. And we arrived at CDG prior to the airport running out of de-icer for the outbound planes. Also on the good list: Paris Shuttle, Hotel de Vendome (more on that), a tour with Scott (Micheal Osman) and tour with Paris Muse. I'm going to write this report in parts, but I wanted to make sure I mentioned those items I booked in advance: I trusted other's recommendations both at Fodor's and other websites, ended up very pleased with my choices! Thank you to all for your opinions and posts!
We arrived and were at the Hotel before noon, and surprisingly, our room was ready. So off we went to explore. I have not been to Paris in 20 years, and it was DH's first trip. Despite the cold, and our extreme jet lag, we walked along the Rue de St. Honore, and thru the Place de Vendome, window shopping. The displays were gorgeous. I kept looking at the clothing, and DH couldn't help but marvel at how tight the cars were parked. I cannot remember the name of the cafe we finally ducked into - but it had "Hot Dogs" advertised in English on the menu board outside and that did the trick for DH
and he enjoyed his hot dog, but was jealous of my Croque Monsieur. After eating, the jet lag set in, and we gave in to the "nap". It actually helped, but limiting the time to 1.5 hours was helpful. Then we did something we never do in the states: We went into a department store on Christmas Eve, along with all the Parisians finishing up Christmas shopping. I was determined to get DH to brave the crowds so I could see the Christmas Decorations at Galleries Lafayette! And yes, it was worth it. Walking back from the store to our Hotel, we detoured down the Rue de Rivoli and into the 228 bar in the Hotel le Meurice. Now, if you are barfly, like us, you need to know that this bar is nice, cozy, not too crowded, impeccable service. Yes, we paid the price. But to us, well worth the service and surroundings. And after the cocktails, we were done for the night.I'm going to continue this tomorrow... next up: our day tour with Scott.
Jan 6th, 2011 | 03:25 AM
#4
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,654
Likes: 0
Christmas is really wonderful in Paris, isn't it? Those historic hotels are really special and I agree the service is impeccable...check on Hotel de Crillion sometime. I am going to check out Hotel de Meurice next time I am there. (Love the hot dog story, makes me feel a bit better about my Starbucks loving husband if you read my TR)>
Jan 6th, 2011 | 06:10 PM
#5
Original Poster
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
We started Christmas Eve at Angelina's. 10:00 am and I'm sipping on the richest cup of hot chocolate I have ever tasted, eating a Croque Madam. Even the waiter is joking with us about our diet. And I had no idea french macaroons were so delicious. No wonder they were in all the good chocolate shops. Too bad they don't keep long.
From all your posts, I booked a tour with Michael Osman. Scott was our guide and we really enjoyed our day! He was great, informative, funny and never lost our attention. It was rainy, snowy, blowing cold... and we made him walk for nearly 5 hours! I might also mention, he is a great photographer. I finally have a good picture of "us" together on vacation! December 24th is a great day to hop around Paris Museums. There were no crowds, no lines, no waiting. As we saw the "highlights" I will skip detail. I definitely recommend booking a tour with Michael or Scott. For my DH who loves history, Paris was more than buildings after that tour. It was the site of Kings and Queens, revolutions, beheadings, and military occupation. After dragging Scott thru Paris, we offered to warm up over a drink, and at his suggestion we went to the Hotel Costes. You really have to enter that Hotel to fully appreciate the decor. wow.
So on Chocolate and Alcohol, we ended up Christmas Eve shopping at Fauchon for little treats to take back to our Hotel and nibble on while catching the News in English.
Christmas day was stunningly sunny and clear, perfect for a long walk in the Jardin des Tuileries. We ended up at the Ritz for a simple lunch in the piano bar, and later that day spent Christmas dinner in Hemmingway's Bar (they make a pretty good slider!). So, if this really is the home of the Bloody Mary, the Texans have certainly improved on the original formula. Paris Bloody Mary's are bland and simple. Texans throw in spice, celery, olives, pickled beans and limes. We kick up our Mary's till your mouth tingles! Back to the bar itself, the staff is wonderful, the drinks were great; mine arrived with a flower, and the atmosphere is nice and cozy. Loved this place. (warning: sticker shock may set in after the bill arrives).
We took a tour of the Louvre with Paris Muse. It was another Fodorite recommendation. I liked the idea that an American Student was earning extra cash by utilizing their studies. And Jessica was a wealth of knowledge, articulate, funny and really knows her way around the museum. I think I may still be lost in there if she wasn't leading the way. And I never thought she could hold DH's attention for over 2 hours in an art museum, but she did. It was the history angle again. Kudos to her and the tour.
That night we tromped up to Harry's New York Bar. I did mention we were barflys... And I must be offending the foodies. Sliders at Hemmingway's, and Steamed Red Hots (Hot Dogs) at Harry's. A bloody mary at Harry's is worse than at Hemmingways... Stick with beer here. Cozy bar, great service (again), we hung out here and tried to see if we could come up with a school that didn't have a pennant on the wall.
The next day was our last. We walked from Place Vendome thru the park to the Orangerie and on to the Eiffel Tower. At the Orangerie I realized that it was okay to miss the Monet exhibit at the Grand Palais. DH does not appreciate impressionism. He simply said that if he had commissioned the paintings, Monet would not have been paid. Once at the Eiffel Tower, we had to laugh at all the mini Eiffelvilles set up by the vendors. Little towns of multicolored Eiffel Towers. Neither myself of DH is fond of heights, or being so cold that you become a human icicle. So we left the mobs of people waiting to climb or ride up to the top of the Tower and walked along Rue St. Dominique back thru the gardens to the Louvre (where I was able to catch the setting sun in the park, lovely). Finally we booked a hired car for an evening tour of the city. I was set on a river trip until I realized how cold it was at night. So I settled on a driving tour. The concierge at the Hotel de Vendome was so helpful in finding us something at the last minute. We had a nice tour and were able to linger at the Tower to watch the twinkling lights at the hour, and drove down the Champs Elysee, and past the Grand Magazines. It was a lovely end to a wonderful, although short, trip.
Don't let me bore you with the trip home - thankfully we made it through Newark and on home. Our baggage was only 24 hours behind us. And for all you travelers going through CDG: The suggestion that you arrive 3 hours early for your flight is completely dependent on your flight time. If you have a morning flight, you may want to call ahead to see 1) when the ticket counter opens and 2) how many flights depart around the same time as your flight. We arrived to a closed continental counter, and continental only had 2 flights out that morning so there were no lines.
I love Paris, so does DH, and we are already talking about going back next year in the spring so we can really walk through the neighborhoods and get a more intimate feel for this beautiful city. Thanks for reading and Bonne Nuit.
From all your posts, I booked a tour with Michael Osman. Scott was our guide and we really enjoyed our day! He was great, informative, funny and never lost our attention. It was rainy, snowy, blowing cold... and we made him walk for nearly 5 hours! I might also mention, he is a great photographer. I finally have a good picture of "us" together on vacation! December 24th is a great day to hop around Paris Museums. There were no crowds, no lines, no waiting. As we saw the "highlights" I will skip detail. I definitely recommend booking a tour with Michael or Scott. For my DH who loves history, Paris was more than buildings after that tour. It was the site of Kings and Queens, revolutions, beheadings, and military occupation. After dragging Scott thru Paris, we offered to warm up over a drink, and at his suggestion we went to the Hotel Costes. You really have to enter that Hotel to fully appreciate the decor. wow.
So on Chocolate and Alcohol, we ended up Christmas Eve shopping at Fauchon for little treats to take back to our Hotel and nibble on while catching the News in English.
Christmas day was stunningly sunny and clear, perfect for a long walk in the Jardin des Tuileries. We ended up at the Ritz for a simple lunch in the piano bar, and later that day spent Christmas dinner in Hemmingway's Bar (they make a pretty good slider!). So, if this really is the home of the Bloody Mary, the Texans have certainly improved on the original formula. Paris Bloody Mary's are bland and simple. Texans throw in spice, celery, olives, pickled beans and limes. We kick up our Mary's till your mouth tingles! Back to the bar itself, the staff is wonderful, the drinks were great; mine arrived with a flower, and the atmosphere is nice and cozy. Loved this place. (warning: sticker shock may set in after the bill arrives).
We took a tour of the Louvre with Paris Muse. It was another Fodorite recommendation. I liked the idea that an American Student was earning extra cash by utilizing their studies. And Jessica was a wealth of knowledge, articulate, funny and really knows her way around the museum. I think I may still be lost in there if she wasn't leading the way. And I never thought she could hold DH's attention for over 2 hours in an art museum, but she did. It was the history angle again. Kudos to her and the tour.
That night we tromped up to Harry's New York Bar. I did mention we were barflys... And I must be offending the foodies. Sliders at Hemmingway's, and Steamed Red Hots (Hot Dogs) at Harry's. A bloody mary at Harry's is worse than at Hemmingways... Stick with beer here. Cozy bar, great service (again), we hung out here and tried to see if we could come up with a school that didn't have a pennant on the wall.
The next day was our last. We walked from Place Vendome thru the park to the Orangerie and on to the Eiffel Tower. At the Orangerie I realized that it was okay to miss the Monet exhibit at the Grand Palais. DH does not appreciate impressionism. He simply said that if he had commissioned the paintings, Monet would not have been paid.
Once at the Eiffel Tower, we had to laugh at all the mini Eiffelvilles set up by the vendors. Little towns of multicolored Eiffel Towers. Neither myself of DH is fond of heights, or being so cold that you become a human icicle. So we left the mobs of people waiting to climb or ride up to the top of the Tower and walked along Rue St. Dominique back thru the gardens to the Louvre (where I was able to catch the setting sun in the park, lovely). Finally we booked a hired car for an evening tour of the city. I was set on a river trip until I realized how cold it was at night. So I settled on a driving tour. The concierge at the Hotel de Vendome was so helpful in finding us something at the last minute. We had a nice tour and were able to linger at the Tower to watch the twinkling lights at the hour, and drove down the Champs Elysee, and past the Grand Magazines. It was a lovely end to a wonderful, although short, trip.Don't let me bore you with the trip home - thankfully we made it through Newark and on home. Our baggage was only 24 hours behind us. And for all you travelers going through CDG: The suggestion that you arrive 3 hours early for your flight is completely dependent on your flight time. If you have a morning flight, you may want to call ahead to see 1) when the ticket counter opens and 2) how many flights depart around the same time as your flight. We arrived to a closed continental counter, and continental only had 2 flights out that morning so there were no lines.
I love Paris, so does DH, and we are already talking about going back next year in the spring so we can really walk through the neighborhoods and get a more intimate feel for this beautiful city. Thanks for reading and Bonne Nuit.
