We recently returned from a really wonderful 10 day trip...4 nights in Paris, 2 nights in Amboise, 2 night in Honfleur, and 1 night in Ermenonville which is just outside CDG airport prior to our flight home. I will report on all of it but will start with my first love, Paris:

Paris:
Everyone said that more time should be given to Paris and I should have listened! I was comparing this trip to Italy when we spent 4 night in Rome which we felt was enough for that trip, but this was not the case with Paris! There is so much to see and we really would have liked at least a few extra nights here before moving on. It is just a gorgeous city and in my opinion needs to be experience over a longer period of time so it can be enjoyed the way it is meant to be. If I were to go back (and I hope I do!) I would rent an apartment and stay at least a week.

We are not big planners at all and had nothing more than a few restaurants jotted down (no reservations) and our guide book. We opted to dine casually in Paris because we knew in Amboise and Honfleur we would be dining a bit more formally. This mixed it up a bit and also saved us some money. We also dine out a lot at home so we were not itching for the dining out experience on vacation. This worked pretty well for us.

Here's how it went:

First day Paris-Sleeping through the day and the magical feel of Paris in the evening:

We arrived very tired after our overnight flight from NY after very little sleep on the plane. We had thought about taking the RER to our hotel (Villa D'Estrees) but once we got to the airport it was so easy to take a taxi so we decided to do that. Getting out of the airport was a breeze and the ride to our hotel was uneventful (or maybe we were too out of it to realize otherwise!)

We stayed in Villa D'Estrees on the border of the 5th and 6th and I've reported about my experience w/the hotel on Tripadvisor. Our room was not ready on arrival but would be in 30 minutes so we took a quick walk around the area. We were hungry and there was a lot of street food and it smelled great but not knowing the language and what things were was very overwhelming to us upon arrival, particularly after no sleep! We opted to get some sandwiches as this we could handle, one goat cheese and walnut and the other a salami and...is this butter? (it was...and it was good!). We brought them back to our room when we checked in and enjoyed them there.

Now I know this is where some of you may be disappointed...but we then took a good 4 hour nap. Unlike some who try to stay awake the first day this has never been my philosophy. I value sleep and being well rested, particularly on vacation! After waking I got ready and my husband went next door to the Irish Pub for a few pints of Guinness while I did so. I know, we are in Paris and starting the trip at an Irish pub! When I was ready I joined him for a few pints and then we ventured out into the night. It eased us in to the evening that was to follow and we enjoyed some much better Guinness than we have tasted in the States.

We left the pub and while my husband thought maybe we should eat nearby as it was getting late, I was ready to venture out and he was game. We crossed the Ile St Louis and into Marais and just wandered around a bit which I always enjoy. We then got hungry and I consulted our map to see if we could find L'as Du Falafel which I had heard great things about. We didn't find it and I found out the next day it was closed the day we were looking for it. It was pretty late at this point and little was open but we came across a falafel place called Chez Hanna which was hopping! There were people flooding the streets waiting on line to take food away and some people at tables. We took this as a good sign and opted to sit inside. This was some easy first day ordering for us non-French speaking people and it was also very tasty! We ordered a falafel speciale and wine and devoured it! Very enjoyable and completely hit the spot. Highly recommended. We then walked by a gelato place and got a few cones. Walking with them around Paris lit up at night was a joy. I felt right at home...it was just liked we lived there. We walked by Notre Dame lit up at night which was just beautiful and stopped on a bench to watch some rollerbladers in action. They were amazing! They set up small cones and zig zagged their feet through them. This was the first time I found rollerblading cool! We hung out for a while here watching them skate and then walked along the river and returned to the hotel.

Day Two-Notre Dame and Paris in the rain:
A very late start (we rose at 1:30!) and an overcast drizzly day. We got some crepes and then waited on line to climb the towers of Notre Dame. The views from here were really great and my husband took many, many pictures. We then went inside Notre Dame and I was moved by all the lit candles and thought immediately of my grandfather who I recently lost. After Notre Dame we just did more wandering around the streets of Paris, but after a while I was feeling quite damp and in need of a warm bath so we returned to the hotel so I could do just that. Dinner that night was at little casual Italian place I had read about here. Food was good....I had a very nice lasagne which was a comforting end to the day.

Day 3-Paris via Scooter:
My husband suggested when we woke up that we rent bikes or a scooter. Being somewhat lazy , I suggested a scooter. This was a great experience. It was a beautiful day and it allowed us to see a lot more than we would have been able to on foot. We drove over to Marais first (we seemed to gravitate towards this area and I would probably stay here if we returned) and wandered around looking for a place to have lunch. We settled for a bistro which was nothing special and ordered a cheese plate and some wine. After wandering around some more after eating, we jumped back on the scooter and headed over to the Eiffel Tower. We didn't go up but just viewed it from the street. We scooted around Paris some more, got a little lost, and returned to the hotel. We then freshened up a bit and went to dinner at L'Enoteca wine bar back in Marais. Good wine but food was not great, I can't recommend it here. After dinner we went to Ile St Louis to get ice cream but I wasn't feeling great, so we decided to skip the ice cream and head toward the Eiffel Tower to see it at night. The night view was much more impressive to me...I sat in front of it and said to my husband "I can't believe we are in Paris looking at the Eiffel Tower". It was pretty amazing and I felt pretty lucky to be there, which I often said to my husband throughout the trip. It did its twinkling thing, then turned off for the night. We caught it just in time. The architecture in Paris is really amazing but I find it even more amazing at night. We passed by the Grand Palais on our way to the tower and the way it was lit up was just beautiful.

Day 4: We woke and my husband said he wanted to keep the scooter an extra day. He left me at the hotel to get ready and went to the scooter place and was gone quite a while. As I started to get nervous he returned very frustrated as he got very lost on his way to the scooter place, then got stuck in traffic, only to find out they were closed. He thought they were closed for the day but I explained to him they must have just closed for lunch. I read the receipt and saw they reopened at 2. It was only a few minutes after 2 when my husband returned to the hotel and he was less than pleased. I decided maybe it was time we just return the scooter as it seemed not to be in the cards for us and so that's what we did. We then hit a bistro in the 1st and again had a cheese plate (I could live on cheese alone), a quiche, and of course wine. Everything was very enjoyable and the staff was very nice here. This was the first time we really just hung out and spent a lot of time at a bistro not wondering what we were going to do next which was nice. However...we then tried to go to Saint Chapelle but just as we got to the gate they closed it. I was very sad as I heard the loud crashing sound of the gate right in front of me knowing it was my last day here. My husband assured me we would go back tomorrow morning but I was pouting and a little cranky. We returned to the hotel and I took a soak in the tub which always improves my mood.

We had made a reservation earlier in the day for Chez Denise based on the great things we had heard about it, but we were not really hungry for our early reservation after our long lunch. Instead we wandered around a bit and were going to see some jazz at Caveau de Hauchette as I had read what I thought was a Django tribute was playing there that night and we are big fans of gypsy jazz. But the streets were very, very crowded here (as they always are in this area) and at the time I was in the mood for something a bit more mellow. We decided to head over to Fish Wine Bar in the 6th for dinner. This had been recommended on this board and we had some nice wine here and then stayed for dinner. Food was good, dessert was especially enjoyable and I'm not really a big dessert person. After dinner, we then went to check out the second set of jazz at Caveau de Hauchette. This was an experience! Unlike NYC where most of the time everyone just sits and quietly watches the musicians, here everyone sits around a dance floor and as soon as the music starts, they grab a partner and dance! And they can really dance! Young and old, everyone danced with one another. I felt like I was back in the 1930s! It was so entertaining we wound up staying for the 3rd set as well and by the time we left the street had really emptied out. It was a great experience...I only wish we knew how to dance like them! The musicians were really good also. Not gypsy jazz really (more swing) but very good.

Last day-Paris: We left our luggage at the hotel when we checked out and walked to our rental car in the 7th. It was nice to be able to walk along the Seine and take in a bit more before leaving. We had some trouble finding our Eurocar rental place but my husband asked someone who helped us locate it. We then returned to the hotel grabbed our luggage, and decided to park and have lunch before heading to Amboise. Unfortunately we had miserable food at L'Atlas which is a bistro in the 6th. I had confused the name of it w/a restaurant I had read about. Food was bad and our waiter was less than pleasant. We picked things up by ordering gelato after the meal and then headed off to Amboise....

If I get back to Paris, I would probably stay in a different area as where we stayed as super touristy and it was a bit too hectic on certain streets there for me. I would probably stay in Marais as this seemed to be just as well located and we liked the feel of this area better.

Travel3773, I'm enjoying your trip report so far. Thanks!

In all our times to Paris we have never rented a scooter. That sounds like fun, where did you rent it and how much? Thanks

We rented the scooter from Freescoot. They have a website: www.freescoot.com We rented it from the one in the 5th at 63 quai de la Tournelle which is a right along the Seine. It cost $55 Euros for 24 hours and for us it was well worth it. Just make sure to fill it up w/gas when you return it; we were just short (because my husband got lost) and they hit us with another $10 Euro charge. The staff was very pleasant...we speak little French and did not have a problem.

Please keep posting, I can't wait to hear about Rome.

Never mind about Rome, but do keep going on about France.

Yoour report is fine BUT you had resrvation at Chez Denis and didn't show.
That is rude, someone could have those seats or did I misunderstand you?

travel13773,
We are in Paris right now and are staying in a beautiful, large apt in Marias. We love this area-notice few tourists and is not too crowded (one evening the streets were filled w/locals and it was
SO much fun!). I loved your idea of renting a scooter, looked at the link but we've decided we'd be way too dangerous on the road, lol!!!

Parisnewbie...If there is info on the apt you are staying in and you wouldn't minding posting the info here that would be great! I did love that area.

Cigalechanta...We cancelled the dinner reservation when we decided not to go.

Amboise: After leaving Paris we headed to Amboise for two nights. We arrived around 6PM at Manoir Les Minimes. The place is as lovely as everyone says it is, as is the staff. It is just immaculate. We splurged and booked the suite and were happy we did...it had a living area with many windows overlooking the hotel grounds as well as the Loire River and was just lovely. It had a separate bedroom and a very large bath with a large soaking tub and separate stand up shower. As with Villa D'Estrees I've posted more details about the place on Tripadvisor.

The room is so lovely I decided to settle in for another bath, so back in the tub I go and this one is a winner. Really large and lots of bath stuff to go with it...bath salts, etc. My husband ventures into town to check it out while I enjoy some time alone. He returns with local cheeses he picked up at the cheese shop in town (a blue and a goat) as well as a bottle of local wine. Everything was excellent, particularly the blue cheese. He asked for some "Petite Formage" and the woman gave him these two to try. I would definitely recommend checking out the shop. I believe there is only one in town. We find out as we are chowing down on everything that the hotel info on the table in our living area says there should be no "picnics" in the room and now we are feeling like we are going to get in trouble.

After all the cheese we weren't particularly very hungry for dinner but we walked around town and stopped at a little Italian place in town (Italian again!) and sat in the garden in the back which was nice. I had a good spaghetti bolognese and my husband had an even nicer baked pasta dish with chunks of ham. There were a lot of little bugs flying around in the back as there were throught the town but we didn't mind them much. It was interesing how many there were though! The prices were very reasonable. It is one of two Italian places on the main street in town...I can post the name later.

Day 6-Amboise and Villandry: We decide to have breakfast at the hotel so we can get an earlier start on our day than we had been in Paris! We enjoyed a simple breakfast of croissants, coffee in tea in the hotel's very pretty dining room. However for the price I would recommend skipping it if you stay here and eating in town instead. We just used it to get us out of bed a bit earlier than we had been. We then went to see the Chateau Amboise and this was a really enjoyable experience! The grounds are well kept and we really enjoyed the views of Amboise from here. It is pretty amazing that what is left is just a small fraction of what the chateau originally was. We also found the story about the history of Amboise quite interesting and tragic...how over 1000 people were hung in this town. This stayed with me and I thought of it often as we walked through the streets of the town during our visit.

We then went to check out the former home of DaVinci which was also interesting but we enjoyed the experience at the Chateau even more.

We decided then to hit the road and check out the chateau and gardens at Villandry. The gardens are pretty spectacular here and we both enjoyed this experience a great deal. We took many pictures here but they just didn't do the massive gardens justice. Definitely worth the trip.

We then headed back to the hotel and got ready for dinner. A tip for the ladies here....none of the hotels we stayed in had conditioner so bring it w/you. They had plenty of shampoo but no conditioner! My hair was in pretty sad shape at this point in the trip. My husband suggested I take a bath and he would venture into town with the quest of finding some conditioner for me. Armed with his phrasebook the kind soul went into the local hair salon and asked for whatever "after shampooing" is in French. When he came back w/a bottle of it, even after telling me he spent many, many Euros on it, he was my hero!

We had a dinner reservation at Pavillion des Lys which is a hotel in town. Upon arrival we were asked if we wanted to have a cocktail and sit outside, which we did. We enjoyed some champagne before heading in for dinner. It was a pretty place and we had many, many courses at the dinner. While the food was not great, it was enjoyable. The staff was quite on top of everything and we felt well taken care of. After dinner we were asked if we wanted to have coffee/tea back outside, which we did...and sitting in the garden in the great weather under the moonlight sky was a nice end to this evening.

Day 7: We walk into town for some lunch (a nice omelette and sandwich) then are very sad to leave the hotel. My husband goes around the hotel and takes some pictures for me which I find out he did for me after we return. We then hit the road and head in the car for our long treck to the coast-Honfleur.

We love Honfleur, looking forward to the next chapter,

Enjoying your report...

I think the bathroom at Les Minimes was the nicest on our whole trip. Hope the dog is still there.

attn: travel3773--we will staying at the sister hotel of Villa d'Estrees(Residence des Arts). Did you happen to check it out? We are very familiar with the area as have stayed near there several times but never paid any attention to these two properties.