Just returned from our Paris & Italy trip!
May 23rd, 2005, 08:01 AM
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Just returned from our Paris & Italy trip!
We just arrived on Friday from our Paris & Italy Honeymoon...I'm still exhausted!
I wanted to say THANK YOU to all the fodorites who have helped me out so much over the past few months...so here's my brief trip report:
DAY 1: Miami-Paris - Wednesday, May 4 -
We left MIA at 6:30pm and arrived at CDG at 9:30am
I wanted to say THANK YOU to all the fodorites who have helped me out so much over the past few months...so here's my brief trip report:
DAY 1: Miami-Paris - Wednesday, May 4 -
We left MIA at 6:30pm and arrived at CDG at 9:30am
May 23rd, 2005, 10:17 AM
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Sorry- I just wrote like 2 pages worth of info (my whole 4 days in Paris) & when I went to post my reply, this is all that showed up! I'll try to write it up again. SO SORRY!!! I'm still jet-lagged!!!
May 23rd, 2005, 11:19 AM
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Well, here I go again:
Some things you should know about us:
1) This was our honeymoon (my husband’s father gave the trip to us as a wedding present).
2) We did have to pay for our meals and daily transportation (Only the hotels and flights were paid for by his father). So we did try to budget as best we could…all our breakfasts were pre-paid at our hotels and we tried to eat quick lunches on the go (no sitting down at cafes) and then splurge a bit for dinner.
3) We are both 30 years old. I am Cuban-American, so I am fluent in Spanish and English. My husband is Cuban-French-American (his dad is French) and is fluent in Spanish and English too. We bought French & Italian “Learn To Speak” CDs and practiced for months before our trip. We also took along conversational dictionaries on our trip. We made EVERY effort possible to speak their language!
4) I have been to Italy (Venice, Florence, & Rome) once before (15 years ago for my 15th birthday) and never to France. My husband has been to Paris (8 years ago) and never to Italy.
DAY 1 & 2 – MIAMI to PARIS – Wednesday, May 4 & Thursday, May 5
We left Miami at 6:30pm & flew to Paris via AA. We had 1st row coach (bulkhead!!!), so we had a lot of leg room. We arrived to Paris & caught the bus that takes you to the Champs-Elysees metro stop. We bought a 4 day metro pass (we sure did get our money’s worth --- we used it all the time) & headed to our hotel in the Eiffel Tower area. We stayed at the Duquesne Hotel across from the Ecole Militare. The hotel was quaint and clean, and the staff was helpful. Our room was spacious, with clean bathrooms and a comfortable bed (even though it was 2 twins put together…as usual in Europe). The best was our view…our window opened up to a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower!
We unpacked & headed out toward the Eiffel Tower…we walked through residential areas and it only took us 10 minutes. The gardens and lawn around the Eiffel Tower were very nice…gorgeous flowers and green grassy areas with people lounging around. We arrived at the Tower…how massive! It’s so imposing. We decided not to go up (the lines were enormous & it was freezing!). We headed over to the Siene to find out the river cruise schedules. We chose one for 8:30pm (thanks to a fellow fodorite who suggested taking it at that hour). We walked toward the Trocadero Fountains, but they were off, so we headed to the Champs-Elysees Avenue via the Avenue Montaigne. We ate lunch at a side café (2 sandwiches – baguette, ham, cheese, butter, 1 water, & 1 coffee).
{***Side Note = I am a coffee lover! I did not find 1 decent cup of coffee anywhere in Paris (not at the airport, at nice bistros or cafes, or corner shops). I was so desperate that I even went into McDonalds to see if I had better luck with their coffee…NOPE. By the way, I tried all kinds, espresso, cappuccino, regular coffee with cream…nothing! But I must admit, they do have some of the best Hot Chocolate I’ve ever had…this made me feel better!}
We then walked to the Arc de Triomphe & they were having a WWII Veteran’s Memorial ceremony…it was a lovely and touching tribute. It was getting late, so we headed back toward the Siene & caught our river cruise at 8:30pm. It was still light out & it gave us a fabulous view of the city. We went from the Eiffel Tower (where we embarked) & up the Siene, around the Ile de la Cite, and back to the Eiffel Tower. As we were returning, it was night and the Eiffel Tower was lit up and the lights began to flicker. It was spectacular! What a great 1st day/night in Paris. We walked to our hotel and stopped along the way to grab a bite to eat (nothing special…just a quick sandwich on the go…we were more tired than hungry).
DAY 2 – PARIS – Friday, May 6
We had breakfast at our hotel (included in the price) and it wasn’t’ as bad as I had expected…we had: eggs, ham, cheese, breads, warm croissants, delicious preserves/jams, a fabulous cream chesse, cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, and grapefruit juice. It was a very nice start to our day. We walked out of the hotel & it was raining (drizzling, really) so we ran over to a small market on the corner & bought bread, ham, cheese, wine, and chocolate for lunch later. We put the items in our backpack & headed out to the Hotel des Invalides. We then decided to go to Notre Dame (hoping the rain would clear up).
We took the metro & when we came up from the metro stop, the rain had cleared & the skies were blue! We walked over the bridge to Notre Dame where we stood in line for only 10 minutes (it went by quick, even though the line was so long that it ended near the street). It gave us time to read up on Notre Dame and the works of art, as well as the architecture. The church was stunning! It gorgeous…inside and out. After spending about 45 minutes inside, we walked around the church to the park in the back…what a great park!!! Tons of benches with beautiful trees, a fountain with a statue and tons of birds everywhere. We sat down & made our sandwiches & drank some wine (AND there was a jazz band playing on the street in back of us, so we had entertainment…could it get any better than this?).
We went to the Palais de Justice, St. Chapelle, and the Pantheon. We enjoyed the Latin Quarter & St. Germain des Pres…just walked around and enjoyed the scenery. It was getting late, so we found a bistro by our hotel (I forgot the name…if anyone is interested, let me know). The food was not good at all & the service was worse, but at least we had a whole bottle of wine to drink! That made it all more tolerable. =)
DAY 4 – PARIS – Saturday, May 7
Woke up early and had our hotel breakfast…same as the previous day & just as satisfying. We took the metro to The Louvre & bought our tickets for the museum and the Highlights Tour in English at 11:30am. The tour was fabulous…such a great idea (another fellow Fodorite suggested it). It lasted about 90 minutes & our guide was a sweet British woman who sounded out all her words slowly and clearly. It was great…we saw the main items (including Mona herself) and had time to see other things on our free time. Then we went to Angelina’s for their famous hot chocolate. We waited in line for 15 minutes & were seated upstairs. We ordered hot chocolate, water, and shared a Monsieur Croquet (I’m sure my spelling is off). It was delicious, all of it, and being able to sit down & rest also made it worth it.
We went to the Tuileries Gardens (not much greenery --- maybe it was too cold still) and then to the Place de la Concorde. Then we went to Montmartre (by metro), got off at Pigale & walked up to Sacre Coeur (no fornicular). Needless to say, we were out of breath, but we enjoyed the walk. The views from the hilltop were magnificent. We took pictures & then went into the church. It was lovely and quiet compared to the steps outside. We were hungry, so we found a place around the corner from the church, by the square where all the painters and cafes are. We had beef stew & wine & we were good to go.
Besides the church and the view, I really didn’t care too much for the area…too touristy for me (I know all of Paris is touristy, but this wasn’t as pleasant to me). We walked back down & walked over to Moulin Rouge. I would have liked to have seen a show, but my husband says they are over-rated (his dad took him to Crazy Horse in Paris about 8 years ago). Also, it was very expensive to see the show (way over our daily budget), so we passed on it. Who knows, maybe some other day! We ate dinner at a lovely café by our hotel and called it a night.
DAY 5 – PARIS – Sunday, May 8 –
It was our last day in Paris, so we wanted to see as much as possible. We had our usual hotel breakfast & then headed out to the Luxembourg Gardens (totally fabulous!!! LOVED IT!!!). If we ever return to Paris, this is where we’ll stay. It felt so homey…and the gardens were magnificent…very conducive for running/jogging, or lounging about. Later, we headed over to Les Marais and the Pompidou area (didn’t go in, just walked around & went to the Stravinsky fountain. We ate delicious crepes and hot chocolate. We went to the Champs-Elysees Avenue to have some dinner (many things were closed on Sunday evening and we knew this avenue would have many options for us).
After dinner at Quick Burger (I know this sounds absurd, but our entire time in Paris, we kept laughing about the Quick Burger and how it must be the French version of McDonalds, so we had to try it at some point). It wasn’t half bad…I actually liked it much better than McDonalds.
To end our day, we walked to the Grand Palais (my husband’s great-great-great-great (who knows how far back)-grandfather was president of France & the Grand Palais has a plaque with his name on it. We walked over the Pont Alexandre (my husband’s name) and headed to our hotel to pack.
***VENICE, FLORENCE & ROME to follow***
Some things you should know about us:
1) This was our honeymoon (my husband’s father gave the trip to us as a wedding present).
2) We did have to pay for our meals and daily transportation (Only the hotels and flights were paid for by his father). So we did try to budget as best we could…all our breakfasts were pre-paid at our hotels and we tried to eat quick lunches on the go (no sitting down at cafes) and then splurge a bit for dinner.
3) We are both 30 years old. I am Cuban-American, so I am fluent in Spanish and English. My husband is Cuban-French-American (his dad is French) and is fluent in Spanish and English too. We bought French & Italian “Learn To Speak” CDs and practiced for months before our trip. We also took along conversational dictionaries on our trip. We made EVERY effort possible to speak their language!
4) I have been to Italy (Venice, Florence, & Rome) once before (15 years ago for my 15th birthday) and never to France. My husband has been to Paris (8 years ago) and never to Italy.
DAY 1 & 2 – MIAMI to PARIS – Wednesday, May 4 & Thursday, May 5
We left Miami at 6:30pm & flew to Paris via AA. We had 1st row coach (bulkhead!!!), so we had a lot of leg room. We arrived to Paris & caught the bus that takes you to the Champs-Elysees metro stop. We bought a 4 day metro pass (we sure did get our money’s worth --- we used it all the time) & headed to our hotel in the Eiffel Tower area. We stayed at the Duquesne Hotel across from the Ecole Militare. The hotel was quaint and clean, and the staff was helpful. Our room was spacious, with clean bathrooms and a comfortable bed (even though it was 2 twins put together…as usual in Europe). The best was our view…our window opened up to a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower!
We unpacked & headed out toward the Eiffel Tower…we walked through residential areas and it only took us 10 minutes. The gardens and lawn around the Eiffel Tower were very nice…gorgeous flowers and green grassy areas with people lounging around. We arrived at the Tower…how massive! It’s so imposing. We decided not to go up (the lines were enormous & it was freezing!). We headed over to the Siene to find out the river cruise schedules. We chose one for 8:30pm (thanks to a fellow fodorite who suggested taking it at that hour). We walked toward the Trocadero Fountains, but they were off, so we headed to the Champs-Elysees Avenue via the Avenue Montaigne. We ate lunch at a side café (2 sandwiches – baguette, ham, cheese, butter, 1 water, & 1 coffee).
{***Side Note = I am a coffee lover! I did not find 1 decent cup of coffee anywhere in Paris (not at the airport, at nice bistros or cafes, or corner shops). I was so desperate that I even went into McDonalds to see if I had better luck with their coffee…NOPE. By the way, I tried all kinds, espresso, cappuccino, regular coffee with cream…nothing! But I must admit, they do have some of the best Hot Chocolate I’ve ever had…this made me feel better!}
We then walked to the Arc de Triomphe & they were having a WWII Veteran’s Memorial ceremony…it was a lovely and touching tribute. It was getting late, so we headed back toward the Siene & caught our river cruise at 8:30pm. It was still light out & it gave us a fabulous view of the city. We went from the Eiffel Tower (where we embarked) & up the Siene, around the Ile de la Cite, and back to the Eiffel Tower. As we were returning, it was night and the Eiffel Tower was lit up and the lights began to flicker. It was spectacular! What a great 1st day/night in Paris. We walked to our hotel and stopped along the way to grab a bite to eat (nothing special…just a quick sandwich on the go…we were more tired than hungry).
DAY 2 – PARIS – Friday, May 6
We had breakfast at our hotel (included in the price) and it wasn’t’ as bad as I had expected…we had: eggs, ham, cheese, breads, warm croissants, delicious preserves/jams, a fabulous cream chesse, cookies, coffee, hot chocolate, orange juice, and grapefruit juice. It was a very nice start to our day. We walked out of the hotel & it was raining (drizzling, really) so we ran over to a small market on the corner & bought bread, ham, cheese, wine, and chocolate for lunch later. We put the items in our backpack & headed out to the Hotel des Invalides. We then decided to go to Notre Dame (hoping the rain would clear up).
We took the metro & when we came up from the metro stop, the rain had cleared & the skies were blue! We walked over the bridge to Notre Dame where we stood in line for only 10 minutes (it went by quick, even though the line was so long that it ended near the street). It gave us time to read up on Notre Dame and the works of art, as well as the architecture. The church was stunning! It gorgeous…inside and out. After spending about 45 minutes inside, we walked around the church to the park in the back…what a great park!!! Tons of benches with beautiful trees, a fountain with a statue and tons of birds everywhere. We sat down & made our sandwiches & drank some wine (AND there was a jazz band playing on the street in back of us, so we had entertainment…could it get any better than this?).
We went to the Palais de Justice, St. Chapelle, and the Pantheon. We enjoyed the Latin Quarter & St. Germain des Pres…just walked around and enjoyed the scenery. It was getting late, so we found a bistro by our hotel (I forgot the name…if anyone is interested, let me know). The food was not good at all & the service was worse, but at least we had a whole bottle of wine to drink! That made it all more tolerable. =)
DAY 4 – PARIS – Saturday, May 7
Woke up early and had our hotel breakfast…same as the previous day & just as satisfying. We took the metro to The Louvre & bought our tickets for the museum and the Highlights Tour in English at 11:30am. The tour was fabulous…such a great idea (another fellow Fodorite suggested it). It lasted about 90 minutes & our guide was a sweet British woman who sounded out all her words slowly and clearly. It was great…we saw the main items (including Mona herself) and had time to see other things on our free time. Then we went to Angelina’s for their famous hot chocolate. We waited in line for 15 minutes & were seated upstairs. We ordered hot chocolate, water, and shared a Monsieur Croquet (I’m sure my spelling is off). It was delicious, all of it, and being able to sit down & rest also made it worth it.
We went to the Tuileries Gardens (not much greenery --- maybe it was too cold still) and then to the Place de la Concorde. Then we went to Montmartre (by metro), got off at Pigale & walked up to Sacre Coeur (no fornicular). Needless to say, we were out of breath, but we enjoyed the walk. The views from the hilltop were magnificent. We took pictures & then went into the church. It was lovely and quiet compared to the steps outside. We were hungry, so we found a place around the corner from the church, by the square where all the painters and cafes are. We had beef stew & wine & we were good to go.
Besides the church and the view, I really didn’t care too much for the area…too touristy for me (I know all of Paris is touristy, but this wasn’t as pleasant to me). We walked back down & walked over to Moulin Rouge. I would have liked to have seen a show, but my husband says they are over-rated (his dad took him to Crazy Horse in Paris about 8 years ago). Also, it was very expensive to see the show (way over our daily budget), so we passed on it. Who knows, maybe some other day! We ate dinner at a lovely café by our hotel and called it a night.
DAY 5 – PARIS – Sunday, May 8 –
It was our last day in Paris, so we wanted to see as much as possible. We had our usual hotel breakfast & then headed out to the Luxembourg Gardens (totally fabulous!!! LOVED IT!!!). If we ever return to Paris, this is where we’ll stay. It felt so homey…and the gardens were magnificent…very conducive for running/jogging, or lounging about. Later, we headed over to Les Marais and the Pompidou area (didn’t go in, just walked around & went to the Stravinsky fountain. We ate delicious crepes and hot chocolate. We went to the Champs-Elysees Avenue to have some dinner (many things were closed on Sunday evening and we knew this avenue would have many options for us).
After dinner at Quick Burger (I know this sounds absurd, but our entire time in Paris, we kept laughing about the Quick Burger and how it must be the French version of McDonalds, so we had to try it at some point). It wasn’t half bad…I actually liked it much better than McDonalds.
To end our day, we walked to the Grand Palais (my husband’s great-great-great-great (who knows how far back)-grandfather was president of France & the Grand Palais has a plaque with his name on it. We walked over the Pont Alexandre (my husband’s name) and headed to our hotel to pack.
***VENICE, FLORENCE & ROME to follow***
May 23rd, 2005, 11:31 AM
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Sounds like such a lovely honeymoon (so far!). Sigh. What a sweet gift.
So sorry and surprised to hear that you couldn't find a good cup of coffee in Paris. My husband and I are coffee lovers too and we always seem to luck out and find terrific coffee--often in unassuming little places. Next time you go, you may want to check out Cafes Verlet, a wonderful coffee roaster on the rue de Rivoli, I believe.
Can't wait to hear if the coffee in Italy met your standards! Oh, and if you thought the part of Montmartre that you were in was too touristy (and I agree, that section is), then be glad you didn't go to the Moulin Rouge. Touristy and hyperexpensive!
"Monsieur Croquet"
Loved this! I suspect you meant Croque Monsieur, but I think I like your version better.
May 23rd, 2005, 11:43 AM
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Hi psydr,
I remember when you were in the 'planning phase', what a wonderful wedding present from your father-in-law!
Enjoying your report, can't wait for the rest of it!
Best wishes and congrats again, T.
I remember when you were in the 'planning phase', what a wonderful wedding present from your father-in-law!
Enjoying your report, can't wait for the rest of it!
Best wishes and congrats again, T.
May 23rd, 2005, 11:44 AM
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Congratulations to you and your new husband.
It sounds like you had a wonderful time. I'm looking foward to reading the rest of your report..
BTW - if you were from anywhere except Miami, then I would be skeptical about you not being able to find great cup of coffee in Paris. Miami has some of the best - I too hope you found a better cup in Italy.
It sounds like you had a wonderful time. I'm looking foward to reading the rest of your report..
BTW - if you were from anywhere except Miami, then I would be skeptical about you not being able to find great cup of coffee in Paris. Miami has some of the best - I too hope you found a better cup in Italy.
May 23rd, 2005, 11:54 AM
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elle- thanks for making me feel better about missing Moulin Rouge. and a big thanks for the recommendation on the coffee roasters & the correction on my spelling (now i know for sure where to go get good coffee & how to correctly pronounce the sandwich --- for my future trip to Paris --- I'm sure we'll return someday).
Tiff- thanks for the encouragement...i'll try to do the venice report tomorrow. (BTW, we loved Venice too).
bardo1- i was also surprised about my coffee experience in Paris...and i completely agree with your view on coffee in Miami...i'm partial to cuban coffee =) (BTW, i did find better coffee in Italy, especially in Florence...more so than Venice & Rome).
Tiff- thanks for the encouragement...i'll try to do the venice report tomorrow. (BTW, we loved Venice too).
bardo1- i was also surprised about my coffee experience in Paris...and i completely agree with your view on coffee in Miami...i'm partial to cuban coffee =) (BTW, i did find better coffee in Italy, especially in Florence...more so than Venice & Rome).
May 23rd, 2005, 12:17 PM
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Hi psy,
Great report.
Glad you had such a terrific honeymoon.
>I did not find 1 decent cup of coffee anywhere in Paris..<
That's because you are of Cuban descent. You have a much better coffee palate than the French.
You had a Croque Monsieur sandwich.
Great report.
Glad you had such a terrific honeymoon.
>I did not find 1 decent cup of coffee anywhere in Paris..<
That's because you are of Cuban descent. You have a much better coffee palate than the French.
You had a Croque Monsieur sandwich.
May 23rd, 2005, 12:49 PM
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ira- thank you for the lovely compliment about our coffee palate. i will be sure to think about this when i am debating this very issue with my father-in-law...those french think they are the best at everything! =)
May 23rd, 2005, 02:27 PM
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Quick is actually a Belgian chain and yes, it's a McDonald's imitation.
I do know what you mean about coffee. I've also had a lot of subpar coffee in Paris. Two places where I do like the coffee are Royal Mozart on the Ave. Mozart and Scossa on the Place Victor Hugo, both in the 16th.
I do know what you mean about coffee. I've also had a lot of subpar coffee in Paris. Two places where I do like the coffee are Royal Mozart on the Ave. Mozart and Scossa on the Place Victor Hugo, both in the 16th.
Jun 27th, 2006, 08:44 AM
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Very nice report, you really did a lot. I am a coffee lover and I agree with you about Paris. I drink the coffee there and find it adequate, usually, but never that great. I've had all kinds, also. Actually, I find McDonalds coffee there just about as good as some of the cafes.
