2010

Sunday, September 16th

A(nother) leisurely morning. It is Sunday after all!

We spent the day wandering the lively streets of <b>Le Marais</b>. Lots of people! Lots of shops!

In a small jewelry store called Inspiration on Rue St Paul, a charming shopkeeper showed me some lovely bracelets. I chose a silver cuff bracelet --- exactly what I was looking for! At the cash desk, there was a case of rings. It was an impulsive purchase but I also bought a ring! I always seem to find interesting costume jewelry in Paris! DH likes it because they are small & packable!

It was fun to window-shop along the arcaded galleries of <b>Place des Vosges</b> and walk across the beautiful square. It was wonderful to see families & others out enjoying the sunshine!

We were lucky to secure one of two outdoor tables at <b>Breizh Cafe</b> (109 Rue Vieille du Temple) after only a short wait. It appeared that most people had reservations for lunch. We both had a galette Basque and then we shared a galette with fresh figs. Outstanding! We know why Breizh is so popular!

When we made reservations at <b>Fish la Boissonnerie</b> (69 Rue de Seine) a few days ago, we were told that our table would only be held for 15 minutes ... maximum! So tonight, determined to be on time, we arrived early! Our dinners were superb! DH had cold pumpkin soup with hazelnuts & fresh basil, French interpretation of 'bangers & mash' - it sounded better in French! - and tarte citron. I had the pumpkin soup, salmon and apriot crumble. We had a lovely Languedoc Syrah with our meal. Personable, efficient servers. Great evening!

denisea

Jewelry and a lemon tart? Heaven!

When I was last in Place des Vosges it was Christmas afternoon and COLD! Would love to go back in warm weather...sounds like you had some great weather.

I am dying to do a little ride down Canal St Martin....next time!

YankyGal

I'm really enjoying your report, 2010. I agree about the jewelry - I've found some interesting pieces there, and people always seem to comment and ask where I got something. I love answering with "Paris!" despite the eyerolls I sometimes get.

I like the way you travel with a mostly loose agenda - same here. Looking forward to more.

mamcalice

I'm really enjoying your report - such a good job of evoking memories. We've been to Paris 8 times and our more recent trips are brought to mind by your report. It is so lovely to be in Paris and not feel rushed to see everything.

Looking forward to more.

2010

denisea: I bet Place des Vosges was pretty in December. Was it all decked out for the holiday season?

YankyGal: You probably selected unique, eye-catching pieces that are not found in stores at home. That's why you get comments/compliments on your Paris jewelry!

mamcalice: You are absolutely correct! There is something wonderful about seeing Paris in a leisurely fashion. The city suits this kind of approach, don't you think? We love Paris! Lucky you for having so many opportunities to stay & enjoy it!

2010

Monday, September 17th

It was our usual mid-morning start. It really was fine since Puces St. Ouen wasn't open until 11:00 today. We wouldn't want to get there too early!

We took the metro to the Porte de Clignancourt stop and then followed the signs to <b>Puces St. Ouen</b>, the huge flea market in the 18th arrondisement. There were stalls & shops of antique furniture & accessories, silver/china/glass ware, jewelry, vintage clothing & other collectables. Not everything was open and the market was relatively quiet. It was perfect for browsing!

It was soon time for lunch. We went to <b>Chez Louisette</b> (130 ave Michelet) - lively, eccentric, verging on bizarre. There was a chanteuse who sang Edith Piaf-style songs to the room of noisy diners. The pace of ordering, service & payment seemed to be determined by the sole server. There were three men who hovered around the bar: one who took the money; another who took drink orders & served glasses of cassis to appease long-suffering diners like us; and the third who cleared tables. It was all a bit chaotic. But weren't in a hurry. (Too bad if we had been!) We sat through 2 sets of songs over a marginal lunch. I suppose it was fun ... in a hokey kind of way. It was memorable, that's for sure!

My husband who doesn't like to shop or ever buys a special souvenir for himself saw a pair of boots he liked in a store window on our way back from Canal Saint-Martin last Saturday. I'm not sure why he didn't buy them then. Instead, he wanted to go back to <b>Andre</b> (168 rue du Temple) this afternoon and pick them up! He was happy and I was pleased for him. Now we each had souvenirs from Paris! We'll worry about how to pack the boots in our carry-on sized luggage later.

On our way home, we picked up deli take-away to supplement left-over rotiserrie chicken for tonight's dinner. Even as left-overs, French chickens taste better than Canadian 'Grade A' birds! How do they do that?

That evening we went out in search of a yellow mailbox to send off postcards to friends back home. We extended our walk to the western tip of Ile de la Cite before returning to the apartment.

2010

Tuesday, September 18th

We joined the early-morning commuters on the metro to Montparnasse station where we caught the 9:06 TER - Le Mans via Chartres train. In one hour, we were in <b>Chartres</b>.

While munching on pain au chocolat, we wandered through the lovely old town. We went into La Galerie du Vitrail, a stained-glass gallery where we saw lovely works of art & jewelry.

At 12:00 noon, we joined <b>Malcolm Miller's tour of Chartres Cathedral</b>. Over 50 years ago, Malcolm moved here as an English scholar. He has dedicated his life to studying the cathedral and sharing stories about its history & architecture through his guided lecture tours. Today Malcolm focussed on the West Rose Window (c1215) and one of two panels, the North Rose Window (c1235) and a smaller (side) window which showed some of the trades who worked on the construction of the cathedral. Lastly, he took us outside to the north porch where he concluded his tour. Malcom had given us just a small slice of the cathedral's history and we were left wanting to know more! Fascinating stuff!

We stopped for lunch at <b>Le Cafe Serpente</b> (2 Cloitre Notre Dame. I had croque monsieur et frites. DH ordered saucisses et frites. But instead of sausage like he had at Fish the night before, he got weiners! Yikes! He must have ordered from the children's menu. ;-)

We caught the 3:34 train back to Paris. We were home by 5pm. I napped while DH read.

We had dinner reservations at <b>Sorza</b> (51 Rue Saint-Louis-en-L'Ile, 75004). Pretty interior! Lovely owner! Fantastic meal! DH had a souffle with rocket salad, lamb shank + panne cotta with 2 berry coulis. I had aubergine fondante + penne daube sauge. It was a wonderful dining experience!

Brisk winds guided us directly home tonight.

2010

Wednesday, September 19th

We decided to take the day off! Slept in. Had a slow, lazy morning! A walk to Luxembourg Garden was our plan for the day.

On our way, we stopped at <b>Saint-Severin Church</b> on Rue St Jacques, a church we walked by almost every day. Of interest were the modern stained-glass windows (1970) inspired by the seven sacrements of the the Catholic Church.

<b>Luxembourg Garden</b> was as beautiful as we remember! There were people out enjoying the sunshine ... just like us! Lots of students from the nearby university were having bag lunches. McDonald's seemed to be a favourite! We walked all around admiring the beds of yellow, white, blue flowers & ornamental grasses. Stunning combinations! A few deciduous trees were showing early signs of fall. We stopped at the Fontaine de Medicis, my favourite spot in the garden! Later, we picked up baguette sandwiches & drinks and found two iron chairs which faced the garden. The sun felt warm on our faces as we ate.

We made our way back towards the Seine along Rue Bonaparte. We passed churches: <b>Saint Sulpice & St Germain des Pres</b>. We stopped at yet another location of <b>Daliwal</b> (40 Rue St Andres des Arts) where I bought 2 light-weight silk square scarves! We made a quick stop for groceries & macarons before heading home.

We returned to <b>Reed</b> for another OUTSTANDING dinner! We were greeted warmly by Catherine who was delighted that we had returned! DH had fois gras terrine, cornish game hen + strawberry shortcake. I had zucchini mint soup, osso bucco + chocolate tart. We had the usual assortment of beverages. Reed had become a favourite of ours. If only we weren't running out of nights in Paris!

2010

Thursday, September 20th

I was struggling with the onset of a cold - oh, dear! Dressed warmly for our outing today.

Our destination was <b>Pere-Lachaise Cemetery</b> (75020). Good thing we bought a map of the cemetery at a nearby flower shop. The place covers a vast 100 acres! It turned out to be a bit of a treasure hunt locating the graves of well-known authors, composers, artists & performers. We managed to find only three on our list: Oscar Wilde, Gertrude Stein and Jim Morrison. Curious but at the same time wanting to be respectful, we wandered by graves reading the headstones & markers. It was a fascinating 3-hour visit! By then, we had earned a break - a seat at a table and lunch in a cafe!

It was our last night in Paris. We returned to <b>Sorza</b> for dinner where we had another SUPERB meal! DH had Parma ham bruschetta on arugula, beef tenderloin + tarte tatin. I had aubergine fondante + penne carbonara. Over dinner we chatted about our amazing time in Paris and day-dreamed about another extended stay and more beautiful meals ... some day!


<i>Paris is always a good idea.</i>

Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina Fairchild in <i>Sabrina</i>


<b>Next:</b> Notes from Honfleur

2010

Friday, September 21st

Leaving Paris by car was the usual harrowing, nail-biting experience despite all efforts to be prepared. DH selected an Avis Rental Car office in Montrouge, a suburb just beyond the Boulevard Peripherique. It was just a short cab ride from the apartment to the Avis office. By exploring the area on Google Earth, we anticipated easy access onto the ring road. What we didn't anticipate was missing our exit to Versailles-Rouen! At this point, the map was no longer helpful. Fortunately, the GPS got us back on course to Honfleur. It's never easy to drive out of Paris ... at least for us!

On our way to Honfleur, we stopped in <b>Giverny</b> to visit Claude Monet's house & garden.

The gardens are a study of colour & design! How magnificent it must be to see the wisteria in bloom! We walked around the large pond which Monet depicted in his water lily series. Spring & summer may be optimal times to visit the gardens for the floral show. But it was quite lovely here in September!

Most surprising was Monet's vast collection of Japanese wood-block prints exhibited throughout his house!

We had lunch at the nearby Les Nympheas. Mercifully, we were seated outside while bus loads of noisy tourists ate inside. We finished just as it began to rain.

In <b>Honfleur</b>, we found a parking spot in front of <b>La Petite Folie</b> (www.lapetitefolie-honfleur.com). We unloaded the car & pressed the buzzer. Catherine greeted us & checked us in. Our room, Kiosk was pretty & spacious with a wide entry hallway, a place to store luggage, jackets & shoes. There was an alcove where a chaise lounge provided the perfect spot to read or relax. Two windows faced the lovely back garden & <i>la folie</i>. It was quiet & peaceful here. Later, DH met Catherine to repark in the car in the private garage which we reserved.

DH read while I had a nap. Then we went out for a quick dinner of crepes at <b>La Commanderie</b> on Place Ste Catherine.

Early bedtime for us tonight!

kerouac

While I am enjoying your report, I will <b>never</b> understand why some of the tourists staying <b>in</b> Paris are afraid to drive <b>out</b> of Paris when there are huge and easy boulevards to take you to the périphérique without even any turns. However, it is possible that I would be stressed out if I found myself driving in Montrouge -- local drivers in the suburbs have far less pity than Parisian drivers who are completely indulgent with clueless tourist cars.

2010

Hi kerouac,

Well, tell that to my husband who is driving! ;-)

We've rented cars twice before in Paris and once from the airport. (We weren't staying in Paris on that trip.) On our first trip to France (1996), we left Paris on a Sunday morning figuring that the traffic would be lighter & therefore, easier to drive out. Ha! We totally relied on written instructions & a hand-drawn map to get to the peripherique from the car rental office. Somewhere, somehow, we made a wrong turn. We found ourselves on a wide boulevard but going towards the centre! Not good! Red light ahead. DH told me to hang on and he made a u-turn across 3 or 4 lanes. We lived to tell that story and have been traumatized ever since!

This time we did make it onto the ring road easily. If only we didn't miss our turn off!

TDudette

TTT

denisea

I am behind in reading. Another dinner at Reed? So jealous but also jealous of the pain au chocolat and everything else in Paris. i love Diwali!

I still want to go to Giverny! (We have to stop going to Paris in Winter)!

Yes, Place des Vosges was pretty at Christmas and there was snow but it was quite cold and we were both in pain after eating a 9 course Christmas Day lunch....i have never been so uncomfortable.

2010

Saturday, September 22nd

It may be officially fall but today was sunny & warm!

At La Petite Folie, breakfast was served in the dining room at a communal table set for 8. (There were tables set in the living room for the overflow or late-risers.) We joined two couples from Belgium & one couple from Toronto. We were served tea/coffee, juices, a nice assortment of breads (including homemade-on-the-premises croissants), yoghurt, local cheeses & boiled eggs. We met our friendly hostess, Penny this morning. It was enjoyable having breakfast & conversation with other guests.

Today was <b>Market Day</b> in Honfleur. The vendors lined the squares & connecting streets. By the time we got there, the market was teaming with tourists like us but mostly, there were locals who were there to fill their bags & baskets with fresh produce, cheeses, breads & meat.

There were the usual stalls of clothes, shoes, accesories and housewares. I am always amazed & fascinated by the colourful display of brassieres of various styles & sizes, especially those swinging from hangers up high! With no 'dressing room' in sight, I wonder how French women figure out how the bra fits! I never hang around long enough to find out!

I bought two beaded bracelets from a vendor near the harbour. They were 3€ each or two for 5€. At that price, how could I resist? At that price, DH figures they must have been made in China, <i>non</i>? At that price, I'll wear them until they fall apart & then toss them!

We had lunch at <b>Bacaretto</b>, a small place with amazing food! DH had a galette & I had the lunch special - lasagne. The cook must have gone to the market earlier to pick up the salad greens. It was so fresh!

We spent the rest of the day exploring the town. It appeared to be more developed & more popular since we were here last in 2002. But it was still charming & picturesque with no shortage of good places to eat! There were two weddings in town today: one at city hall and the other at the church of Ste Catherine. We wondered if the second one was a destination wedding from Britain. There was such an assortment of pretty hats & unique fascinators worn by the women guests!

Afternoon purchases: DH bought an outdoor jacket made in Brittany, perfect for the fall & spring! We also bought an exquisite crystal orchid with petals shaped like a shallow bowl, a gift for a dear friend. She can put it on her nightstand and place her ring in the bowl. No chance of her misplacing her ring now!

Saturday night is a busy restaurant night in Honfleur. We were glad to have reservations at <b>L'Homme de Bois</b> (30-32 Rue de L'Homme de Bois). It was a lovely restaurant: comfortable, casual atmosphere & good food. DH had tarte legume, filet of duck + fruit crumble. I had the terrine de maison, moules a la creme et frites + glace.

Smaller town, shorter walks in the evening.

carolyn

We saw the wisteria at Giverny and it was breath taking, but we were too early for the water lilies.

2010

Hi carolyn,

I remember visiting the Bardini Gardens in Florence in May 2011. We missed the wisteria corridor, azaleas & rhododendrons and we were too early for the hydrangeas. But we did see roses! Fabulous roses! Guess we just have to appreciate what is there at the time!

Lucky you for being at Giverny at the right time for wisteria!

john183

Really enjoying your report.

<<<<<Over dinner we chatted about our amazing time in Paris and day-dreamed about another extended stay and more beautiful meals ... some day!

Paris is always a good idea.

Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina Fairchild in Sabrina>>>>>

Nice!!!!!

2010

Sunday, September 23rd

We left under rainy skies for <b>Mont Saint Michel</b>. We had heard that the drive could be done in 1 1/2 hours or take up to 2 1/2 hours. It took us 2 1/2 hours from (hotel) door to (abbey) door. It was overcast here but dry.

There is an ambitious project underway to return the island to its original form. During the first phase, a dam was constructed on the Couesnon River (2010). Remote new parking lots & a temporary road were built for shuttle buses (2011). It was about a 1/2 mile walk from the car park to the shuttle bus which dropped us off about 350 yards from the island. Then began the gruelling climb along the busy street through the town & up the stairs to the Abbey.

Once there, we were rewarded by the views of the surrounding Bay of Mont Saint Michel & a close-up look of the Abbey's exterior. The interior spaces were austere, stark & virtually empty of any religious art & furnishings.

Throughout our visit, we tried to imagine:
1. What monastic life must have been like in medieval times?
2. What Mont Saint Michel must be like during high tourist
season in hot summer months?

As we departed via the less-crowded ramparts, the sun came out!

Mont Saint Michel is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Site. For us, the approach & the setting of the Abbey was the most impressive. That is something worth preserving in my opinion!

We stopped for lunch in a touristy restaurant in the nearby new village. Figured they couldn't mess up a salad & soup ... much!

Tonight, we decided on a casual pizza dinner at <b>La Commanderie</b>. It was a perfect choice.

We aborted our plan to walk along the harbour when a big flash of lightening lit up the night sky! We hurried home & arrived just before the skies opened up! Good timing!

2010

denisea: Alas, we are fair-weather travelers although we did go to Tofino, B.C. on the west coast of Vancouver Island last December for some storm watching! Christmas in Paris sounds so magical. You make it sound so tempting, especially the 9-course Christmas Day lunch which I would take over a turkey dinner, hands down!

john183: Thanks! So, where's your next trip? Back to Italy perhaps?