robjame

Thank you Nikki. Your report is wonderful. Reading it I felt transported to Paris!

Sher

Lovely, Nikki. Thanks. I so enjoyed reading about your peaceful two weeks in Paris.

We are getting nonstop service from Pittsburgh to Paris in June and it makes me want to fly back more than ever.

Nikki

Thanks for all the nice comments.

Dee Dee, I see that I neglected your question from a few days ago about the College de France. I would absolutely recommend the classes to someone whose French was up to the task and who had interest in any of the courses. The lecture halls have been recently renovated and are very comfortable. You can just walk into any class without feeling out of place. You can listen to the podcasts on the website to see whether the classes sound like something you would enjoy.

Dee_Dee

Nikki - thank you for your reply re College de France. I think I may give it a try. My french is intermediate at best, but I find the thought of sitting in on a class most intriging. I'm contemplating a quick trip to Paris in January (I so need a Paris fix!) I will check out their courses offered and give it a try. Thank you again for your wonderful trip report. I have enjoyed it.

caroline_edinburgh

Hi Nikki. So glad to have been directed here since I'd missed it before. How fantastic ! Good for you, just going off and doing all this on your own. You are so organised ! It sounds as though you ate extremely well throughout - did you research all the restaurants, or were many just ones you passed and liked the look of ? I love the idea of cheese & snails on toast

I would have liked to have seen that production of 'The Magic Flute', even though I dislike Mozart. I saw La Fura dels Baus a few times some years ago and the first production is still the most exciting performance I've ever attended. And I see they are doing a Ring cycle now too !

Nikki

Caroline, I had researched some of the restaurants, and others were recommended by the apartment owners as places they enjoyed in the neighborhood. The list of places I wanted to try was at least ten times as long. Got to go back then.

kismetchimera

What a lovely apartment Nikki..I am still reading your trip report but I was curious to see and read about the the neighborhood.

Did you take the taxis when you ventured at night?

Nikki

I did take taxis at night when I was out of the neighborhood. There were plenty of places to walk to in the neighborhood if I wanted to stay closer to home for supper.

Mamaw

nikki I was out of town while you were writing up this fantastic trip report. I have been home sick today and this has been my chicken noodle soup. It made me feel better than cold medicane. Thanks for an awesome mind trip to Paris.

Theresa in Detroit.

Gundy

Nikki, Thanks very much for this beautifully written report. We are staying in the same apartment this Spring, so I really enjoyed your details about the neighborhood. We are really looking forward to exploring the area.

How far was the nearest bus stop and metro station?

Nikki

The nearest bus is about three blocks away (two on the way home), and the metro is maybe four blocks. I spent a lot of time studying bus routes before I went (and after too), and found that a very good way of getting around.

dlejhunt

Thank you, Nikki, what a lovely report. You are a wonderful writer and your vivid words transported me to your own very musical, and unique, version of Paris.

Also, I must thank you for the apartment link. I will be going to Paris at the end of March and will be staying in the 7th, but have already put in a request with my husband for another Paris sejour for my 50th birthday, in July of 2010. The apartment in Batignolles looks wonderful, and I do think it is time for me to live in, and explore, another part of the city.

Also thanks for the link to the College de France. I do not believe I am ready yet for that (I am in my fourth semester of college French), but perhaps I will try it next year.

Merci, mille fois.

Sidny

Wonderfully written trip report, Nikki! I had been thinking of giving up a week of my time in Paris to explore other cities, but am reverting to my original plans of spending 2 weeks in Paris after being inspired by your report. Merci beaucoup!

Gundy

"The nearest bus is about three blocks away (two on the way home), and the metro is maybe four blocks. I spent a lot of time studying bus routes before I went (and after too), and found that a very good way of getting around."

Thanks again Nikki, I think I will do some homework on the bus system. We have only been to Paris once before, and I did get a little sick of travelling underground all the time. We tried the bus once, but got a little lost.

I see the #81 goes directly to the Opera Garnier from the La Fourche stop, so that will be one trip we can make by bus.

My husband thinks I am a little nuts spending all this time planning little details, but when the trip goes off without a hitch, he is happy.

Nikki

The 66 bus is even closer, on rue des Batignolles, and that goes to Opera also.

For information on bus and metro lines, the ratp website is very helpful: www.ratp.fr.

When you get to Paris, get a copy of the map "grand plan lignes et rues" from any metro station.

seafox

Will you be back this November?

Nikki

Yes. You?

seafox

arriving the 12th leaving the 17th

Nikki

I will be there then. Sounds like a plan.

TDudette

Still with you in spirit. Thanks for a nice nice reaport!