October in Paris was spectacular
Oct 17th, 2015, 04:08 PM
#1
October in Paris was spectacular
After much stress on this end we needed a European vacation that was comfortable & easy----that says Paris for us.
We've been many times in Sept. but not in Oct. and we were concerned about the weather. No concern needed. Yes, weather is unpredictable and this time we really lucked out. Cool in the morning but by noonish sunny and high 60's and not too cold at night and no rain...perfect!
Booking last minute was a challange. We had to change the dates several times as no direct flights were available from Chicago. We finally booked on United....Yikes, after reading bad reviews we expected the worst but had a very pleasant experience. Actually it was one of our better flights.
Apartments were also a challange last minute. All we could find was junk, nice but 4th floor walk up, not an area we wanted, and too expensive. So we opted to spend a little more for a shorter time. Also, we usually take the RER/metro form CDG into Paris but this time we booked a taxi through the apt. service. Good move. A bit more expensive but as we arrived at 9:30am would the apt. be ready? Excellent car, driver & service, worth every penny for the stress-free arrival.
Parisaddress.com had a lovely 1 bdrm on Ile St. Louis (our favorite location) overlooking Notre Dame and The Seine. Best decision we ever made....absolutely fantastic. 3rd(4th) floor with elevator, very French in design, This place was so comfortable, actually an apt. we could live in--------sell the house and let's stay for a year, haha! So comfortable just sitting & watching the boats go by, photo shoots on the quay, street music wafting up through the open floor to ceiling windows.....DH went to the bakery in the morning while I made coffee and we enjoyed the surroundings. Also coming in around 5pm, listening to music, having a glass of wine and relaxing until going out for dinner at 8pm was the best.
OK, enough about the apt.-----on to Paris itself!
We've been many times in Sept. but not in Oct. and we were concerned about the weather. No concern needed. Yes, weather is unpredictable and this time we really lucked out. Cool in the morning but by noonish sunny and high 60's and not too cold at night and no rain...perfect!
Booking last minute was a challange. We had to change the dates several times as no direct flights were available from Chicago. We finally booked on United....Yikes, after reading bad reviews we expected the worst but had a very pleasant experience. Actually it was one of our better flights.
Apartments were also a challange last minute. All we could find was junk, nice but 4th floor walk up, not an area we wanted, and too expensive. So we opted to spend a little more for a shorter time. Also, we usually take the RER/metro form CDG into Paris but this time we booked a taxi through the apt. service. Good move. A bit more expensive but as we arrived at 9:30am would the apt. be ready? Excellent car, driver & service, worth every penny for the stress-free arrival.
Parisaddress.com had a lovely 1 bdrm on Ile St. Louis (our favorite location) overlooking Notre Dame and The Seine. Best decision we ever made....absolutely fantastic. 3rd(4th) floor with elevator, very French in design, This place was so comfortable, actually an apt. we could live in--------sell the house and let's stay for a year, haha! So comfortable just sitting & watching the boats go by, photo shoots on the quay, street music wafting up through the open floor to ceiling windows.....DH went to the bakery in the morning while I made coffee and we enjoyed the surroundings. Also coming in around 5pm, listening to music, having a glass of wine and relaxing until going out for dinner at 8pm was the best.
OK, enough about the apt.-----on to Paris itself!
Oct 17th, 2015, 05:15 PM
#4
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This sounds great TPAYT. We have never stayed on ISL but we always love wandering along rue St Louis en L'Ile. Looking forward to reading this...we love our music while we are transitioning from the day into dinner mode (we take out little Bose wireless speaker and it's perfect!
Oct 18th, 2015, 04:33 AM
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We went Oct 3 to the 9th. We only had one rainy day. The colors were just changing so was nice for a Florida person.
We tried for an apartment on the ISL but since we were last minute we went with the 14th and I am converted.
Glad you got away though.
We tried for an apartment on the ISL but since we were last minute we went with the 14th and I am converted.
Glad you got away though.
Oct 18th, 2015, 05:11 AM
#11
http://www.parisaddress.com/en/apart...ent-rental-318
Here's the link to the apt.....best view we ever had.
travelchat------you're leaving tomorrow. I wish you a great trip.
A highlight of our Paris adventures was a Vivaldi concert at St. Chapelle. The window restoration is finished & it was still light for a bit when we arrived. The setting for Vivaldi was perfrct and the outstanding violin music was enough to almost bring you to tears.
Since this was a trip to unwind & destress we mostly just wandered, sat at cafes, shopped a bit, and ate at our favorite restaurants.
As we hadn't been there in many years one day we took the Metro to the Arch de Triumph and walked down the Champs Elysees. I don't know why because we didn't like it the first time and even less this time. On the bright side, the weather was beautiful and we did have a very good lunch at The Fiat Cafe on the Champs and Ave. Marigny. Very plain setting but the coffee & food (melon, proscutto,& salad) was excellent. When MDH went in the building to use the restroom he didn't return for a long time. Just when I started to worry I found out why. The restroom was down several long spiral staircases with those gorgeous Fiats displayed on the way down. Guys & dream cars----no wonder he was gone so long!
Here's the link to the apt.....best view we ever had.
travelchat------you're leaving tomorrow. I wish you a great trip.
A highlight of our Paris adventures was a Vivaldi concert at St. Chapelle. The window restoration is finished & it was still light for a bit when we arrived. The setting for Vivaldi was perfrct and the outstanding violin music was enough to almost bring you to tears.
Since this was a trip to unwind & destress we mostly just wandered, sat at cafes, shopped a bit, and ate at our favorite restaurants.
As we hadn't been there in many years one day we took the Metro to the Arch de Triumph and walked down the Champs Elysees. I don't know why because we didn't like it the first time and even less this time. On the bright side, the weather was beautiful and we did have a very good lunch at The Fiat Cafe on the Champs and Ave. Marigny. Very plain setting but the coffee & food (melon, proscutto,& salad) was excellent. When MDH went in the building to use the restroom he didn't return for a long time. Just when I started to worry I found out why. The restroom was down several long spiral staircases with those gorgeous Fiats displayed on the way down. Guys & dream cars----no wonder he was gone so long!
Oct 18th, 2015, 05:24 AM
#12
I just looked at the apt. photos. When we were there the TV was moved into the LR and another bed was in the DR. There must have been 4 people there before us. The 2 beds in the DR were not in the way at all. The main BR had a king bed, a separate dressing room, and bath with a "car wash" shower (you know what I mean.) The toilet was in a separate little room in the hall with a small sink & mirror.
The photos make it look really big but the rooms were small and oh so comfortable.So quiet that if you talked from the bedroom you couldn't hear it in the DR.
Service from the beginning email to the airport pick up at the end was excellent.
The photos make it look really big but the rooms were small and oh so comfortable.So quiet that if you talked from the bedroom you couldn't hear it in the DR.
Service from the beginning email to the airport pick up at the end was excellent.
Oct 18th, 2015, 01:26 PM
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Paris ... what a lovely way to unwind & de-stress, TPAYT!
I look forward to reading more about your time there! DH & I had no travel plans for this year, So, I am living vicariously through your Paris stories!
I look forward to reading more about your time there! DH & I had no travel plans for this year, So, I am living vicariously through your Paris stories!
Oct 19th, 2015, 04:54 AM
#19
A major reason for a revisit to Notre Dame........
June 2014 we brought our 13 yr. old GD to Paris & London. Not being a very religious family we were quite surprised at how she loved ND and spent quite a long time with her prayer while lighting a candle in ND. One of her favorite souvenirs was the cap from the candle. Now the sad part......3 weeks before we left, our DD's family had a major fire in their home. Everyone got out but most everything was lost in the BDR's except what they were wearing. Our GD lost all of her possessions including that treasured candle cap. Of course we had to say a prayer and replace it for her. Oddly enough in her BD dresser, which was totally destroyed, the recovery crew found a tiny cloth bag with a pair if inexpensive Eiffel Tower earrings on a cardboard backing still intact while all else was in ashes.
We would have cancelled the trip but as we had booked on such short notice we had not taken out any insurance. Our DD assured us there was nothing we could do at that point. They were already moved into a rental for 1-2 yrs. and back to school & work.
OK, no more sad stuff! On to something that will give you a laugh (although upsetting to the people involved.)
After ND we walked over to St. Germain to have lunch at Les Deux Magots. While we were sitting outside watching the world go by, there was a guy parking (or moving) cars. He had a huge ring of keys. He was standing on a huge grate in the sidewalk. You guessed it!!! While fumbling with the keys he dropped one down the grate just as the car owner was returning. Needless to say much pointing down the grate followed by a big commotion. No idea how it was resolved but the car owner marched away in a huff.
BTW, lunch at LDM was very good, better than average for that tourist type of cafe.
And people watching was great.
Many on this forum ask what to wear in Paris.
Answer......anything, unless you are going to the very high end areas, shops, & restaurants. We saw tutus & converse tennis shoes, stripes against plaids, every kind of jacket, scarves galore, jeans & more jeans, stillettos on gals who could hardy walk, etc, etc. My idea....wear a blindfold, reach in your closet and put on whatever you grab & you will fit in!
Dinner tonight was at one of our favorites.
"L'Ilot Vache" on Rue St. Louis en Ile. I love the lamb chops there. They have a price fixe for 39 Euros, 3 courses. I had avocado turrine, lamb chops, creme brulee. MDH chose separate items that weren't on the PF menu. He had his favorite foie gras, & filet steak. Along with a cheese course for me (included for me) couple of wines & coffees it was 120 Euros. We've had dinner here many times. Everything was excellent except the brochette, kind of tough beef. Just a warning as it is on the PF menu. Wonderful service and very cute place,
June 2014 we brought our 13 yr. old GD to Paris & London. Not being a very religious family we were quite surprised at how she loved ND and spent quite a long time with her prayer while lighting a candle in ND. One of her favorite souvenirs was the cap from the candle. Now the sad part......3 weeks before we left, our DD's family had a major fire in their home. Everyone got out but most everything was lost in the BDR's except what they were wearing. Our GD lost all of her possessions including that treasured candle cap. Of course we had to say a prayer and replace it for her. Oddly enough in her BD dresser, which was totally destroyed, the recovery crew found a tiny cloth bag with a pair if inexpensive Eiffel Tower earrings on a cardboard backing still intact while all else was in ashes.
We would have cancelled the trip but as we had booked on such short notice we had not taken out any insurance. Our DD assured us there was nothing we could do at that point. They were already moved into a rental for 1-2 yrs. and back to school & work.
OK, no more sad stuff! On to something that will give you a laugh (although upsetting to the people involved.)
After ND we walked over to St. Germain to have lunch at Les Deux Magots. While we were sitting outside watching the world go by, there was a guy parking (or moving) cars. He had a huge ring of keys. He was standing on a huge grate in the sidewalk. You guessed it!!! While fumbling with the keys he dropped one down the grate just as the car owner was returning. Needless to say much pointing down the grate followed by a big commotion. No idea how it was resolved but the car owner marched away in a huff.
BTW, lunch at LDM was very good, better than average for that tourist type of cafe.
And people watching was great.
Many on this forum ask what to wear in Paris.
Answer......anything, unless you are going to the very high end areas, shops, & restaurants. We saw tutus & converse tennis shoes, stripes against plaids, every kind of jacket, scarves galore, jeans & more jeans, stillettos on gals who could hardy walk, etc, etc. My idea....wear a blindfold, reach in your closet and put on whatever you grab & you will fit in!
Dinner tonight was at one of our favorites.
"L'Ilot Vache" on Rue St. Louis en Ile. I love the lamb chops there. They have a price fixe for 39 Euros, 3 courses. I had avocado turrine, lamb chops, creme brulee. MDH chose separate items that weren't on the PF menu. He had his favorite foie gras, & filet steak. Along with a cheese course for me (included for me) couple of wines & coffees it was 120 Euros. We've had dinner here many times. Everything was excellent except the brochette, kind of tough beef. Just a warning as it is on the PF menu. Wonderful service and very cute place,
