Off to Paris for 2 weeks
 

Today we are flying to Paris for 2 weeks - We are leaving Charlotte NC on Lufthansa to Munich and then to Paris. We have rented an apartment from VIP # 125. Both the husband and I are looking forward to the trip. Everyone has provided great advice and we are armed with the information. Will post reports as the 2 weeks progress.

Have a great trip..

Two weeks! Lucky you - we had 5 days and after reading posts on Paris since then I'm sick about what we missed.

bon voyage.
i wish i had 2 weeks in paris!

I hope you post when you return. We are renting that same apt next month so would love to hear about it:)

Thursday May 14th, We have arrived in Paris !! Lufthansa flight from Charlotte to Munich , business class. Flight was on time but both of us slept very litter. The plane was the warmest I have ever been in, it was so hot that sleep was impossible. Munich to Paris flight delayed about 1 hour due to thunder stomes. Inter-shuttle was right on time picking us up. They were great. The apartment is cute. Just enough space for Mal and I. Carry the bags up the flight of stairs was not fun, but we are in PARIS. The balcony is right on Rue Saint-Honore, We love it. The kitchen in the aparment is tiny but will be enought for us. We were both VERY tired so we decided to go to Monoprix for the basics, coffee, wine , milk and cheese. We stopped at the boulangerie and florist on the street for our baguette and bouquet. Took an hour nap, Bed very comfortable.. Dinner of Wine, Cheese and Baguette - I love Paris !! Tomorrow off to the streets market, not sure which ones yet will determine based on the weather in the AM
Bonsoir!!

Sounds fun! Glad you have arrived safely if not well rested. Enjoy your trip; I'll be following along.

How far is the Monoprix from the apt? I would love any details about great restaurants,etc nearby. Glad to hear the bed is comfy:)

MMS - The cloest monoprix is on Rue D'Opera. It was about a 10 minute walk, not bad at all. Most of the food stuffs in the Monoprix are downstairs, there are elevators. The bed is VERY comfortable. We were so tired, we went to bed at 9 PM Thursday and slept to 7 AM on Friday. Weather cool and rainy this morning so we are off to Gallery LaFayette and Faucon to get some other items.

Oh to be in Paris again! Following your report w/interest.
And I love Monoprix altho I bought a baguette that was way
too long for the provided bag. Enjoy your sourjourn.

That is our routine as well -- head to the Monoprix for staples and get settled in the apartment. Your apartment looks perfectly delightful. Have a great time!

Friday 5/15 - Weather not great today - Raining on and off most of the day...Headed to Galeries Lafayette Food Halls. Picked up several items for dinner, Salad, Cheese , Baguette and more wine. Went to the top of Galeries Lafayette for lunch , got under cover in the cafe just in time, pouring rain. Great lunch of sandwiches and salad. The husband sat on the 6th floor with coffee and an eclair while I shopped. Purchase several scarfs for friends and of course 2 for moi!!. Worked our way back to the apartment via Fachon. Purchase tea and coffee for the apartment and for home. Sat in a wonderful cafe on Place Madeline, just before the rain started again. Hopefully it will be better tomorrow... off to Bon Marche in the AM, then dinner at Au Pied De Cochon at 8 tomorrow night.

One additional item , the scarfs were 20 Euro, great silk scarfs and gift wrapped for free !!!

Saturday 5/16 - We walked over to Bon Marche today, Weather not really great, Had a nice lunch in the cafe at Bon Marche.. Then we took a taxi home as it was pouring rain.. Great afternoon for a nap!! Dinner tonight is at
Au Pied De Cochon...
Link to some pictures of the apartment and our first few days

http://www.photoworks.com/photo-shar..._alb_pml&cb=PW

The apartment looks very comfortable. I really like the Madeline area, great for strolling. Waiting for your dinner report.

Enjoying your report. I have wondered often about that VIP apartment. Glad to read your comments. I loved the photo of the passageway between Rue de Richelieu and Rue de Montpensier. I used it every morning to go to the patisserie when we stayed at an apartment at the Palais Royal. It's locked at night.

Great apartment! And you look like you're having a lot of fun (I have many of those hold the camera toward ourselves photos too). I am jealous that you have two whole weeks in Paris.

i denmal,
I am in Paris as well. Wish the weather was a little more cooperative. But, it's been raining at home too, so I'll take it and be happy!

Dinner tonight at Au Pied De Cochon: Oysters were very good, Meal average : I had steak , Mal had duck. It was good but not great .. I would rather go to Le Grand Colbert. Which we will do on Tuesday. Tomorrow Dinner in with foodstufs we bought at Bon Marche, Chichen, Potatoes, Carrots and Wine of course. As Elcon mentioned the weather has not been great, alot of rain , overcase and chilly but it is Paris ! We will go out for lunch tomorrow in on of the cafes on the street. One comment about the apartment, the washer/dryer combination is not the best - It washes but does not really dry. There is a drying rack in the apartment that I have hung some items on to dry. If I were staying here again, I would not plan on too much washing, Did I mention the washing cycle takes about 4 hours... Off to bed - around 11:15 PM local time

Thanks for posting photos. It is good to see what apartments look like when they are lived in as opposed to the promotional shots used to market them. Would you stay there again?

I took my 20 year old daughter to Au Pied de Cochon last year and also was not terribly impressed. I remembered it as being better, but that was admittedly 30 years ago so of course that memory doesn't count for much. I look forward to reading your review of Le Grand Colbert.

In Paris, we sometimes enjoy dining out at lunch and having dinner at the apartment. Lunch menus at lovely restaurants are comparatively affordable.

Enjoy!

Thanks for your report. I am enjoying it along with the other day by days on the board. I like the apartment and I love that you are shopping!!!

Cannot wait for my return late Sept. I have an apartment rented for a month, then will meet up with son and dil for a little of Spain. We will all return to Paris for one week,
DIL first time. I can't wait to show her the sights, especially the gran magasins. I am sending her your report and photos.

Keep having fun.

gg

Marya - I would stay here again , it is central to the things we like to do, it is plenty of room for the 2 of us. I am feeling ill today and it is raining again - so it is a good day for tea and a book .. Hopefully the weather will get better tomorrow

I'm enjoying your report and hope the weather improves soon and that you're feeling better. But how good that you are there for two weeks and have time for an "down day" of tea and books. Smiled when I read about the dryer; we had the same problem last month in a vrbo rental. And I agree about Au Pied de Cochon; ate there in '07 and was disappointed, due to its long-standing reputation as a good place to go.

Feel better soon! It's funny how these travel illnesses creep up on us. On my last trip to Paris, I suddenly got quite sick and couldn't leave the apartment for an entire day and night. Had to cancel everything. By the next afternoon, we were out and about again. I assume that it was a food- or water-borne illness but never knew for sure. May your recovery be very quick! It may help to hear that the weather is poor elsewhere today including here in Boston... At least you are in Paris.

Thank you so much for the pics and various comments. Very nice to know what to expect with the washer/dryer! Hope the weather clears up for you a bit and that you feel better. On our last trip I came down with a nasty cold the day before we headed home. The pharmacy was great...whatever they gave me I dubbed the miracle pills, lol!

I am feeling much better today, the pharmacy was VERY helpful but I did need a day.. The weather is appearing to be better today .. So we are off to sacre cure. Pictures and reports later today..

We went to Sacré-Coeur today, We decided to travel via Metro. It was very easy, we purchased a book of 10 tickets. We then took the funicular up rather than the stairs. My husband had a hip replacement a year ago so the stairs are too much sometimes. We arrived just in time for mass. We decided to sit and celebrate mass, it was wonderful. Although we struggled with the french it was still wonderful. The weather today was great, sunny and warmer. We then went to a cafe off Rue Martyrs. We had an interesting conversation with two frenchmen who were not from Paris but from St. Barts. We then traveled back via Metro from Abesses station, the deepest in Paris. We then stopped for foodstufs and wine for dinner. Unsure what we will do tomorrow - We need to see what the weather will be... Here are some photos of today
http://www.photoworks.com/photo-shar..._alb_pml&cb=PW

Tuesday May 19th - Off the Rue Montorgueil today for a little shopping and cafe sitting. Purchase some really nice salad greens, wine and some nice flowers. Additionally, we purchase some Chocolate. The weather has turned much better in the past two days, warmer and sunny. We then went through Les Halles park before going back to the apartment. We think that a film company will be filming near the apartment on the Rue Oratoire, as we have seen many trucks with equipement and several times blocking the street - we are keeping a close eye to see if they do . We are off to Le Grand Colbert for dinnner tonight, we have eaten there several times in past years and are really looking forward to it

I love the view from Sacre Coeur. Sadly, when I was there a couple of years ago, it was very hazy so the views were not good the day I was there. Wonderful pictures, and glad you are feeling better. Hope the weather holds for you.

We just arrived back from dinner at Le Grand Colbert. The food is wonderful. I had Lamb and my husband has steak with Roquefort sauce. All tables were full, you do need a reservation but it is worth it. We strolled back from dinner, a very nice night in paris.
Tomorrow off the Marche du Avenue President Wilson, the weather forecast appears nice. I will load more picture tomorrow am .

A few pictures from yesterday in Rue Montorgueil and dinner last evening
http://www.photoworks.com/photo-shar..._alb_pml&cb=PW

Hi

Thanks for your report and for adding the great photos! really enjoying reading... and making notes for my trip next year :-)

Thanks

Thanks for posting pictures!

Today we traveled over to the 16th - Avenue du President Wilson. We traveled via the metro which is getting easier and easier, The weather was delightful. Sunny and Warm. The market was about 3 city blocks long. My husband picked up a nice wallet for 15 euro and I purchased 3 bracelets for 20 euro. The produce, fish and flowers are amazing at the market. We choose a chicken and potatoes for dinner. We also picked up a melon which we will have tomorrow am. We came back to the apartment about noon, rested alittle, then off to a local cafe for lunch. Husband had a club sandwich, I had toasted bread with cheese, tomato, mozzarelle and basil. We also treated ourselves with a Kir Royal for lunch. It was so sunny and warm, we took our books and went to the Palais Royal. We sat, read and enjoyed the sunshine for a few hours. We are back to the apartment now for dinner. We did find out that a french film crew is filming a TV movie in the Oratoire du Louvre Protestant temple across the street. Did not see any stars we know.. but watching the crew move the large trucks in and out of the small street was intersting.
http://www.photoworks.com/photo-shar..._alb_pml&cb=PW

Thursday - Today was a really nice day - Weather very warm, We traveled over to near the Eiffel Tower to Marche Saxe-Breteuil. Today was a bank holiday in Paris so the streets were quiet in the AM. We purchased Ravioli and sause for dinner along with salad, radishes and tomatoes. We decided to some back and have lunch at on Rue Croix Petits Champs. I had and my husband a french type of hot dog. It is two hot dogs on a bagette with a lot of cheese. Wine and water of course. We are off to Jardins du Luxembourg tomorrow for a picnic and walking through the gardens
http://www.photoworks.com/photo-shar..._alb_pml&cb=PW

Friday - We traveled to Jardins du Luxembourg, we got there earlier enough to secure chairs and sit by the main garden and palace. It was a very warm and sunny day. We sat and read our books , I finished the Clara Black novel:Murder in the Rue de Paradis. Aimée Leduc is a great character and never fails to keep me in the book. We had a pinic in the park, chicken sandwiches from dinner one of the previous evenings. We then went to a tea shop near the park for sorbet and tea: Christian Constant. It is a tea and chocolate shop. We then travel back via metro . Saturday - we are off to markets in the 12th, it appears it will be another nice day - warm and sunny- only a few more days left before we travel home. We leave for the US VERY early Wednesday am.
A few photos today to share: The first are of an interesting mask shop we walked by on the way to the park.
http://www.photoworks.com/photo-shar..._alb_pml&cb=PW

Thanks for the real-time reporting and photos. How wonderful for you that you get to spend so much time there.

One of the things I've always wanted to do in Paris is walk the Promenade Plantee, an elevated garden which used to be a railway. Underneath are supposedly all sorts of artist's shops. I believe it is in the 12th. Looks like you're having nice weather, maybe you can check it out.

I am really enjoying your reports and photos. Looks like you are having a great time and enjoying some nice weather.

denmal,

Thank you for taking the time to do real-time trip report. May I suggest the chocolate tart from Fauchon? I dream about this dessert! I am looking forward for more.

Kristina, the Promenade Plantee was beautiful, the roses were in full bloom and it was truly a magical moment when my husband and I were there.

Saturday - We traveled to Marche D'aligre - it is in the 12th. A very large market with permanent area and temporary stands. We arrive early around 10:30 am - we purchased ravoli/sauce, Jambon steak, potatoes, salad, radishes and melons. The melons are the best I have ever tasted. We also found a wonderful little store on Rue D'Aligre that sells all Alsace products. We purchased some wine, gingerbread and jam. The owner was very friendly. The shop is called Le Garde-Manger.
Tomorrow we are off to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery to walk through and if nice enough potentially a boat ride down the seine