Paris April May 2009 Trip Report
Apr 4th, 2010, 05:16 AM
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Paris April May 2009 Trip Report
Day 1 Wednesday 29 April
This trip report was posted to thank the people on Fodor’s France web site for their trip reports and helpful comments. Our first trip to Paris was more interesting and fun because of your help. My apologies if the trip reports are too long. I know there are too many pictures. This report was delayed because I had convinced myself it was too long to post.
Many of the locations I mention can be viewed at mtjames.photoshop.com. A password is not required. Please look for photo album containing the day number of our visit to Paris.
It all started in Denver at 6:00AM on April 28, 2009. We had a three hour layover in Dulles while we waited for the United flight to Paris. Barb and I arrived at CDG terminal C at 6:16 AM the next day. We went through customs and found our one checked bag by 6:45. The Tourist Information Desk ( T I ) was not open so we waited at the airport newsstand and bought a copy of Paris Happenings. The TI opened at 7:00. We purchased our 4 day 45 Euro museum passes and the 9 Euro RER train tickets to Paris. The young woman at the TI gave us free maps of the RER, Subway and Bus lines and wished us the best of luck.
Terminal C is connected to other CDG buildings by a light rail trail system.
After two stops we got off at the RER CDG train terminal. The signs were helpful. We followed a 20 something young man to the trains and watched him hop over the fence to get to the escalator to the train platform. For him, no ticket required! For us, we used the turnstile and inserted our RER tickets. I had to lift two rolling medium sized soft bags over the turnstile. They were too wide to wheel through.
Selecting the right train was easy, they all went to Paris! Along the way, we saw the heavy rush hour traffic on the freeway. A taxi/shuttle ride would have taken 90 minutes or more. The RER got us to the St. Michelle stop in 15/20 minutes for our transfer to the RER C. This turned out to be easy, as long as you did not mind lifting your bags up the two tall steps to get on the train.
It was around 8:00 when we got off the RER C at Pointe Lama. We lugged our bags up the 40 steps to the street and looked for the taxi stand. The street was damp because it had rained during the night. The wheels on my luggage cart got muddy. They also, I learned later, had picked up dog shit. Of course, the wheels on Barb’s rolling bag remained clean. After 18 hours of traveling we did not want to get lost while wheeling our luggage to the hotel in the Rue Clare area of the 7th. A taxi arrived 5 minutes later and took us on the short ride to the Hotel du Champ de Mars. The taxi driver asked us if we really wanted to take the 6 block ride. “Why not walk” he asked. I thanked him for his suggestion and told him we were new to the area and were tired. The taxi ride cost 6 Euros.
Barb and I went into the lobby of the hotel. It was cheerful and inviting, two store fronts wide. As I started my memorized three sentence French introduction, the lady at the front desk exclaimed my wheels had tracked mud on her clean carpet. Embarrassed, I got to my knees and started to collect the debris. Soon the African maid joined me and the front desk lady. We were all on our knees picking up the debris. Barb asked if we could store our bags and check in later. The hotel lady rolled her eyes and said that would be ok. But only after I cleaned my luggage cart wheels on the grass outside the front door.
We walked two blocks to the Ecole Militaire subway stop and looked for a place to have something to eat. A café was filled with students. It looked alright so we asked for a table. A glass of OJ, a croissant and one coffee cost eight or nine Euros.
The walk to The Invalides was easy, only six blocks. Good thing. The sky was mostly cloudy and the air felt cool. It looked like rain. Our museum pass got us quickly by the lines and into the museum. Napoleon’s resting place was impressive, very colorful and worth seeing. After taking pictures in the rotunda we looked for the 1st and 2nd World War wings. A guide said they were closed for renovation. The only sections open were the medieval areas. The large cannons in the hallway between the galleries were marvelous. It was all ok, but we were getting tired. It was time to leave and find the Christian Constant restaurants on Rue Saint Dominique for lunch.
After an eight block walk we found the French Railway System Boutique Store and the restaurants. We were too tired to pick up our previously purchased train tickets from Nice and to Milano. That could wait. It was almost 12:00 so we went into Café Constant, 139 rue Saint- Dominique. I asked for a table for two. The man pointed to a counter but I did not see any tables? Things did not seem right. I was tired and was embarrassed by my poor French so we walked out the door and went to Les Cocottes. Any advice on how you do lunch at Café Constant? Your help is welcome. We will try again in September 2010. Les Cocottes, 135 rue Saint Dominique, weren’t quite ready to open so the restaurant staff asked us to wait. We were soon seated and ordered wine and beer. Business people and families filled the eight tables around us. The chrome swivel seats at the 1950’s style counter soon had people in them. Menus were posted on three chalk boards. After listening to my attempt to order in French, the waiter asked if English was easier. I agreed. Barb had the lamb confite and I think I had a foie gras plate. The meal along with two beers and a nice glass of wine cost about 50 Euros. We agreed we needed to eat there again. But, we also wanted to try Fables de la Fontaine. It was near by, 131 rue Saint Dominique, so we made reservations for Sunday evening. I still wonder what I did wrong at the Café Constant?
Our hotel, the Hotel du Champ de Mars - a small 20 something room establishment, was eight blocks way, 7 rue du Champ de Mars. It was bright and clean and cheerful. – but the elevator was not working. I retrieved our checked luggage and lugged our three bags and two backpacks up the narrow circular staircase to our twin bed room. It was small but quite nicely decorated. There were built in cabinets for our clothes and bags, along with a large bathroom with a tub and shower. Perfect at 95 euros per night. Instead of paying more money for a fancy hotel, our plan was to spend freely on food and wine and beer.
It was 1:30 PM when we unpacked. I looked outside at the dark clouds. I remember thinking it was going to rain, as I fell asleep.
When the alarm went off at 4:00 PM a look outside showed that the clouds were going away. The sun was trying to come out. It was time to see the Eifel Tower! After walking five blocks, we came upon two bistros at rue Saint Dominique and ave de la Bourdonnais, on opposite corners of the intersection. We picked the closest one, I can’t remember the name, and we were seated at an inside table by the windows. The place had an interesting zinc bar. We had something small. I drank a Kronenbourg 1664 and Barb had a glass of Cote de Rhone. The food was acceptable but not special. However, the service was quick and the Japanese family who sat next to us was friendly. I don’t remember what we paid but it was more then 20 Euros. Later we learned from gracejoan3 the bistro across the street was the best of the two. We confirmed that on Sunday. Any ideas on the names of these two places?
The Eifel Tower was only three blocks away and we arrived around 6:00 PM. There were no lines. Hard to believe! We purchased tickets and took the elevator to the 4th level. Unfortunately, there were people waiting to get to the top. It took us 20 minutes to ascend to the highest point. The rain never returned and the sun came out. Most of the photos we took turned out great. Maybe there are too many, but they showed the places we would visit over the next seven days. After another 20 minute line we rode down to the down to the 4th level. The view from there was almost as good as the view from the top. The Eifel Tower was a fun experience, even for a tired first day in Paris.
Imagine, our trip to the Eifel Tower took less than 90 minutes. A good thing – we were very tired. We walked back to the rue du Champ de Mars. It was good to go to sleep.
This trip report was posted to thank the people on Fodor’s France web site for their trip reports and helpful comments. Our first trip to Paris was more interesting and fun because of your help. My apologies if the trip reports are too long. I know there are too many pictures. This report was delayed because I had convinced myself it was too long to post.
Many of the locations I mention can be viewed at mtjames.photoshop.com. A password is not required. Please look for photo album containing the day number of our visit to Paris.
It all started in Denver at 6:00AM on April 28, 2009. We had a three hour layover in Dulles while we waited for the United flight to Paris. Barb and I arrived at CDG terminal C at 6:16 AM the next day. We went through customs and found our one checked bag by 6:45. The Tourist Information Desk ( T I ) was not open so we waited at the airport newsstand and bought a copy of Paris Happenings. The TI opened at 7:00. We purchased our 4 day 45 Euro museum passes and the 9 Euro RER train tickets to Paris. The young woman at the TI gave us free maps of the RER, Subway and Bus lines and wished us the best of luck.
Terminal C is connected to other CDG buildings by a light rail trail system.
After two stops we got off at the RER CDG train terminal. The signs were helpful. We followed a 20 something young man to the trains and watched him hop over the fence to get to the escalator to the train platform. For him, no ticket required! For us, we used the turnstile and inserted our RER tickets. I had to lift two rolling medium sized soft bags over the turnstile. They were too wide to wheel through.
Selecting the right train was easy, they all went to Paris! Along the way, we saw the heavy rush hour traffic on the freeway. A taxi/shuttle ride would have taken 90 minutes or more. The RER got us to the St. Michelle stop in 15/20 minutes for our transfer to the RER C. This turned out to be easy, as long as you did not mind lifting your bags up the two tall steps to get on the train.
It was around 8:00 when we got off the RER C at Pointe Lama. We lugged our bags up the 40 steps to the street and looked for the taxi stand. The street was damp because it had rained during the night. The wheels on my luggage cart got muddy. They also, I learned later, had picked up dog shit. Of course, the wheels on Barb’s rolling bag remained clean. After 18 hours of traveling we did not want to get lost while wheeling our luggage to the hotel in the Rue Clare area of the 7th. A taxi arrived 5 minutes later and took us on the short ride to the Hotel du Champ de Mars. The taxi driver asked us if we really wanted to take the 6 block ride. “Why not walk” he asked. I thanked him for his suggestion and told him we were new to the area and were tired. The taxi ride cost 6 Euros.
Barb and I went into the lobby of the hotel. It was cheerful and inviting, two store fronts wide. As I started my memorized three sentence French introduction, the lady at the front desk exclaimed my wheels had tracked mud on her clean carpet. Embarrassed, I got to my knees and started to collect the debris. Soon the African maid joined me and the front desk lady. We were all on our knees picking up the debris. Barb asked if we could store our bags and check in later. The hotel lady rolled her eyes and said that would be ok. But only after I cleaned my luggage cart wheels on the grass outside the front door.
We walked two blocks to the Ecole Militaire subway stop and looked for a place to have something to eat. A café was filled with students. It looked alright so we asked for a table. A glass of OJ, a croissant and one coffee cost eight or nine Euros.
The walk to The Invalides was easy, only six blocks. Good thing. The sky was mostly cloudy and the air felt cool. It looked like rain. Our museum pass got us quickly by the lines and into the museum. Napoleon’s resting place was impressive, very colorful and worth seeing. After taking pictures in the rotunda we looked for the 1st and 2nd World War wings. A guide said they were closed for renovation. The only sections open were the medieval areas. The large cannons in the hallway between the galleries were marvelous. It was all ok, but we were getting tired. It was time to leave and find the Christian Constant restaurants on Rue Saint Dominique for lunch.
After an eight block walk we found the French Railway System Boutique Store and the restaurants. We were too tired to pick up our previously purchased train tickets from Nice and to Milano. That could wait. It was almost 12:00 so we went into Café Constant, 139 rue Saint- Dominique. I asked for a table for two. The man pointed to a counter but I did not see any tables? Things did not seem right. I was tired and was embarrassed by my poor French so we walked out the door and went to Les Cocottes. Any advice on how you do lunch at Café Constant? Your help is welcome. We will try again in September 2010. Les Cocottes, 135 rue Saint Dominique, weren’t quite ready to open so the restaurant staff asked us to wait. We were soon seated and ordered wine and beer. Business people and families filled the eight tables around us. The chrome swivel seats at the 1950’s style counter soon had people in them. Menus were posted on three chalk boards. After listening to my attempt to order in French, the waiter asked if English was easier. I agreed. Barb had the lamb confite and I think I had a foie gras plate. The meal along with two beers and a nice glass of wine cost about 50 Euros. We agreed we needed to eat there again. But, we also wanted to try Fables de la Fontaine. It was near by, 131 rue Saint Dominique, so we made reservations for Sunday evening. I still wonder what I did wrong at the Café Constant?
Our hotel, the Hotel du Champ de Mars - a small 20 something room establishment, was eight blocks way, 7 rue du Champ de Mars. It was bright and clean and cheerful. – but the elevator was not working. I retrieved our checked luggage and lugged our three bags and two backpacks up the narrow circular staircase to our twin bed room. It was small but quite nicely decorated. There were built in cabinets for our clothes and bags, along with a large bathroom with a tub and shower. Perfect at 95 euros per night. Instead of paying more money for a fancy hotel, our plan was to spend freely on food and wine and beer.
It was 1:30 PM when we unpacked. I looked outside at the dark clouds. I remember thinking it was going to rain, as I fell asleep.
When the alarm went off at 4:00 PM a look outside showed that the clouds were going away. The sun was trying to come out. It was time to see the Eifel Tower! After walking five blocks, we came upon two bistros at rue Saint Dominique and ave de la Bourdonnais, on opposite corners of the intersection. We picked the closest one, I can’t remember the name, and we were seated at an inside table by the windows. The place had an interesting zinc bar. We had something small. I drank a Kronenbourg 1664 and Barb had a glass of Cote de Rhone. The food was acceptable but not special. However, the service was quick and the Japanese family who sat next to us was friendly. I don’t remember what we paid but it was more then 20 Euros. Later we learned from gracejoan3 the bistro across the street was the best of the two. We confirmed that on Sunday. Any ideas on the names of these two places?
The Eifel Tower was only three blocks away and we arrived around 6:00 PM. There were no lines. Hard to believe! We purchased tickets and took the elevator to the 4th level. Unfortunately, there were people waiting to get to the top. It took us 20 minutes to ascend to the highest point. The rain never returned and the sun came out. Most of the photos we took turned out great. Maybe there are too many, but they showed the places we would visit over the next seven days. After another 20 minute line we rode down to the down to the 4th level. The view from there was almost as good as the view from the top. The Eifel Tower was a fun experience, even for a tired first day in Paris.
Imagine, our trip to the Eifel Tower took less than 90 minutes. A good thing – we were very tired. We walked back to the rue du Champ de Mars. It was good to go to sleep.
Apr 4th, 2010, 05:32 AM
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Pictures are at [email protected]
Apr 4th, 2010, 08:29 AM
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tod...I will add to that...Le Champ de Mars Brasserie was the 'better' one of the ttwo!
Your problem at Cafe Constant was probably that they were not open for tables..I think you said you arrived befoe noon? Did you see other people sitting at the tables downstairs?
Cafe Constant and Les Cocottes do not take reservations and you do need to arrive shortly after opening for lunch and for dinner as you will find that they do fill quickly...
You will enjoy Fables and I can highly recommend Violon d'Ingres, too. Also reservations needed. Au Bon Accueil, Le Florimond and so many others, too.
You will also find the buses are far more convenient than metro....you can catch #42, #87, #69 right there in the corner of St. Dominique and Bourdonnais.
Enjoy your stay.....
Joan
Your problem at Cafe Constant was probably that they were not open for tables..I think you said you arrived befoe noon? Did you see other people sitting at the tables downstairs?
Cafe Constant and Les Cocottes do not take reservations and you do need to arrive shortly after opening for lunch and for dinner as you will find that they do fill quickly...
You will enjoy Fables and I can highly recommend Violon d'Ingres, too. Also reservations needed. Au Bon Accueil, Le Florimond and so many others, too.
You will also find the buses are far more convenient than metro....you can catch #42, #87, #69 right there in the corner of St. Dominique and Bourdonnais.
Enjoy your stay.....
Joan
Apr 5th, 2010, 12:29 PM
#7
hi mtj - great start.
don't worry about not understanding everything - on our recent trip to Paris [my 10th at least and DH worked there for a few months albeit many years ago] we STILL didn't get everything. nothing like! you just have to realise that you're not going to be able to, and then relax and have fun.
looking forward to more,
regards, ann
don't worry about not understanding everything - on our recent trip to Paris [my 10th at least and DH worked there for a few months albeit many years ago] we STILL didn't get everything. nothing like! you just have to realise that you're not going to be able to, and then relax and have fun.
looking forward to more,
regards, ann
Apr 5th, 2010, 12:53 PM
#8
Nice report! We had the same experience at Café Constant. We walked in a few minutes before noon and they motioned us to the bar. We weren't clear on what was going on, but thought we'd sit at the bar, have a glass of wine and see what happened. Maybe 10 minutes or so later people started coming in and going upstairs where we figured most of the tables were. We ended up following them up and getting seated. Great food and well worth any confusion on our part. I guess the regulars understand the set up.
Apr 5th, 2010, 05:17 PM
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Day 2 Thursday 30 April
We woke up late. TWO HOURS LATE! It was 8:30 and I was upset we had overslept. It’s hard to give up two hours in Paris, especially on a beautiful sunny morning. We did not get to the Ecole Millataire metro station until 10:00. We had no problems buying carnets, the packages of 10 metro tickets. We took the 8-Creteil line and got off at Concorde where we searched for the Orangery.
Prior to taking the metro we had stopped at Fluor Tee for coffee and croissants. gracejoan3 had suggested we give it try for breakfast. It was only one block from the metro so we did. Several tables were occupied by students. They looked as if they had been there for awhile. While we waited for croissants and coffee we tried out our rented cell phones. The US Verizon phones use a different technology than the European system so we paid $10 per rental phone to have service in France. It cost $1.00 per minute to make calls. Upon leaving, we mentioned to the owner, Fluorent, we had a common friend. He smiled when we mentioned Joan Grace.. He said “Joan was more Parisian than most Parisians and was a very nice lady”. He allowed us to take his picture.
We could have not asked for a more spectacular weather morning, pretty white clouds floating by on a brilliant blue sky. Our Museum Pass got us into the Orangery. There weren’t many people in the building. Admiring the water lilies was easy and pictures were no problem because the galleries were almost empty. The photos turned out great.
I had telephoned Racines in the Passages de Panoramas to make lunch reservations. They said there were no tables available. When I called another place, Chartier, they told me there was plenty of room and I did not need reservations. So, we took the Metro to the Opera Garnier stop. Once there we decided to go to Racines to ask again for a table. Having two Paris maps helped a lot. The Rough Guide To Paris map was the best. We also had the accordion Streetwise Paris map. It was ok but the street name were in smaller print and were hard to see. After a request for directions, a businessman on Blvd. des Italliene directed us to the Passages de Panoramas, a two century old shopping mall. Inside the Passages, we walked by Racines three times before someone pointed out its small sign to us.
Racines, 8 Passages des Panoramas, had 10 tables inside with four more tables outside. The address is. Three 30-something guys, two with sleeve tattoos, were working in the back of the restaurant in the open kitchen. One of them, maybe the owner, said he could not serve us now. He smiled and invited us to return in 30 minutes.
Barb and I decided to have a drink at the bistro we had noticed outside of the Passages on the other side of Blvd. Montmartre. This place was also packed and quite noisy. We stood at the bar and in our best French ordered a beer and red wine. . Being the day before a major holiday, May 1, many people were enjoying long lunches. The bartender spoke a little English. She was charming and asked about our trip. We told her we were about to start a 14 day tour of the central region and the south of France. Drinks came to 8 Euros.
We crossed the Blvd Montmartre, re-entered the Passages and claimed our inside table next to the front window. There weren’t many tourists in Racines, only us. It was special. The sun was coming through the skylights above the outside tables and the people seated there seemed happy and were in a festive mood.
We ordered. I had fois gras and duck. Barb had a salad and lamb. This proved to be one of the best meals of our trip. One 1664 beer, a bottle of organic wine and the food cost 70 euros. It was expensive but worth it. What a great place with wonderful food. We both said we wished we could return
The Galleries Lafayette and Printemps were nearby. After walking for fifteen minutes we went into the Galleries Lafayette. The interesting interior architecture and colors made it special. It beat anything I had seen in Chicago or New York. The rotunda was stunning. They also had an observation deck. It was fun to see Opera Garnier from a pigeon’s perspective. Near the deck was an inside cafeteria. Interesting and special departments inside the store were the wine shop, the pastry/food counter and the chocolate moose bar. Despite being full from lunch, we had two cups of the most delicious Chocolate moose. There were 10 flavors.
Printemps was as also interesting. We just HAD to go into the restaurant. The one under the amazing 6 story dome. We ordered espresso. It was expensive – 12 Euros, but the view was unique. People watching was fun.
We were running out of time. It was 4:00 PM and time to get back to the hotel to rest and change clothes for dinner at Dominique Bouchet. Our dinner reservations were at 7:30. Before returning to the hotel we stopped at the CO OP next to the metro and bought beer and wine. I also purchased lilies of the valley with a rose for the hotel lady whose carpet I had dirtied the previous day. I also bought lilies for the reservations person at Dominique Bouchet. They had been helpful with their prompt response to my e-mail request for a reservation.
When we returned to the hotel I was prepared to give the front desk lady the flowers and another apology for the dirty carpet. Instead, I found a man behind the desk I asked him to give the lady the flowers. He nodded and with a curious smile said he would.
Barb took longer than I to get ready. I went down to the corner bistro to get a beer. On my way I spotted a strange looking guy in safari clothes wearing a pith helmet. He had parked an outrageously decorated tan Vespa in the middle of the street. There was a palm tree rigged to sit on the rear bumper. He stood next to it and peered at something far off with his binoculars. Then he turned on a tape deck which played the theme song from the Indiana Jones movies. He started the Vespa, rode 30 yards and stopped in front of the bistro. There, he went through more “explorer antics”. Then, he tied a tow rope to the bumper of a car that that come up behind him and tried to tow it away with the Vespa. He was unsuccessful. All this time the music continued to play and the customers at the outside tables could not take their eyes off him. This was a true “street theatre” moment. I captured some of it on a video film clip. I wondered what Steven Spielberg would have to say about this?
.
I was worried about finding Dominique Bouchet – 11 rue Treilhard. No worries! After two metro rides and a four block walk we found the restaurant. We could not have done it without the Rough Guide map.
Barb and I were the second party to arrive at Dominique Bouchet for dinner. Our table was near the door and it had a view of the open kitchen and the other tables. We gave the lilies of the valley to the person who seated us and thanked him for their e mails. There was an interesting shelf mounted on the wall next to our table. Our waiter greeted us and asked if we preferred English. Sheepishly, we agreed and ordered a cuiere and a 1664.
My intension was to be frugal and order only a plat. However, when I heard about the 8 course special I lost my resolve. I gulped and ordered it and another 1612. Barb had an appetizer and a plat and a carafe of wine. We were glad to be there. It was the day before the three day May 1 holiday, so I hoped the other guests would also be ready to have a good time. It turned out to be a bit more reserved.
The restaurant quickly filled up. Most men were mostly in suits and ties. Strange attire for the night before a holiday. We were dressed business casual. Then, the Japanese Ambassador and his party walked in - all quite elegantly dressed. We then knew this place was out of our league. However, later most men looked around and took off their suit jackets.
The food was unbelievable. The Fodor’s Paris food section quote, “This is the food you came to Paris for” was certainly true. The waiter and a senior person spent a lot of time with us and appeared happy to do so. Maybe it was our attitude. I bet it was our story about the great lunch at Racines - and the pictures of Racines that we shared with them, including one of guitar that was mounted above Racine’s WC. Barb was given extra courses that she did not order and for which I was never charged. Soon the carafe that sat on the curious little shelf on the wall was empty. We had another. The staff and Barb and I all had a great time. Maybe bringing the lilies of the valley was not such a lame idea after all. The bill was enormous, more than 150 Euros, but we probably will never have the opportunity to eat like this again.
Although most people took cabs home, we walked back to the Metro.
When we got back to our cozy hotel room my stomach was still unbelievably full. My fault! Maybe that was why I did not get much sleep that night.
We woke up late. TWO HOURS LATE! It was 8:30 and I was upset we had overslept. It’s hard to give up two hours in Paris, especially on a beautiful sunny morning. We did not get to the Ecole Millataire metro station until 10:00. We had no problems buying carnets, the packages of 10 metro tickets. We took the 8-Creteil line and got off at Concorde where we searched for the Orangery.
Prior to taking the metro we had stopped at Fluor Tee for coffee and croissants. gracejoan3 had suggested we give it try for breakfast. It was only one block from the metro so we did. Several tables were occupied by students. They looked as if they had been there for awhile. While we waited for croissants and coffee we tried out our rented cell phones. The US Verizon phones use a different technology than the European system so we paid $10 per rental phone to have service in France. It cost $1.00 per minute to make calls. Upon leaving, we mentioned to the owner, Fluorent, we had a common friend. He smiled when we mentioned Joan Grace.. He said “Joan was more Parisian than most Parisians and was a very nice lady”. He allowed us to take his picture.
We could have not asked for a more spectacular weather morning, pretty white clouds floating by on a brilliant blue sky. Our Museum Pass got us into the Orangery. There weren’t many people in the building. Admiring the water lilies was easy and pictures were no problem because the galleries were almost empty. The photos turned out great.
I had telephoned Racines in the Passages de Panoramas to make lunch reservations. They said there were no tables available. When I called another place, Chartier, they told me there was plenty of room and I did not need reservations. So, we took the Metro to the Opera Garnier stop. Once there we decided to go to Racines to ask again for a table. Having two Paris maps helped a lot. The Rough Guide To Paris map was the best. We also had the accordion Streetwise Paris map. It was ok but the street name were in smaller print and were hard to see. After a request for directions, a businessman on Blvd. des Italliene directed us to the Passages de Panoramas, a two century old shopping mall. Inside the Passages, we walked by Racines three times before someone pointed out its small sign to us.
Racines, 8 Passages des Panoramas, had 10 tables inside with four more tables outside. The address is. Three 30-something guys, two with sleeve tattoos, were working in the back of the restaurant in the open kitchen. One of them, maybe the owner, said he could not serve us now. He smiled and invited us to return in 30 minutes.
Barb and I decided to have a drink at the bistro we had noticed outside of the Passages on the other side of Blvd. Montmartre. This place was also packed and quite noisy. We stood at the bar and in our best French ordered a beer and red wine. . Being the day before a major holiday, May 1, many people were enjoying long lunches. The bartender spoke a little English. She was charming and asked about our trip. We told her we were about to start a 14 day tour of the central region and the south of France. Drinks came to 8 Euros.
We crossed the Blvd Montmartre, re-entered the Passages and claimed our inside table next to the front window. There weren’t many tourists in Racines, only us. It was special. The sun was coming through the skylights above the outside tables and the people seated there seemed happy and were in a festive mood.
We ordered. I had fois gras and duck. Barb had a salad and lamb. This proved to be one of the best meals of our trip. One 1664 beer, a bottle of organic wine and the food cost 70 euros. It was expensive but worth it. What a great place with wonderful food. We both said we wished we could return
The Galleries Lafayette and Printemps were nearby. After walking for fifteen minutes we went into the Galleries Lafayette. The interesting interior architecture and colors made it special. It beat anything I had seen in Chicago or New York. The rotunda was stunning. They also had an observation deck. It was fun to see Opera Garnier from a pigeon’s perspective. Near the deck was an inside cafeteria. Interesting and special departments inside the store were the wine shop, the pastry/food counter and the chocolate moose bar. Despite being full from lunch, we had two cups of the most delicious Chocolate moose. There were 10 flavors.
Printemps was as also interesting. We just HAD to go into the restaurant. The one under the amazing 6 story dome. We ordered espresso. It was expensive – 12 Euros, but the view was unique. People watching was fun.
We were running out of time. It was 4:00 PM and time to get back to the hotel to rest and change clothes for dinner at Dominique Bouchet. Our dinner reservations were at 7:30. Before returning to the hotel we stopped at the CO OP next to the metro and bought beer and wine. I also purchased lilies of the valley with a rose for the hotel lady whose carpet I had dirtied the previous day. I also bought lilies for the reservations person at Dominique Bouchet. They had been helpful with their prompt response to my e-mail request for a reservation.
When we returned to the hotel I was prepared to give the front desk lady the flowers and another apology for the dirty carpet. Instead, I found a man behind the desk I asked him to give the lady the flowers. He nodded and with a curious smile said he would.
Barb took longer than I to get ready. I went down to the corner bistro to get a beer. On my way I spotted a strange looking guy in safari clothes wearing a pith helmet. He had parked an outrageously decorated tan Vespa in the middle of the street. There was a palm tree rigged to sit on the rear bumper. He stood next to it and peered at something far off with his binoculars. Then he turned on a tape deck which played the theme song from the Indiana Jones movies. He started the Vespa, rode 30 yards and stopped in front of the bistro. There, he went through more “explorer antics”. Then, he tied a tow rope to the bumper of a car that that come up behind him and tried to tow it away with the Vespa. He was unsuccessful. All this time the music continued to play and the customers at the outside tables could not take their eyes off him. This was a true “street theatre” moment. I captured some of it on a video film clip. I wondered what Steven Spielberg would have to say about this?
.
I was worried about finding Dominique Bouchet – 11 rue Treilhard. No worries! After two metro rides and a four block walk we found the restaurant. We could not have done it without the Rough Guide map.
Barb and I were the second party to arrive at Dominique Bouchet for dinner. Our table was near the door and it had a view of the open kitchen and the other tables. We gave the lilies of the valley to the person who seated us and thanked him for their e mails. There was an interesting shelf mounted on the wall next to our table. Our waiter greeted us and asked if we preferred English. Sheepishly, we agreed and ordered a cuiere and a 1664.
My intension was to be frugal and order only a plat. However, when I heard about the 8 course special I lost my resolve. I gulped and ordered it and another 1612. Barb had an appetizer and a plat and a carafe of wine. We were glad to be there. It was the day before the three day May 1 holiday, so I hoped the other guests would also be ready to have a good time. It turned out to be a bit more reserved.
The restaurant quickly filled up. Most men were mostly in suits and ties. Strange attire for the night before a holiday. We were dressed business casual. Then, the Japanese Ambassador and his party walked in - all quite elegantly dressed. We then knew this place was out of our league. However, later most men looked around and took off their suit jackets.
The food was unbelievable. The Fodor’s Paris food section quote, “This is the food you came to Paris for” was certainly true. The waiter and a senior person spent a lot of time with us and appeared happy to do so. Maybe it was our attitude. I bet it was our story about the great lunch at Racines - and the pictures of Racines that we shared with them, including one of guitar that was mounted above Racine’s WC. Barb was given extra courses that she did not order and for which I was never charged. Soon the carafe that sat on the curious little shelf on the wall was empty. We had another. The staff and Barb and I all had a great time. Maybe bringing the lilies of the valley was not such a lame idea after all. The bill was enormous, more than 150 Euros, but we probably will never have the opportunity to eat like this again.
Although most people took cabs home, we walked back to the Metro.
When we got back to our cozy hotel room my stomach was still unbelievably full. My fault! Maybe that was why I did not get much sleep that night.
Apr 5th, 2010, 05:18 PM
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Many of the locations I mention can be viewed at [email protected]. A password is not required. Please look for photo album containing the day number of our visit to Paris.
Apr 5th, 2010, 06:36 PM
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Nice report!
I am reminded once again why I swore off the Champ du Mars hotel. Nice hotel, but I don't want to put up with being fussed at and "eye rolling" The "lady" owns the place, she and her husband are in the WRONG profession!
I am reminded once again why I swore off the Champ du Mars hotel. Nice hotel, but I don't want to put up with being fussed at and "eye rolling" The "lady" owns the place, she and her husband are in the WRONG profession!
Apr 6th, 2010, 04:38 AM
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I looked at your pictures, so I could find Florent. Right there at the beginning. Good, simple little place and Florent is so nice.
Florent and Michael enjoy good food and good wine. I have introduced them to many of 'my' fine restuarants. We have enjoyed them together. Last Thanksgiving at Violon d'Ingres. I think we will go for it again this year!
Enjoy your trip....
a bientot...
Joan
Florent and Michael enjoy good food and good wine. I have introduced them to many of 'my' fine restuarants. We have enjoyed them together. Last Thanksgiving at Violon d'Ingres. I think we will go for it again this year!
Enjoy your trip....
a bientot...
Joan
Apr 6th, 2010, 05:34 PM
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Day 3 Friday May 1
Barb and I went down the stairs of the Ecole Millitaire metro at 8:00. We boarded the 8 Creteil Metro train and headed for the Champs Elysees, Concorde stop. As we climbed the stairs up to the Grand Palais the first thing we noticed were the flowering trees. They were huge. A few cars and almost no people were on the boulevard - except for two joggers. Suddenly, two teenager girls ran up to us. After hearing about the Paris street scams, I braced myself for the worst. We shook our heads at them and we quickly walked away toward the Arch de Triumph. Soon more young girls approached us. They were selling lilies of the valley, the traditional May 1 flower. Their mothers were seated at folding tables and watched over their inventory of flowers. I gave one of the girls 5 Euros.
It was too early to eat at Laudree, so we looked for the famous Champs Eleysee’s McDonalds. Breakfast there was not bad and cost only 8 Euros. The WC was clean and free if you had the exit code. I can’t say that for the sidewalks on the boulevard. The amount of litter left the impression the previous evening had been wild. The charm of the high end stores and the beautiful landscaping did not work well with all of the trash on the sidewalk.
The Arch de Triumph was impressive in the morning light. The blue sky and early sun created great pictures. The guide book said the stairs to the top of the Arch opened at 9:00, so we were the first in line at 8:45. The line grew behind us. At 9:10 a Gendarme came up to us and said the Arch would not open today. Maybe it was the scheduled parade or the protesters who were starting to arrive? Who knew.
We walked down the stairs and through the tunnel and up to other side of the street. We were shocked by the number of people now on the boulevard. It was as if someone had thrown a switch from empty to crowded. Gypsies were aggressively going after tourists. The carefree holiday feeling was gone. We quickly descended to the Metro. Next stop - Luxembourg Gardens.
We emerged from the metro at the B Luxembourg stop, Needing a WC break, we crossed Boulevard San Michelle and found an outside table on the corner of Rue Gay. I ordered coffee and watched the political protesters on the other side of the street. The man sitting close by at the next table did his best to read his paper and to ignore me. So did his dog. An agitated lady had parked her car illegally on the corner in front of our tables. A 6’5’’ Gendarme asked her to move the car. She tried to explain she was waiting for friends who were coming with luggage. He was polite and raised his hand to indicate she had 5 minutes. The protesters strung their banners on the Luxembourg Garden fence. The tables they had set up held their handbills and more banners. Maybe this May 1 holiday really did have a serious side. The family’s of the protesters were with them and they appeared to be in a smiling and festive mood. I spotted five Gendarmes on my side of the street. They were also enjoying the morning sun. Their riot helmets were off. They did not seem to have a care in the world, except for the illegally parked car.
Barb joined me at the table. The lady and her car were still there. Passengers were now waiting inside. The tall black Gendarme told her to move. His combat boots shined in the sun. Weapons and police stuff hung from his gear belt. He could have been more direct and forceful. However, he was still polite and smiled at the women. She shook her head and in a louder voice started a long explanation. I made eye contact with the man at the next table and rolled my eyes. He shrugged his shoulders as he frowned at this ridiculous women. The Gendarme took out a pad from his belt and started to write a ticket. The lady screamed something at him, got into her car and quickly drove off, mashing her tires against the curb and driving over it. We all laughed, even the Gendarme.
Barb and I crossed Boulevard Saint Michelle, walked by the protesters and headed down the side street to the entrance gate of the Luxembourg Garden. Families were everywhere. As were flowers and fountains and sculptures. It was fun to see the ponds with the children’s little sail boats. After an hour we left the gardens for the Latin Quarter. We passed more protesters. They had several large helium balloons with slogans painted on them in bight red letters. Things now seemed more serious, a bit less cheerful.
Our next destination was the Hotel de Ville. Instead of walking, we decided to take the metro. Richard, an associate at work, had urged me to look for the large caliber shell marks on the corner of building at the Rue de Rivoli. He was right! It was easy to see the scars from the WW II Liberation of Paris. Next we saw an artist capturing the building and the day’s events on a large canvas. Protesters had set up tables with handbills and banners. No worries! Everyone seemed happy. This was all to change a few hours later. The next day we were told many of places we had visited had tear gas in the air when things turned violent.
We were getting hungry so we headed to L'As du Falafel. The Rough Guide map got us to 34 Rue de Rosiers. As we walked down the narrow street we came upon several restaurants all claiming to have the best Falafel. We continued on until we found ourselves in the long line in front of L'As du Falafel. A young man and his son were taking orders. The shy little boy gave out samples of food from a basket. The wait was not long. Despite the positive reviews, our large pita falafels were just ok. We agreed it was a good experience as we walked back to the metro. Next stop the Isle de City and Notre Dame. We later learned all he had to do was cross the bridge at the other side of the Hotel de Ville square to get to the cathedral.
The Notre Dame area was very crowded. Not a good time to climb the tower stairs. We remembered seeing pictures of people sitting on the quay at the point of the Isle de City. We headed toward Sainte Chapel and made our way to the Place Dauphine. Nature called so we had to make a pit stop. We found a bistro on the square and I ordered a 1664. Across the street in a plaza there was a statue of The Dauphine on a horse.
A stairway took us down to the quay. It was crowded. We managed to find a space on the point of the island and sat down next to a young guy playing a guitar. The river almost touched our feet. The water was high. Barb and I drank wine from a wide mouthed plastic bottle. Other people also had bottles of wine and food. We had a terrific view of the Point de Arts and the buildings on both sides of the river. People on the tourist boats waived at us. We waved back as they passed by. While walking back to the stairs, we passed by three policeman giving a young man and a women a through frisking. I guess they had too much to drink. No one else who was drinking wine was given a hard time.
It was almost 3:00 and it had been a busy day. We returned to the hotel, took a short nap and got ready for our dinner with gracejoan3, who I had met through the Fodor’s web site. We had all agreed to have dinner at L’Ami Jean.
Gracejoan3’s apartment was not far from the park that’s south of the Eifel Tower. Our dinner reservations were for 7:30 and we had agreed to have drinks at 6:00. GraceJoan3 stayed in an apartment she rented from Paris Perfect. www.parisperfect.com/. It was a treat meet her and to see the beautiful top floor apartment. Most windows had views of the Eifel Tower. This was quite a change from our modest Hotel du Champs de Mars. I made the comparison and we all laughed. Barb and I had brought a box of chocolates. We thought they would be a good “ice breaker”. After all, we had never met Joan in person. I gave the chocolates to her and she surprised me by also giving me a gift. A package of instant oatmeal packets. I had posted a question on Fodor’s in April asking if it was possible to have oatmeal for breakfast in Paris. You can imagine the cat calls and other humorous responses I received. Joan had remembered this posting. We later learned who had supplied her with the oatmeal. After Champaign and conversation we walked to L’Ami Jean for dinner.
Maybe we arrived at L’Ami Jean, 27 rue Maiar, a bit too early. We were the first guests to be seated. The staff did not seem to be quite “all there”. No problem. We ordered drinks and talked about Paris. Instead of the formula dinner, we each ordered appetizers and a plat. I thought we had been clear when ordering. However, some things must have been lost in translation.
I asked for escargot and a plat of fograt. Barb and Joan each had different a la carte orders. The food arrived and the plates were placed in front of us. Things did not seem right. We laughed, exchanged plates. Now it was ok. When the next course was served, again it seemed different from what I expected. I shrugged and dug in. When we finished we all agreed the food probably was not their best effort. After all, it was the holiday, May 1. Our bill was under 100 Euros. Despite the food issues, we had a fine time being with Joan.
After walking several blocks we left her at the apartment. Barb and I made our way to the hotel. This time, we got lost only once! The end of a remarkable day in Paris.
Barb and I went down the stairs of the Ecole Millitaire metro at 8:00. We boarded the 8 Creteil Metro train and headed for the Champs Elysees, Concorde stop. As we climbed the stairs up to the Grand Palais the first thing we noticed were the flowering trees. They were huge. A few cars and almost no people were on the boulevard - except for two joggers. Suddenly, two teenager girls ran up to us. After hearing about the Paris street scams, I braced myself for the worst. We shook our heads at them and we quickly walked away toward the Arch de Triumph. Soon more young girls approached us. They were selling lilies of the valley, the traditional May 1 flower. Their mothers were seated at folding tables and watched over their inventory of flowers. I gave one of the girls 5 Euros.
It was too early to eat at Laudree, so we looked for the famous Champs Eleysee’s McDonalds. Breakfast there was not bad and cost only 8 Euros. The WC was clean and free if you had the exit code. I can’t say that for the sidewalks on the boulevard. The amount of litter left the impression the previous evening had been wild. The charm of the high end stores and the beautiful landscaping did not work well with all of the trash on the sidewalk.
The Arch de Triumph was impressive in the morning light. The blue sky and early sun created great pictures. The guide book said the stairs to the top of the Arch opened at 9:00, so we were the first in line at 8:45. The line grew behind us. At 9:10 a Gendarme came up to us and said the Arch would not open today. Maybe it was the scheduled parade or the protesters who were starting to arrive? Who knew.
We walked down the stairs and through the tunnel and up to other side of the street. We were shocked by the number of people now on the boulevard. It was as if someone had thrown a switch from empty to crowded. Gypsies were aggressively going after tourists. The carefree holiday feeling was gone. We quickly descended to the Metro. Next stop - Luxembourg Gardens.
We emerged from the metro at the B Luxembourg stop, Needing a WC break, we crossed Boulevard San Michelle and found an outside table on the corner of Rue Gay. I ordered coffee and watched the political protesters on the other side of the street. The man sitting close by at the next table did his best to read his paper and to ignore me. So did his dog. An agitated lady had parked her car illegally on the corner in front of our tables. A 6’5’’ Gendarme asked her to move the car. She tried to explain she was waiting for friends who were coming with luggage. He was polite and raised his hand to indicate she had 5 minutes. The protesters strung their banners on the Luxembourg Garden fence. The tables they had set up held their handbills and more banners. Maybe this May 1 holiday really did have a serious side. The family’s of the protesters were with them and they appeared to be in a smiling and festive mood. I spotted five Gendarmes on my side of the street. They were also enjoying the morning sun. Their riot helmets were off. They did not seem to have a care in the world, except for the illegally parked car.
Barb joined me at the table. The lady and her car were still there. Passengers were now waiting inside. The tall black Gendarme told her to move. His combat boots shined in the sun. Weapons and police stuff hung from his gear belt. He could have been more direct and forceful. However, he was still polite and smiled at the women. She shook her head and in a louder voice started a long explanation. I made eye contact with the man at the next table and rolled my eyes. He shrugged his shoulders as he frowned at this ridiculous women. The Gendarme took out a pad from his belt and started to write a ticket. The lady screamed something at him, got into her car and quickly drove off, mashing her tires against the curb and driving over it. We all laughed, even the Gendarme.
Barb and I crossed Boulevard Saint Michelle, walked by the protesters and headed down the side street to the entrance gate of the Luxembourg Garden. Families were everywhere. As were flowers and fountains and sculptures. It was fun to see the ponds with the children’s little sail boats. After an hour we left the gardens for the Latin Quarter. We passed more protesters. They had several large helium balloons with slogans painted on them in bight red letters. Things now seemed more serious, a bit less cheerful.
Our next destination was the Hotel de Ville. Instead of walking, we decided to take the metro. Richard, an associate at work, had urged me to look for the large caliber shell marks on the corner of building at the Rue de Rivoli. He was right! It was easy to see the scars from the WW II Liberation of Paris. Next we saw an artist capturing the building and the day’s events on a large canvas. Protesters had set up tables with handbills and banners. No worries! Everyone seemed happy. This was all to change a few hours later. The next day we were told many of places we had visited had tear gas in the air when things turned violent.
We were getting hungry so we headed to L'As du Falafel. The Rough Guide map got us to 34 Rue de Rosiers. As we walked down the narrow street we came upon several restaurants all claiming to have the best Falafel. We continued on until we found ourselves in the long line in front of L'As du Falafel. A young man and his son were taking orders. The shy little boy gave out samples of food from a basket. The wait was not long. Despite the positive reviews, our large pita falafels were just ok. We agreed it was a good experience as we walked back to the metro. Next stop the Isle de City and Notre Dame. We later learned all he had to do was cross the bridge at the other side of the Hotel de Ville square to get to the cathedral.
The Notre Dame area was very crowded. Not a good time to climb the tower stairs. We remembered seeing pictures of people sitting on the quay at the point of the Isle de City. We headed toward Sainte Chapel and made our way to the Place Dauphine. Nature called so we had to make a pit stop. We found a bistro on the square and I ordered a 1664. Across the street in a plaza there was a statue of The Dauphine on a horse.
A stairway took us down to the quay. It was crowded. We managed to find a space on the point of the island and sat down next to a young guy playing a guitar. The river almost touched our feet. The water was high. Barb and I drank wine from a wide mouthed plastic bottle. Other people also had bottles of wine and food. We had a terrific view of the Point de Arts and the buildings on both sides of the river. People on the tourist boats waived at us. We waved back as they passed by. While walking back to the stairs, we passed by three policeman giving a young man and a women a through frisking. I guess they had too much to drink. No one else who was drinking wine was given a hard time.
It was almost 3:00 and it had been a busy day. We returned to the hotel, took a short nap and got ready for our dinner with gracejoan3, who I had met through the Fodor’s web site. We had all agreed to have dinner at L’Ami Jean.
Gracejoan3’s apartment was not far from the park that’s south of the Eifel Tower. Our dinner reservations were for 7:30 and we had agreed to have drinks at 6:00. GraceJoan3 stayed in an apartment she rented from Paris Perfect. www.parisperfect.com/. It was a treat meet her and to see the beautiful top floor apartment. Most windows had views of the Eifel Tower. This was quite a change from our modest Hotel du Champs de Mars. I made the comparison and we all laughed. Barb and I had brought a box of chocolates. We thought they would be a good “ice breaker”. After all, we had never met Joan in person. I gave the chocolates to her and she surprised me by also giving me a gift. A package of instant oatmeal packets. I had posted a question on Fodor’s in April asking if it was possible to have oatmeal for breakfast in Paris. You can imagine the cat calls and other humorous responses I received. Joan had remembered this posting. We later learned who had supplied her with the oatmeal. After Champaign and conversation we walked to L’Ami Jean for dinner.
Maybe we arrived at L’Ami Jean, 27 rue Maiar, a bit too early. We were the first guests to be seated. The staff did not seem to be quite “all there”. No problem. We ordered drinks and talked about Paris. Instead of the formula dinner, we each ordered appetizers and a plat. I thought we had been clear when ordering. However, some things must have been lost in translation.
I asked for escargot and a plat of fograt. Barb and Joan each had different a la carte orders. The food arrived and the plates were placed in front of us. Things did not seem right. We laughed, exchanged plates. Now it was ok. When the next course was served, again it seemed different from what I expected. I shrugged and dug in. When we finished we all agreed the food probably was not their best effort. After all, it was the holiday, May 1. Our bill was under 100 Euros. Despite the food issues, we had a fine time being with Joan.
After walking several blocks we left her at the apartment. Barb and I made our way to the hotel. This time, we got lost only once! The end of a remarkable day in Paris.
Apr 6th, 2010, 08:40 PM
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Thanks for posting your report. I look forward to reading the rest. We are booked at the Hotel du Champ de Mars in two weeks. I will make sure I don't bring anything "extra" into the hotel on the wheels of my luggage.
Apr 6th, 2010, 09:26 PM
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Well described report with nice detail - I closed my eyes and could see the scenes you described!
Looking forward to the next instalment. I couldn't get to your photos however - only an email address.
Looking forward to the next instalment. I couldn't get to your photos however - only an email address.
Apr 6th, 2010, 10:00 PM
#17
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Ohh, you got to meet gracejoan...so jealous. I am hoping to be in Paris someday the same time as she so that I might catch a glimpse of that fabulous lady...
I am loving your reports! Only four more months until I am back in the 'hood...can't wait to see the 7th again.
I am loving your reports! Only four more months until I am back in the 'hood...can't wait to see the 7th again.
Apr 7th, 2010, 02:40 AM
#18
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We did spend a good evening together. I had forgotten about the instant oatmeal packages that I had for you!
Yes, they did seem to be mixed up at l'Ami Jean. We had a laugh about it all, and a great time.
a bientot..
Joan
Yes, they did seem to be mixed up at l'Ami Jean. We had a laugh about it all, and a great time.
a bientot..
Joan
Apr 7th, 2010, 06:21 AM
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Tod:
Sorry about the miss communication about how to get to the pictures. I guess I said it correctly in my first post. Please try https://www.photoshop.com/user/mtjames. Try "display slide show in film strip layout" icon.
Thanks for your patience for these long narratives. And for viewing too many pictures.
I guess I miss Paris.
James
Sorry about the miss communication about how to get to the pictures. I guess I said it correctly in my first post. Please try https://www.photoshop.com/user/mtjames. Try "display slide show in film strip layout" icon.
Thanks for your patience for these long narratives. And for viewing too many pictures.
I guess I miss Paris.
James
