Paris Cold weather, "non riots", cheap , good food and gereral great time.
 

Mar 21-22: AA flights SFO > DFW > CDG. Smooth connections and flights. (What has happened to AA flight attendants? I am def. not sexist, but two of the coach attendants looked like they didn't own a hairbrush and another one had Tammy Faye make up)

Arrived at CDG w/ a plan: Two ATM cards to get enough money for the flat (plus had $200 cash if an ATM didn't work); get a phone card and call owner so she can meet us at the flat in the 5th; RER tix to St Michel and walk to flat.

Well, so much for the plan - one ATM didn't work at all (apparently the credit union's system was down since it worked OK later in the week). Other ATM card wouldn't give enough cash (even though well w/i the limit). So exchanged the $200 and got what I could from the ATM. Bought a phone card from the Bureau d' Change and then couldn't get it to work. Took it to the info desk and she couldn't make it work either. On her 3rd try it worked so I spoke to Francoise (the flat's owner) from the Info desk phone.

OK, all is finally set after a few hiccups and I lead my friend (hereafter called CTC for Crazy Traveling Companion) to the RER station. We are numbers 4 and 5 in line when a supervisor-acting person comes out and whispers to all 3 ticket agents and they turn off their window lights and walk away. No ticket agents and no explanations. CTC starts to panic - me too but very subtly :) I found a security guard who spoke more English than I speak French and found out there was a suspicious something on the line and the RER was being shut down. So I tell CTC "Lets run to the taxi rank before everyone else finds out". And so there we are riding into Paris in a taxi.

We got to the bldg and it started to rain. So I went inside the passageway and CTC walked down the street to buy an umbrella. A woman was standing out in the street and I though it might be Francoise so I opened the door and called out to her. She looked a bit confused. Come to find out she was Francoise's friend Danielle waiting for her for a lunch date. Danielle rang Francoise on her mobile and Francoise was there upstairs in the flat waiting for us. After much laughing and hugging/air kissing we are settled in the flat and Francoise and Danielle set off to lunch.

A bit about the flat: It is on rue Xavier Privas in St Michel. This is a touristy neighborhood of narrow pedestrian streets lined w/ Greek restaurants and pizza cafes, small groceries, a couple of creperies, etc. only a block from the river, Notre Dame, St Michel metro and RER. It is a very lively area and not everyone's cup of tea. But it could not have been a more convenient location and since the flat faces an inside courtyard it was totally quiet. This is NOT the flat for someone who wants to spend €150- €200 per night and wants a posh apartment w/ a view of the Eiffel Tower. But for anyone on a budget it is amazing. It is a large though simply furnished 1-bedroom plus double sofa sleeper. The sofa bed has a regular mattress so it really is comfortable. Small living room, sofabed, TV, non-working fireplace, 2 occasional chairs. Dining room w/ table and 4 chairs. Large closet w/ hanging space and shelves. Nice sized kitchen w/ 4 burner cooktop, microwave, large-ish fridge-freezer, basics provided (salt/pepper/sugar/coffee/tea/olive oil/Nutella (!) and so on). Decent sized bedroom w/ a large double bead/desk/chair. And a large bathroom w/ deep tub, hand shower, lots of towels, heated towel rail. All in all just about anything one would need. All for €455 per week! Or €32,50 per person per night for the two of us. It is certainly large enough for a family w/ 2 kids or even 2 couples traveling together if they don't need posh. We got it through Homelidays.com which is sort of like VRBO- you deal directly w/ the owners.

We settled in and then walked over to Notre Dame, then across the river to the Hotel de Ville, down the rue de Rivoli to the Louvre, stopped in the Paris tourist office on Pyramides, then walked back along the left bank. Popped into St Severin, then stopped in a grocery for some fruit/drinks and then climbed the stairs to our flat and crashed.

March 23: Day one for l’opentour. I’ve been before but CTC hadn’t so I figured I accompany him at least for the first day. We took the green line first – REALLY cold upstairs but no rain so we were fine. We got off near Opera Garnier. CTC is a big opera fan and the Marriage of Figaro was on 2 of the nights we were in Paris. As we walked up to the box office we heard the agent say both performances were sold out. Drat. But I insisted CTC try anyway in case there might be a single. I was only going if we could get less expensive tix. But for CTC the opera was a MAJOR reason for going to Paris (the other major for him was Disneyland – yes I know. But he is a Disney fanatic and a friend had given him 2 passes for any Disney property.)

So we get to the window and lo and behold there are TWO seats available for Friday. Both downstairs. One @ €150 and a folding seat for €135. I think to myself “Hooray! CTC will fulfill a lifelong dream”. BUT CTC says – “no thank you. I won’t spend €135 for a folding seat”. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. For days Opera Garnier (and Disneyland Paris) was all I had heard. We trot back across the lobby to the tour desk – and I try to explain to CTC that the signs say no tours of the auditorium due to rehearsals. I actually get in CTC’s face – “Opera is one of the main reasons you are in Paris. It is one of your favorite operas. You can have a seat six rows from the stage! And are turning it down because it is a folding seat?!”

He folds before my “attack” and agrees he wasn’t thinking clearly. We trot back across to the box office – praying that in the last 5 mins the ticket hadn’t been sold. Victory! He bought the ticket – and later confided that it was one of the highlights not of just this trip but his entire life.

The next task was to walk to the cityrama office so CTC can buy tix for Versailles and Chartres. He wants to do both on the same day and Tuesday is the only day that will work. I am not going to take a tour – and definitely not paying €93 for a tour - to do Versailles/Chartres but he wants to do them on an organized tour so I suggest that cityrama is probably his best bet. CTC spends €135 for the opera ticket and €93 for the tour – and is feeling pretty poor about now while I’m still feeling pretty flush.

Tickets squared away we jump on the l’opentour yellow line and head up to Montmarte. Still really cold but now it is beautifully clear and sunny. We take the funicular up to the church. We toured and then went back down the hill and caught the bus and got off at Republique. Walked through the Marais and window shopped. Stopped for a very late lunch (or a very early dinner) in a café upstairs above a boulangerie on rue de la Verrerie near Hotel de Ville. Can’t remember the name – Heurtier or something like that. But it was very good. Décor was art deco/moderne and very comfortable. I had a beef salad w/really perfect cold rare roast beef, frites, salad and wine. CTC had quiche lorraine. Altogether less than €30 for both of us.

We then walked across to the flower markets on the island and on to Ste Chapelle. CTC bought a 4-day museum pass while I just paid for my entry. I had been there a few times but it never fails to be awe inspiring. CTC was quite literally speechless. We checked out the concert schedule – one or two almost every night we are there - lots of Vivaldi, a couple of Bach, plus two balalaika programs. Since Ste Chapelle is literally a 3 minute walk from the flat I know I’ll be able to get to at least one concert.

Stopped at a patisserie around the corner from the flat – this will become a regular habit over the next few days.

(I have tons on my plate today so that's all for now. More to follow later togight)

Darn - wish you can edit titles - . . . .

I'm really enjoying this report so far. Your apartment sounds perfect for a lot of fodorite travelers -- could you give more details, i.e. a listing # from the website?

I didn't even notice the typo! Had to go back and read it twice to recognize it... looking forward to future installments.

Hi Janisj,
I looked through homelidays listings in the 5th to spot the apartment you chose and couldn't figure which one it is from your description. Do you by chance remember your reference # or anything else that would pinpoint it as you go to their site? All of your fellow budget travelers would appreciate it. Thanks!

I'm looking forward to more on your wanderings---great start!!....lynda

I had to look twice for the typo too..more please!!

Interestingly, I too was in Paris during this time and tried to get into "Marriage of Figaro" and one of the Ballets. Was told by the lady that all performances were sold out since late Jan. Fantasitic luck getting the two weats you got! I agree, you definitely earned your friendship by getting into CTCs face and giving him a reality check! Tix sounds expensive, but not for such a 1ce-ina-Lifetime experience. My solution was to go to the nearby Opera Comique and we saw the 1937 French Operetta La Trois Valses" which also was most enjoyable. the building is not as spectacular as the Garnier but still beautiful and impressive. Recommended for anyone with music or theater.
Looking fwd to your recounting of the Vers/Giv experience.

Clarification: Taking a performance at Opera Comique is recommended for anyone with music or theater interest. Tickets are more resonable and available than at the other venues. www.opera-comique.com. We saw "La Trois Valses" (The Three Walzes)

Great going Janisj - my mind races all over the places you mention - something like PagesJaunes!

janisj..very interesting, more please!

Enjoying your trip report. I'd like more details on how to find info on the apartment you rented.

More!!!!!! I was there in March and wish I was in Paris now.

Thanks for the kind words. The flat is #57358. Francoise - the owner - is a delightful woman. Retired and teaching English. The flat is one they bought for her two adult children to use when attending the Sorbonne. Now that both are out and on their own, she rents it out.

A clarification about the Opera - I didn't go. I "got in CTC's face" to bully him into buying the one ticket. He understood ahead of time I wouldn't go unless we managed cheaper tix. I did manage concerts at Ste Chapelle later on - those were more important to me than Opera. But then I have toured inside the opera house on an earlier trip.

One weird thing - before I posted the first installment I "previewed" and then added a paragraph of intro/explanation. But now I see it didn't take. Maybe the edit function isn't working??

<u>March 24</u>: Today I’m on my own. First I headed on the RER out to La Muette and walk to Musee Marmottan (Monet museum). The downstairs gallery with so many of the water lilies is best part but the illuminated manuscripts and other artwork is pretty amazing too.

From there I take the RER/metro to Varenne and the Rodin Museum where I bought a 2 day museum pass. I loved, LOVED the Rodin. I didn’t think I would enjoy it quite so much. But the smaller pieces inside, the lovely gardens, the Gates of Purgatory, and even the caf&eacute; were all amazing. It started to drip a little so I decided to wait it out eating lunch in the caf&eacute;. The food was really good – I had a beef bourguignon and cider followed by profiteroles. I shared a table w/ three college students from Ohio who were on their last day in Paris before heading to the south of France for a semester of French immersion. What great kids – bright and interested in everything.

The sun came out and since I still had a day left on l’opentour I jumped on the Orange route and rode it through St Germain and to the Pantheon. The area around the Sorbonne was sealed off and there was an even heavier police presence than elsewhere. The only actual demonstration we saw was the day before from the top of the tour bus. About 150 students were walking down the middle of the street with signs. They were chanting but it really seemd more like a pep rally. But here near the epi-center at the Sorbonne you could tell the authorities were not taking things lightly. The Sorbonne was sealed up w/ 10 foot metal fences and there were many police vans lined up and apparently some of the police were sleeping in the vans since I saw them parked in the same places several times over the next few days.

I hadn’t been in the Pantheon before. It is a very grand and impressive bldg, but also very cold and sterile inside. It There was a fund raiser going on for the Marie Curie institute and the whole outside entrance porch/courtyard was full of pots of daffodils in geometric designs. The contrast between the hundreds of bright, cheerful flowers and the stark building was striking.

From the Pantheon I took the Metro to the Decorative Arts museum at the Louvre. Unfortunately it is closed until later this year. But the textile museum and the jewelry exhibits more than made up for it. The entire Textile museum was men’s clothing – and the way it was displayed was really amusing. 17th, 18th and 19th cen. Outfits were in the same cases as clothing from some of the more outrageous modern designers. The more things change the more they stay the same!

It had been a while since lunch but I wasn’t ready for dinner yet so I stopped in the food court at the Carrousel du Louvre and had (of all things) sushi and green tea. It was a perfect choice – refreshing and light.

This is a late night opening at the Louvre so I went in just for about an hour. Mostly for the Napolean III apartments, Medieval Louvre and a few silver/jewelry galleries.

I walkd back to St Michel along the left bank, took some wonderful dusk/evening pictures and picked up a chicken/brie/tomato pannini and eclair from the corner patisserie and went back to the flat. The pannini was still toasty hot and I had a Belgian beer in the fridge so a pretty yummy dinner – especially the eclair.

I'll try to finish the rest of the report later tonight - can't find all of my meal receipts so am having a bit of trouble remembering some of the details.

<u>March 25</u>: The second day of my museum pass so want to make the most of it. First I found the Cyber Cube (thanks to a Fodorite suggestion) which isn’t even a 5 minute walk from the flat. Caught up w/ e-mail and checked on news from home. Then walked over to the Cluny, which is practically in our back yard. I really enjoyed the displays here – especially the lady and the Unicorn tapestries. The lion’s facial expressions as the tale unfolds are so expressive.

From there I went to the Pompidou – which I always enjoy. Funny – I’m really not a big fan of most modern art, but two of my favorite galleries are the Pompidou and Tate Modern, which have the same sort of vibe.

Then back across the river to the Conciergerie. Unfortunately the kitchens were not open. In the great hall there was a huge photography exhibit – all of photos of the Seine. Literally hundreds of pictures of the river in all its moods.

I’m now back near the flat so I head back and fix lunch and put my feet up for a few. About 3:00 I head to the d’Orsay. I’ve been there a few times so this visit I mainly concentrate on the Art Nouveau rooms and furniture plus just a few of the Impressionist galleries.

By now it is raining pretty hard but I figure if I dash I can just make it to the Invalides before it closes. Well I do – but JUST. I assumed it closed at 5:00 which it does, but last entry is at 4:30 and I get there about 4:29. I would have been disappointed if I hadn’t toured it once before. So I did a sort of lightening dash.

That ends the museum pass – 2 days / 8 admissions. Quite a bargain.

From the Invalides I walk over to rue Cler for a pastry and coffee, and then over to the Eiffel Tower. I decide that for the first time I should go all the way to the 3rd level. Probably because of the rain the queue is only about 10 minutes. But I really could have saved the extra money to go to the top. It was so cold up there that I really only took a couple of quick pictures and then scurried back down to level 2.

I get back down and start walking to the metro right at 7:00 when the twinkling lights came on. This was the day before the time change so it was just before dark and perfect lighting conditions for some truly beautiful photographs.

I stopped at a little caf&eacute; just around the corner from the flat and had a brochette of lamb and vegetables. Not gourmet by any means but not bad at all. Just getting something hot after being cold and wet for the last 3 hours felt good. Then it was just a minute’s walk back home and hot chocolate and cookies.

Enjoying your report. Happy to hear of another person who really likes the art nouveau furniture exhibits in the Musee d'Orsay.

From your report I can picture the neighborhood perfectly! Thanks for sharing your report. How come everyone ends up traveling with a CTC?

<u>March 26</u>: Today was the daylight saving time change in France. At least I was pretty sure it was – on Sat evening there were segments on the TV news showing a clock shop owner changing all the times – the EXACT same type of story just about every local TV station in the States does. I don’t speak much French (any really except for pleasantries/greetings/menus) but it was pretty clear we needed to “spring forward”.

That morning I went back to the Cyber Cube and then wandered through the 6th/St Germain. Then I decide to walk down rue de Rennes to Montparnasse. I went up the tower – MUCH more comfortable than the top of the Eiffel Tower, plus the Eiffel Tower is in the view so it is even better. There is a casual caf&eacute; up on the top floor so that is where I had lunch. A wonderful tomato/mozzarella/pesto salad accompanied by a glass of a dreadful white wine.

Then the metro to Miromesnil and went to the Nissim-Camondo. What a lovely home and the story of the family is so sad. Just shows wealth can’t guarantee happiness or even safety.

This was Sunday so there wasn’t much traffic anywhere. Apparently there was a big demonstration near the Eiffel Tower – but I didn’t see anything out of the ordinary. I walked to the Opera, through Place Vendome and then to Angelina’s. There was only a short queue – I waited maybe 10 minutes. I got a table upstairs and had a fabulous fresh raspberry tart w/ iced tea and then Chocolate African “for dessert”. There was some sort of SNAFU and it took them more than 10 minutes to bring the tea (after getting the tart). I wasn’t all that happy (I was REALLY thirsty after all that walking) but didn’t say anything except ask once if the waitress remembered my drink. But when the bill cam they had taken the tea off – something like &euro;6,50. Thought that was classy since I hadn’t made an issue of it.

Fortified by raspberry tarts and yummy chocolate I walk through the Tuileries and back home. When CTC gets back around 8 p.m. I talk him into taking a boat trip from Pont Neuf. What you need to understand about CTC – Opera, Disneyland, churches, the Louvre and guided tours are the only things he was interested in. He didn’t take a camera and wasn’t interested in cafes, food in general – except for a couple of dinners he had in China Town – or walking around any neighborhoods. So “ad libbing” and taking the river trip was a big step for him. He LOVED it. Especially seeing the Eiffel Tower twinkle. And the pier was only a 5 minute walk from the flat.

<u>March 27</u>: Today is all Disney. A friend had given CTC two VIP passes for any Disney property. We took the RER and got there just after opening. CTC was fretting that it would be too crowded – but c’mon – a Monday, in March, w/ cold/blustery weather? Neither park was crowded at all. Fast track was useful for some of the fantasyland rides but we really didn’t have to wait for ANY rides/attractions. Paris Disney is larger than in Anaheim – but there are fewer rides. No Jungle cruise, no Materhorn and so on. But ther are a LOT more restaurants.

We ate lunch in the Blue Lagoon restaurant – overlooking the Pirates of the Caribbean like the Blue Bayou in Anaheim. The food was actually pretty good. I had a shrimp appetizer, a chicken “curry” (very little evidence of curry but a tasty coconut milk sauce) and a huge cr&egrave;me brulee. Who’d a thunk my first Kir Royale of the trip would be at a Caribbean restaurant in Disneyland?

I feared we were in for a loooooong day since CTC is such a Disney fanatic. But after the parade at 4:00 and some last minute shopping he was ready to head back. We were home by about 6:00. he was too tire to go out to eat so just got a pannini from “our” corner patisserie.

The sky was really dramatic so I went out to take a few pics of Notre Dame and remembered there was a restaurant I wanted to try just opposite the east end of Ile de la Cite. I ended up having the single best meal of the whole trip. Le Reminet is a tiny place in rue des Grands Degres – maybe 10 tables. While going over the menu the waiter brought a little plate of tasty hors d’oeuvre. I intended to have the very reasonable set dinner – but every dish sounded better than the one before and I decided to go ala carte. (I’m embarrassed to say I can’t remember what the starter was – but I KNOW it was scrumptious) My main course was a scampi dish that was out of this world. Large sea scallops arranged around a really creamy terrine (almost a risotto) of minced vegetables in a beautiful/sweet sauce.

For dessert I had a feullette of puff pastry w/ prunes desiccated in Armangnac accompanied by crystallized chestnuts. I am a chocolate nut – but that has got to be one of the best desserts I have ever had. Three courses, a large glass of a very good white wine, coffee and sparkling water = &euro;44. And very good service. Just a really fine dinner. Amazingly – in this tiny place on the left bank – the couple sting next to me were from my home town! A lovely middle aged couple celebrating there honeymoon in Paris – and he is the vice president of the credit union I used to belong to . . . Small, small world.

Just 2+ more days - Tales of Chartres, Laduree, Vivaldi in Ste Chapelle, and my absolute worst flight experience ever.

Enjoying your report. Speaking of small worlds, did you visit It's a Small World at Disney Paris? Or do they have one?

janis, I'm curious, is there a difference from the French Disney to the American ones?

yes there is a Small World - and the same tune that drives you crazy :)

Paris Disney is very like Anaheim (and I assume Orlando) - but you always know you are in a different park. The castle is different, the architecture in Advantureland is very different and tomorrowland is called &quot;Discoveryland&quot;. The haunted house is called &quot;Phantom Manor&quot; and while the interior is VERY similar to Anaheim the exterior is entirely different. Main Street is nearly identical to Anaheim but the other &quot;lands&quot; are all a bit different. and there is a hotel right over the main entrance. Rooms look straight down on Main Street.


<u>March 28</u>: Today is CTC’s marathon tour – early in the a.m. on a bus to Versailles, back to the Cityrama office and then on another bus to Chartres in the afternoon. I get up and after doing some laundry – no washer dryer, but heated towel rails are a wonderful thing. Great for drying hand washing. Then I decide that I’d also like to see Chartres. So I take the metro to Gare Montparnasse and it is suspiciously quite. The ticket offices on the first (2nd) floor are dark and there is almost no one around. Come to find out today’s general strike is not affecting the metro or local trains – but it IS disrupting long distance and inter-city trains. The ticket offices up on the 2nd floor are open and I find out trains to Chartres are running as normal. So I catch one around 11:00. Chartres Cathedral is amazing and the old city around the cathedral precinct looks really interesting. Unfortunately – the minute I walk out of the Cathedral to explore the town, the skies just opened up. Not just rain. Rain I could handle. But a true downpour that lasted for more than 30 minutes. I huddle w/ my little umbrella in a doorway. The rain and wind is so heavy I really can't even walk to a nearby caf&eacute;. I try to wait it out – how long can it rain this hard anyway? Well – long enough that I finally give up and dash back to the station and catch a 2:30 train back to Paris. I’ll just have to visit Chartres again some day.

By the time I get back to the city the sun is breaking out a bit. I go one last time to the Cyber Cube and then back to the flat to change my very wet shoes and have a quick snack. Then I walk over to Ile St Louis for window shopping and Berthillon. It is now nearly 6:00 so I stop by Ste Chapelle and am able to buy a ticket to the 7:00 concert. I go across the street to a caf&eacute; for onion soup, bread and wine and then back across to Ste Chapelle for Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Sublime! A real highlight. Frederic Moreau, the soloist is a real virtuoso. But if anything, the Cello is even more impressive. I bought a CD and Moreau signed it for me.

Then I go back to the flat and find out CTCs day was a real mess. Due to the general strike – Versailles was closed. So after some delay, Cityrama cancelled that part of the tour and arranges for everyone to come back tomorrow. The Chartres half was going as planned – but not until 1:00. So CTC figures he’ll fill the time at the musee d’Orsay. Wrong! It is also closed due to the strike. So he eats a quick meal and kills the rest of the time wandering round the rue de Rivoli and Palais Royale before returning to the tour office. The tour gets to Chartres just about the time I am catching the train back to Paris – you guessed it – just as the skies opened up. So they did see the cathedral but it was too wet to see anything else.

I pick up my wonderful little tripod. A great REI find – it weighs almost nothing and can either sit on a flat surface – or you can attach the camera to a vertical object like a lamp post w/ the attached Velcro strap. Armed w/ camera and the wee little tripod I set out to take night time photos. The river, Notre Dame, several bridges, St Germain, Deux Magots and Caf&eacute; Flore, and just general night scenes. Some really wonderful shots.

Then I stop at a stand for a Nutella crepe and back to the flat to crash.

<u>March 29</u>: Our last full day. The original plan was for CTC and I to spend the day wandering along the whole metro line 1 - La Defense, Arc de Triumphe, Champs Elysees, Tuilleries, and then wandering around the islands a bit more. But that plan is out the window. First, CTCs Versailles tour was moved to this morning. He later said it was a total zoo since all of Tues (cancelled) tours plus all the scheduled Wed tours converged on the palace. There were thousands of people there and it was very, VERY crowded. He was also bummed that Tues was the last day of his 4-day museum pass and everything was closed on Tuesday. I told him to go to the d’Orsay anyway – and ask if they would honor the pass since it was closed due to the strike. No problem – they didn’t even bat an eye – so he got to see the D’Orsay afterall – though it was extremely crowded just like Versailles.

I sort of stuck w/ the original plan. Starting w/ La defense. I had not been out there before and was intrigued by the modern architecture and the Grande Arche. What a weird place! I found it VERY cold and sterile. There is a long bank of steps to get up to the plaza on the ground floor of the Arch. Before climbing up there I wandered around taking pictures of the area around the base of the Arch. I went inside and found a curved escalator – and thought great I can avoid climbing the steps. But the escalator wasn’t running so I started back outside to go upstairs. Then a man walked up to the escalator and it started up. Ta Dah! – It is an automated escalator that doesn’t move unless someone gets on it. So I skipped the long climb and rode up. Then I took the lift to the top floor gallery/observation deck. Sort of like a tourist attraction ghost town. This large art gallery, gift shop and small observation deck looking down to the Arc de Triumphe and beyond – and there were maybe 15 people in the whole place. The art exhibit was semi-interesting but I was one of only 3 or 4 people who even bothered to glance in. The whole place was fairly off putting.

Then I rode the metro to Etoile. I didn't go up to the top - I've been there before and the queue was not too long but still probably would have taken 30 minutes or more. This trip I managed to go to the top of Montparnasse, Eiffel Tower, La Defense, and up to Sacre Coeur. So got a LOT of views over all of Paris. Sacre Coeur is the best of course, but really – Tour Montparnasse had the best views since you can see all of the other “icons” from up there.

Then I walked along the Champs Elysees and window shopped Cartier and other posh shops. Stopped for a coffee and then decided I’d try to get in Laduree for pastries. Took the metro to Concorde and walked to the restaurant on rue Royale, expecting to have a wait or not be able to get in at all. But no problem – when I told them I was having lunch I got a window table. I think if I had only been having pastries there might have been a longer wait. I had the most amazing salad. It was really just a chicken breast/spinach salad but what a work of art. Several pieces of chicken breast arrange around the plate drizzled with a wonderful tart/sweet dressing. Then in the center a long paper thin strips of cucumber formed into a cylinder holding in a pile of baby spinach topped by very sweet seeded/peeled tomatoes and topped by another large piece of chicken breast. It was a beautiful presentation and tasted great too. Also had tea and an apricot infusion. Just a wonderful presentation.

Then I walked over to the carousel du Louvre to do some shopping in the Louvre gift shop and in some of the carousel shops.

By now it is late afternoon I am starting to feel a little achey – feels like a sinus infection coming on. So I take the metro back to St Michel, stop in the corner grocery for some fruit and a small package of ham. That night I pack and have fruit and cold cuts plus nosh on the cookies, nutella, and other goodies we have stockpiled over the last week. Not a gourmet dinner for the last night – but just what I needed.

CTC made contact w/ a friend of a relative, who is an antique dealer in the Marais. They arrange to have dinner in China Town – which works out perfect since I really wasn’t feeling well enough for a night out. Tomorrow we have a noon flight out of CDG – and I want a good night’s sleep.

But no amount of sleep would prepare us for the mess AA put us through on the trip home . . . . . .

Your report is great.

I hope CTC had a good time, but it sounds a little dreadful on Wed!

I second the above comment on how much we loved the Musee Rodin. Most of the other museums are very grandiose, but the Musee Rodin has more of an intimate and relaxed feel. . . and I am by no
means an art &quot;lover.&quot;

Also agree that any more than two panoramic views of Paris is overkill.

Janisj, Interesting perspective on the relative merits of the Grande Arch and the Tour Montparnasse views. I was in Paris for the 28th strike and we saw the facilities of the Hotel Invalides and the Musee Rodin and had no problem.
However, at the end of the day we were trying to get to Place d'Italie on M. Line 6 and one train was so packed we could not get on even with a rinning dive! That will go down as a memorable event! Too bad the strike affected you so.

<u>March 30</u>: (This is a looooong installment - but I just have to vent somewhere.)

Flying home today. Normally I’d be sad, but 8 days in Paris was just about right. I didn’t get to do everything but it was cold and rainy enough that I managed about as much as possible. If this trip was in May or September when the gardens and weather are better I’d want about 2 weeks.

Anyway – first a bit of background. CTC and I live in/near Sacramento and flew AA SFO &gt; DFW &gt; CDG on two flight numbers 1002 and 48. But the return flight from CDG to SFO is listed as one flight number – - 49. I knew we would land at DFW, and probably change equipment, but the e-ticket and itinerary only describe it a #49 CDG &gt; SFO. One would <b>THINK</b> AA wouldn’t schedule a flight so it is impossible to connect to itself – but one would be wrong.

More background. There is no easy way to do morning flights out of SFO from Sacramento. You either have to go down the night before, OR leave early in the a.m. and drive through TWO commute messes (Sac and the Bay Area), OR fly – which costs nearly as much as our R-T to Paris. Only a very slight exaggeration. We opted to drive – CTCs nephew lives only about 10 minutes from SFO so we drove to his house, left the car there and nephew drove us to the airport. And then when we land we would call nephew and he could meet us about the time our luggage came out (I don’t usually check a bag but CTC did so I figured I’d check too since it wouldn’t save me any time at the other end)

Enough background – now the saga. Because of the trouble on the RER day 1, we decided to head out early just in case and we’d have enough to catch a taxi if the RER was down. Well of course the RER was totally trouble free and we were at CDG 3.5 hours ahead. Nothing on our documentation said which terminal but I figured it would be #2 something so we got off at Term. 2. But there were no AA flights on any of the monitors – everything was AF. We asked an info desk w/ AF staff and they didn’t know which terminal/gates AA uses. One called someone and sent us off in the right direction.

Of course check-in wasn’t open yet but we found the right queue and we were number 4 and 5 in line. I described what happened next on another thread about CDG – suffice it to say if we hadn’t been at the front of the line we could have missed the flight. The three men in front of us were middle easterners going to some sort of navy conference in Houston and it took more than an hour for them to clear the security screening before the check in desk. A fourth security agent finally showed up 45 minutes later and that is when CTC and I were cleared. By then the check in line stretched out of sight and from the looks of the departure lounge some of them were in line more than 2 hours. And that is just for check in – we still had to go through security. I was VERY glad we got there early. CTC and I got boarding passes for both segments (CDG/DFW and DFW/SFO) and they were for the same seat numbers.

The flight was fairly uneventful – dreadful food – which is unusual. I think AA usually has decent food on international. Not great but certainly edible. Well – this was awful, an odd tasting piece of chicken w/ and some penne pasta w/ a bright red tomato sauce. But I figure – we have 90 minutes on the ground in DFW, which isn’t a long time but should be enough time to pick up a sandwich or something.

We land at DFW at 3:00 – about 10 minutes late. No big deal. A flight attendant makes the usual announcement - “For connecting passengers there will be AA reps to direct you to your gates. yada, yada, yada”. <b>DO NOT believe them!</b> We have to de-plane – go through customs – retrieve our bags (I’ll NEVER check bags again) - go through immigration and re-check the bags. There are three incoming international flights at the same time – from Zurich, Rio, and CDG, so the lines at Customs and Immigration are really long.

CTCs bag comes up first and I lose sight of him in the crowd. After finally getting my bag and going through immigration – there is ONE baggage handler there to take care of everyone’s bags – he yells for everyone to just drop their luggage and he’ll take care of it. I figure my bag will be a few days getting to me. Anyway – then I start to look for all those mythical AA reps to direct us – No One. There is a queue at a ticket counter – but that would take at least 30 minutes. I finally see a monitor and find AA 49. It is currently 3:40, I am in terminal D – and flight 49 is boarding at 3:40 in terminal A. AND I am now landside so I have to go through a security screening. It wasn’t a long line but I got behind a man who had to go through the scanner 3 times and practically undress. By the time I get through – still in Terminal D – it is 3:55 and I still have to take the train to Terminal A and find the gate. I RUN (looked like an OJ commercial) the whole way and get to the gate gasping for breath just as they are closing the door.

The gate agent says – “don’t worry, we’ll get you on the next flight and you’ll only be an hour later into SFO”. I say my CTC is on that plane, and we have no way to communicate, and, and, and – SOMETHING I said must have worked because he issued me a new boarding pass and opens the door! I rush on to the plane – my seat is full of someone else’s bags on the seat and under the seat in front. It all belongs to a guy across the aisle and he is REALLY annoyed that he has to move everything. Gee, sorry.

Then I immediately see that CTC is not in the seats we were originally assigned. I call for an attendant to see if I can get off – but before she comes we have pushed away. Too late.

I am NOT a happy camper and I think about the problems ahead. I don’t know where CTC is, I don’t have nephew’s phone number, I don’t have my cell phone w/ me so I don’t have CTC’s roommate’s phone number in Sacramento.

THEN I really get p**sed – the attendants are selling food, drinks, and headphones – and they will NOT take &euro;! Now, I know this is a domestic flight – but it is listed as a direct flight from CDG to SFO. They <u>should</u> take &euro;. There aren’t any other CDG flight 49 passengers on the flight – there should have been but I’m the only one who made the connection. I usually have $ - but back on day 1 when one of my ATM cards wouldn’t work I exchanged all my $. And I certainly didn’t have time to change money at DFW! So a 3.5 hour flight w/ only a soft drink – no food, no sound system, no movie - Harry Potter :( I spoke w/ the purser and all he could tell me was to write to AA when I got home. He didn’t offer me a drink or headphone or anything. Thanks for nothing. ( BTW – when I saw him on the ground at SFO he apologized and said the attendants should have taken my euro. BIG help then! ) The Purser said he would contact SFO and be sure there is an agent to meet me. They page CTC a couple of times just to make sure he isn’t on the plane somewhere – and I fly on to SFO hungry, thirsty, and worried about how to straighten out this mess.

When I arrive at SFO at 5:50 there is an agent to help me – but she is REALLY annoyed that the purser asks her to try to find what flight CTC is on. Eventually she locates him on a flight arriving at 9:23 - what happened to the flight that would have gotten me to SFO just an hour later than scheduled??

My bag doesn’t come off and the red box AA uses to indicate “last bag” is slowly circling the carousel. But about 10 minutes later there is my bag :) but not CTC’s :(

I call my folks in Sac hoping they can find CTC’s roommate’s number but no dice. I spend the next 3 hours sitting in baggage claim. CTC’s flight lands on time (!) and he is being paged from baggage services – apparently his suitcase arrived on an intervening flight. He is amazingly calm – after he finds me. At DFW they had no idea where I was and didn’t know I had made flight 49. In fact AA re-ticketed me for the later flight – after I was already on the ground at SFO. There were thirteen flight 49 passengers who missed connecting to flight 49. Some scheduling geniuses at AA for sure!

As it turns out CTC couldn’t find nephew’s phone number either – but he called his roommate from DFW and roommate contacted nephew. So the same minute we picked up CTCs bag there was nephew waiting for us :) He drove us to the car and we drove home – and pulled into CTC’s driveway at 11:30 p.m.. I drove from ther and got home at midnight ending a 28 hour day . . . .

janisj,
I can only hope that my trip in June doesn't end this way as I am traveling with DH,DD(12), and DS(8). We, too are from Sacramento but at least are flying into SFO straight from Heathrow.

janisj, I really enjoyed your report...it was different and I was there with you :) Thank goodness I wasn't there with you on the way back!! Yikes...what a nightmare.

JanisJ: This kind of c**p only changes when people complain to the Dept of Trans (yes, easier said than done, but I've complained before) Most major cities have a number for DOT in their phone book and the relevant office is findable on a web search. It won't undo your horror, but if enough people complain about situations like this, it does get through to decision makers, both in the DOT, and at the 'lines.
That being said - I hae had bad experiences on AA, domestically and internationally and avoid this particular line unless the price and/or timing of the flight are compelling. Unfortunately, I am not surprised by your story.

Oh janisj, what a mess getting home!!

I live in the Sacramento Valley also and when I fly to Italy I try to get the KLM flight that leaves SFO around 4:00pm as yes the drive to SFO early morning is a mess.

I am not critizing you, so please don't think I am but I would like to make a comment. So many people do not take any euro with them when they go abroad. And don't take US dollars either. Thank goodness you had US dollars with you when you arrived in Paris!

I always have 2 ATM cards (two different checking accounts) plus some Euro plus US dollars. And of course I always have credit cards with me. With my luck not one ATM would be working when I arrive, so for peace of mind I take some Euro. And I want US money on me when I fly home. The bit of money it cost to take some Euro with me to Europe is worth it, just my thinking and feelings.

Your chicken/spinach salad that you described sounded soooo good!! I could almost taste it. Don't you love the way the French and the Italians can make their presentation of food look like a work of art.

I hope that the miserable flights home didn't take away from the joy of being in Paris, it doesn't sound like it did.
But can only imagine how exhausted you were when you finally got home. Imagine your bed looked wonderful.

You know I remembered why I despise AA reading your trip home. Customer Service consists of &quot;We took your money now SIT DOWN&quot; (And I was a premium level flyer with them)

That's just stupid to show this as one flight when it's not and 90 minutes in DFW is barely enough time without the international aspect. (The airport is only user friendly IF you are flying to or from Dallas, as a connecting airport is horrid)

LoveItaly: to clarify, I did have a few &euro; w/ me but I needed a lot because I was paying cash for the flat - that's why I needed both ATM cards to work. When one didn't I had to exchange my US$ -- which meant I didn't have any $ to pay the flight attendants from Hell for a crummy box lunch or headphones.

Funny - I do have a set of noise cancelling headphones I could have taken but knew (or thought) earphones are free on international.

Interestingly - the headphones WERE free from DFW to CDG - but they cost &euro;5 or $5 from CDG to DFW. Go figure.

CarolA: Yep - I MUCH prefer Virgin, BA or almost anyone else, especially since AA ditched the extra leg room. All four planes were pretty old, none had seat back entertainment, and all had those pretty obsolete AirPhones in the back of every middle seat. But we did get a great fare

I probably should have mentioned why CTC got stuck w/ that label (it was explained in my introductory paragraph that didn't take) - but since he came through like a real champ on the flights from hell, I guess I'll keep it my secret . . . . .

email me at jsemmer at comcast dot net and I will send you some photos from Ste Chappelle concer - I was using a very fast speed and a IS (image stabilizer) lens, so the background is clear, but the hand playing the violin is in motion... very cool.

Tagging to read later

Lovely report, despite the flight home. I will be going to Paris, and will be staying in the Quartier Latin, within 1-2 blocks from Sorbonne or Mus&eacute;e National du Moyen Age (Cluny Museum). You speak of the Cyber Cube - what is that? It sounds great - any advice for the area other than what you've posted?

I don't know if it's Cyber Cube but there is an internet place across from the garden at the Cluny. If you are on the corner of St. Michel and St. Germaine (the corner with Hotel Cluny Square on it..have it at your back) and go left down St. Germaine, it is down the first or second small street on your left. They have American keyboards.

About your flights home:

- CDG is well-known for its mess. Still, I feel you're not very prepared. Not knowing which terminal AA uses at CDG before heading out there isn't very smart.

- Most US airlines use same flight number on some of its &quot;direct&quot; flights, even though there's nothing direct about that. Travelers should know and need to know about this - especially for people well-traveled like yourself. [Or at least that was my impression.] It's mainly a way for airline to do three things:
-- if someone look up CDG-SFO itinerary, AA's &quot;direct&quot; flight will list above the regular connections with different flight numbers
-- cut down on flight numbers
-- cheat you some FF miles as you're only getting CDG-SFO, and not CDG-DFW-SFO mileage

These stuff are well known and have been in practice for years.

- Similarly, you should know ahead what you need to do at DFW. It's no different from another Europe-US-US connection at other airports. I am surprised, however, by the inefficiency at the new Terminal D at DFW.

- The DFW-SFO you're on is a domestic flight, just like any other DFW-SFO flight. All domestic flight rules apply.

- I see that a lot of the connection problem is due to your travel companion.

rkkwan: I think you are reading an awful lot into my description and jumping to a lot of conclusions.

I have flown transatlantic many MANY times. On non-stop flights, on direct flights, on connecting flights, and on every other permutation. On the original itiinerary everything was included (length of layovers, which terminals at both DFW and CDG, etc.) but when AA changed our itinerary the new e-tix/itineraries included none of that.

There was nothing about which terminal the flight was out of on anything from AA. I COULD have walked four blocks to the internet cafe and looked it up - but one would assume the monitors at CDG would show flight departures - not so.

I was the <b>ONLY</b> through-passenger on flight 49 that made it. So apparently I didn't do everything wrong like you seem to think . . . .

Oh - meant to add:

&quot;<i> The DFW-SFO you're on is a domestic flight, just like any other DFW-SFO flight. All domestic flight rules apply.</i>&quot;

Sorry - but <u>everything</u> we received from AA lists flt 49 as a direct flight from CDG to SFO dep at 12:15 and arriving at 17:54.

And yes I do know the difference between non-stop and direct.

<u>lmlweb</u>: The Cyber Cube is an internet office (not a cafe - no food) on rue Mignon just off Blvd St Germain. It sounds like the same one gomiki is talking about (US keyboards available, etc) just a long block up the Blvd from the Cluny.

Anyway - it is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

janisj - I totally disagree with many airline's practice of putting same flight number on a Europe-US-US flight. It's totally confusing and disingenious. And you're a &quot;victim&quot; of this practice.

I do not disagree with that.

What I am saying is that of all travelers, one like YOU who fly a lot, and frequent this forum, should know better.

As for your connection problem. Lots of people misconnect every day, on all airlines, at all airports. Nothing unusual. It just seem to me that a lot of your issues arise because of your travel companion. And I also point out that I am disappointed at the speed one get through DFW. Still, it's not the really big deal you make it out of, if not for your travel companion.