Paris - Just Back
 

Hello all - We're just back from 8 days in France, and I'll attempt to get out a trip report. I'm sure I'll have to do this in several steps, but if I don't get started I'll lose all the details!

Overview: We spent most of our time in Paris, with one side trip to Strasbourg. We've traveled to France several times before (including Paris) and were looking forward to a relaxing trip, exploring and getting a little off-the-beaten path.

High-level:
Friday: Paris
Saturday: Train to Strasbourg
Sunday: Return to Paris
Monday: visit the sewers, then the Orangerie
Tuesday: Visit Musee de la Resistance (Jean Moulin), Cartier-Bresson
Wednesday: Walk the Promenade Plantee
Thursday: Bastille market in the morning, walk the Canal St. Martin in the afternoon
Friday: wander around, shop in the Marais

Arrived Friday, May 18th
Happily we saved enough miles to fly business class on Delta. What a huge difference this makes - I think I slept the entire trip (except for when I was drinking champagne on take-off!) We were on one of the new Airbus A380s - just a gorgeous plane, and so big it seems like it will never really take off, but take off it does. RER from CDG to Chatelet, then metro to Arts et Metiers. After getting a little turned around in our jetlagged state, we got headed in the right direction to our apartment (through Vacation in Paris). Our apartment is in the 3rd, on a street that we come to realize is full of wholesale purse stores (and is generally unlovely, but in a good location). The apartment is also on the 4th floor of a building with no elevator - so lots of exercise this vacation!

We decide to just wander around, soaking in some sun and hoping to get ourselves on Paris time. We wander over toward Dehilleran, to scope out any favorite cooking utensils that may have to go home with us this trip. This evening, we have arranged a wine-tasting dinner through O Chateau. A number of years ago, we did a tasting with Olivier through O Chateau. He was lovely, the wine was very good, and since then, he's opened a wine bar in the 1st (or maybe the 2nd), published a book about the French (tongue in cheek) and seems to be making quite a go of it.

After just a bit of a nap, we head off to our wine tasting. Our wine guide is charming and knowledgeable, we stay awake, and enjoy several lovely wines: a champagne from Monmarthe, a Sancerre from Domaine de la Garenne, a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru from Tauzinat L'Hermitage, and a Saint-Chinian from Mas Champart. The food is good if simple: a cold cucumber-buttermilk soup, roast chicken with pasta & a chocolate cake. The rest of the group hails from all over: US (Oregon, WI, PA, TX), Ireland (just over from Dublin for the weekend), South Africa. Nice conversation & all in all a great first evening.

More late!

This is very timely for me. I am going to Paris for 2 weeks for the first time since 1978! I am also staying in a Vacation in Paris rental. I will be reading your report with great interest. Did you buy a single ticket for the RER from the airport or buy a pass on arrival? Thanks.

Susncrg - glad this will be helpful! We bought a single ticket for the RER, and then just purchased carnets throughout the week when we needed metro tickets. I debated whether to get a pass, but just didn't feel like getting a picture, etc. We may well do that another time.

I would also note that we didn't do anything special with our credit cards. I had considered getting one with the chip and pin technology, but ran out of time. What this means is that your regular US credit cards (with the stripe, requiring signature) won't work in the train station machines. We happened to have Euro left from another trip, and just changed the paper to get change for the tickets. (For some reason, the machines @ CDG didn't take bills, only 1 or 2 euro pieces.) We had no problems anywhere else - ATMs were fine, stores, restaurants, etc.

This looks like it's going to be a good report. :-)

I agree with kerouac - looking forward to more. One or two things on each day (especially when one of them is "wander") is my kind of trip!

looking forward to reading more... didn't get to see the sewers but wanted to

Looking forward to the rest of the report as I am going there in Sept. GLad to hear you enjoyed O CHateau wine dinner as we are thinking of going there.

What is the name of the street with the purse shops?

Thanks!

I also stayed in the third arrondissement a few years ago on a street full of wholesale purse establishments. My apartment was on rue Chapon. There are several such streets. None of these outfits is open for retail sales however.

t

Saturday: Woke up and got ourselves ready for our quick trip to Strasbourg. As luck would have it, a friend from college was going to be in Brussels the same week we were in Paris, so we agreed to meet in Strasbourg, where she has some work colleagues as well.

We took the metro to Gare de l'Est. We had already arranged our train tickets, and found where our train would be leaving from easily, so went off to find some coffee and a pastry. Nothing fancy, but I was happy to be where we needed to be with plenty of time. The trip to Strasbourg was fast and easy, and allowed us to catch up on some sleep. We met my friend at the train station. We walked from the station to our hotel & checked in. (We stayed at Hotel Gutenberg, which was lovely, clean & modern.) Many streets in downtown S'berg are pedestrian only, which made for nice wandering. I loved seeing the German architectural influence on this French city - so different from other parts of France we've visited. We were able to visit the Cathedral and just enjoy the nice weather Saturday afternoon. My husband found a simple corkscrew for his collection. (He's settled on this as a reasonable souvenir, as he's not a shopper. It makes for a nice way to remember the trip once we're back home.) I found an Alsatian pastry cookbook for my collection.

For dinner, we went to La Tete du Lard, a place my friend knew that she liked for tarte flambee. It didn't disappoint (and now I have to try and figure out the crust, as it was fabulous). The classic tarte flambee has a very thin crust, topped with creme fraiche (and fromage blanc I believe), onions & bacon (the bacon not as highly smoked as you'd find in the US). So tasty, and we washed it down with a nice Alsatian Gewurztraminer. For dessert, we split a slice of rhubarb pie as well as a dessert tarte flambee with apples & brandy lit on fire. After stopping at a wine bar to wind down with an after dinner digestif, we turned in. (Good thing we walk so much, as too many dinners like that might do me in!)

On the schedule for Sunday: boat cruise on the river and brunch at the modern art museum, then the train back to Paris.

Sara J - Nikki's right - these were shops where they were selling purses wholesale (i.e. by the van full) to other folks who would sell them retail. It took a day or two to figure out the system, but after any number of vans drove down the street, stopped, and filled their van with merchandise, I caught on!

I second what Kerouac said. This looks like a very good report. will definitely stay on board.

bmk

Will read your trip report with great interest ... in particular, your afternoon along Canal St Martin. We are debating whether to take the leisurely boat ride through the locks or walk along the canal as you did!

Keep it coming!

saving for later today :)

Sigh! More, please.

Thanks, everyone, for your interest. On the road this weekend so more to come on Monday!

Will read your trip report with great interest ... in particular, your afternoon along Canal St Martin. We are debating whether to take the leisurely boat ride through the locks or walk along the canal as you did!>>

2010 - i can definitely recommend taking to the water. It's very pleasant on a warm afternoon and the commentary [in english and french] is very interesting.

I'm along for the ride and reading every post with interest.

Very interesting!