Paris Portin of Provence/Paris 60th BIrthday Trip Report (June/July 2006)
Jul 24th, 2006, 01:15 PM
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Paris Portin of Provence/Paris 60th BIrthday Trip Report (June/July 2006)
This is a continuation, but a new post altogether, of a trip report regarding our 60th birthday trip to Provence and Paris in July/July of this year. However, work has interrupted my flow and I'm going to post now what I have done and will finish up in the next day or two.
About 2 years ago I suggested to a friend of mine that since we were both turning 60 in 2006, why not give ourselves a birthday gift of a trip to Provence and Paris during that year … she readily agreed having never been to France before. This would be my third trip to Paris, my second trip to Provence, and her first for both. As time went on, our two travelers became seven! Five would turn 60 in 2006 and the other two in a couple of years. We had great fun planning the trip -- I did the research, rented the van, got information on B & B's in Provence and on apartments in Paris, and order the TGV tickets. We had fun get togethers to make decisions on where we would stay in Provence and what apartment(s) in Paris. I am a firm believer that planning is sometimes more fun than the trip itself! We had a fairly loose itinerary of what we were doing in Paris on a daily basis so we didn't have to waste time figuring out our daily focus while there. Everyone could spend all their time with the group or anyone could go off and do what they wanted to do -- no rules and, thus, no disappointments!
After spending 8 nights in Provence, we left Avignon on Friday, June 30th, and arrived in Paris about 12:30 or 1:00 P.M. We had a TON of luggage as we all had to buy an additional suitcase to bring back all the fabulous stuff we bought in Provence! An "angel" appeared when we got off the TGV at Gare Lyon, got a huge cart for our luggage, took us out to the taxi queue, and found 3 taxis for us!. We had arranged for 2 apartments from www.parisperfect.com -- the Sancerre and the Champagne They were both absolutely stunning!! They were just as they appeared on their website and were even better in person! We loved being able to purchase fruit, cheeses, rotisserie chickens, flowers, breads, olives, etc., etc., at markets or at take-out places on Rue Cler or in "our" neighborhood and dine in our apartment with the Eiffel Tower almost close enough to touch! It just doesn't get any better than that! Watching the Eiffel sparkle at night is enchanting!
Day 1: Friday, 6/30: We dropped our luggage at the apartments, had an in-service of all the appliances, etc., and then went to a nearby café for lunch, after which we did a short walk of our "neighborhood," which was very close to Champs du Mars and the Eiffel Tower. It was the actual birthday of one of our gals and I had emailed www.atyourservice.com (a concierge service recommended by the Paris Perfect staff) for a recommendation of a restaurant with outdoor dining in the Place Victor Hugo area and she suggested Café L'Homme at the Trocadero. It is perhaps the best outside table in Paris! You are sitting on a fabulous terrace with fabulous food looking straight on at the fabulous Eiffel Tower all night!!! Our kir royals, dinners, desserts, and wine were absolutely wonderful! I'm sure that birthday will never be forgotten!
Day 2, Saturday, 7/1: Woke up to a beautiful sunny day -- however, Paris was HOT pretty much the entire time we were there! High 80's/low-mid 90's certainly slows you down! Two of us walked to the Saxe-Breteuil market and had such a great time picking out great foodstuffs for our apartment! I LOVE the markets of Paris and love that concept! The flowers were magnificent as were all the cheeses, sauccissons, seafood, fruit, vegetables, prepared foods, etc., etc. A great French market! On the way back, we stopped for my first citron presse which was SOOOOO delicious and refreshing. I spent the rest of the day in the apartment catching up on my journaling and just taking a breather from the week in Provence. Sensory overload is saying it mildly!
Day 3, Sunday, 7/2: Walked to the Batobus at Eiffel and bought our 5 day passes. What a great mode of transportation. We used the Batobus pretty much each morning and evening to get where we were going. We were all very intimidated by the Metro and actually preferred the slowness of the Batobus. Our first stop was the Bastille market on Blvd. Richard Lenoir. We took the Batobus to Jardin des Plantes and walked from there past the Bastille Opera (a pretty contemporary styleless structure) and onto the market. Again, a very fun market -- more clothes and jewelry and souvenir-type items, but also the fabulous flowers, cheeses, breads, etc., etc.. From there, we wandered to the Place des Vosges, Beauborg fountains, over to I'lle St. Louis to Berthillon for ice cream. The salted caramel is to die for! However, I found their small scoops to be a disappointment! Met 2 of our gals at the jardin behind Notre Dame and went to Kiosque Flottant for a drink. It is across the Seine from Notre Dame and is a floating bar/restaurant/café that is just too cool!
Day 4, Monday, 7/3: Started out walking with the 6th arr. as our destination. I had totally forgotten that we were on the western edge of the 7th and to get to St. Germain would be a major trek. However, we enjoyed our walk stopping at Rue Cler (I also was not aware that many stores were closed on Mondays. That certainly protected our debit/credit cards!) and onto Rue de Grenelle with a short stop at the sweet Square Ajaccias just past the Invalides. Walked down Rue de Pre aux Clercs (everything closed!), stopped for lunch at a café on Rue de Bac for the best quiche we'd ever had!, stopped at Laduree for a most delicious "Religieuse Rose," "Choux pastry, rose petal flavoured confectioner’s custard." I still dream of the flavor - rose petals and raspberry! A perfect decadent pairing! I had originally ordered an Ispahan but when the waiter came back and told me they were out of those, I ordered the "Religieuse Rose" instead. However, in reading the menu, it didn't seem that there was too much difference between the two. I can see now why I've read about the Ispahan on the internet!
I'll try and finish up this Paris report tomorrow! Work gets in the way, doesn't it???
About 2 years ago I suggested to a friend of mine that since we were both turning 60 in 2006, why not give ourselves a birthday gift of a trip to Provence and Paris during that year … she readily agreed having never been to France before. This would be my third trip to Paris, my second trip to Provence, and her first for both. As time went on, our two travelers became seven! Five would turn 60 in 2006 and the other two in a couple of years. We had great fun planning the trip -- I did the research, rented the van, got information on B & B's in Provence and on apartments in Paris, and order the TGV tickets. We had fun get togethers to make decisions on where we would stay in Provence and what apartment(s) in Paris. I am a firm believer that planning is sometimes more fun than the trip itself! We had a fairly loose itinerary of what we were doing in Paris on a daily basis so we didn't have to waste time figuring out our daily focus while there. Everyone could spend all their time with the group or anyone could go off and do what they wanted to do -- no rules and, thus, no disappointments!
After spending 8 nights in Provence, we left Avignon on Friday, June 30th, and arrived in Paris about 12:30 or 1:00 P.M. We had a TON of luggage as we all had to buy an additional suitcase to bring back all the fabulous stuff we bought in Provence! An "angel" appeared when we got off the TGV at Gare Lyon, got a huge cart for our luggage, took us out to the taxi queue, and found 3 taxis for us!. We had arranged for 2 apartments from www.parisperfect.com -- the Sancerre and the Champagne They were both absolutely stunning!! They were just as they appeared on their website and were even better in person! We loved being able to purchase fruit, cheeses, rotisserie chickens, flowers, breads, olives, etc., etc., at markets or at take-out places on Rue Cler or in "our" neighborhood and dine in our apartment with the Eiffel Tower almost close enough to touch! It just doesn't get any better than that! Watching the Eiffel sparkle at night is enchanting!
Day 1: Friday, 6/30: We dropped our luggage at the apartments, had an in-service of all the appliances, etc., and then went to a nearby café for lunch, after which we did a short walk of our "neighborhood," which was very close to Champs du Mars and the Eiffel Tower. It was the actual birthday of one of our gals and I had emailed www.atyourservice.com (a concierge service recommended by the Paris Perfect staff) for a recommendation of a restaurant with outdoor dining in the Place Victor Hugo area and she suggested Café L'Homme at the Trocadero. It is perhaps the best outside table in Paris! You are sitting on a fabulous terrace with fabulous food looking straight on at the fabulous Eiffel Tower all night!!! Our kir royals, dinners, desserts, and wine were absolutely wonderful! I'm sure that birthday will never be forgotten!
Day 2, Saturday, 7/1: Woke up to a beautiful sunny day -- however, Paris was HOT pretty much the entire time we were there! High 80's/low-mid 90's certainly slows you down! Two of us walked to the Saxe-Breteuil market and had such a great time picking out great foodstuffs for our apartment! I LOVE the markets of Paris and love that concept! The flowers were magnificent as were all the cheeses, sauccissons, seafood, fruit, vegetables, prepared foods, etc., etc. A great French market! On the way back, we stopped for my first citron presse which was SOOOOO delicious and refreshing. I spent the rest of the day in the apartment catching up on my journaling and just taking a breather from the week in Provence. Sensory overload is saying it mildly!
Day 3, Sunday, 7/2: Walked to the Batobus at Eiffel and bought our 5 day passes. What a great mode of transportation. We used the Batobus pretty much each morning and evening to get where we were going. We were all very intimidated by the Metro and actually preferred the slowness of the Batobus. Our first stop was the Bastille market on Blvd. Richard Lenoir. We took the Batobus to Jardin des Plantes and walked from there past the Bastille Opera (a pretty contemporary styleless structure) and onto the market. Again, a very fun market -- more clothes and jewelry and souvenir-type items, but also the fabulous flowers, cheeses, breads, etc., etc.. From there, we wandered to the Place des Vosges, Beauborg fountains, over to I'lle St. Louis to Berthillon for ice cream. The salted caramel is to die for! However, I found their small scoops to be a disappointment! Met 2 of our gals at the jardin behind Notre Dame and went to Kiosque Flottant for a drink. It is across the Seine from Notre Dame and is a floating bar/restaurant/café that is just too cool!
Day 4, Monday, 7/3: Started out walking with the 6th arr. as our destination. I had totally forgotten that we were on the western edge of the 7th and to get to St. Germain would be a major trek. However, we enjoyed our walk stopping at Rue Cler (I also was not aware that many stores were closed on Mondays. That certainly protected our debit/credit cards!) and onto Rue de Grenelle with a short stop at the sweet Square Ajaccias just past the Invalides. Walked down Rue de Pre aux Clercs (everything closed!), stopped for lunch at a café on Rue de Bac for the best quiche we'd ever had!, stopped at Laduree for a most delicious "Religieuse Rose," "Choux pastry, rose petal flavoured confectioner’s custard." I still dream of the flavor - rose petals and raspberry! A perfect decadent pairing! I had originally ordered an Ispahan but when the waiter came back and told me they were out of those, I ordered the "Religieuse Rose" instead. However, in reading the menu, it didn't seem that there was too much difference between the two. I can see now why I've read about the Ispahan on the internet!
I'll try and finish up this Paris report tomorrow! Work gets in the way, doesn't it???
Jul 25th, 2006, 10:45 AM
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Continued:
Day 5, Tuesday, 7/4: Stopped by Le P'Tit Troquet (rue de l'Exposition - 7th) on our way to do some shopping on Rue Cler in stores that had not been open on Monday. We made a reservation through the window with Dominique, the lovely, sweet wife of the chef and owner of the restaurant (the restaurant was closed at the time and she couldn't locate the keys for the front door!) for 9P that night as we were attending the Vivaldi 4 Seasons concert at St. Chapelle.
There are 2 great table linen-type stores, one on Rue Cler and one on Rue de Grenelle, and we went back to the one on Rue Cler as it was closed on Monday, but we could see things from the window that we wanted! Took a cab to St. Germain as we were on a hunt for those cute little expresso spoons (which we found). We strolled around St. Germain for a time and then took a cab up to Montmartre. That is such a fabulous place even though it's mobbed with people It's so fun to walk around Place Tertre (the art is so much better than it was in 1979 when everyone was doing Paris in pastels!!) We had lunch in a creperie (had to have a Nutella crepe!) and had our first rude waiter -- where do they get off with the ATTITUDE?!? He wasn't even French! We strolled the area, went into the magnificent Sacre Coeur, and just enjoyed the ambience of Montmartre. I would love to spend more time there on my next trip. It began to sprinkle (THANK YOU, GOD!) -- we were hoping that the rain would break the heat wave we had experienced, but there wasn't enough rain to fill a thimble! Took a cab back to the apartment to get ready for the concert as we wanted to be at St. Chapelle at about 6:15P when the doors opened for the concert.
The concert was my personal highlight of the trip!!! The Vivaldi music that came from 7-9 instruments was heavenly!!! And in the gorgeous St. Chapelle with the light streaming through those wonderful windows?!?!? WOW! The concert master played about an hour and a half without one sheet of music and did his fingers and bow fly!!! We're going to load our collective photographs on a CD with the concert CD playing in the background -- that was suggested by a couple we visited with before the concert and who sat close by! Fabulous idea!
Dinner at Le P'Tit Troquet was just wonderful! Kir royal, foie gras, duck with honey/blueberry sauce, wine, and crème brulee were simply to die for! We strolled home in a music/food stupor hoping the feelings would never end!
Day 6, Wednesday, 7/5: Walked to the Arc de Triomphe. I had been up top at the Arc on a previous trip, so waited for the rest and people watched. Strolled the Champs, went off a couple of blocks for a delicious (less expensive!) lunch of au gratin onion soup (delicious even in the heat!!) and salad. Cute little husband and wife bistro! Strolled Rue du Fauborg St. Honore past Elysees Palace, "window-licked," and then 2 of us kept walking while the other 3 went back to the apartment. On to Catherine for the perfume buy-out, had a café crème and people watched on Rue de Rivoli, shopped for soccer shirts for various grandsons, hot chocolate mix at Angelina's (YUM!), a stroll through the Tuileries (trying to ignore the "carnival" stuff!). I was somewhat disappointed in the flowers -- expecting more varieties and more color. Found a cab back to apartment. The ones who went back earlier had shopped for a fabulous dinner at home and all 7 of us had a great time "grazing" on the wonderful food and wines they purchased.
Day 7, Thursday, 7/6: We originally had planned to go to Giverny for at least part of the day. However, the more we thought about the logistics of getting up early, getting to the train early enough to get to Giverny before the tour buses, the heat, etc., etc., we decided to go to lunch at Palais Royal and then on to the l'Orangerie for the Monets there. Wise decision. While four of the group went to the d'Orsay in the morning, I stayed at the apartment and started packing (I wanted to make certain I didn't need to purchase YET ANOTHER suitcase to come home with and wanted to get a headstart on that ugly process of packing!). We had a 1P lunch reservation so I left the apartment about 12 noon, found a cab fairly quickly, and just strolled the Palais Royal gardens taking pictures. The group finally arrived about 1:30 or so (table still open for us!) after having trouble finding a cab and having to walk in the heat with sore hips/feet, etc. While I was sitting on a bench in the gardens waiting for them, a couple arrived separately (probably from work to enjoy their lunch hour) and proceeded to engage in a most sensual public display of affection I've ever seen for the entire hour+ of time they were there. I don't know how they could work the rest of the afternoon! On to lunch: It was sooo refreshing and delicious!! A cold tomato soup with a fabulous mousse on top, and then a green risotto that was so creamy rich with several green vegetables either julienned on top or presented on top. The French are the most creative and beautiful whether in the presentation of food, flowers, cheese, gifts or any other products! We should all learn from their creativity and love of beauty.
Strolled through Gallerie Vivienne and the adjacent area and back through the gardens at Palais Royal. Some of the group still needed to get some last minute gifts on Rue de Rivoli and also wanted to get to Catherine. When we finished that, we walked to l'Orangerie and saw the Monet "les Nympheas" (water lilies) which were over the top gorgeous! Two large oval rooms on the main floor display four HUGE panels in each of the ovals -- we just sat and drank in the colors and coolness of the art! On the lower level was a fairly good sized display of various artists which was very enjoyable. The gift shop was closing just as we got to it so no purchases were made. Being so close to Rond Point and all the traffic, it was impossible to find a taxi, so we ended up walking back to the apartment. However, in a quick stop in a women's store on Rue St. Dominique, two kept walking (albeit slowly!) and the other two of us got separated from them. Long story short, they stopped at Café du Marche on Rue Cler for dinner and the two of us walked to Fontaine de Mars and had a most wonderful dinner (very close to our apartments).
We listened to all the festivities after the soccer match and knew we wouldn't be able to get to sleep with all the singing, cheering, horn honking, etc., so we watched the new Steven Martin "Pink Panther" DVD until about 2AM! It was so fun seeing things that we had seen in the last several days in Paris (plus it was a roll on the floor laughing type of movie!).
Day 8, Friday, 7/7: We had made reservations several months earlier for lunch at the Jules Verne at the Eiffel Tower on our last full day. The other gals started their packing and I finished mine. We got ready for our 1P lunch reservation and walked over the Tower, were whisked up the private elevator and were ushered into this beautiful open restaurant. Suffice it to say, lunch was more than fabulous, our waiter started out with an attitude, but warmed up to us as we progressed through lunch, watched a small rain shower move in from the west up and over Sacre Coeur, and on east. By the time lunch was over and we had eaten our last bite of dessert (and the complimentary desserts!) (3P! or later), it had started to lighten up and we strolled back to the apartments to shop the neighborhood for awhile. We ran into 2 of our group who had appointments for a haircut and a pedicure right after our lunch and had finished up, so we continued to shop Rue St. Dominique, and then went to "our" café on the corner for café crème and some had ice cream! I purchased a Cafés Richard cup and saucer at our local coffee store to enjoy my coffee at home to continue the dream with!
Day 9, Saturday, 7/8: "Victor" (the cabman) and a second driver were at the apartment before 9A to transport five of us and all our luggage to CDG for the 12:00 noon flight back to Chicago. Two of the gals had an earlier American flight so they left a couple of hours before we did. It was an easy drive to the airport, transferring luggage was fairly easy, and the flight was very smooth back to Chicago.
However, we all, either for the first time, or the third or fourth time, left our hearts in Paris and Provence!! Although we did a lot (even in the 90 degree heat!!), there are many things that are still on my list for the next trip(s)! I have loved Paris and everything French for many years and added Provence after the trip there in 2002. However, next trip will be in the spring or fall when the temperatures are a little more tolerable!
Day 5, Tuesday, 7/4: Stopped by Le P'Tit Troquet (rue de l'Exposition - 7th) on our way to do some shopping on Rue Cler in stores that had not been open on Monday. We made a reservation through the window with Dominique, the lovely, sweet wife of the chef and owner of the restaurant (the restaurant was closed at the time and she couldn't locate the keys for the front door!) for 9P that night as we were attending the Vivaldi 4 Seasons concert at St. Chapelle.
There are 2 great table linen-type stores, one on Rue Cler and one on Rue de Grenelle, and we went back to the one on Rue Cler as it was closed on Monday, but we could see things from the window that we wanted! Took a cab to St. Germain as we were on a hunt for those cute little expresso spoons (which we found). We strolled around St. Germain for a time and then took a cab up to Montmartre. That is such a fabulous place even though it's mobbed with people It's so fun to walk around Place Tertre (the art is so much better than it was in 1979 when everyone was doing Paris in pastels!!) We had lunch in a creperie (had to have a Nutella crepe!) and had our first rude waiter -- where do they get off with the ATTITUDE?!? He wasn't even French! We strolled the area, went into the magnificent Sacre Coeur, and just enjoyed the ambience of Montmartre. I would love to spend more time there on my next trip. It began to sprinkle (THANK YOU, GOD!) -- we were hoping that the rain would break the heat wave we had experienced, but there wasn't enough rain to fill a thimble! Took a cab back to the apartment to get ready for the concert as we wanted to be at St. Chapelle at about 6:15P when the doors opened for the concert.
The concert was my personal highlight of the trip!!! The Vivaldi music that came from 7-9 instruments was heavenly!!! And in the gorgeous St. Chapelle with the light streaming through those wonderful windows?!?!? WOW! The concert master played about an hour and a half without one sheet of music and did his fingers and bow fly!!! We're going to load our collective photographs on a CD with the concert CD playing in the background -- that was suggested by a couple we visited with before the concert and who sat close by! Fabulous idea!
Dinner at Le P'Tit Troquet was just wonderful! Kir royal, foie gras, duck with honey/blueberry sauce, wine, and crème brulee were simply to die for! We strolled home in a music/food stupor hoping the feelings would never end!
Day 6, Wednesday, 7/5: Walked to the Arc de Triomphe. I had been up top at the Arc on a previous trip, so waited for the rest and people watched. Strolled the Champs, went off a couple of blocks for a delicious (less expensive!) lunch of au gratin onion soup (delicious even in the heat!!) and salad. Cute little husband and wife bistro! Strolled Rue du Fauborg St. Honore past Elysees Palace, "window-licked," and then 2 of us kept walking while the other 3 went back to the apartment. On to Catherine for the perfume buy-out, had a café crème and people watched on Rue de Rivoli, shopped for soccer shirts for various grandsons, hot chocolate mix at Angelina's (YUM!), a stroll through the Tuileries (trying to ignore the "carnival" stuff!). I was somewhat disappointed in the flowers -- expecting more varieties and more color. Found a cab back to apartment. The ones who went back earlier had shopped for a fabulous dinner at home and all 7 of us had a great time "grazing" on the wonderful food and wines they purchased.
Day 7, Thursday, 7/6: We originally had planned to go to Giverny for at least part of the day. However, the more we thought about the logistics of getting up early, getting to the train early enough to get to Giverny before the tour buses, the heat, etc., etc., we decided to go to lunch at Palais Royal and then on to the l'Orangerie for the Monets there. Wise decision. While four of the group went to the d'Orsay in the morning, I stayed at the apartment and started packing (I wanted to make certain I didn't need to purchase YET ANOTHER suitcase to come home with and wanted to get a headstart on that ugly process of packing!). We had a 1P lunch reservation so I left the apartment about 12 noon, found a cab fairly quickly, and just strolled the Palais Royal gardens taking pictures. The group finally arrived about 1:30 or so (table still open for us!) after having trouble finding a cab and having to walk in the heat with sore hips/feet, etc. While I was sitting on a bench in the gardens waiting for them, a couple arrived separately (probably from work to enjoy their lunch hour) and proceeded to engage in a most sensual public display of affection I've ever seen for the entire hour+ of time they were there. I don't know how they could work the rest of the afternoon! On to lunch: It was sooo refreshing and delicious!! A cold tomato soup with a fabulous mousse on top, and then a green risotto that was so creamy rich with several green vegetables either julienned on top or presented on top. The French are the most creative and beautiful whether in the presentation of food, flowers, cheese, gifts or any other products! We should all learn from their creativity and love of beauty.
Strolled through Gallerie Vivienne and the adjacent area and back through the gardens at Palais Royal. Some of the group still needed to get some last minute gifts on Rue de Rivoli and also wanted to get to Catherine. When we finished that, we walked to l'Orangerie and saw the Monet "les Nympheas" (water lilies) which were over the top gorgeous! Two large oval rooms on the main floor display four HUGE panels in each of the ovals -- we just sat and drank in the colors and coolness of the art! On the lower level was a fairly good sized display of various artists which was very enjoyable. The gift shop was closing just as we got to it so no purchases were made. Being so close to Rond Point and all the traffic, it was impossible to find a taxi, so we ended up walking back to the apartment. However, in a quick stop in a women's store on Rue St. Dominique, two kept walking (albeit slowly!) and the other two of us got separated from them. Long story short, they stopped at Café du Marche on Rue Cler for dinner and the two of us walked to Fontaine de Mars and had a most wonderful dinner (very close to our apartments).
We listened to all the festivities after the soccer match and knew we wouldn't be able to get to sleep with all the singing, cheering, horn honking, etc., so we watched the new Steven Martin "Pink Panther" DVD until about 2AM! It was so fun seeing things that we had seen in the last several days in Paris (plus it was a roll on the floor laughing type of movie!).
Day 8, Friday, 7/7: We had made reservations several months earlier for lunch at the Jules Verne at the Eiffel Tower on our last full day. The other gals started their packing and I finished mine. We got ready for our 1P lunch reservation and walked over the Tower, were whisked up the private elevator and were ushered into this beautiful open restaurant. Suffice it to say, lunch was more than fabulous, our waiter started out with an attitude, but warmed up to us as we progressed through lunch, watched a small rain shower move in from the west up and over Sacre Coeur, and on east. By the time lunch was over and we had eaten our last bite of dessert (and the complimentary desserts!) (3P! or later), it had started to lighten up and we strolled back to the apartments to shop the neighborhood for awhile. We ran into 2 of our group who had appointments for a haircut and a pedicure right after our lunch and had finished up, so we continued to shop Rue St. Dominique, and then went to "our" café on the corner for café crème and some had ice cream! I purchased a Cafés Richard cup and saucer at our local coffee store to enjoy my coffee at home to continue the dream with!
Day 9, Saturday, 7/8: "Victor" (the cabman) and a second driver were at the apartment before 9A to transport five of us and all our luggage to CDG for the 12:00 noon flight back to Chicago. Two of the gals had an earlier American flight so they left a couple of hours before we did. It was an easy drive to the airport, transferring luggage was fairly easy, and the flight was very smooth back to Chicago.
However, we all, either for the first time, or the third or fourth time, left our hearts in Paris and Provence!! Although we did a lot (even in the 90 degree heat!!), there are many things that are still on my list for the next trip(s)! I have loved Paris and everything French for many years and added Provence after the trip there in 2002. However, next trip will be in the spring or fall when the temperatures are a little more tolerable!
Jul 25th, 2006, 11:23 AM
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Thanks for a great report with terrific details. An aside, isn't Victor lovely. We stayed in a ParisPerfect apartment a couple of years ago and have continued to use him for our Paris trips. Happy belated 60th!
Feb 7th, 2007, 08:21 AM
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Thanks for the comments!
Yes, you do need to get tickets before the concert. We just simply walked over to ST. Chappelle on day when we were in the area and purchased them for that night's performance (the internet schedule had advised the concert was on Thursday night, but when we stopped by on Tuesday, they said the concert was THAT night, not Thursday! That was a providential stop!!
joy/luvparee
Yes, you do need to get tickets before the concert. We just simply walked over to ST. Chappelle on day when we were in the area and purchased them for that night's performance (the internet schedule had advised the concert was on Thursday night, but when we stopped by on Tuesday, they said the concert was THAT night, not Thursday! That was a providential stop!!
joy/luvparee
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Sep 25th, 2005 11:33 PM
