Loveling

Down in Les Halles we found the shop “La Redoute”. It had a sale, 60% off, and we went quite bonanza. Time was spent, and then we suddenly noticed the line. What a line! I think you would have to queue about an hour to get through the cashier.

We later found it to a be a common problem, the lines that is. Many stores did not seem to mind letting people wait in line, sale or not.

At the 3 level in Les Halles there are bathrooms (0,4 e) and a children’s nursery room (free of charge). The nursery had a microwave to heat food and drinks, a small toilet for older children and sofas to breastfeed your child. It was also a high chair for the baby to sit in while you feed her.

Loveling

We found it easier to eat when my son was asleep, and when he found his rest in his carriage we headed for “Tarte Julie”.

They welcomed us even with the carriage, and we ordered kirs, tarte de provance, red wine and a new raspberry tarte. The kirs was nothing special, but the provencale was heaven. The price was very reasonalble, about 25 e for the both of us.

After our meal we continued our shopping. The Halles is a big, normal mall. We enjoyed it, but you can find similar malls all over the globe. (Not a typical Parisian experience to me.)

Loveling

We came up from the “undergrounds” of the Les Halles, and it was almost dark. We had to decide if we wanted to go home or if we wanted to explore some more. After being indoors all day, doing little for the soul, we both needed to get some new input.

Highest on my initiary was to visit the Sacre Coeur. From the first searches on the net, the basilica felt special to me. I loved the fact that it has been continuous prayer from the top of the Montremarte since it was opened.

Loveling

Misspelling there: Montmartre, is correct.

Loveling

We fought the metro, and made it to Abbesses. It was a beautiful station, but we did not want to climb the stairs. We enjoyed the lift, and climbed only a couple of stairs to the exit.

It was a perfectly tacky yet wonderful merry-go-round just as we came up from the station. I paid the man 1.5 e, and he placed my son in a pink/yellow/green/purple/orange neon car and started the machinery.

My son was totally indifferent, but I looooved it. My mother took at least 15 pictures, though only with the merry-go-round on it. Perfect!

Loveling

My son was hungry with a capital H at this point, so we headed for a supermarket. We had to descend to the foot of Montmartre. Again we got help from passing Parisians to find a supermarket, and again we met a line the length of Chile.

He was now bellowing at the top of his lungs and other small intestines, and the queue did not move at all. It figures: a madame had ordered a home-delivery, and the clerk was filling out the forms for her. I could have killed that cat…

Loveling

We went into the first café we found, and they heated the baby food for us. He enjoyed his French dinner, I tasted it: it was very good.

We had coffee, and everyone was happy. (Except the waitress who was sour and yelled at the people at the next table for sitting down without permission. She was the first and only impolite person we encountered.)

Loveling

We went up the road to Sacre Coeur in the dark. It was just as I imagined, with the “fake” artists asking us if we wanted to be painted. I would have loved them to make a caricature of my little one for his father (and my love) back home. But he was sound asleep.

The atmosphere was really relaxing and had a commercial bohemian touch. I liked it to the extent that I will book a hotel here for my visit in January.

Loveling

The Sacre Couer was the best experience of our visit. I think the name describes the purpose of the basilica well: the secret heart (of Jesus). It is a place for everyone. The mosaic was stunning, but it was the atmosphere that made it the most beautiful church I have ever visited. It was silent, really silent, and both tourists and pilgrims respected it. (Infact a man of the basilica went around to hush people who did not!)

I had made plans to light two lights even before we arrived in Paris: one for my father and one for my little sister. They are both sick from a mysterious decease for the past two years. I don’t know where I have gotten the idea, but I have faith that my prayers will continue as the prayers in the basilica itself continues.

Loveling

We went back to the hotel by foot, passing very different parts of the city. It was quite a long walk in the late evening, but we felt perfectly safe.
At the hotel the kettle was still a blessing, offering coffee and tea before bed.

LCBoniti

Lovely trip report, Loveling! I very much enjoy hearing of travels with children They seem to bring out the best in people!

DanM

Great report. Thanks for sharing.

Loveling

I finish up now
The following morning my son had come down with a fewer. We stayed close to the hotel, only taking some short tours to the “Monoprix” down the corner when he was sleeping in his carriage.

I think we shopped all our “French” supplies, gifts for Christmas and clothes for our self at the “Monoprix” (A big supermarket chain, quite cheap, has about everything you can imagine and stay open until 22 or 24 depending on location.) It was of course not “the best cheese, from the best fromagerie and so on, but I got to tell you: the quality was not bad at all.

We shopped one bag full (20 kg). I am so happy with “Norwegian”, our airline. They allow you to bring an extra bag of 20 kgs for 2,5 e!

Loveling

We also singled out a store to bring a special gift for my love. He is into Japanese cartoons (crazy, I know), and by incident a shop selling artifacts of Nauroto was in the neighborhood. We waited in line for over one hour to get it, but the look on his face was worth it. I hate the lines in Paris!!

We spent the evening in the hotel munching on Jeff de Bruges chocolate. It was the only chocolate shop I could find very close, and even if it was Belgian, it was terrific.

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4 th day.
We woke up and I found my son in very good health. I was very happy. We were getting ready for breakfast, and then it happened. I had not paid attention to my mother, when she was boiling water in the kettle to sterilize the babybottles. And my son got to the kettle half of a second before I did. He was burned. Oh my god did he scream.

My mother went out to the pharmacy to get supplies, and I waited in the cold water tub with him. They had some incredible bandages, not known to my mother (she is a medical doctor), for babies. And with some Paracetamol he was pain free. Thank you inventive Frenchmen!

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The St.Jacques offered us to have the room the whole day, free of charge, if we wanted to. What a great service! As my son was perfectly happy ( I still can’t understand it) we decided to decline, and went for the Eiffel tower, where we had lunch reservations for the Altitude 95. I have read several reviews on it being very childfriendly. AND: if you have a reservation, you don’t have to wait in line to get up! Quite clever I like to think.

We did not take the RER, as we should have, and missed our reservation. Instead we had crepe de chocolate from the vendor facing the Eiffel. I can’t understand how anyone could possible eat more than one bite. Way to much sugar for me, but a very Parisian experience, after all.

We decided not to queue, so I just had to touch the tower before we left. 30 seconds after I had put my hand on the stones of the southern pillar, six anti-t police approached, out of nowhere. Glad to know they have good security. They did not say anything; I think they just checked us out.

We went back to the hotel, to the airport, and home we came. One little kid slightly more burned than when we left.

I love Paris!

kerouac

That is terrifying, boiling a baby! But it's true that French pharmacies have incredible magical items -- your report is probably going to start a run on the product as a precautionary measure, along with MaiTaiTom's wonder cream and some other things....