In 3 days I'll be back in Paris...my favorite city in the universe!! I'm traveling with my boyfriend Codi and he loves Paris too. This will be our 3rd visit together but our very first Spring.

Last year we went to mostly restaurants, some farmers markets and several museums. We want more of the same but also want to add some home cooked meals whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. We're there for 2.5 weeks, part of a 2 month trip where we're practically eating out every single meal. As great as that is, it's a little much! Plus I think it's fun to discover new places to pick up ingredients to cook in the apt.

No strict rules, will go with the flow... but thinking of making something once a day or even every other day whatever feels right. We love all sorts of veggies, chicken, duck {only cooked this once in my life}, beef, salads, fish...no allergies. I need some ideas for simple and delicious meals! What's in season and where can I get them? Splitting time in the 10th & 6th.

Goals this trip are:
Marmottan, very impt as I've forgotten this twice already!
tour of Garnier
1 day trip to either Giverny, Van Gogh's crib or somewhere else...haven't decided yet
discover a new park
visit new museums {for reference, been to the Louvre, Rodin, Cluny, Cité de l'architecture et du patrimoine, Maritime, l'Orangerie, d'Orsay, Arab, Pompidou, Carnavalet, Arts decoratifs}
give escargot another shot - best restaurant for this?
haircut

Need your creative ideas...Thank you!

Have you been to Chartres? Magnificent cathedral (check for M. Miller tours), a delightful market (don't remember which days), some other areas to stroll if time permits.

Or the Cathedral in Saint Denis?

Have you attended a concert at Sainte Chapelle?

What about the Musée Jacquemart-Andres?

Everything you mention sounds great. Day trips to Versailles, Giverny, Malmaison (Josephine Bonapart), Veaux le Vicomte and Auvers sur Oise (Van Gogh) are a few of the many you might consider. The Garnier Opera House, as you mention, is fabulous.

As far as food is concerned, shopping is straight forward in Paris now, There are supermarkets just like we have but also farmer markets that are great fun to visit and can be found even in the heart of Paris. Red meat and items that require hand picking like berries are frightfully expensive and the portions are small by our standards. On the other hand, very good wine is down right cheap. A good bargain is the rotisserie chickens you'll find from sidewalk vendors and the leftovers make great lunches for those days in the parks you'll enjoy. Of course, baguettes will be a daily staple as well as French butter. Recipes that require prepared ingredients like canned soup, spaghetti sauce, etc can be frustratingly difficult to find. The French tend to make those things from scratch.

You'll end up carrying grocery parcels as you walk and many Parisians use wheeled caddies which I doubt you will have access to. The grocery stores sell flimsy plastic bags and also the reinforced more permanent ones but a big shoulder bag or back pack which is definitely not Parisian but quite handy will make transporting your groceries much easier.

We typically try to carry food items with us from our lodging each day. Bag lunches with grocery store bought bottled water and drinks make for budget friendly outings but this can certainly be overdone. Lunch in a bistro and coffee at a sidewalk table are one the most pleasurable things one can do in France. Consider the cost as an admission fee and enjoy.

Where's your apartment located? If you have a street market nearby and a Franprix or Monoprix that's anywhere decent a baker on the street corner, you're covered. Then you can pick up the odd special item while you walk around the city.

Been to the Buttes Chaumont park already? It's gorgeous.

Hi tessietoes,

I agree with the suggestion of Chartres -- and would like to suggest you get there by bike. French Mystique Tours offers a ride to Chartres (start on the train out of Paris, then you ride the last 20 miles to Chartres).

http://www.frenchmystiquetours.com/o...ur_to_chartres

I did it with friends the last time I was in Paris, and I adored it. You get to ride through beautiful French countryside, by some megaliths and famous historical houses, and through delightful villages. The only problem is that it can be pricey with only two of you, as the fee is for the tour, not by person.

Well worth it imo. If you can swing it at all, do it.

Have fun as you plan!

s

We'll be there in May and plan to visit Fondation Louis Vuitton. The current exhibit is "Keys to a Passion".

I would definitely choose Giverny this time of year. It is spectacular in springtime.

I am writing up my trip report from our March visit where we went to Chartres & Palais Garnier. Both were wonderful. Just a note on admission to the Palais Garnier- we went on Saturday, got there around 2 for the 2:30 tour and found it totally booked. We bought tickets for the Sunday tour and were glad we did. Also they will hold some identification so we brought our drivers licenses rather than have them hold our passports.

For meals- what sort of cook are you? You will find amazing things at the markets in Paris. A lot of what you can make will depend up on the facilities at the apartment.

If you have an oven consider getting some fish and wrapping it with veggies, herbs and a little white wine and baking.

An easy shellfish stew with white wine, tomatoes, garlic as a base and then mussels, shrimp, clams, cockles etc. can be served with a salad and the great bread.

As everyone will tell you the rotisserie chickens are fabulous and you can also get the potatoes (and sometimes other veggies) that are roasting at the bottom. This will provide both a dinner and probably a lunch or two- sandwiches and maybe a salad

If you want beef (or lamb or veal) get a boneless tender cut (filet, loin etc) which will lend itself to being pan fried or broiled if you have that ability. How is your French? You might want to look up the words that describe what you want to do with the cut.

Artichokes are probably just coming into season. We saw some beautiful ones last month. Just steam one and serve with the salted butter or some of the mayonnaises. That with bread, some cheeses, meats or saucissons and a salad make a wonderful meal.

Terrific, yay! Thanks, all. Have not been to the J Andres museum and Buttes Chaumont park. I've put them on the list of fun things to do. Will be sure to drop by St Chapelle again. Does anyone know if the renovation is done, meaning scaffolding is gone? We've never seen the entire stained glass on full display so really hoping they kept to their 2014 timeline.

Excited to see Gehry's LV, thanks for reminding me Judy...ooooh I would've been bummed to have forgotten that one! We stayed at his Marques de Riscal in La Rioja Spain the past 2 days and loved it {we're overnighting in Bilbao right now and should be in Paris tomorrow evening. There is an Amorino near our hotel here but I'm that for Paris which is always a special Paris experience!

We've only day tripped to Versailles, that's it, so excited to see where we end up this time. Giverny is high on the list and will also consider Chartres but will play it by ear. Thanks for the Garnier Sunday tour tip. We rarely do tours but I think we're going to sign up for that.

Thank you for the food/cooking ideas, just the kind of simple meals I'm looking forward to make. There are stoves and ovens in both apts so that opens up a lot of ideas as far as easy home made meals.

btw, kja I loved the Vivanco Museum. I think you mentioned you're going there? If you are, make sure to rent the audio guide. It's a beautiful space with simple and wonderful explanations of their process and history. I had so much more fun than expected. We spent 1.5 hours in the museum but I could've spent double the time.

Love all the suggestions. Thank you so much...please keep them coming! See you in Paris

*There is an Amorino near our hotel here but I'm SAVING that for Paris which is always a special Paris experience!

We love Amorino as well.....at least once each trip that is dinner!

Should be interesting to see LV after Bilbao and Rioja.

@ tessietoes -- thanks for the update! I'm glad you enjoyed the Vivanco -- it sounds wonderful.

Also, Fondation Cartier and Palais de Tokyo, if you haven't been already.

And have tea at the Paris Mosque.

You've certainly covered a lot of museums, but I must second the idea of visiting the Jacquemart-Andre, a wonderful small museum where the building is as much the attraction as the art. Try to have lunch or tea in the restaurant, which has a gorgeous ceiling by Tiepolo.

Both Giverny and Auvers are great ideas, as is, of course, Chartres. It depends on what you like--these are all very different from one another. If you like chateaux, you might consider visiting Vaux-le-Vicomte, a spectacular chateau in a spectacular setting that has a fascinating history--it takes a lot to make a king jealous! Access isn't that easy, but you can do it by RER to Melun and then a taxi, or, if it's running, a shuttle to get you to Vaux. It's worth the hassle. If you rent a car for the day, you can also visit the small medieval town of Provins, which isn't far from Vaux.

Have a great trip.

If you've never been, see Basilica in Saint Denis.

For an art museum you've never been to: Musee d'art Modern de la Ville de Paris

http://www.mam.paris.fr/en

...a hidden gem IMHO. Great collection of art from first half of the 20th century...and it's free.

SS

Thanks again for the great suggestions everyone. We arrived late last night so we're in Paris now. Will write more later on but the oven they listed on the site is actually a microwave oven. No biggie but thought I'd mention it so I don't waste your time with any oven recipes. It's still a bit dark out 6:25a, but can already see a hint of orange pop out from the sky.

Codes is excited to pick up his first pain au chocolat of the trip and was wondering if Monoprix nearby is already open. I'm craving for something fruity. Can't believe we're back in Paris...need to pinch myself.

Anyone in Paris seeing this dark smoke right now and know what it's about? I could hear sirens and couldn't find it in the news or internet.

Pic taken from the 10th ...see profile pic.