Trip Report: Paris, Chartres & Reims
Jun 9th, 2004 | 12:03 PM
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Trip Report: Paris, Chartres & Reims
I had a lovely trip to France in April, 2004. This was my second time visiting Paris and my first time venturing outside of the city. I spent six days in Paris this time, based in the Rue Cler/ Ecole Militaire area on the Left Bank. I also took day trips outside the city to Chartres and Versailles. After Paris, I traveled on to Reims, east of the city.
PARIS
DERBY EIFFEL HOTEL- I stayed at the Best Western Derby Eiffel Hotel, located near Ecole Militaire (and right near the Ecole Militaire Metro Stop). stayed for 6 nights at the Best Western Derby Eiffel Hotel in April 2004. I really enjoyed my time here and would recommend this hotel to others who are looking for a reasonably priced, three star hotel in a nice area. It's not fancy, but it works. I stayed in two different rooms here: A standard double (one queen bed) on the third floor and a larger double (two single beds) on the first floor, off an interior courtyard. The standard double was small but tasteful. The bathrooms are completely new and spotlessly clean. The larger double was definitely more spacious and the bathroom was unbelievably large. I've been in 4-stars that had much smaller bathrooms. The only problem with the lower rooms is that the carpet is a little worn/stained. The people at the front desk are very nice and helpful-- I really enjoyed talking with them.
PLACES I VISITED IN PARIS:
I walked all over Paris and saw most of the major sights, and a lot of other interesting places. In brief:
Eiffel Tower- Because you have to, really. The lines were ridiculously long to ride the elevator up (about an hour wait at the base and another 45 minutes on the 2nd level). Great view, but I prefer the view from the top of the Arc du Triomphe.
Arc Du Triomphe- I love climbing to the top of the Arc. Amazing view.
Sacre Coeur- Another amazing view from Sacre Coeur. The church itself is lovely as well. This is such an interesting part of Paris-- I had a great time walking around the area.
Notre Dame- I went to Palm Sunday mass at Notre Dame and it was just lovely. I've toured the cathedral before, so I didn't do the full tour again.
Ste. Chappelle- The stained glass here is so remarkable. My jaw just dropped when I walked into the Upper Chapel. Stunning.
The Bird Market on Ile St. Louis- This area right near Palais du Justice is normally a flower market, but on Sundays it becomes a bird market, complete with tons of birds in cages. Really interesting to see!
Luxembourg Gardens- The most beautiful park in Paris, in my opinion. I was blown away by how large and gorgeous these gardens were. I walked through here in the morning and watched Parisians doing yoga, jogging, playing soccer, rushing to work or walking with their children. A great place to spend some time.
The Louvre-- It's such an overwhelming museum. I decided to just focus on the Denon wing this time. If you get there first thing in the morning, the crowd around Mona Lisa isn't bad at all. I also loved the Egypian antiquities exhibit in this wing.
Musee d'Orsay- Love this museum-- the space alone is inspiring.
Rue Cler- It's tourist central these days (thanks to Rick Steves), but still a great place to stroll amongst flower store and fruit carts. I bought some beautiful flowers for my hotel room here and enjoyed people-watching in the area.
St. Augustin- This church was empty when I was there, so I guess it's not a big tourist attraction. I thought it was really impressive and interesting. The contruction alone (built of iron!) is worth a visit.
I also took a ride on a river boat (Bateaux Parisian) along the Seine. It sounds like a lovely idea... floating along the Seine, admiring the lights of Paris as the moon shines overhead. In actuality, I was crammed onto a boat with a couple hundred other tourists (at least half of whom were badly behaved high school kids who screamed the whole time). Not a lot of fun. I'd recommend skipping this.
RESTAURANTS
Some of the restaurants I enjoyed in Paris:
Le Bistrot de Papa (81, Avenue Bosquet)- We had a fantastic dinner here while I was in Paris The restaurant has a wood and leather interior, which makes it feel very cozy and warm. The clientele was mixed- about half locals and half tourists. They have menus in French and English.The French Onion Soup was just delicious here. The Quiche Lorraine was also very tasty. The specialty seems to be mussels, as I saw bowl after bowl being brought out from the kitchen. You definitely get a lot of mussels for your money! For dessert we had giant profiteroles, served with scoops of vanilla ice cream and a delicious, warm chocolate sauce.
Laduree- Laduree is a French institution and a great place to stock up on some delicious chocolates, pastries, and macaroons. The macaroons are the most famous delicacy at Laduree and they come in flavors like violet, rose, cassis, amaretto, salty caramel, tea, and bitter lime, to name just a few. When I stopped in to the shop near Opera Garnier, the little store was totally packed with people waiting to buy macaroons. The stores claim to serve more than 3,000 customers a day-- and the macaroons here were so good that I believe it!!
CHARTRES
I can't even begin to explain how much I loved Chartres. This is such a lovely town and I wish I could have stayed longer. It took about an hour to reach Chartres from the train station in Montparnasse. I walked from the station in Chartres straight over the Chartres Cathedral, which you can see towering over the other buildings. The streets in Chartres are so charming and colorful and there are lots of little patisseries to grab a bite. The cathedral is definitely the main reason to come to Chartres, though.
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL- This church is amazing. Even if you've seen a lot of churches in your travels, this one is special and humbling. It's massive in size and features some of the most gorgeous stained glass windows you're likely to see in your life. Each window tells a particular Biblical story and is filled with color and symbolism. The tympanum boasts ornate Romanesque carvings that were really impressive. There is a crypt (which was not open for tours when I was there) which holds the remains of the relic and a centuries-old well.
This Cathedral is so overwhelming that I highly recommend taking a tour to get the most out of your experience. We took the Malcolm Miller tour, which was SO fantastic. After writing his college thesis on Chartres Cathedral and moving to Chartres, Miller was authorized by the Catholic Church to begin lecturing at the Cathedral in 1958. That's right, he's been there for forty-six years! This man is THE authority on Chartres Cathedral and he knows every nook and cranny of the building. Miller has a dry sense of humor which he incorporates into his tours. The hour we spent with him went by very quickly and was totally fascinating. I honestly wouldn't have gotten nearly as much out of my trip to Chartres without hearing his speak about the Cathedral.
REIMS
I drove to Reims, which is in the Champagne Ardenne region of France, just east of Paris. I recommend getting off the main roads and taking a less direct route to Reims. I wandered through some very scenic towns on the way there, most notably Chateau Thierry.
Reims itself is a great place. Reims is celebrated not only for its proximity to the many champagne houses and vineyards of the area, but for its lively atmosphere and many shopping options. You'll also find that this area is very interesting historically. Many battles were fought in the area in World War I and World War II, so you'll see war monuments and cemetaries all over the countryside. While this area is very French (you'll find fewer English speakers here than in Paris, definitely!), it also has German influences, which you'll notice on dinner menus in town.
Best Western Hotel de la Paix- Best Western Hotel de la Paix is a great place to stay in Reims. It's afforable and very comfortable and conveniently located. The hotel is currently undergoing a renovation, so the view is not the best from the outside but inside, the hotel is pleasant and quiet. There's a huge lobby decorated in a modern style, two elevators, large rooms and huge bathrooms that are very clean. The hotel has a restaurant, Taverne du Maitre Kanter, which serves good French/German meals.
NOTRE DAME DE REIMS- A magnificent cathedral in the gothic style, Notre Dame de Reims is one of the must-see churches of France. Inside the cathedral, you'll see all the marks of fine gothic architecture, including soaring ceilings and remarkable stained glass. You can also see some fine tapestries on display in Notre Dame de Reims. Outside the cathedral, be sure to admire the flying buttresses that are typical of gothic architecture. The view from behind the cathedral is just as grand as the front. On the front facade of the cathedral, notice the smiling angel who is located just to the right of the front door.
CHAMPAGNE TOURS- There are tons of champagne houses in the Reims area that you can tour. I chose to take the tour at Mumm. Founded in 1827, Mumm now owns some of the best champagne grape real estate in the Champagne Ardenne region. The tour begins in the elegant Mumm lobby and visitors first see a video showing how champagne is made. Then, a guide leads you into a labyrinth of tunnels and storage cellars made of chilly limestone and refrigerated further best store the champagne (bring a sweater!). There is an inventory of almost 25,000,000 bottles here, and you'll see endless tunnels of storage as you continue on the tour. At the end, you'll walk through a small museum that exhibits champagne-making tools from throughout the ages. Then, you'll go into the tasting room and sample a glass or two of Mumm champagne.
SHOPPING- Reims is a huge shopping area with an amazing amount of stores. If you like to shop, this is definitely the place to be. There are a huge variety of clothing store and shoe stores, plus larger department stores and small, boutique places. you can buy champagne just about anywhere in town, as well.
Restaurants in Reims:
Waida- Waida is a chocolate shop in downtown Reims. Located on Place Drouet d'Erlon, it's a very popular place. The two large windows at Waida are always filled with their magnificent chocolate. I happened to be in Reims during Easter, and the window display of huge chocolate bunnies and eggs was truly gorgeous. Their chocolates are works of art. Inside, there is a magnificent smell of chocolate and baking bread.
Louise's- This is an adorable little cafe right near the water fountain in central Reims. They serve magnificent desserts in addition to the great dinners.
So, that's the trip in a nutshell. It was a wonderful trip and I had an amazing time.
PARIS
DERBY EIFFEL HOTEL- I stayed at the Best Western Derby Eiffel Hotel, located near Ecole Militaire (and right near the Ecole Militaire Metro Stop). stayed for 6 nights at the Best Western Derby Eiffel Hotel in April 2004. I really enjoyed my time here and would recommend this hotel to others who are looking for a reasonably priced, three star hotel in a nice area. It's not fancy, but it works. I stayed in two different rooms here: A standard double (one queen bed) on the third floor and a larger double (two single beds) on the first floor, off an interior courtyard. The standard double was small but tasteful. The bathrooms are completely new and spotlessly clean. The larger double was definitely more spacious and the bathroom was unbelievably large. I've been in 4-stars that had much smaller bathrooms. The only problem with the lower rooms is that the carpet is a little worn/stained. The people at the front desk are very nice and helpful-- I really enjoyed talking with them.
PLACES I VISITED IN PARIS:
I walked all over Paris and saw most of the major sights, and a lot of other interesting places. In brief:
Eiffel Tower- Because you have to, really. The lines were ridiculously long to ride the elevator up (about an hour wait at the base and another 45 minutes on the 2nd level). Great view, but I prefer the view from the top of the Arc du Triomphe.
Arc Du Triomphe- I love climbing to the top of the Arc. Amazing view.
Sacre Coeur- Another amazing view from Sacre Coeur. The church itself is lovely as well. This is such an interesting part of Paris-- I had a great time walking around the area.
Notre Dame- I went to Palm Sunday mass at Notre Dame and it was just lovely. I've toured the cathedral before, so I didn't do the full tour again.
Ste. Chappelle- The stained glass here is so remarkable. My jaw just dropped when I walked into the Upper Chapel. Stunning.
The Bird Market on Ile St. Louis- This area right near Palais du Justice is normally a flower market, but on Sundays it becomes a bird market, complete with tons of birds in cages. Really interesting to see!
Luxembourg Gardens- The most beautiful park in Paris, in my opinion. I was blown away by how large and gorgeous these gardens were. I walked through here in the morning and watched Parisians doing yoga, jogging, playing soccer, rushing to work or walking with their children. A great place to spend some time.
The Louvre-- It's such an overwhelming museum. I decided to just focus on the Denon wing this time. If you get there first thing in the morning, the crowd around Mona Lisa isn't bad at all. I also loved the Egypian antiquities exhibit in this wing.
Musee d'Orsay- Love this museum-- the space alone is inspiring.
Rue Cler- It's tourist central these days (thanks to Rick Steves), but still a great place to stroll amongst flower store and fruit carts. I bought some beautiful flowers for my hotel room here and enjoyed people-watching in the area.
St. Augustin- This church was empty when I was there, so I guess it's not a big tourist attraction. I thought it was really impressive and interesting. The contruction alone (built of iron!) is worth a visit.
I also took a ride on a river boat (Bateaux Parisian) along the Seine. It sounds like a lovely idea... floating along the Seine, admiring the lights of Paris as the moon shines overhead. In actuality, I was crammed onto a boat with a couple hundred other tourists (at least half of whom were badly behaved high school kids who screamed the whole time). Not a lot of fun. I'd recommend skipping this.
RESTAURANTS
Some of the restaurants I enjoyed in Paris:
Le Bistrot de Papa (81, Avenue Bosquet)- We had a fantastic dinner here while I was in Paris The restaurant has a wood and leather interior, which makes it feel very cozy and warm. The clientele was mixed- about half locals and half tourists. They have menus in French and English.The French Onion Soup was just delicious here. The Quiche Lorraine was also very tasty. The specialty seems to be mussels, as I saw bowl after bowl being brought out from the kitchen. You definitely get a lot of mussels for your money! For dessert we had giant profiteroles, served with scoops of vanilla ice cream and a delicious, warm chocolate sauce.
Laduree- Laduree is a French institution and a great place to stock up on some delicious chocolates, pastries, and macaroons. The macaroons are the most famous delicacy at Laduree and they come in flavors like violet, rose, cassis, amaretto, salty caramel, tea, and bitter lime, to name just a few. When I stopped in to the shop near Opera Garnier, the little store was totally packed with people waiting to buy macaroons. The stores claim to serve more than 3,000 customers a day-- and the macaroons here were so good that I believe it!!
CHARTRES
I can't even begin to explain how much I loved Chartres. This is such a lovely town and I wish I could have stayed longer. It took about an hour to reach Chartres from the train station in Montparnasse. I walked from the station in Chartres straight over the Chartres Cathedral, which you can see towering over the other buildings. The streets in Chartres are so charming and colorful and there are lots of little patisseries to grab a bite. The cathedral is definitely the main reason to come to Chartres, though.
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL- This church is amazing. Even if you've seen a lot of churches in your travels, this one is special and humbling. It's massive in size and features some of the most gorgeous stained glass windows you're likely to see in your life. Each window tells a particular Biblical story and is filled with color and symbolism. The tympanum boasts ornate Romanesque carvings that were really impressive. There is a crypt (which was not open for tours when I was there) which holds the remains of the relic and a centuries-old well.
This Cathedral is so overwhelming that I highly recommend taking a tour to get the most out of your experience. We took the Malcolm Miller tour, which was SO fantastic. After writing his college thesis on Chartres Cathedral and moving to Chartres, Miller was authorized by the Catholic Church to begin lecturing at the Cathedral in 1958. That's right, he's been there for forty-six years! This man is THE authority on Chartres Cathedral and he knows every nook and cranny of the building. Miller has a dry sense of humor which he incorporates into his tours. The hour we spent with him went by very quickly and was totally fascinating. I honestly wouldn't have gotten nearly as much out of my trip to Chartres without hearing his speak about the Cathedral.
REIMS
I drove to Reims, which is in the Champagne Ardenne region of France, just east of Paris. I recommend getting off the main roads and taking a less direct route to Reims. I wandered through some very scenic towns on the way there, most notably Chateau Thierry.
Reims itself is a great place. Reims is celebrated not only for its proximity to the many champagne houses and vineyards of the area, but for its lively atmosphere and many shopping options. You'll also find that this area is very interesting historically. Many battles were fought in the area in World War I and World War II, so you'll see war monuments and cemetaries all over the countryside. While this area is very French (you'll find fewer English speakers here than in Paris, definitely!), it also has German influences, which you'll notice on dinner menus in town.
Best Western Hotel de la Paix- Best Western Hotel de la Paix is a great place to stay in Reims. It's afforable and very comfortable and conveniently located. The hotel is currently undergoing a renovation, so the view is not the best from the outside but inside, the hotel is pleasant and quiet. There's a huge lobby decorated in a modern style, two elevators, large rooms and huge bathrooms that are very clean. The hotel has a restaurant, Taverne du Maitre Kanter, which serves good French/German meals.
NOTRE DAME DE REIMS- A magnificent cathedral in the gothic style, Notre Dame de Reims is one of the must-see churches of France. Inside the cathedral, you'll see all the marks of fine gothic architecture, including soaring ceilings and remarkable stained glass. You can also see some fine tapestries on display in Notre Dame de Reims. Outside the cathedral, be sure to admire the flying buttresses that are typical of gothic architecture. The view from behind the cathedral is just as grand as the front. On the front facade of the cathedral, notice the smiling angel who is located just to the right of the front door.
CHAMPAGNE TOURS- There are tons of champagne houses in the Reims area that you can tour. I chose to take the tour at Mumm. Founded in 1827, Mumm now owns some of the best champagne grape real estate in the Champagne Ardenne region. The tour begins in the elegant Mumm lobby and visitors first see a video showing how champagne is made. Then, a guide leads you into a labyrinth of tunnels and storage cellars made of chilly limestone and refrigerated further best store the champagne (bring a sweater!). There is an inventory of almost 25,000,000 bottles here, and you'll see endless tunnels of storage as you continue on the tour. At the end, you'll walk through a small museum that exhibits champagne-making tools from throughout the ages. Then, you'll go into the tasting room and sample a glass or two of Mumm champagne.
SHOPPING- Reims is a huge shopping area with an amazing amount of stores. If you like to shop, this is definitely the place to be. There are a huge variety of clothing store and shoe stores, plus larger department stores and small, boutique places. you can buy champagne just about anywhere in town, as well.
Restaurants in Reims:
Waida- Waida is a chocolate shop in downtown Reims. Located on Place Drouet d'Erlon, it's a very popular place. The two large windows at Waida are always filled with their magnificent chocolate. I happened to be in Reims during Easter, and the window display of huge chocolate bunnies and eggs was truly gorgeous. Their chocolates are works of art. Inside, there is a magnificent smell of chocolate and baking bread.
Louise's- This is an adorable little cafe right near the water fountain in central Reims. They serve magnificent desserts in addition to the great dinners.
So, that's the trip in a nutshell. It was a wonderful trip and I had an amazing time.
Jun 9th, 2004 | 02:54 PM
#7
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 257
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re: Driving to Reims...
I would definitely drive again. We rented through Hertz and the only complication we had the whole time was figuring out exactly where we were supposed to pick up the car in Paris. Once that was figured out, it was easy.
We drove out of Paris (lots of traffic... it takes a while) and headed eastward. The drive was so interesting because we were able to meander through all these little towns and pull over to take photos or grab a bite. Even at our leisurely pace, it only took about 2.5-3 hours to get to Reims. My Dad (who was with me) did most of the driving-- but it was very easy once we were out of the city. There was parking under the hotel in Reims, so that was no problem.
I took the train back from Reims to Paris. It was a fairly quick ride (although there were two different connections I had to make to get to the airport and I *barely* made one of them). The train ride is not nearly as scenic as driving, though. If driving is an option for you, I recommend it.
I would definitely drive again. We rented through Hertz and the only complication we had the whole time was figuring out exactly where we were supposed to pick up the car in Paris. Once that was figured out, it was easy.
We drove out of Paris (lots of traffic... it takes a while) and headed eastward. The drive was so interesting because we were able to meander through all these little towns and pull over to take photos or grab a bite. Even at our leisurely pace, it only took about 2.5-3 hours to get to Reims. My Dad (who was with me) did most of the driving-- but it was very easy once we were out of the city. There was parking under the hotel in Reims, so that was no problem.
I took the train back from Reims to Paris. It was a fairly quick ride (although there were two different connections I had to make to get to the airport and I *barely* made one of them). The train ride is not nearly as scenic as driving, though. If driving is an option for you, I recommend it.
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Jul 31st, 2004 | 02:03 PM
#10
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2
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Hi Erin. Thanks for the tips on Reims. My wife and I will be spending a day there on our trip to Paris in a few weeks. We are planning on taking a train out there however. Once we get there, is the city and its main sites (i.e. vineyards) easily navigable by foot or taxi? Also, I've heard the train can be quite expensive when compared to renting a car. Your thoughts?
Aug 1st, 2004 | 06:24 AM
#12
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 998
Likes: 0
toddvb - we rented a car and did trips to strasbourg, verdun, baden-baden and alsace. the drive is ok. if you are just going to reims for the day take the train. there are no vinyards in reims just the champagne houses. they are all within walking distance. we did the tattinger tour. the tour guides both called in sick and mr. tattinger (the younger) himself came down and gave the tour. a car (small) should be about $220 us for 5 days. i think that it is worth it to drive because you get to see and experience more.
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