Trying to be busy doing (almost) nothing in Paris and failing miserably!
Jun 13th, 2023, 11:13 AM
#41
We spotted the assistance place at St P as we were in the queue
Jun 14th, 2023, 01:30 PM
#42
Just for the record, "baguette" means "little stick" and it is the word for bread in that shape, a conductor's baton, or the magical instruments used in the Harry Potter books, among other things. That's why it shocks us here when a lot of anglophones use the word when they are talking about a sandwich. A sandwich made using a baguette is just called a sandwich, not a baguette.
Jun 14th, 2023, 01:33 PM
#43
Thursdaysd - there is a link on the Eurostar website through which you can contact the department which deals with this and ask for assistance to be arranged at the station concerned. Ideally they want you to do it at least 48 hours before your departure time. Our experience of arranging it for the return journey from GdN was excellent.
Jun 14th, 2023, 01:45 PM
#44
Paris 2023 - La quatrième journée.
After partaking of our usual leisurely breakfast of pastries, orange juice and coffee « sur la terrace » we spent a little longer than usual tarting ourselves up in readiness for our lunch at the cercle de l'Union Interalliée https://union-interalliee.fr which we though required a bit more than our normal day time attire. (Dress code for men is jacket and tie!). By then our Uber had arrived (thanks Elizabeth Seibert for the tip of using them to do the « walk to the walk) and though the traffic was dreadful we arrived in reasonable time to be deposited just outside the British Embassy with its large plaque commemorating the coronation and armed security guards.
We barely had time to get out of the car before our driver was being moved on, but fortunately M knew where to go and we were soon being welcomed inside its very impressive portals. M has membership by dint of being a member of the National Liberal Club so I am already plotting to go back!
Not wanting to miss out on the chance to take photos of its sumptuous interior I thought I would do that first before the crowd they were clearly expecting for lunch arrived, and we just had time for that and a stroll round the lovely gardens before we had to snaffle one of the few bar tables left on the terrace, the majority being reserved for luncheon.
Of course you don’t have to have lunch but we could hardly pass up the opportunity and in the end all 3 of us chose the grilled turbot, puréed celeriac and braised chicory, though M had to have her “frites” of course. It was all delicious, and impeccably presented and served. And as a special treat we spotted Christine Lagarde (President of the European Central Bank) amongst the luncheon guests which probably explained the crowd of besuited middle aged gents who there too.
After desserts of fruit and ice cream and coffee, M’s son A reluctantly dragged himself back to his nearby office and a little later we decided we ought to leave too. After all, I had only that afternoon left to get the the house of Victor Hugo which Bill and I visited about 40 years ago when he was briefly working in Paris. It had made a huge impression on me then (or so I thought) so as we were staying so close, relatively speaking, I was determined to see it again. This time we took the metro back to the hotel which despite the massive below ground “correspondence” at Concorde to get to the right line proved rather quicker, if somewhat sweatier, than the journey there.
After a quick cup of tea and a change into comfier clothes I set off for the Places des Vosges and the Msison de Victor Hugo. Well never go back they say and never was a truer word said. Though it was interesting it lacked the atmosphere I had sensed all those years ago and the large desk I could see in my mind’s eye with the papers strewn about it as if he had just walked out of the room moments before was nowhere to be seen. I asked a couple of the attendants if they knew anything about it but I doubt either of them was born 40 years ago and they couldn’t help. But saying all that if you are in the area I can strongly recommend it - it’s free and the cafe in the garden is very pleasant.
As I had more time than I had reckoned on before heading home I had a stroll around the Place and did some souvenir shopping- a sun hat for my mum, some chocolates for her carer, and of course the all important pastries for tomorrow’s breakfast.
Then after a quick bread and cheese supper we were out again, this time taking the metro up to the Cite de la Musique to listen to the concert in which A’s choir from Cambridge was taking part. The building turned out to be even more amazing inside than out and the first part of the first half - a very jazzy Suite by Shostacovich - was great. However his cello concerto which followed was not very riveting and I confess to dropping off once or twice. (I was not alone, I can tell you). However no-one could possibly sleep through the work which made up the second half - Belshazzar’s feast by William Walton - A being one of the basses in the chorus. I’ve sung in it a couple of times and I knew it was loud but I never really realise how loud til that night. Wow. And brilliantly preformed too. A great way to finish our trip.
After finally managing to catch our second Uber of the night we were home in about 20 mins and in bed very soon after that, leaving the packing til the morning.
After partaking of our usual leisurely breakfast of pastries, orange juice and coffee « sur la terrace » we spent a little longer than usual tarting ourselves up in readiness for our lunch at the cercle de l'Union Interalliée https://union-interalliee.fr which we though required a bit more than our normal day time attire. (Dress code for men is jacket and tie!). By then our Uber had arrived (thanks Elizabeth Seibert for the tip of using them to do the « walk to the walk) and though the traffic was dreadful we arrived in reasonable time to be deposited just outside the British Embassy with its large plaque commemorating the coronation and armed security guards.
We barely had time to get out of the car before our driver was being moved on, but fortunately M knew where to go and we were soon being welcomed inside its very impressive portals. M has membership by dint of being a member of the National Liberal Club so I am already plotting to go back!
Not wanting to miss out on the chance to take photos of its sumptuous interior I thought I would do that first before the crowd they were clearly expecting for lunch arrived, and we just had time for that and a stroll round the lovely gardens before we had to snaffle one of the few bar tables left on the terrace, the majority being reserved for luncheon.
Of course you don’t have to have lunch but we could hardly pass up the opportunity and in the end all 3 of us chose the grilled turbot, puréed celeriac and braised chicory, though M had to have her “frites” of course. It was all delicious, and impeccably presented and served. And as a special treat we spotted Christine Lagarde (President of the European Central Bank) amongst the luncheon guests which probably explained the crowd of besuited middle aged gents who there too.
After desserts of fruit and ice cream and coffee, M’s son A reluctantly dragged himself back to his nearby office and a little later we decided we ought to leave too. After all, I had only that afternoon left to get the the house of Victor Hugo which Bill and I visited about 40 years ago when he was briefly working in Paris. It had made a huge impression on me then (or so I thought) so as we were staying so close, relatively speaking, I was determined to see it again. This time we took the metro back to the hotel which despite the massive below ground “correspondence” at Concorde to get to the right line proved rather quicker, if somewhat sweatier, than the journey there.
After a quick cup of tea and a change into comfier clothes I set off for the Places des Vosges and the Msison de Victor Hugo. Well never go back they say and never was a truer word said. Though it was interesting it lacked the atmosphere I had sensed all those years ago and the large desk I could see in my mind’s eye with the papers strewn about it as if he had just walked out of the room moments before was nowhere to be seen. I asked a couple of the attendants if they knew anything about it but I doubt either of them was born 40 years ago and they couldn’t help. But saying all that if you are in the area I can strongly recommend it - it’s free and the cafe in the garden is very pleasant.
As I had more time than I had reckoned on before heading home I had a stroll around the Place and did some souvenir shopping- a sun hat for my mum, some chocolates for her carer, and of course the all important pastries for tomorrow’s breakfast.
Then after a quick bread and cheese supper we were out again, this time taking the metro up to the Cite de la Musique to listen to the concert in which A’s choir from Cambridge was taking part. The building turned out to be even more amazing inside than out and the first part of the first half - a very jazzy Suite by Shostacovich - was great. However his cello concerto which followed was not very riveting and I confess to dropping off once or twice. (I was not alone, I can tell you). However no-one could possibly sleep through the work which made up the second half - Belshazzar’s feast by William Walton - A being one of the basses in the chorus. I’ve sung in it a couple of times and I knew it was loud but I never really realise how loud til that night. Wow. And brilliantly preformed too. A great way to finish our trip.
After finally managing to catch our second Uber of the night we were home in about 20 mins and in bed very soon after that, leaving the packing til the morning.
Jun 14th, 2023, 09:50 PM
#45
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Howdy annhig!! Love reading your report of course!! Good memories for me of seeing you guys there just over a year ago... And I also enjoyed lunch at La Place Royal many years ago -- I was with a friend who is celiac and vegetarian, so finding a place we could both enjoy was a bit of a challenge. We both loved La Place Royal.
Thanks for taking me back!!!
s
Thanks for taking me back!!!
s
Jun 15th, 2023, 01:58 AM
#46
My pleasure, Swandav. I couldn't help reminiscing a bit as we ate in L'Ange 20 [same waiter, even!] and on the Bataobus, which was on the warm side, unlike the boat trip we took together last year. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised at La Place Royal - nice food, good service and a lovely ambience. A great place to eat when it gets very hot too as those cloisters keep it cool, but with the cosy interior if required. And as you say vegetarian and coeliac friendly.
Do you have any plans to return to Paris any time soon?
Do you have any plans to return to Paris any time soon?
Jun 15th, 2023, 02:26 AM
#47
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Hi again!!
Return to Paris?? Always
!! But sadly not soon. I have been alternating spending my fall vacations in Montreux and Paris; Oct 2023 is Montreux, so I won't be in Paris until Oct 2024. After the Olympics, I guess. I'm curious to see what the city will look like after that spectacle.
The only reason I was in Paris in the spring last year was to use a voucher for accommodation before it expired. I really prefer to see Paris in the fall.... late Oct & early Nov.
I'll be pressuring you to try it in the fall in about a year's time, lol!!
s
Return to Paris?? Always
!! But sadly not soon. I have been alternating spending my fall vacations in Montreux and Paris; Oct 2023 is Montreux, so I won't be in Paris until Oct 2024. After the Olympics, I guess. I'm curious to see what the city will look like after that spectacle.The only reason I was in Paris in the spring last year was to use a voucher for accommodation before it expired. I really prefer to see Paris in the fall.... late Oct & early Nov.
I'll be pressuring you to try it in the fall in about a year's time, lol!!
s
Jun 15th, 2023, 08:59 AM
#49
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How fun, annhig, and good information, too. How nice to have a terrace.
I wonder how feasible a Eurostar Paris day trip is these days. Leave London early, come back late. (Can't process early trains? Any idea what that means?) I'm toying with the idea of taking my brother, just for a day. It's a big birthday for him, but he says his homebody wife is only allowing him a week out of the US.
I wonder how feasible a Eurostar Paris day trip is these days. Leave London early, come back late. (Can't process early trains? Any idea what that means?) I'm toying with the idea of taking my brother, just for a day. It's a big birthday for him, but he says his homebody wife is only allowing him a week out of the US.
Jun 15th, 2023, 12:53 PM
#50
How fun, annhig, and good information, too. How nice to have a terrace.
I wonder how feasible a Eurostar Paris day trip is these days. Leave London early, come back late. (Can't process early trains? Any idea what that means?) I'm toying with the idea of taking my brother, just for a day. It's a big birthday for him, but he says his homebody wife is only allowing him a week out of the US.
I wonder how feasible a Eurostar Paris day trip is these days. Leave London early, come back late. (Can't process early trains? Any idea what that means?) I'm toying with the idea of taking my brother, just for a day. It's a big birthday for him, but he says his homebody wife is only allowing him a week out of the US.
Jun 16th, 2023, 01:26 PM
#54
<<Where did you board the Batobus? It looks possible to get a bus from gd Nord to the Notre-Dame Batobus stop, for a preliminary overview.>>
Stoke, we boarded at Hotel de Ville; my preliminary overview of location of bus stop and batobus stop suggested that they weren't too far apart but once we got off the bus the problem we found was locating the correct access to to the water's edge to get us as close as possible to the batobus stop. Hence the excess amount of walking we did. Hopefully the bus from the GdN to ND would get you closer.
<<I thought of the baquette conversations on Fodor’s when I saw this funny photo on instagram. >>
Thanks. Macdogmom - hilarious.
Stoke, we boarded at Hotel de Ville; my preliminary overview of location of bus stop and batobus stop suggested that they weren't too far apart but once we got off the bus the problem we found was locating the correct access to to the water's edge to get us as close as possible to the batobus stop. Hence the excess amount of walking we did. Hopefully the bus from the GdN to ND would get you closer.
<<I thought of the baquette conversations on Fodor’s when I saw this funny photo on instagram. >>
Thanks. Macdogmom - hilarious.
Jun 16th, 2023, 01:33 PM
#55
Paris 2023 - Le dernier jour
After a wonderful concert the night before we managed to drag ourselves out of bed, enjoy a last breakfast on the terrace, pack, and be ready at 11am for our Uber to take us to the Gard du Nord.
Thanks to a kindly suggestion from Elizabeth we managed to book assistance for our return Eurostar journey but when we got there we had about 45 mins to wait before we could check in with them and seats were very short on the ground. However as had already happened many times on the metro and bus, once M’s stick was spotted people happily stood so she could sit down. Meanwhile I went off to find a loo, and I did a bit of macaron shopping at the same time. Just as well as we hadn’t seen them anywhere else - strange that there are more places selling them at St Pancras than we saw anywhere in Paris.
The mobility assistance system at GdN was very good. Easy to find (opposite platforms 6-7), friendly and well-staffed. We were checked in very quickly, asked to sit down for a few minutes and then Paul, our new best friend, arrived with a wheelchair for M and our journey began. It was truly access all areas - we were whisked through security and then passport, and everywhere we went the crowds parted like the sea as we approached. Just as well - never mind about M, I’m not sure I would have managed to cope with the massive queues we by-passed.
So we were literally first onto the train and we were able to settle ourselves down before the hordes arrived. At the other end we were met by a chap with a wheelchair but waited until everyone else had got off before alighting ourselves. He then took us through the whole building until we were facing the entrance to the Northern line - no trains as it was a strike day so we had arranged with a taxi firn local to M’s home to be picked up from Morden - the nearest station, and coincidentally quite close to where Bill and I lived when we first moved to London, so I at least was on home turf. And when we lived up the road from M the driver (who was a hairdresser in a previous life) used to come to our house to cut my son’s hair - about 30 years ago! So we had a wonderful catch up on the way home.
Summary : such a great trip - I really enjoyed it despite not getting to a single museum or gallery apart from Victor Hugo’s house. Booking assistance on the way out wouid have made it even better, and Uber worked very well when picking up from the hotel, less well when picking up elsewhere late at night. Practice would make that easier I’m sure.
The hotel location grew on me especially after I saw how busy the Marais was. Although close to the Marais the hotel was in a nice residential area within 5 mins walk of 2 metro lines and a bus route taking us right to the Louvre etc. and very quiet at night. Being an Aparthotel it had a kitchen which enabled us to prepare meals including snack suppers when we wanted, like the night of the concert, and our breakfasts. And the terrace was really wonderful. There are about a dozen of these Citadines Aparthotels around Paris and I would certainly consider staying in one again.
https://www.discoverasr.com/en/europe/france/paris
As for nearby facilities there was a great bar, plenty of boulangeries, and three supermarkets within a few minutes’ walk. I’m sure we missed a lot by not walking round the area more (I never got as far as the Bastille for example) but there’s always next time.
A great trip and I can’t wait to go back.
After a wonderful concert the night before we managed to drag ourselves out of bed, enjoy a last breakfast on the terrace, pack, and be ready at 11am for our Uber to take us to the Gard du Nord.
Thanks to a kindly suggestion from Elizabeth we managed to book assistance for our return Eurostar journey but when we got there we had about 45 mins to wait before we could check in with them and seats were very short on the ground. However as had already happened many times on the metro and bus, once M’s stick was spotted people happily stood so she could sit down. Meanwhile I went off to find a loo, and I did a bit of macaron shopping at the same time. Just as well as we hadn’t seen them anywhere else - strange that there are more places selling them at St Pancras than we saw anywhere in Paris.
The mobility assistance system at GdN was very good. Easy to find (opposite platforms 6-7), friendly and well-staffed. We were checked in very quickly, asked to sit down for a few minutes and then Paul, our new best friend, arrived with a wheelchair for M and our journey began. It was truly access all areas - we were whisked through security and then passport, and everywhere we went the crowds parted like the sea as we approached. Just as well - never mind about M, I’m not sure I would have managed to cope with the massive queues we by-passed.
So we were literally first onto the train and we were able to settle ourselves down before the hordes arrived. At the other end we were met by a chap with a wheelchair but waited until everyone else had got off before alighting ourselves. He then took us through the whole building until we were facing the entrance to the Northern line - no trains as it was a strike day so we had arranged with a taxi firn local to M’s home to be picked up from Morden - the nearest station, and coincidentally quite close to where Bill and I lived when we first moved to London, so I at least was on home turf. And when we lived up the road from M the driver (who was a hairdresser in a previous life) used to come to our house to cut my son’s hair - about 30 years ago! So we had a wonderful catch up on the way home.
Summary : such a great trip - I really enjoyed it despite not getting to a single museum or gallery apart from Victor Hugo’s house. Booking assistance on the way out wouid have made it even better, and Uber worked very well when picking up from the hotel, less well when picking up elsewhere late at night. Practice would make that easier I’m sure.
The hotel location grew on me especially after I saw how busy the Marais was. Although close to the Marais the hotel was in a nice residential area within 5 mins walk of 2 metro lines and a bus route taking us right to the Louvre etc. and very quiet at night. Being an Aparthotel it had a kitchen which enabled us to prepare meals including snack suppers when we wanted, like the night of the concert, and our breakfasts. And the terrace was really wonderful. There are about a dozen of these Citadines Aparthotels around Paris and I would certainly consider staying in one again.
https://www.discoverasr.com/en/europe/france/paris
As for nearby facilities there was a great bar, plenty of boulangeries, and three supermarkets within a few minutes’ walk. I’m sure we missed a lot by not walking round the area more (I never got as far as the Bastille for example) but there’s always next time.
A great trip and I can’t wait to go back.
Jun 17th, 2023, 04:36 AM
#59
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Wonderful TR, Ann. As usual! I love the details. I've seen that Citadines hotel, will definitely consider it in the future. I'm very anti-Paris-Airbnb, finally, convinced by kerouac, though it would be nice to have a kitchen. There's that excellent Marché just down Richard Lenoir, brimming with produce. At least, I hope it's still there.
Good to know about mobility assistance. Running that gauntlet able-bodied can be daunting.
Thanks so much for batobus tip. The difference between little dots on a map, in real life, yow.
Good to know about mobility assistance. Running that gauntlet able-bodied can be daunting.
Thanks so much for batobus tip. The difference between little dots on a map, in real life, yow.
Jun 17th, 2023, 07:33 AM
#60
Thanks for your kind words, all.
Stoke, one reason I would consider returning to that area/hotel, possibly by myself, is the market [which I didn't get to] and the ease of getting to and from the GdN; by myself I wouldn't be so worried about managing my luggage. OTOH being entirely selfish having a mobility challenged companion was a massive help when it came to negotiating the crowds at the Eurostar. There's also the time of year to consider - I'm not sure I'd be so happy to be wandering very far at night in the middle of winter. That's when somewhere like the hotel I stayed in last year in the Rue Moufftard in the 5th would be more attractive because you don't have to go very far at night to find somewhere to eat.
Stoke, one reason I would consider returning to that area/hotel, possibly by myself, is the market [which I didn't get to] and the ease of getting to and from the GdN; by myself I wouldn't be so worried about managing my luggage. OTOH being entirely selfish having a mobility challenged companion was a massive help when it came to negotiating the crowds at the Eurostar. There's also the time of year to consider - I'm not sure I'd be so happy to be wandering very far at night in the middle of winter. That's when somewhere like the hotel I stayed in last year in the Rue Moufftard in the 5th would be more attractive because you don't have to go very far at night to find somewhere to eat.
