I love Paris.....in the summer.....when it sizzles....
Jun 28th, 2005, 02:05 AM
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I love Paris.....in the summer.....when it sizzles....
I had that phrase in my head all last week when DH and I spent our 8 days in lovely Paris. It was HOT. Most days it was around 90 farenheit, and HUMID. The one day it cooled to around 80 it was raining. The weather really did slow us down, but we still had a fantastic time. This was the first trip for DH, second trip for me. Last trip for me was in February so I was stunned at how Paris changes with the seasons. It was like a whole new city! I must say I really enjoyed the damp, cool, empty Paris of winter, but the splendor of the gardens in June makes all the heat, the smell, the crowds, and the overflowing trash cans worthwhile.
I think it was mermaid who said that going to Paris with a girlfriend is a much different experience that going with your husband. So true! Paris has so many faces, and things that caught my attention when I was with Becky (usually storefronts!) went unnoticed this time, and vice versa.
With my two Paris experiences, I can now see how one can go to Paris over and over and over and see a new city each time. DH was surprised at how much he enjoyed Paris, and he talks about going again with family or friends, so I'm hoping we have many more Parisian experiences to come.
For those who are interested, I'll continue adding to this thread when I can with more details. Thanks to all who helped me organize the trip!
I think it was mermaid who said that going to Paris with a girlfriend is a much different experience that going with your husband. So true! Paris has so many faces, and things that caught my attention when I was with Becky (usually storefronts!) went unnoticed this time, and vice versa.
With my two Paris experiences, I can now see how one can go to Paris over and over and over and see a new city each time. DH was surprised at how much he enjoyed Paris, and he talks about going again with family or friends, so I'm hoping we have many more Parisian experiences to come.
For those who are interested, I'll continue adding to this thread when I can with more details. Thanks to all who helped me organize the trip!
Jun 28th, 2005, 02:54 AM
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<b> Our apartment </b>
We stayed in an apartment in the 16th, on Rue de Passy. What a steal this place was! It's a fairly new listing on vrbo, and the owners must be getting good feedback from all their clients because they are raising their prices for 2006. We were there 8 nights and it cost us 80 Euros a night. It's 45 square meters (a little over 500 square feet, I think) in a gated, secured, quiet apartment complex. Our windows and balcony overlooked the large, beautifully landscaped courtyard. We had hardwood floors, modern, comfortable furniture, and a separate room for the toilet. There's a shower, but no tub. There's also a washing machine. There are wooden shutters that go on the outside of the windows that we could pull down for privacy and to keep the place cool while we were gone. With the oscillating fan they provided, it never got uncomfortably hot inside the apartment.
This apartment is owned by a young couple who lived there until recently (he's English, she's French but fluent in English). From what I gather, they started a family and decided to move out to the country. Despite being out of town, Michael was still Johnny-on-the-spot. One day there was an intense rain/hail storm (I'm from Oklahoma and this was REALLY intense). Somehow the rainwater backed up and came through a newly uncapped pipe in the kitchen, flooding the kitchen floor. We called the building caretaker, who immediatedly came up and assisted with damage control. We then called Michael, who was there a couple hours later to apologize, finish cleaning up, and cap the pipe. It's easy to be a good apartment owner when everything goes smoothly; the test is how they handle it when something goes wrong, and we were very impressed with Michael. We would (and might) stay here again.
The Passy neighborhood is wonderful. It's pretty, with lots of upscale shops and restaurants, and is served by metro lines 6 and 9, and RER C. We felt like the only tourists in the neighborhood, which we liked, especially this time of the year. DH and I are both somewhat claustrophobic, so the sheer numbers of people on the streets in the more touristy neighborhoods seemed suffocating at times. It was nice to come "home" to our quiet little corner of Paris in the evenings. The only downside is that there are very few major attractions within walking distance, so we used the metro a LOT. Having said that, if you haven't hung out by the Trocadero in the evening, it is quite a spectacle!
<b> Segway Tour </b>
How fun was this!!! We went through Fat Tire Bike Tours, which is an American owned company. Ryan was our guide, a student at Texas A&M, in Paris for a summer job. Needless to say, he wasn't an expert on French culture, but still knew enough to give us a rough overview of the sights, and he was a fun guy to hang around with. We were with four other people and had so much fun navigating the streets of Paris on Segways. Other tourists were taking our picture as we zoomed by. This was DH's favorite activity and is now trying to fabricate and excuse to buy a Segway. It was I think 95 American dollars per person, but it was definitely worth it. The whole process, including getting used to riding the thing and lunch in the Tuileries, was 4-5 hours. We were hoping to do their nighttime bike tour later in the week, but we never seemed to have the energy.
We stayed in an apartment in the 16th, on Rue de Passy. What a steal this place was! It's a fairly new listing on vrbo, and the owners must be getting good feedback from all their clients because they are raising their prices for 2006. We were there 8 nights and it cost us 80 Euros a night. It's 45 square meters (a little over 500 square feet, I think) in a gated, secured, quiet apartment complex. Our windows and balcony overlooked the large, beautifully landscaped courtyard. We had hardwood floors, modern, comfortable furniture, and a separate room for the toilet. There's a shower, but no tub. There's also a washing machine. There are wooden shutters that go on the outside of the windows that we could pull down for privacy and to keep the place cool while we were gone. With the oscillating fan they provided, it never got uncomfortably hot inside the apartment.
This apartment is owned by a young couple who lived there until recently (he's English, she's French but fluent in English). From what I gather, they started a family and decided to move out to the country. Despite being out of town, Michael was still Johnny-on-the-spot. One day there was an intense rain/hail storm (I'm from Oklahoma and this was REALLY intense). Somehow the rainwater backed up and came through a newly uncapped pipe in the kitchen, flooding the kitchen floor. We called the building caretaker, who immediatedly came up and assisted with damage control. We then called Michael, who was there a couple hours later to apologize, finish cleaning up, and cap the pipe. It's easy to be a good apartment owner when everything goes smoothly; the test is how they handle it when something goes wrong, and we were very impressed with Michael. We would (and might) stay here again.
The Passy neighborhood is wonderful. It's pretty, with lots of upscale shops and restaurants, and is served by metro lines 6 and 9, and RER C. We felt like the only tourists in the neighborhood, which we liked, especially this time of the year. DH and I are both somewhat claustrophobic, so the sheer numbers of people on the streets in the more touristy neighborhoods seemed suffocating at times. It was nice to come "home" to our quiet little corner of Paris in the evenings. The only downside is that there are very few major attractions within walking distance, so we used the metro a LOT. Having said that, if you haven't hung out by the Trocadero in the evening, it is quite a spectacle!
<b> Segway Tour </b>
How fun was this!!! We went through Fat Tire Bike Tours, which is an American owned company. Ryan was our guide, a student at Texas A&M, in Paris for a summer job. Needless to say, he wasn't an expert on French culture, but still knew enough to give us a rough overview of the sights, and he was a fun guy to hang around with. We were with four other people and had so much fun navigating the streets of Paris on Segways. Other tourists were taking our picture as we zoomed by. This was DH's favorite activity and is now trying to fabricate and excuse to buy a Segway. It was I think 95 American dollars per person, but it was definitely worth it. The whole process, including getting used to riding the thing and lunch in the Tuileries, was 4-5 hours. We were hoping to do their nighttime bike tour later in the week, but we never seemed to have the energy.
Jun 28th, 2005, 03:05 AM
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I'm glad you had a good time w/your DH. We leave Friday and rain is forecasted all week--and I was worried about how well the a/c would work in our apartment, ha!
I believe you stayed in the 16th and am curious to hear more about your experiences there and the apartment you rented.
I believe you stayed in the 16th and am curious to hear more about your experiences there and the apartment you rented.
Jun 28th, 2005, 03:14 AM
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<b>Paris Walks</b>
We had planned on taking two of these tours: one on Friday for Hemingway's Paris, and another on Sunday for Montmartre. We so enjoyed Friday's tour that we added the Marais on Saturday. For both Friday and Saturday's tours, our guide was Peter Caine, the owner of Paris Walks and a published author (one of his books is "Paris Then and Now"
. I cannot say enough good things about Peter. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but he has a true gift for storytelling. He's like the college professor that all the students want to get; his "lectures" are interactive, entertaining, and utterly fascinating. We hung on to his every word and felt so fortunate to have spent time with him. Sunday's tour was with a different guide. She was okay, but the 10 Euro fee didn't seem like the bargain it did with Peter's tours. After spending just a few hours with Peter, I can see how having a all-day guide like Michael Osman would be such a treat, and we may try to hire Michael next time around.
We had planned on taking two of these tours: one on Friday for Hemingway's Paris, and another on Sunday for Montmartre. We so enjoyed Friday's tour that we added the Marais on Saturday. For both Friday and Saturday's tours, our guide was Peter Caine, the owner of Paris Walks and a published author (one of his books is "Paris Then and Now"
. I cannot say enough good things about Peter. Not only is he extremely knowledgeable, but he has a true gift for storytelling. He's like the college professor that all the students want to get; his "lectures" are interactive, entertaining, and utterly fascinating. We hung on to his every word and felt so fortunate to have spent time with him. Sunday's tour was with a different guide. She was okay, but the 10 Euro fee didn't seem like the bargain it did with Peter's tours. After spending just a few hours with Peter, I can see how having a all-day guide like Michael Osman would be such a treat, and we may try to hire Michael next time around.
Jun 28th, 2005, 03:47 AM
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Jocelyn, your Paris sounds so different from mine two weeks ago. No rain or humidity and cool evenings!! I was also interested to read about your apartment in the 16th - an area I havent stayed.
I havent been in Winter but am considering trying that next time.
For an ingnorant Aussie - what is a Segway???
I havent been in Winter but am considering trying that next time.
For an ingnorant Aussie - what is a Segway???
Jun 28th, 2005, 04:32 AM
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Claude - a Segway is a posh electric scooter:
www.citysegwaytours.com/
www.citysegwaytours.com/
Jun 28th, 2005, 06:00 AM
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mvor, here's a link to the apt:
http://www.vrbo.com/47620
I'll post my own pictures, too. I forgot to add that the owners stocked the apt with laundry detergent, shampoo, soaps, dish detergent, kitchen sponge, paper towels, ice trays (much needed) and even some spices for the kitchen so all we needed from the grocery store was food. I'll post more later.
http://www.vrbo.com/47620
I'll post my own pictures, too. I forgot to add that the owners stocked the apt with laundry detergent, shampoo, soaps, dish detergent, kitchen sponge, paper towels, ice trays (much needed) and even some spices for the kitchen so all we needed from the grocery store was food. I'll post more later.
Jun 28th, 2005, 06:13 AM
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Welcome back, Jocelyn!
Bummer about the heat but I am so glad that DH loved Paris too! When do you plan on going back? lol
Did you use the laundry?
We brought the laundry soap home, we liked it so much
Looking forward to hearing more and seeing photos!
Bummer about the heat but I am so glad that DH loved Paris too! When do you plan on going back? lol
Did you use the laundry?
We brought the laundry soap home, we liked it so much
Looking forward to hearing more and seeing photos!
Jun 28th, 2005, 06:16 AM
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Welcome back, Jocelyn!
We loved PARIS WALKS too. We did the Marais tour with a British guide named Jonathan. He was soooooooooo funny and had a strong resemblance to the actor Kenneth Brannagh. After that experience, we wanted to do the Montmartre tour but did not have the time.
I wrote a short report on Marais boutique shopping if you are interested...I loved staying there and wandering around. Luckily I have a husband who enjoys shopping...yay!
We loved PARIS WALKS too. We did the Marais tour with a British guide named Jonathan. He was soooooooooo funny and had a strong resemblance to the actor Kenneth Brannagh. After that experience, we wanted to do the Montmartre tour but did not have the time.
I wrote a short report on Marais boutique shopping if you are interested...I loved staying there and wandering around. Luckily I have a husband who enjoys shopping...yay!
Jun 28th, 2005, 07:54 AM
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Hi Joc--
I'm so glad to hear that Curt enjoyed Paris!! I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures, especially of your Segway tour. I had another dream this weekend that I was in Paris. I think that's about my 7th dream about Paris since our trip in February. Keep the posts coming....
becky
I'm so glad to hear that Curt enjoyed Paris!! I'm looking forward to seeing your pictures, especially of your Segway tour. I had another dream this weekend that I was in Paris. I think that's about my 7th dream about Paris since our trip in February. Keep the posts coming....
becky
Jun 28th, 2005, 09:24 AM
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How funny -we did the Segway tour last spring - and our tour guide was also from Texas A&M - but his name was Mike. He had been working in Paris since the beginning of the year and was saving up money to go on a 3 month backpacking trip later that year.
I believe he said that many of the guides were from Texas - the company got its guides by "friend of a friend" recommendations. When we arrived back at the office at the end of the tour, we spoke with a few other employees - they were ALL from Texas.
I believe he said that many of the guides were from Texas - the company got its guides by "friend of a friend" recommendations. When we arrived back at the office at the end of the tour, we spoke with a few other employees - they were ALL from Texas.
Jun 28th, 2005, 11:12 AM
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chepar,
We met a Mike at the Segway office--not sure if it's the same one. They were all such a hoot! They encouraged us all to come hang out with them anytime we got homesick or just wanted to speak English for awhile. And they sold us COLD, CHEAP water, lol. They're starting up Segway tours now in Vienna, Budapest, and another new city that I don't remember. DH has announced that we can now only visit cities that have Segway tours.
Scarlett,
Yes, we used the washer often. We pack really light, and as hot as it was, we went through two outfits a day (we'd come back to the apt, exhausted, around 5 in the afternoon, shower and change, then go back out for the evening), so I was doing a load of laundry every day. I know that's not appealing to a lot of people, but it only took a few minutes a day, and packing light gives you so much freedom.
Hi Betty! I heard from someone on one of our Paris Walks Tours that there's an American guide (Brad?) who is excellent as well. They've got a good thing going there.
Hi Becky
We met a Mike at the Segway office--not sure if it's the same one. They were all such a hoot! They encouraged us all to come hang out with them anytime we got homesick or just wanted to speak English for awhile. And they sold us COLD, CHEAP water, lol. They're starting up Segway tours now in Vienna, Budapest, and another new city that I don't remember. DH has announced that we can now only visit cities that have Segway tours.
Scarlett,
Yes, we used the washer often. We pack really light, and as hot as it was, we went through two outfits a day (we'd come back to the apt, exhausted, around 5 in the afternoon, shower and change, then go back out for the evening), so I was doing a load of laundry every day. I know that's not appealing to a lot of people, but it only took a few minutes a day, and packing light gives you so much freedom.
Hi Betty! I heard from someone on one of our Paris Walks Tours that there's an American guide (Brad?) who is excellent as well. They've got a good thing going there.
Hi Becky
Jun 28th, 2005, 11:21 AM
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<b>Metro</b>
As I said previously, we used the metro quite a bit. I debated getting a Carte Orange and trying to figure out the bus system, but decided to keep it simple and just get carnets. Baby steps, you know. We did witness some Americans being denied a Carte Orange at an adjacent ticket window, so I was happy with my decision. Anyway, we had the darndest time with our tickets. If we bought the carnet at the Passy metro stop, they'd always work there, but only about 25% of the time at other stations! We tried buying a carnet at another stop with the same result. Not that big a deal, as we could go to the window to exchange the ticket, but it got tiresome after awhile. The last day or two, we bought individual tickets and STILL had the same problem. We weren't doing anything different from station to station, so what was up??
As I said previously, we used the metro quite a bit. I debated getting a Carte Orange and trying to figure out the bus system, but decided to keep it simple and just get carnets. Baby steps, you know. We did witness some Americans being denied a Carte Orange at an adjacent ticket window, so I was happy with my decision. Anyway, we had the darndest time with our tickets. If we bought the carnet at the Passy metro stop, they'd always work there, but only about 25% of the time at other stations! We tried buying a carnet at another stop with the same result. Not that big a deal, as we could go to the window to exchange the ticket, but it got tiresome after awhile. The last day or two, we bought individual tickets and STILL had the same problem. We weren't doing anything different from station to station, so what was up??
Jun 28th, 2005, 11:36 AM
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<b>Giverny</b>
After reading islandmom's post "Magical Monet," I figured it would be worthwhile to get up early early to catch the 8:20 train to Vernon. We managed it, grabbed a taxi to Monet's house, and got to the ticket window 5 minutes before it opened. We still had plenty of company. While standing in line, I whispered to DH that we were going to "go long" as soon as we got in. "But I have to go to the bathroom" he says. Aarrgh! Those 3 minutes really cost us. We got caught up in the slow-moving line and inched our way over to the water lilies pond. It was still glorious, with the sun sparkling on the water. We made two slow laps around the pond, taking lots of pictures. What a treat for any Monet lover! I only wish I could have seen it at sunrise/sunset, or in solitude. I'm sure everyone else there felt the same way. As we came back by the entrance later in the afternoon, we realized it was still a good idea to come early, as there was a long line to get in.
At cigalechanta's suggestion, we strolled over to the Hotel Baudy for lunch at their cafe. What a beautiful place! We were a little early for lunch, so we got to explore their rose garden. Most of the flowers were bloomed out, but it still smelled heavenly, and we were the only ones there at the time. We then sat in a gazebo under a cherry tree to shade ourselves from the sun until the cafe opened. The outdoor cafe was across the street, overlooking the green, rolling hills--just a perfect setting. We had a very pleasant lunch there.
After reading islandmom's post "Magical Monet," I figured it would be worthwhile to get up early early to catch the 8:20 train to Vernon. We managed it, grabbed a taxi to Monet's house, and got to the ticket window 5 minutes before it opened. We still had plenty of company. While standing in line, I whispered to DH that we were going to "go long" as soon as we got in. "But I have to go to the bathroom" he says. Aarrgh! Those 3 minutes really cost us. We got caught up in the slow-moving line and inched our way over to the water lilies pond. It was still glorious, with the sun sparkling on the water. We made two slow laps around the pond, taking lots of pictures. What a treat for any Monet lover! I only wish I could have seen it at sunrise/sunset, or in solitude. I'm sure everyone else there felt the same way.
As we came back by the entrance later in the afternoon, we realized it was still a good idea to come early, as there was a long line to get in.At cigalechanta's suggestion, we strolled over to the Hotel Baudy for lunch at their cafe. What a beautiful place! We were a little early for lunch, so we got to explore their rose garden. Most of the flowers were bloomed out, but it still smelled heavenly, and we were the only ones there at the time. We then sat in a gazebo under a cherry tree to shade ourselves from the sun until the cafe opened. The outdoor cafe was across the street, overlooking the green, rolling hills--just a perfect setting. We had a very pleasant lunch there.
Jun 28th, 2005, 11:46 AM
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<b>Versailles</b>
Who cares about the palace, as those gardens are spectacular! We spent hours wandering through the wonderful maze, finding fountain after fountain. It felt nice and cool in the gardens and we enjoyed every minute of our time there. We stumbled on a cute little cafe and had a decent lunch in a magnificent setting.
Sidenote: I was walking down a steep hill on a dirt path, distracted as I often am, and my shoe caught a big rock and down I went, headfirst! Now here's a good argument for wearing shorts! My hand and knee were scraped up pretty badly, and I still have massive bruises on my knee and hip. Back at the apartment, my surgeon hubby used a safety pin to dig out pebbles from under the skin in the palm of my hand. So, watch where you're going! Oddly enough, that evening as we were out strolling around after a big rain storm, we were going down a hill, DH stepped on a metal grate, and UP he went! He landed on his shoulder and elbow. I had to keep reminding him through dinner to not put his elbows on the table so he wouldn't get the white tablecloth all bloody. Funny, I don't remember seeing that in any etiquette books, but I'll bet that's a good rule of thumb...
Who cares about the palace, as those gardens are spectacular! We spent hours wandering through the wonderful maze, finding fountain after fountain. It felt nice and cool in the gardens and we enjoyed every minute of our time there. We stumbled on a cute little cafe and had a decent lunch in a magnificent setting.
Sidenote: I was walking down a steep hill on a dirt path, distracted as I often am, and my shoe caught a big rock and down I went, headfirst! Now here's a good argument for wearing shorts! My hand and knee were scraped up pretty badly, and I still have massive bruises on my knee and hip. Back at the apartment, my surgeon hubby used a safety pin to dig out pebbles from under the skin in the palm of my hand. So, watch where you're going! Oddly enough, that evening as we were out strolling around after a big rain storm, we were going down a hill, DH stepped on a metal grate, and UP he went! He landed on his shoulder and elbow. I had to keep reminding him through dinner to not put his elbows on the table so he wouldn't get the white tablecloth all bloody. Funny, I don't remember seeing that in any etiquette books, but I'll bet that's a good rule of thumb...
Jun 28th, 2005, 12:15 PM
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Great report - keep it coming! Sorry to hear about your injuries. I twisted my ankle on our first trip, and one of our friends managed to gash his leg on the top of the Arc de Triumph about a year ago. We ended up buying him this crazy spray that sort of freezes the wound area -- he thought it was magic, although it was 15 Euro for the can. You never imagine that the pharmacy will become part of your travel adventure!
We have an apartment that we rent out and one of our friends who stayed their got injured (fell down some stairs) while she was there and when she returned she suggested I make a little first aid kit to put in the apartment -- including an Ace bandage, which she tried to find at a local pharmacy to no avail. So I made a little kit buying a bunch of stuff (cold remedies, ibuprofen, Band-Aids, Tums, etc.) at Walgreens here at home and wouldn't you know it, but the last time we were there in May most of the supplies had been used up -- except the Ace bandage. Anyway, I'm going to restock it again in August and I'll be sure to add a few safety pins in there, too. You never know what will come in handy.
We have an apartment that we rent out and one of our friends who stayed their got injured (fell down some stairs) while she was there and when she returned she suggested I make a little first aid kit to put in the apartment -- including an Ace bandage, which she tried to find at a local pharmacy to no avail. So I made a little kit buying a bunch of stuff (cold remedies, ibuprofen, Band-Aids, Tums, etc.) at Walgreens here at home and wouldn't you know it, but the last time we were there in May most of the supplies had been used up -- except the Ace bandage. Anyway, I'm going to restock it again in August and I'll be sure to add a few safety pins in there, too. You never know what will come in handy.
Jun 28th, 2005, 12:22 PM
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Lutece,
Your mention of the pharmacy jogged my memory--I also got an ear infection soon after we got to Paris! DH primitively diagnosed it as an external infection, so we did make that trip to the pharmacy for some ear drops. Luckily the drops cleared it up, as I had not scheduled a trip to a doctor in my itinerary.
Your mention of the pharmacy jogged my memory--I also got an ear infection soon after we got to Paris! DH primitively diagnosed it as an external infection, so we did make that trip to the pharmacy for some ear drops. Luckily the drops cleared it up, as I had not scheduled a trip to a doctor in my itinerary.
