lateinlifetraveler

Kerouac, thank you for your link to your report. I loved the photos and this some of our favorite cuisine.

For our next visit, we will have some new passages to explore. We explored passages on two different days but we had to rely on travel articles to get the locations and most of these were not included. I am going to put these in a file to save for our next trip.

When people talk about "hidden gems" I think the arches definitely fall into this niche.

kerouac

If the passages interest you, that is a whole other matter!
http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...s-paris?page=1

lateinlifetraveler

Kerouac, the passages are definitely some of our favorite places to visit. Thank you so much. Will be adding this to our next trip file as well.

lateinlifetraveler

Day 11 (9/28) Paris
Today is nice and sunny as we head out on the metro to Ecole Militaire. We walked over to the Eiffel Tower. It was breathtaking to be so close to it. I took lots of pictures including a few by iPod to send back to friends. We got there early so it was not very crowded. We had a chance to take photos and walk about.

Later tour buses started to arrive and throngs of tourists spilled out. Many girls and old women arrived at the same time and started working the tourists asking “do you speak English?” We ignored them and walked through the Parc du Champ de Mars. It was really lovely with areas of blooming flowers. There were fountains in the park across the street and it was nice to just stroll and take pictures. People were playing with their dogs and relaxing. It was warm and a wonderful time to just relax or walk.

We loved the Wall for Peace, Mur de la Paix. It consists of steel and twelve etched glass panels where the word PEACE is written in 32 languages and 13 alphabets. We relaxed a bit here and then walked over to Rue Cler to check out the vendors.

Rue Cler was bustling with shoppers. We strolled along taking pictures, looking at the artfully arranged produce and stopping to go into the shops that interested us. The day was sunny and warm and the sidewalk tables at the cafes were filled with people sipping coffee and eating.

We bought some beautiful pate de fruits at A la Mère de Famille. Luscious colors and flavors made it difficult to choose so we chose eight pieces each different to try later. Back at the hotel, I would marvel at the vibrant passion fruit piece with a tartness and not overly sweet in spite of being rolled in castor sugar.

The pastry counter was filled with picture perfect sweet and savory delights. We picked up croissants. They were really large, flaky and so tender.

We stopped for lunch at Le Petit Cler Café. DH ordered a ham and chive omelet and I had one with ham, cheese, parsley and mushroom. I had a glass of rosé and DH chose a white which we enjoyed. The meal was adequate but not special. The service was good even though it was packed with people.

We stopped at a honey shop, Famille Mary - Miel et Nature. They had several of their honeys open to be sampled. We tasted several and selected one with rosemary. It has a lovely flavor and will be savored once we get home.

We walked down one side and then back up the other.

Walking back toward the Eiffel Tower, we caught the #69 bus and traveled across the city to Pere Lachaise. On the bus route, we passed Tuileries Garden, the Louvre Museum, Le Marais, Notre-Dame and Place de la Bastille ending at Pere Lachaise. Père Lachaise is in the 20th arrondissement and was the first garden cemetery, as well as the first municipal cemetery in Paris. Aside from many famous French composers, artists, singers and musicians, it also has three World War I memorials.

There are lots of interesting buildings and of course we took photos. After a brief look about, we took the metro back to our hotel. Why pay for a bus tour when you can “hop on the bus, Gus” and see the city for one ticket?

We got back to our room and had a glass of wine and got ready for dinner at Reed. We arrived a couple of minutes early and were seated where we had a good view of the kitchen area.
It was interesting to see how Catherine was very controlled in her food preparation movements to achieve the most efficiency. There was no bustling about even though she does everything alone.

We both had the beef bourguignon. It came with carrots and potatoes on the side. It was garnished with a small lettuce slice topped with delicate vinaigrette. The meat was beef cheeks and was meltingly tender. We used our bread to get up all the sauce. We also ordered a bottle of red wine to go with it.

For an appetizer, I had the tomato tartin with cherry tomatoes and large shavings of Parmesan cheese on top of a crisp puff pastry. The tartin was light with so much flavor. She dressed it with a light dressing. DH had foie gras terrine. It had a nice spiciness to it.

For dessert, we shared a chocolate mousse tart. It came with warm chocolate sauce and two raspberries on top as a garnish. We were there three hours and the time flew by. It was a most pleasant evening.
.

Maudie

Fabulous! What a wonderful trip you are having, I am still following along. Where did you stay in Paris?

lateinlifetraveler

Maudie - We had to choose a Holiday Inn because we had enough points to stay free. The only one that had rooms for our time frame was the one in the 9th arr. It turned out to be an excellent location because a metro stop was literally at the front door and a bus stop at the corner. The room was large by European standards and had a refrigerator so we could keep a few items and drinks in it. There was a Monoprix, Carrefour and lots of places to eat within a few blocks.

Leely2

Still enjoying. I appreciate the details and the context you provide.

Maudie

Thanks lateinlifetraveler, we also have Holiday Inn points so that's good to know. I will check it out, love having a refrigerator to keep wine cold.

Eric12

Hi lateinlifetraveler, An excellent way of sharing useful information to other travelers. Well done ! We too will be embarking on a London/europe trip in July, exactly as you did ! From your experience, 3 days in Amsterdam, 3 days in Bruges/Brussels and 5 days in Paris should be fine, I feel. Continue sharing any further information from your trip.

travelchat

Appreciate the useful, detailed information, particularly Belgium which I have bookmarked for future reference. Love reading about your time in my favorite city, Paris. So, keep it coming!

lateinlifetraveler

Day 13 (9/30) Paris
DH went out this morning to the boulangerie around the corner from the hotel and picked up a pain au chocolat for me and a couple of other pastries for him. He waited in line until they opened at 7:30 a.m.
I tried the Gourmandise which is a sweet treat of flaky croissant dough with chocolate chips and fresh pastry cream. The pastry was still warm and the chocolate was soft and melted in it. Sometimes it is the simplest things that bring us such pleasure. After breakfast, we set out for the Marais.

The Marais is one of the only areas that preserved the narrow streets and architectural styles of Renaissance style Paris. We walked around and did a bit of window shopping. We found a large Monoprix and picked up some nice soap. We took photos along the way. We stopped at a candy shop and got three macaron to try: casis, rose and raspberry. They were excellent with bright flavors and perfectly made. We eventually made our way over to Opera Garnier.

The Opera Garnier is an incredible piece of architecture. It is decorated with intricate multicolored marble friezes, columns, and statuary portraying deities from Greek mythology. The two figure groups on the front corners are made of gilt copper electrotype. They were brilliant in the sunlight.

As we walked around it, a woman in front of us tried the “I found a gold ring” trick. We just shook our heads in a dismissive way and kept on walking. We stopped at Fragonard to try some of the perfumes. The employees were pushy trying to sell to obvious tourists. (Should have known since a tour bus was parked outside) We didn’t like any of the scents so we left without purchasing any.

We walked on to Lindt and bought several chocolates in flavors that you can’t buy in our area in the states.

We continued on to Galeries Lafayette. For those who don’t know, this is a very high end department store with all the high end merchandise names including Longchamp, Louis Vuitton, Prada and Tiffany to name a few. There was a long line of people waiting to enter the Longchamp store.

Even if you are not a member of the power shoppers club of which I am not, you should see it for the interior space alone. It is breathtakingly beautiful with its Art Deco design. It is wonderful going to the center on the ground level of the main store (fragrance department) and looking straight up at the beautiful stained glass vaulted ceiling that just shimmers. You can see each of the seven floors with golden balconies opening onto the center of the store. There is also a men’s store connected to the main store through a covered passageway and a home store across the street.

Downstairs is a giant gourmet food hall with about anything you could desire from the basic to the imported. This is a foodies dream and a good spot to find specific French products without having to travel all over the city to find them. If you are interested in wines, their wine department is very extensive. We perused their incredible wine selection. There was one bottle for 550,000 Euros!

We checked out the large food hall and bought some Edmond Fallot mustards to take home and Marige Freres Marco Polo tea to drink back in the hotel. It turned out to be exceptional and we will buy more to take home. We decided to eat dinner in our room so we bought Le Chartreaux fromage de Veche au lait cru with a baguette from Eric Kayser boulangerie. We also bought two shrimp rolls and a stunning dessert. It was made by Patisserie Sadaharu Aoki Paris. Their display of artistic offerings was captivating and I must have walked around their area three or four times to take it all in before carefully deciding on a cassis chocolate dessert with a layer of cassis mousse, a layer of chocolate cake, and a crunchy layer. It was beautiful with an almond on top.

We walked back down Boulevard Haussmann to our hotel. It is a lovely tree lined boulevard. We stopped at the Franprix on our way and got a bottle of Chateau Grand Bouquey Saint-Emillion. All this made for a great meal!

kerouac

Amusingly enough, the former name of the Galeries Lafayette food hall "Lafayette Gourmet" was very simply "Monoprix Lafayette" for decades -- after all, they are owned by the same company, which also owns Franprix, in case anybody worries about the quality of Franprix, which is the largest supermarket chain in the Paris metropolitan area.

lateinlifetraveler

That is very interesting. We did most of our everyday shopping at Monoprix and once at Franprix. They have some really good products including some of the best yogurt I have ever eaten from a store.

lateinlifetraveler

This entry is a bit out of order.
Day 12 (9/29) Paris
Today will be a day of walking about the city. We took the #69 and rode it down to Pont Neuf and walked along the left bank. We looked at the vendors along the bank where these bouquinistes (French term for second-hand books resellers) also sell posters and small souvenirs. We bought a couple of souvenirs and continued down to the fringe of the Latin Quarter. We continued over through the Sunday bird market with its colorful, chirping birds of all kinds and down the left to Il de la Cite.

We walked on admiring the architecture and stopped at Notre Dame Cathedral which is 850 years old this year. It is a fantastic example of French Gothic architecture. We went in to admire the interior where there was a bronze model of the cathedral as well as a wooden one. Its high altar with the kneeling statues of Louis XIII and Louis XIV facing Mary and Jesus is strikingly lit. It has several large rose windows with the northern 13th century window being the most impressive. I loved the stained glass. We walked around the outside to admire the amazing gargoyles and flying buttresses as well as the lovely flower beds still in bloom along the side of the cathedral.

We took some pictures and then walked up the right bank where there were more vendors along the Seine.

We had a sandwich at a nearby bistro and a coffee before continuing on our walk along the quai on the Seine’s right bank and taking more pictures. It was a very pleasant day.

Later on our way back to our hotel, we stopped at Franprix and picked up some picnic things for dinner. It was raining when we left so we were glad we were near our hotel and could eat in our room. We had Jambon Italien and the rest of our Camenbert along with a baguette and a little dessert we had picked up with the morning pastries. We enjoyed a Chateau Cayla Bordeaux 2010. This was another lovely day in Paris.

Maudie

We love picnics in our rooms too! Sometimes we are just too tired to go out again and then if course there is the budget to maintain. You sound like our sort of traveling companions.

Keep it coming - love all the details.

lateinlifetraveler

Maudie, thanks for your feedback. When we travel to different places often the simplest of meals can be exciting with new foods and local specialities. It sounds like we are very similar in our way of travel.

lateinlifetraveler

Day 14 (10/1) Paris
We awoke with a screaming alarm to evacuate the building at 6:15 a.m. By the time we decided to leave the room, people were returning and said it was a false alarm. We ate pain au chocolat from yesterday and made coffee in the room.

We set off for Montmarte to explore the area and see Sacre Coeur which occupies the hill of Montmartre, the highest point in the city. Google gave us poor directions and we ended up going up the back way so we entirely missed the buses and funicular that would have taken us up the hill. We climbed more stairs than I could count, rested, took pictures and then climbed some more. After passing apartments and people walking their dogs and asking directions, we crossed a street, walked up more stairs and finally arrived at the top.

We walked around to the front and were rewarded with view of the rounded white domes shimmering in the early morning light. The main dome, after the Eiffel Tower, is the second highest point in Paris. As you approach the main entrance you can see above you a statue of Christ and on either side there are statues both executed in bronze of horses being ridden by Joan of Arc and King Louis the Blessed who was the first in a long line of French kings to be named Louis. Golden mosaics glow in the dim interior. The light and architectural details focus attention on the apse. The mosaic of Christ in Majesty in the apse is one of the world’s largest and there is a striking mural of Christ's Passion at the back of the altar.

The view looking out over Paris below was magnificent and being early and coming in the back entrance, we avoided the beggars and people targeting tourists. The sun was out and the glass was beautiful. After taking pictures and going up to see all the glass, we went back out the front and saw that many tourists were now arriving and it was time to go.

A woman was out front walking her cat on a leash. It caused quite a crowd and everyone was taking pictures around them. We observed from a distance with our back to the overlook so we could see if anyone was targeting the lookers. We took the funicular down the hill and walked around a bit. A man approached me at the bottom of the funicular with a brightly colored string in his hand. I saw it and kept walking with my hands in my pockets and a slight shake of my head. He backed away toward another couple.

We found a small café for lunch and I ordered roasted chicken that came with frites and salad. DH had a cheeseburger, frites and salad. We both had a glass of house wine as well. It was homey and seemed like a mom and pop café. She was very attentive and kept bringing more bread to our table. It was a nice lunch.

We walked down to the Anvers station and caught the metro to the Arc de Triomphe. We walked across the roundabout under the street and continued down the long entrance way to the entrance to the Arc. There was a long queue to enter so we didn’t wait. We took some pictures as the Arc is quite beautiful. It honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars, with the names of all French victories and generals inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I.

We strolled hand in hand down the Champs-Elysees looking at all the high-end chain stores. We sat on a bench and watched the people walk by, studying their clothing and shoes. We made a game of counting how many women were in stilettos. Lol.

We took a bus down to Place de la Concorde. It is lovely with interesting fountains and statuary. We saw the Luxor Obelisk standing in the center. The giant Egyptian obelisk is of pink granite with a gilded top and decorated with hieroglyphics of the reign of the pharaoh Ramesses II. It was a gift from the Egyptian government in the 19th century. At each of the eight angles of the octagonal Place is a statue representing a French city: Brest and Rouen, Lyon and Marseille, Bordeaux and Nantes and Lille and Strasbourg.

The Arc de Triomphe is to its west. To the east are the Tuileries Gardens. North of the Place are two identical stone buildings, separated by the Rue Royale. The eastern one houses the French Naval Ministry, and the western one is the Hôtel de Crillon. South of the Place is the River Seine.

We walked about and took more pictures before taking a metro to Galerie Lafayette. We rode up to the terrace on the roof which gives an amazing view of the city. Plus it is free. People were sitting about on the seats although they were wet from an earlier rain. It was a sunny day and a great time to look out over the city. You can see The Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and most of the city from here.

We went down to the first floor and found Angelina. That lovely little tearoom with the most decadent hot chocolate I have ever tasted. It came with a bowl of whipped cream looking like an open blooming flower with loads of lusciousness. The hot chocolate was really thick almost like a warm chocolate ganache and it poured slowly from a little white pot casting a chocolaty aroma around us. We also enjoyed desserts with it. Peter chose for me a Sainte Honore which is a puff pastry of caramelized choux pastry with bourbon vanilla pastry cream and Chantilly whipped cream.

The room had lit chandeliers, mirrors and paintings on the walls. It was relaxing and so beautiful that I hated leaving. I took pictures of the tearoom while waiting for our sweet repast to arrive.

On our way out, Peter helped me select some lovely scarves and a violet umbrella with a case for me for our anniversary. I absolutely love this feminine umbrella. We bought two little coffee cups with cats and Paris on them as a souvenir. They will be perfect for double espresso or hot chocolate.

We went to this lovely little bistro a short walk from our hotel called La Scala. I ordered the veal scaloppini and Peter ordered the pasta along with glasses of the house wine. The hostess is Italian and only speaks French and Italian but we got along just fine. The service was good and the food excellent. The pasta was homemade. There were two young men sitting next to us at the nearby table eating pizza. It looked and smelled delicious and we decided that we would return the next week to try it for dinner. The restaurant is small and very cozy. I really liked the atmosphere, the food and the owners. After dinner we strolled back to our room after another lovely day.

lateinlifetraveler

Day 15 (10/2) Paris
After our usual breakfast of pastry and tea, we went to two stores trying to find a spare camera battery for on of the cameras since we discovered that it eats batteries and takes all evening to charge in the room.

Someone suggested Les Halles, a shopping center underground with some interesting shops. We got a battery and when we left to go up to the street level found the escalator was broken so we had to climb out of the bowels of the basement. Les Halles was once a glorious market for over 800 years. Sadly today the metro stop and shopping mall contain every modern shop imaginable but the mall itself looks a bit vacant and neglected.

I took pictures along the way as we walked and a video of the Fountaine des Innocents, a cool fountain located on the place Joachim-du-Bellay. It is the only Renaissance fountain in Paris. The fountain stands in the center of the Place Joachim du Bellay near Les Halles.

From here, we walked to Le Petit Palais on avenue Winston Churchill. It became a museum in 1902. It is an amazing art museum and best of all it is free. It has a very large collection of mostly donated items. There is a room of etchings by Rubens. There are two long halls of Christian icons and works of the 17th, 18th, and 19th century with pieces from the Renaissance as well as furniture and small items of luxury. I particularly liked the painted enamels from Limoges and the Southern German and Austrian wood carvings. We had lunch in their café which opens onto a pleasant garden area with tables and chairs. I had salmon and spinach on a poppy seed baguette. DH had a club sandwich. We split a dessert of a lime dome mousse over a shortbread base.

After lunch we finished the museum and walked toward Musee de l’Orangerie. The walk was pleasant through the leaf scattered park with that aroma of warmed leaves in the sun. Only the water lilies were available at the museum as the second floor was closed. They had reduced the fee to 5 Euros. I loved it as Monet’s work is a favorite of mine.

We walked through Jardin des Tuileries located between the Louvre Museum and the Place de la Concorde in the 1st arrondissement. It was a sunny afternoon and we sat for a bit and enjoyed the shadows cast by the trees overhead and the gentle breeze rustling the fallen leaves. There were several sculptures by Rodin as well as many other prominent artists and such beautiful flowers. We took pictures as we strolled and enjoyed watching the people playing and sitting in the green chairs around the large basin. This was such a relaxing afternoon.

We had a picnic dinner in the room that night.

MaineGG

I'm really enjoying reading about your days in Paris. We had planned a visit to the Petit Palais during our last trip but didn't get there. I have really enjoyed all the City of Paris museums we have visited and love that they are free.

We also frequently "dine in" in the evenings.

Maudie

Late, I am going to have to wait until August next year to go back to Paris, your lovely report is giving me itchy feet! I want to go back now. You certainly did your homework to find places to see, this is giving me some ideas for things we missed. Love the way you just hop on buses, did you do this by chance or did you do your homework on that as well? We only used buses to go to and from our apartment in Montmartre.