We saw London, we saw France as well as The Netherlands and Belgium
Feb 26th, 2014, 04:43 PM
#81
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Maudie, we would just hop on buses and go to different areas at random. We didn't know where to get a bus map. We would plan one thing to do or place to visit each day and then just go whereever our feet or bus would take us and then explore. We were very casual about the planning. I am so glad you will be able to return to Paris next year. I want to return again too.
Feb 27th, 2014, 09:30 AM
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Day 16 (10/3) Paris
Today is our anniversary and we are in Paris! We are going to spend the day just casually exploring the area with no real destination in mind. DH got dressed and went out for fresh pastry while I made tea in the room. I love our simple routine of making tea or coffee in the room and having a fresh pastry with it for breakfast. The gormandise was not ready when he got to the boulangerie so he bought me a Tarte au Sucre. It looks like a thick pancake about 6 inches across. It tasted like a disc of bread with a sugar glaze on top. We went off to explore the Passage Jouffroy which is just up the street from our hotel.
The Passage Jouffroy is a covered walkway in the south of the 9th arrondissement of Paris, on the border with the 2nd arrondissement. The passage is covered by a canopy of metal and glass. The floor is paved with a geometric pattern composed of white, gray and black squares. An ornate clock is near the ceiling on one end of the alley and says 1846 over it.
The Passade Jouffroy has a great tea shop where we thought we would visit the next day for breakfast. They have lovely little fruit gelees and pastries too. Also along the passage are shops specializing in movie posters, canes, theatrical costumes, photographs and miniature toys. At the far end of the Passage is the Musee Grevin, one of Paris's oldest wax museums.
We went across Boulevard Montmartre to Passage des Panoramas. This maze-like passage has numerous entrances and is full of surprises. There we found neat little shops where artists have studios and sell their original creations. There are stamp shops and several hip wine bars. This is the oldest passage in Paris and is quite lovely.
The Passage Verdeau is located across the street from Passage Jouffroy in the Les Grands Boulevards area of Paris. Passage Verdeau has shops carrying antique cameras, books, and engravings.
Walking through these passages gives you a sense of the elaborate arcades that once existed. They are a great way to spend a day walking about and offer a chance to explore small boutiques and shops.
From here we went to Maison Europeenne de la Photographie. The museum had an extensive exhibit by Sebastiago Salgado. It was a very moving exhibit “Genesis”. Loved, loved, loved it!
After the museum we stopped for lunch at a little café. I had the plat du jour which was Chichon curry with pasta with shaving of parmesan cheese and diced fresh tomatoes over it. It was really good and we decided we could make this dish at home some time. DH had the montagnard sandwich with frites and an Agent Provacateur beer.
After lunch we walked around the area and took photos. We came back and relaxed for a bit with some wine and then got ready to go out for our special dinner at Terres de Truffles in the Madeleine district. The restaurant serves truffles in everything. They also sell some truffle products. If you love truffles as we do, this is the place to eat. We had a Groupon so their tasting menu was half price.
Each course was amazing and they did not skimp on the white summer truffles. Dishes were cooked to perfection and the hostess and server were very welcoming and could speak a bit of English which helped our bit of French so we were fine.
We started with an amuse bouche of creamy avocado with a truffle slice on top.
The first course was creamy eggs softly scrambled with lots of shaved truffles on top and truffles pieces throughout. (I still have fantasies of this dish)
The second course for me was poached fish with fennel puree. It had a nice sauce and lots of truffle slices on top. The fish was perfectly flaky and moist. DH had the truffle tortellini stuffed with truffles in a truffle cream sauce with lots of truffle slices on top. I tasted it. So yummy!
For dessert I had the baba au rum which came with a small glass of cognac beside the giant baba drenched in truffle honey and rum sauce with a mound of freshly whipped cream on the side (sigh). DH had brie that had been split in half and filled with truffle slices and put back together. It had a small salad of mixed greens with it. DH added some truffle infused olive oil from the table. This was one of the very best meals and dining experiences we have ever had.
We also ordered a bottle of champagne to go with dinner and it was all perfect. It was the best anniversary dinner yet. Happy 15!
We walked to the metro and were so happy! We joked that next year would have to be really special to top this one.
Today is our anniversary and we are in Paris! We are going to spend the day just casually exploring the area with no real destination in mind. DH got dressed and went out for fresh pastry while I made tea in the room. I love our simple routine of making tea or coffee in the room and having a fresh pastry with it for breakfast. The gormandise was not ready when he got to the boulangerie so he bought me a Tarte au Sucre. It looks like a thick pancake about 6 inches across. It tasted like a disc of bread with a sugar glaze on top. We went off to explore the Passage Jouffroy which is just up the street from our hotel.
The Passage Jouffroy is a covered walkway in the south of the 9th arrondissement of Paris, on the border with the 2nd arrondissement. The passage is covered by a canopy of metal and glass. The floor is paved with a geometric pattern composed of white, gray and black squares. An ornate clock is near the ceiling on one end of the alley and says 1846 over it.
The Passade Jouffroy has a great tea shop where we thought we would visit the next day for breakfast. They have lovely little fruit gelees and pastries too. Also along the passage are shops specializing in movie posters, canes, theatrical costumes, photographs and miniature toys. At the far end of the Passage is the Musee Grevin, one of Paris's oldest wax museums.
We went across Boulevard Montmartre to Passage des Panoramas. This maze-like passage has numerous entrances and is full of surprises. There we found neat little shops where artists have studios and sell their original creations. There are stamp shops and several hip wine bars. This is the oldest passage in Paris and is quite lovely.
The Passage Verdeau is located across the street from Passage Jouffroy in the Les Grands Boulevards area of Paris. Passage Verdeau has shops carrying antique cameras, books, and engravings.
Walking through these passages gives you a sense of the elaborate arcades that once existed. They are a great way to spend a day walking about and offer a chance to explore small boutiques and shops.
From here we went to Maison Europeenne de la Photographie. The museum had an extensive exhibit by Sebastiago Salgado. It was a very moving exhibit “Genesis”. Loved, loved, loved it!
After the museum we stopped for lunch at a little café. I had the plat du jour which was Chichon curry with pasta with shaving of parmesan cheese and diced fresh tomatoes over it. It was really good and we decided we could make this dish at home some time. DH had the montagnard sandwich with frites and an Agent Provacateur beer.
After lunch we walked around the area and took photos. We came back and relaxed for a bit with some wine and then got ready to go out for our special dinner at Terres de Truffles in the Madeleine district. The restaurant serves truffles in everything. They also sell some truffle products. If you love truffles as we do, this is the place to eat. We had a Groupon so their tasting menu was half price.
Each course was amazing and they did not skimp on the white summer truffles. Dishes were cooked to perfection and the hostess and server were very welcoming and could speak a bit of English which helped our bit of French so we were fine.
We started with an amuse bouche of creamy avocado with a truffle slice on top.
The first course was creamy eggs softly scrambled with lots of shaved truffles on top and truffles pieces throughout. (I still have fantasies of this dish)
The second course for me was poached fish with fennel puree. It had a nice sauce and lots of truffle slices on top. The fish was perfectly flaky and moist. DH had the truffle tortellini stuffed with truffles in a truffle cream sauce with lots of truffle slices on top. I tasted it. So yummy!
For dessert I had the baba au rum which came with a small glass of cognac beside the giant baba drenched in truffle honey and rum sauce with a mound of freshly whipped cream on the side (sigh). DH had brie that had been split in half and filled with truffle slices and put back together. It had a small salad of mixed greens with it. DH added some truffle infused olive oil from the table. This was one of the very best meals and dining experiences we have ever had.
We also ordered a bottle of champagne to go with dinner and it was all perfect. It was the best anniversary dinner yet. Happy 15!
We walked to the metro and were so happy! We joked that next year would have to be really special to top this one.
Feb 27th, 2014, 12:23 PM
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Happy belated anniversary! I'm just catching up with your report and very much enjoying it. You have a nice, relaxed style of travel, and yet, pack a lot of things in!
Eating in is one of the many reasons why we stay in apartments, but points is points, I get it. ;-) Looking forward to the rest.
Eating in is one of the many reasons why we stay in apartments, but points is points, I get it. ;-) Looking forward to the rest.
Feb 27th, 2014, 02:04 PM
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I just spent a few hours reading through your posts, stopping to check on some of the places and items that you mentioned along the way. Thank you so much for all of your helpful details. I love the way you travel. As much as I want to see the big sites, I always like to include some of the off the beaten track places that are a little more authentic.
For any reading this thread, you may not know that the Michelangelo's Madonna in Bruges was one of the pieces of artwork stolen for Hitler during WWII and recovered by the Monuments Men at the end of the war. It has a featured role in the George Clooney movie. After seeing the movie, my husband and I have planned a day trip from Amsterdam to see the sculpture. I did not know how touristy Bruges is, so we will go in with some very helpful information. We will also be heading to Paris and your experiences will help me plan for our week in Paris. Thank you!!
For any reading this thread, you may not know that the Michelangelo's Madonna in Bruges was one of the pieces of artwork stolen for Hitler during WWII and recovered by the Monuments Men at the end of the war. It has a featured role in the George Clooney movie. After seeing the movie, my husband and I have planned a day trip from Amsterdam to see the sculpture. I did not know how touristy Bruges is, so we will go in with some very helpful information. We will also be heading to Paris and your experiences will help me plan for our week in Paris. Thank you!!
Feb 27th, 2014, 03:31 PM
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CaliforniaDreams, I am so pleased that my report has helped you. If you can spend the night in Bruges it will show you a quiet beautiful city after the tour buses leave. We like to see how the locals live and the areas that don't usually make it into the tour books.
Feb 28th, 2014, 09:01 AM
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Day 17 (10/4) Paris
We went back to the tea shop that we found yesterday to have tea and pastry for breakfast. Next we headed over to Sainte Chapelle since it was a sunny day. There was a queue to enter but it moved quickly and we were in after about 20 to 30 minutes after making it past the security entrance.
Inside it is absolutely amazing! The glass is brilliant. Fifteen separate panels of stained glass cover 6,500 square feet—two thirds of it 13th-century original. There are more than 1,100 different scenes, mostly from the Bible. These tell the entire Christian history of the world, from the Creation in Genesis (first window on the left, as you face the altar), to the coming of Christ (over the altar), to the end of the world (the round “rose”-shaped window at the rear of the church). On the ground floor near the front were some concrete pieces salvaged from the church.
We made our way up the narrow stairs in back to the upper chapel where the church is undergoing restoration and you can see the workers on ladders upstairs doing work. Some of the windows on the left side were dark. Still it is like a jewel box inside with its brilliant windows. There are diagrams of the windows with explanations of the scenes depicted and we found one in English. We enjoyed it immensely. Before leaving, we walked about the courtyard and took pictures of the outside and the Palais de Justice. The Gothic architecture of the church is interesting with gargoyles adorning the roof line. The gilded gates to the courtyard are lovely.
We had lunch nearby at a café. I had tuna, egg and tomato on a baguette. It was difficult to eat as chunks of tuna, egg wedges and tomatoes kept falling out of the sandwich but it was very good. DH had a ham and Emmental sandwich.
After lunch we looked for more passages since we thought the ones we found yesterday were fascinating. We did not have a map of them so we walked and walked until we discovered more. Some of them are tiny and you can easily walk right past them. The Molière Passage, the Brantome Passage, Passage du Bourg l’Abbé, and Passage du Grand Cerf were the ones we found today.
The Passage Moliere is one of the oldest passages in Paris. It is located in the 3rd arr. and runs between the 82 rue Quincampoix and the 157-159-161 rue Saint Martin. It is a cobbled stone lane which is not covered except for its entrance at each end. It reminded me of a cobbled stone lane in a small village. It is not exceptionally attractive in term of architecture but it is lined with unusual shops. There are tiny restaurants and cafes with lovely terraces. There are also great books shops and some unusual art and craft shops such as one proposing molds of feet and hands.
The Brantome Passage is a private road located in the 3rd arr.
Passage du Bourg l’Abbé is a walkway between the rue Saint-Denis in the west and rue de Palestro to the east in the 2nd arr. It is mostly comprised of offices and art galleries however inside we found a very interesting Barometer from 1862 up on a wall.
The Passage du Grand Cerf is a walkway located in the 2 arr. and is extended to the east by the passage of Bourg l'Abbé and to the west by the Rue Marie Stuart. It is tall and narrow which gives it a feel of elegance and its glass ceiling is simply breathtaking. I especially liked the very intricate ironwork and black, white and gray tiled floor. It seemed warm and inviting with the light streaming through its glass roof. It is lined with small designer and jewelry shops that sell unique, high-quality but reasonably priced wares. I liked the door knob shop. There is a wooden stag’s head, a dragonfly, an elephants head and a crab that adorn the shop fronts.
We found a great shop where we bought an umbrella for each of us. They are wind tested and have a 2 year warranty. We joked that we will have to return to Paris if they break.
There was a neat little tea shop where we bought 100 gm. of Bali tea. We tried it later in the room and it was quite good.
We picked up items at a Super Marche to have for dinner in our room. We also had the Lacoste Borie 2009 that we picked up when we were at Galerie Laffette. It was a Bordeaux. We really liked it. Good wines are so reasonable in Paris.
We went back to the tea shop that we found yesterday to have tea and pastry for breakfast. Next we headed over to Sainte Chapelle since it was a sunny day. There was a queue to enter but it moved quickly and we were in after about 20 to 30 minutes after making it past the security entrance.
Inside it is absolutely amazing! The glass is brilliant. Fifteen separate panels of stained glass cover 6,500 square feet—two thirds of it 13th-century original. There are more than 1,100 different scenes, mostly from the Bible. These tell the entire Christian history of the world, from the Creation in Genesis (first window on the left, as you face the altar), to the coming of Christ (over the altar), to the end of the world (the round “rose”-shaped window at the rear of the church). On the ground floor near the front were some concrete pieces salvaged from the church.
We made our way up the narrow stairs in back to the upper chapel where the church is undergoing restoration and you can see the workers on ladders upstairs doing work. Some of the windows on the left side were dark. Still it is like a jewel box inside with its brilliant windows. There are diagrams of the windows with explanations of the scenes depicted and we found one in English. We enjoyed it immensely. Before leaving, we walked about the courtyard and took pictures of the outside and the Palais de Justice. The Gothic architecture of the church is interesting with gargoyles adorning the roof line. The gilded gates to the courtyard are lovely.
We had lunch nearby at a café. I had tuna, egg and tomato on a baguette. It was difficult to eat as chunks of tuna, egg wedges and tomatoes kept falling out of the sandwich but it was very good. DH had a ham and Emmental sandwich.
After lunch we looked for more passages since we thought the ones we found yesterday were fascinating. We did not have a map of them so we walked and walked until we discovered more. Some of them are tiny and you can easily walk right past them. The Molière Passage, the Brantome Passage, Passage du Bourg l’Abbé, and Passage du Grand Cerf were the ones we found today.
The Passage Moliere is one of the oldest passages in Paris. It is located in the 3rd arr. and runs between the 82 rue Quincampoix and the 157-159-161 rue Saint Martin. It is a cobbled stone lane which is not covered except for its entrance at each end. It reminded me of a cobbled stone lane in a small village. It is not exceptionally attractive in term of architecture but it is lined with unusual shops. There are tiny restaurants and cafes with lovely terraces. There are also great books shops and some unusual art and craft shops such as one proposing molds of feet and hands.
The Brantome Passage is a private road located in the 3rd arr.
Passage du Bourg l’Abbé is a walkway between the rue Saint-Denis in the west and rue de Palestro to the east in the 2nd arr. It is mostly comprised of offices and art galleries however inside we found a very interesting Barometer from 1862 up on a wall.
The Passage du Grand Cerf is a walkway located in the 2 arr. and is extended to the east by the passage of Bourg l'Abbé and to the west by the Rue Marie Stuart. It is tall and narrow which gives it a feel of elegance and its glass ceiling is simply breathtaking. I especially liked the very intricate ironwork and black, white and gray tiled floor. It seemed warm and inviting with the light streaming through its glass roof. It is lined with small designer and jewelry shops that sell unique, high-quality but reasonably priced wares. I liked the door knob shop. There is a wooden stag’s head, a dragonfly, an elephants head and a crab that adorn the shop fronts.
We found a great shop where we bought an umbrella for each of us. They are wind tested and have a 2 year warranty. We joked that we will have to return to Paris if they break.
There was a neat little tea shop where we bought 100 gm. of Bali tea. We tried it later in the room and it was quite good.
We picked up items at a Super Marche to have for dinner in our room. We also had the Lacoste Borie 2009 that we picked up when we were at Galerie Laffette. It was a Bordeaux. We really liked it. Good wines are so reasonable in Paris.
Feb 28th, 2014, 10:18 PM
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Happy belated anniversary !! Enjoying every bit of your tour report. I am also planning a similar trip in July with 4 days in Amsterdam, 3 days in Brussels and 4 days in Paris (Apart from the travel days). Would appreciate if you could, at the end of your tour, suggest an itinerary for me. Based on your experience, I just need the list of tourist attractions to be visited in these places, in the order of visit, for the number of days I mentioned. Thanks in advance.
Mar 1st, 2014, 05:59 AM
#94
I just need the list of tourist attractions to be visited in these places, in the order of visit, for the number of days I mentioned. Thanks in advance.>>
Eric, a good guide book will give you ideas for how to plan your days. the art is to try to group places together or alternatively places that you can get between easily. you also need to take account of closing days eg in Paris the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and the Musee D'Orsay on monday. also, we need to know your interests - there's no point in going to the Orangerie [again in Paris] if you hate Impressionists!
as an example, one day you could start at Saint Chappelle [before the crowds arrive] walk over to Notre Dame, then catch the Batobus down to the Eiffel tower, and see the Tower and Les Invalides, and/or the Rodin museum to end up depending on your energy levels. Another day you could explore the Marais and the Passages. [not Monday as many shops are shut].
bon Voyage!
Eric, a good guide book will give you ideas for how to plan your days. the art is to try to group places together or alternatively places that you can get between easily. you also need to take account of closing days eg in Paris the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and the Musee D'Orsay on monday. also, we need to know your interests - there's no point in going to the Orangerie [again in Paris] if you hate Impressionists!
as an example, one day you could start at Saint Chappelle [before the crowds arrive] walk over to Notre Dame, then catch the Batobus down to the Eiffel tower, and see the Tower and Les Invalides, and/or the Rodin museum to end up depending on your energy levels. Another day you could explore the Marais and the Passages. [not Monday as many shops are shut].
bon Voyage!
Mar 1st, 2014, 07:23 AM
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Annhig, gives a good suggestion on starting your planning. Getting a travel book with a good map is the way to start a plan. This is the way we planned the trip with allowances for being flexible for events along the way. Like if it was a sunny or rainy day. Do you want indoor or outdoor things. For example, the bird market is only on Sunday so any other day it is a flower market. We would have skipped it if it had been pouring rain that day.
We would start the day with a specific destination based on the places we wanted to see and then expand the area to include other things nearby to see while in that area. That way you can walk from one place to another without back tracking which will save time. You need a map to plan this.
We would start the day with a specific destination based on the places we wanted to see and then expand the area to include other things nearby to see while in that area. That way you can walk from one place to another without back tracking which will save time. You need a map to plan this.
Mar 1st, 2014, 02:46 PM
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Day 18 (10/5) Paris
Today we got an early start and walked along the left bank of the Seine taking photos until we arrived at Musée d’Orsay. It was a nice quiet walk at 8:30 a.m. Only the locals were out walking their dogs and jogging along the Seine. It was a nice time to take photos without a lot of tourists around. We passed a man walking his dog and Peter complimented him on the dog. This made the man smile and offer us a warm greeting.
The Musée d’Orsay is formerly the Gare d’Orsay railway station and is a lovely. Being a former train station, leaves it with a large open area in the center and this is perfect for the many sculptures displayed here. There was a short queue formed when we arrived about 10 minutes before opening but it moved very quickly once the doors opened. The museum doesn’t allow photos of any kind but we saw many people were sneaking photos here and there. It holds mainly French art with sculpture, paintings, furniture and photography. The impressionist and post-impressionist collection is extensive and really incredible with all of my favorites represented including Monet, Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Impressionism is my favorite period and I spent some time here.
There was a large collection of Camille Pissaro as well. Some of my favorites were Monet’s Les Dindons (turkeys), Renoir’s Bal du Moulin de la Galette, Monet’s La Rue Montorgueil a Paris Fete du 30 juin 1878, Degas’ Un Café L’Absinthe, Monet’s champs de Tulipes en Hollands. I also liked Monet’s series of Las Cathedrale de Rouen which has a series of four pictures of different lighting conditions. I love the way his studies show the effect of sunlight on his subject.
I enjoyed the many sculptures, including those of Rodin and Degas’ Little Dancer. I did not know that I would find Whistler’s Mother, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 here. Renoir’s Le Garcon au Chat “the cat’s boy” is very amusing. This male nude is unlike other works. The boy is cuddling a cat while glancing at the spectator. His Bal du Moulin de la Galette (Dance at Le Moulin Galette) is one of his most famous paintings and shows everyday life.
This proved to be such a wonderful and fulfilling museum that we decided to skip the Louvre. Perhaps on our next visit, we will see it. We had a snack in their cafeteria. I had an espresso and a pain au raisin. After our snack we went back to view the rest of the museum.
There is a great view from the upper window by the clock facing the Louvre. I took many photos of it. You can also step out on the balcony and view the city below.
We found a café outside the museum called Two Museums Café. It was very busy and probably mostly tourists being it is across the street from the museum but the menu looked good. We picked over the café next door that advertised “nuggets de poulet”. LOL. I ordered roast chicken which came with frites and a small pile of greens. It was very good. I had a dark beer and DH had a light one. He ordered a sausage which the server warned was “strong”. Peter said that was ok. It was andouillette. DH ate it with mustard. It came with frites and a small salad. It must be an acquired taste. LOL
We finished and walked over to the Rodin Museum because we had purchased the double ticket for both museums at a discount. This is good if you want to see both museums. We passed a great pâtisserie on the way and said we would return after the museum to buy some pastries.
The Rodin museum was amazing. We loved the sculptures and the gardens there. It contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden. The roses were still blooming and it was very tranquil. Behind the museum building is a small lake. The Hôtel Biron there has others works as well
We bought four pastries to try. We had two for later in the evening. DH had a chocolate éclair with chocolate icing on top. I had a burnt caramel cream filled éclair with nut nougat bar on top. They were incredible! We returned to our room by metro holding the bag carefully so we did not crush them. We also had purchased two chocolate covered ganache squares and a citron nougat. Heavenly!
Tonight is Nuit Blanche (White Night) so we set out and walked about without any real destination in mind just leaving it to chance. The event is for one night only and lets the art take over the city and lets the city participate in its presentation. There were impromptu performances and concerts. The metros stayed open late and people were everywhere in the streets. We mostly enjoyed the crowds of people as we joined in the fun.
For dinner, we went to an Indian restaurant in Passage Panarama called New Kashnir. They served a before dinner digestive drink and papadums with three sauces: mint yogurt, spicy chutney and tamarind. All were lovely. It came with saffron rice as well. I could not taste any saffron but it had bits of grated carrot in it. DH had an Indian beer. I had the grilled and chopped lamb on a stick for an appetizer and DH had meat samosas. He said they were a bit bland but my lamb kebabs arrived at our table sizzling on a hot pan and full of flavor. They were served with some grilled onions. For an entrée, I had butter chicken which was very traditional in flavor and preparation. DH had lamb curry which he said was bland. I guess I chose the right dishes this time.
After dinner the server brought us warm towels and boxes of incense to take home. One was sandlewood and one was rose. This was a great day and a fantastic evening. Love Paris!
Today we got an early start and walked along the left bank of the Seine taking photos until we arrived at Musée d’Orsay. It was a nice quiet walk at 8:30 a.m. Only the locals were out walking their dogs and jogging along the Seine. It was a nice time to take photos without a lot of tourists around. We passed a man walking his dog and Peter complimented him on the dog. This made the man smile and offer us a warm greeting.
The Musée d’Orsay is formerly the Gare d’Orsay railway station and is a lovely. Being a former train station, leaves it with a large open area in the center and this is perfect for the many sculptures displayed here. There was a short queue formed when we arrived about 10 minutes before opening but it moved very quickly once the doors opened. The museum doesn’t allow photos of any kind but we saw many people were sneaking photos here and there. It holds mainly French art with sculpture, paintings, furniture and photography. The impressionist and post-impressionist collection is extensive and really incredible with all of my favorites represented including Monet, Manet, Degas, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin and Van Gogh. Impressionism is my favorite period and I spent some time here.
There was a large collection of Camille Pissaro as well. Some of my favorites were Monet’s Les Dindons (turkeys), Renoir’s Bal du Moulin de la Galette, Monet’s La Rue Montorgueil a Paris Fete du 30 juin 1878, Degas’ Un Café L’Absinthe, Monet’s champs de Tulipes en Hollands. I also liked Monet’s series of Las Cathedrale de Rouen which has a series of four pictures of different lighting conditions. I love the way his studies show the effect of sunlight on his subject.
I enjoyed the many sculptures, including those of Rodin and Degas’ Little Dancer. I did not know that I would find Whistler’s Mother, Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 here. Renoir’s Le Garcon au Chat “the cat’s boy” is very amusing. This male nude is unlike other works. The boy is cuddling a cat while glancing at the spectator. His Bal du Moulin de la Galette (Dance at Le Moulin Galette) is one of his most famous paintings and shows everyday life.
This proved to be such a wonderful and fulfilling museum that we decided to skip the Louvre. Perhaps on our next visit, we will see it. We had a snack in their cafeteria. I had an espresso and a pain au raisin. After our snack we went back to view the rest of the museum.
There is a great view from the upper window by the clock facing the Louvre. I took many photos of it. You can also step out on the balcony and view the city below.
We found a café outside the museum called Two Museums Café. It was very busy and probably mostly tourists being it is across the street from the museum but the menu looked good. We picked over the café next door that advertised “nuggets de poulet”. LOL. I ordered roast chicken which came with frites and a small pile of greens. It was very good. I had a dark beer and DH had a light one. He ordered a sausage which the server warned was “strong”. Peter said that was ok. It was andouillette. DH ate it with mustard. It came with frites and a small salad. It must be an acquired taste. LOL
We finished and walked over to the Rodin Museum because we had purchased the double ticket for both museums at a discount. This is good if you want to see both museums. We passed a great pâtisserie on the way and said we would return after the museum to buy some pastries.
The Rodin museum was amazing. We loved the sculptures and the gardens there. It contains most of Rodin's significant creations, including The Thinker, The Kiss and The Gates of Hell. Many of his sculptures are displayed in the museum's extensive garden. The roses were still blooming and it was very tranquil. Behind the museum building is a small lake. The Hôtel Biron there has others works as well
We bought four pastries to try. We had two for later in the evening. DH had a chocolate éclair with chocolate icing on top. I had a burnt caramel cream filled éclair with nut nougat bar on top. They were incredible! We returned to our room by metro holding the bag carefully so we did not crush them. We also had purchased two chocolate covered ganache squares and a citron nougat. Heavenly!
Tonight is Nuit Blanche (White Night) so we set out and walked about without any real destination in mind just leaving it to chance. The event is for one night only and lets the art take over the city and lets the city participate in its presentation. There were impromptu performances and concerts. The metros stayed open late and people were everywhere in the streets. We mostly enjoyed the crowds of people as we joined in the fun.
For dinner, we went to an Indian restaurant in Passage Panarama called New Kashnir. They served a before dinner digestive drink and papadums with three sauces: mint yogurt, spicy chutney and tamarind. All were lovely. It came with saffron rice as well. I could not taste any saffron but it had bits of grated carrot in it. DH had an Indian beer. I had the grilled and chopped lamb on a stick for an appetizer and DH had meat samosas. He said they were a bit bland but my lamb kebabs arrived at our table sizzling on a hot pan and full of flavor. They were served with some grilled onions. For an entrée, I had butter chicken which was very traditional in flavor and preparation. DH had lamb curry which he said was bland. I guess I chose the right dishes this time.
After dinner the server brought us warm towels and boxes of incense to take home. One was sandlewood and one was rose. This was a great day and a fantastic evening. Love Paris!
Mar 2nd, 2014, 01:19 AM
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A suggestion for Eric12, copy and paste this great trip report into a word document, I am sure lateinlife won't mind. Then make your own adjustments to what interests you, cut things you don't care for. You will have a fantastic itinerary that suits you, lateinlife has given you everything you need for a visit to Paris.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 03:22 AM
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Thanks Maudie. I agree that Eric 12 should cut and paste my report to make an itinerary that suits his interests. This is why I am doing this. I want to help others with their trip plans and questions. They can decide what they want to see and do after getting a few ideas from my report.
Mar 2nd, 2014, 10:46 AM
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Day 19 (10/6) Paris
We got up early to visit The Cluny museum now known as The Musée national du Moyen Âge. It is free today because it’s the first Sunday of the month and many museums are free. The Cluny has been open since 1501 and has some wonderful relics and art. The tapestry rooms were beautiful but The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry was traveling in Japan and was not on display so that was a bit disappointing.
Still there were many other items to be enjoyed e.g. brilliant stained glass windows, room of the Roman baths, old capitals, marble sculptures, a room of a typical home in the middle ages with period furnishing, old armor and military items, and alter pieces and relics from cathedrals and churches. There was hardly anyone there when we arrived so we could take many photos without people crowding. The building itself is a really cool 15th century Gothic mansion with wonderful gargoyles and architecture to photograph.
After The Cluny, we walked a bit and found a great little neighborhood café for lunch. It was called Chez Jaafar and wonderful traditional Tunisien cuisine. The aromas were enticing and the dining area cozy with a kitschy décor. We were seated and bread was brought out. I ordered the couscous with two merquez sausages, a lamb chop and a meatball. It came with a tureen of vegetables in broth. DH had grilled lamb chop, merquez sausage, lamb kabob with onions, peppers and large chunks of lamb and a large slice of roasted lamb. We shared an appetizer of merquez sausages. We also got a carafe of red house wine. Everything was perfectly seasoned and very tender. The portions were really large. Awesome lunch! It looked like all neighborhood locals here and we definitely chose well this time.
After lunch, we decided to go to Napoleon’s Tomb located in the central crypt of the Eglise du Dome Church at the Hotel des Invalides, which is situated on the Esplanade des Invalides.
We took some very nice pictures along the way because the sky was just amazing with clouds, bright blue and later grey skies. It turned out that it was not free today so we bought two tickets.
The door leading to the crypt has the inscription (an extract from Napoleon's will) "I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine among the people of France whom I so much loved".
The tomb itself is massive. On the floor, a polychrome mosaic illustrates the main battles of the Empire. It is surrounded by several white marble statues all looking at the tomb. The wall surrounding the tomb and figures has bas-reliefs showing Napoleon sitting on his throne with episodes from his reign.
The outside of the building is topped with a golden dome which can be seen from many areas of Paris. The dome's ceiling is decorated by frescoes representing Saint Louis and Christ. The exterior of the dome was gilded in 1715. There are also the vaults of the military.
In 1842 church's high altar was redesigned to accommodate the Tomb. The Domed Church also houses the sepulchres of two of Napoleon's brothers, Jerome and Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's son and in more recent times the sepulchres of marshals Foch and Lyautey.
There is a beautiful formal garden outside with lots of blooming flowers. We walked about to see the courtyard, the military canons and the chapel of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides and the courtyard.
The Saint-Louis church is very light and the much of the interior consists of white shining marble. There are a multitude of different banners and a flag hanging from the walls and at once you know this has a military affiliation. The organ is located at the back of the chapel, above the entrance and is not only huge but beautiful. It was originally built in 1686 but has received many restorations over the years. There are still however, some original stops from the 17th century left in the organ.
We went back to the hotel, stopping at Carrefour for bread and cheese. The bread was not very good and we tossed it. We also got a couple of rum cakes for dessert. They came with little vials of rum to pour over them. They were surprisingly good.
We got up early to visit The Cluny museum now known as The Musée national du Moyen Âge. It is free today because it’s the first Sunday of the month and many museums are free. The Cluny has been open since 1501 and has some wonderful relics and art. The tapestry rooms were beautiful but The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry was traveling in Japan and was not on display so that was a bit disappointing.
Still there were many other items to be enjoyed e.g. brilliant stained glass windows, room of the Roman baths, old capitals, marble sculptures, a room of a typical home in the middle ages with period furnishing, old armor and military items, and alter pieces and relics from cathedrals and churches. There was hardly anyone there when we arrived so we could take many photos without people crowding. The building itself is a really cool 15th century Gothic mansion with wonderful gargoyles and architecture to photograph.
After The Cluny, we walked a bit and found a great little neighborhood café for lunch. It was called Chez Jaafar and wonderful traditional Tunisien cuisine. The aromas were enticing and the dining area cozy with a kitschy décor. We were seated and bread was brought out. I ordered the couscous with two merquez sausages, a lamb chop and a meatball. It came with a tureen of vegetables in broth. DH had grilled lamb chop, merquez sausage, lamb kabob with onions, peppers and large chunks of lamb and a large slice of roasted lamb. We shared an appetizer of merquez sausages. We also got a carafe of red house wine. Everything was perfectly seasoned and very tender. The portions were really large. Awesome lunch! It looked like all neighborhood locals here and we definitely chose well this time.
After lunch, we decided to go to Napoleon’s Tomb located in the central crypt of the Eglise du Dome Church at the Hotel des Invalides, which is situated on the Esplanade des Invalides.
We took some very nice pictures along the way because the sky was just amazing with clouds, bright blue and later grey skies. It turned out that it was not free today so we bought two tickets.
The door leading to the crypt has the inscription (an extract from Napoleon's will) "I wish my ashes to rest on the banks of the Seine among the people of France whom I so much loved".
The tomb itself is massive. On the floor, a polychrome mosaic illustrates the main battles of the Empire. It is surrounded by several white marble statues all looking at the tomb. The wall surrounding the tomb and figures has bas-reliefs showing Napoleon sitting on his throne with episodes from his reign.
The outside of the building is topped with a golden dome which can be seen from many areas of Paris. The dome's ceiling is decorated by frescoes representing Saint Louis and Christ. The exterior of the dome was gilded in 1715. There are also the vaults of the military.
In 1842 church's high altar was redesigned to accommodate the Tomb. The Domed Church also houses the sepulchres of two of Napoleon's brothers, Jerome and Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's son and in more recent times the sepulchres of marshals Foch and Lyautey.
There is a beautiful formal garden outside with lots of blooming flowers. We walked about to see the courtyard, the military canons and the chapel of Saint-Louis-des-Invalides and the courtyard.
The Saint-Louis church is very light and the much of the interior consists of white shining marble. There are a multitude of different banners and a flag hanging from the walls and at once you know this has a military affiliation. The organ is located at the back of the chapel, above the entrance and is not only huge but beautiful. It was originally built in 1686 but has received many restorations over the years. There are still however, some original stops from the 17th century left in the organ.
We went back to the hotel, stopping at Carrefour for bread and cheese. The bread was not very good and we tossed it. We also got a couple of rum cakes for dessert. They came with little vials of rum to pour over them. They were surprisingly good.
