I always find Fodorites and their trip reports very helpful when planning my trips, in addition to being fun reading and dreaming for the future. So I’m sharing my experiences in Paris and hope that it will be interesting to those who know Paris and useful for anyone planning a trip. I arrived in Paris on Fri, Nov 1 and left Sat, Nov 10 via Eurostar. Be forewarned, it’s lengthy since I find the details and impressions in other people’s trip reports helpful!

BACKGROUND: I’m a mid-60’s solo traveler and this was my sixth trip to Paris. I like to travel off season due to fewer tourists, lower prices and cooler weather. I stay in apartments since I’m sightseeing from 9 am to about 5 pm and just want to eat dinner in the apt and read, relax, plan the next day, etc. (I used a US agency, Vacation in Paris, who I’ve rented from several times).

Day 1, Fri, 11/1: Arrival
I flew Norse Atlantic Air from JFK to CDG and it was great. They have a limited number of cities they fly from, and a limited number of flights per week, but they fly new planes (Dreamliners?), service is fine and their price is significantly lower than competitors. I’ve flown them a couple of times before so I’m sold on them.

At CDG, bought a Navigo Easy Pass, an RER B ticket and found out that my 8 paper carnets (tickets) can still be used in ticket machines. As always, public transportation was easy to use.

My 1 bedroom apartment was off Rue Montorgueil (in 2nd, near Les Halles) on the 3rd floor of an old 17th century building (with a tiny elevator). After I got settled, I walked to the large Monoprix supermarket in the Westfield Forum des Halles shopping center for supplies. There were small express markets on the Rue Mont but I wanted the full size store. I walked past the huge Pharmacie which I had planned to visit for a wide range and best prices, so I went in and bought my items. The LaRoche-Posay serum was about $5 less than in the US and the Roger-Gallet soaps were €1 than in other Paris shops. Not really worth standing in the LONG line to pay, but I was there so why not?

On the way back to the apartment I passed St. Eustache which I remembered from other trips. It was open even though it was about 7 o’clock, so I went in. There was a special service going on, perhaps for All Saints day? There had to be 200 people there; the organist played; a soloist sang and it was very soothing to sit down and let the sounds wash over me.

Back at the apartment, I explored the TV – in addition to all the French channels, there were various English language news channels. But who wants to watch that ad nauseum? I discovered two gems: NHK, the Japanese news channel shows a wide variety of English language informative documentaries about Japan non-stop, with breaks for news. I love watching those at home so that was fun to be in Paris and be immersed in Japanese culture and history each night! Also, the Tahitian channel showed many cultural documentaries and a few were in English but even if they weren’t, it was pretty easy to follow (e.g. outrigger construction and races; hula dancing competition; farming shows; etc.

Day 2, Sat, 11/2: Grey and 50’s

Today’s plan was the Notre Dame du Travail, Musee de Liberation du Paris and Porcelaines MP Samie.

I don’t know where I read about Notre Dame du Travail, but it was described as a church unlike any other in Paris. En route to one of the local metro stations (Etienne Marcel) I wandered down the Passage de la Cerf at the end of my street. It’s an enclosed Victorian shopping arcade with many artisan shops: jewelry, lots of wool stores, art galleries including one of aboriginal art, embroidery shop and a kosher pastrami store. On Saturdays they open later so I just window shopped. I often get turned around, so with heavy usage of Google maps, I found the metro station. Line 4 and transfer to line 13 at Montparnesse Bienvenue station - yowza, that was a long hike through tunnels, upstairs, downstairs, etc.

Out of the metro depths I popped onto the street in Pernety. What a cool neighborhood – it’s residential, not fancy; old looking apartment buildings and local shops: butchers, floral, bakeries, hairdressers, etc. Went into a FranPrix to buy a sponge (for the apt), hand lotion & soda. As I walking along I spotted a line of people outside a store, which is always interesting especially when it’s a bakery. It was an Alsatian bakery. Because I had a full day of sightseeing ahead of me, I didn’t want to buy anything finicky so got a pain du raisin for later.

Kept walking and went through a circular park which has been planted as an urban forest, complete with native trees, ferns and various plants. The signs say the trees will grow to full height in 20 to 30 years- I like that idea. I was amused that there’s a well laid out path from the street into the circle with a very nice bench all along it BUT the path doesn’t continue to the other side of the forest so you can’t get to (through) the forest for the trees😁😁😁😁. I saw a couple of people walk to the end of the path, look around for the rest of the path that would take them to the other side, realize there is none and then walk off to the side instead of walking through the plants and the mini forest.

At this point, the area has changed from attractive old buildings to attractive and expensive new buildings to not attractive, huge apartment buildings that look like housing projects. The train tracks were along one side of the street so the retaining wall was filled with graffiti, but not just any old casual graffiti. To my untrained eye, this was artistic and skilled name tags. There were a few green areas along the way and clusters of under 30 year-old youths. Some shops which didn’t interest me at all and were clearly geared toward locals; even the bakeries didn’t interest me – everything was wrapped up in plastic. Oh, and I saw a man looking over a stonewall quite intently into the depths of an apartment complex so of course I looked too, and there were three policeman talking with a local youth. I guess I was staring obviously since two of the policeman turned around to look at me, so I looked straight ahead and kept walking🙄.

Found the church I was looking for - Notre Dame du Travail. This truly was unlike any other church I’ve seen - industrial looking and the interior is a surprise compared to the exterior. Two things when I opened the front door: realized that there was a service going on and this is very unique architecturally. The service was peaceful even though I didn’t understand anything, but there was a fair amount of singing. I’m always interested in the size of church congregations and this was about 50 people, from babies to very senior citizens and all ethnicities. After communion, the priest walked down the main aisle to the back of the church, followed by all the parishioners so I thought it was over and then I realized that they had gone to a chapel. The priest said a few words and then, he and all the parishioners sang and every single one of those parishioners knew the words and sang eloquently – no mumbling or faking it. After they all left, I felt free to walk around the church and admire it.

The quick backstory is that this was built in an area where there was a tremendous amount of construction and development being done in the 1890s; many artisans from other countries like Italy and Portugal came to the area so a church was needed to serve them. The key to its fame is that the interior is all steel or iron metal work – girders, curved pieces, etc. And it’s all painted a pale green, and the girder columns and chapels are painted in art nouveau style with flowers, shades of green for the foliage and various pinks, red, lavender. Apparently when workers were deconstructing halls from various universal exhibitions, the steel hoops from the roof of the 1900 Universal exhibition were repurposed for the church’s vaulted nave. Dark wooden ceiling contrast nicely with the pale green metalwork. The murals and chapel paintings include scenes, recognizing the various trades who worked on the church. There were also some modern sculptures.

I ended up talking to a member of the congregation who was tidying up the microphone and the music stand. She spoke English and I told her that I was impressed with the church itself but also the size of the congregation and she said that they have a large Portuguese contingent so that on Sundays, the priest does some services only in Portuguese and others in French (or maybe Latin?). She pointed out some of the highlights of the church and we talked about people entering the religious world. We spoke for about 20 minutes and she thanked me for letting her practice her English; she had learned it in school, had used it in her job for 20 years, but when she stopped working, didn’t use it much, then she did a online English course last year but she was happy to actually have a conversation. And of course, I’m always happy to talk with locals.

But it was time to leave and head to my next destination, the Musee de Liberation du Paris. It took a while to figure how to get to the bus stop I needed so I asked a young mother with a tiny baby in a carriage and of course she was able to explain exactly where I had to go and walked with me for a block or two. Similarly to Japan, and I think a fair amount of the world except the US, it is frowned upon to eat or drink while walking or in public (on a bus, subway, etc.). I certainly didn’t want to be the ugly American, but it was mid-afternoon and I was starving. I bought a baguette with shredded chicken and lettuce; since it was in a long skinny paper bag I went to the bus stop with about 15 minutes to kill and hid most of the baguette within its bag inside my tote bag and just extended it 2” at a time while I ate. I felt very surreptitious, but I’m sure was obvious to everyone. I love taking buses and watching the neighborhoods go by.

I went to this museum in 2017 and was very impressed by its focus on two different men who were key to France’s involvement in WWII: Jacques-Philippe LeClerc, a military general and Jean Moulin, who was very active in the resistance. I had never heard of either and the old museum did a very good job telling their stories. In 2019, the museum was relocated to be above a former air raid shelter that was used as the resistance headquarters during the last year of the war. The whole approach of displaying their items and telling the stories was changed so it was like I never been there before. Lots to see with good explanations in English.

Note that in order to visit the underground headquarters you have to request a ticket upon arrival since space is limited; also, there are 100 steps to/from the HQ. There’s an elevator in the rest of the museum

And at the end of my visit after having read and seen so much about these two men, I wondered if French school children learn the details of France’s World War II history, so I asked one of the staff and she was very willing to give me her thoughts. She prefaced it all by saying like anywhere in the world, it depends on how good the teacher is and whether they excite the students to pay attention and learn. She said they do learn World War II as part of their history syllabus, but that according to her nieces and nephews, they are being taught a different version from what she learned. Basically, France’s colonial history is now is highlighted and explained in a judicious way. She mentioned that when she learned about World War II and the liberation of Paris, the role of Leclerc and his troops, the 2nd Division Battalion, were barely mentioned and that may be because the troops were mostly from colonies – Morocco, Chad, Cameroon and Algiers but now they are included.

I spent about 3 hours there and then walked a few blocks to Porcelaines MP Samie. I read about this in a blog by a well known American food author who lives in Paris and he recommended this as a place to buy good quality dishes at reasonable prices. (I think it's mostly bistro-ware.). They had a selection of brightly colored small cups/saucers; lots of white chinaware including ramekins, cooking dishes, plates, trays, etc. Upstairs is their fancy colored/painted dinnerware and the gold-rimmed (e.g. Limoges); the lower floor seems to be the discounted section. Not that I needed anything, let alone a piece of crockery that I had to lug home but the whole concept of buying something in Paris that’s inexpensive and used by the chefs trade appealed to me. I ended up buying a small ramekin.

Took a bus and stopped in a Rue Mont butcher shop to buy a slice of Quiche Lorraine. For some reason, the cashier, an older woman got quite a chuckle out of me… Or maybe it was me speaking in my high school level French with no verbs! It was very flavorful with smoky ham and really cheesy (no onions!)

Tomorrow: Saint-Eugčne Sainte-Cécile, Bourdelle Museum and St. Eustache

Wonderful start, vickiebypass. I love the details and appreciate reading about less visited spots. Had to shake my head about how history gets mis-written.

Thanks, vickiebypass, for this! We are in Paris now for a leisurely week before heading east to Reims, Nancy, and Basel. On Monday we purchased our Navigo cards, allowing us unlimited travel for the week. During earlier visits, we made a point of getting to the Musée de la Liberation, both at the gare Monparnasse location and at the new one. Important detail for me in your summary today: purchasing Roger et Gallet soap! Love them; love the boxes! I have looked on line and concluded they were no longer available and now I have hope. I don’t need one. more. thing. as we are preparing to move to a much smaller place but I will keep an eye out for Monoprix and for the soap while we are here!

vickeybypass, I'm in! Paris is my favorite city and I'm looking forward to more. We went to the Liberation Museum this spring and I learned a lot. Notre Dame du Travail is now on my 'next time' list.

Your trip report is tagged for the UK, not France -- maybe ask the moderators to fix that??

The country tag has been changed from United Kingdom to France

janisj and Moderator1 - thank you for fixing the tag!

Day 3, Sun, 11/3: Grey and 50’s
Another off the beaten path church - Saint Eugene Sainte Cecile church in Montmartre since I read somewhere that their Sunday High Mass is spectacular - an “Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite”. I’m not Catholic so don’t have experience with this type of service but I’m glad I went. It was 90 minutes; priest, 6 sub priests, 4 altar boys all in religious robes; organist and choir. The church is neo-gothic style/decor and the “choir is one of the best in France.“ There was much singing - solo by choirists, congregation heartily singing, priest intoning; incense swung multiple times throughout the mass using silver thurible; robes and stole on and off. I was fascinated by the rituals.

The church itself was very interesting decor - built in 1854/55 when medieval art was rediscovered and neo-gothic churches were built across the country. Metal framework was used which was painted in red, green and gold with embellishments; dark wood carved railings etc.

But I didn’t feel right looking around too much due to the solemnity and because this is not a tourist sight. Everyone else was there for spiritual reasons so I tried to be discreet (sat up front so I could see all the altar activity). I stood, knelt and sat along with the congregation which was all ages; the man next to me was quite dapper-60’s, grey hair w/goatee and mustache; white shirt, mauve bow tie, shades of blue damask vest; navy pants, tailored blazer and polished loafers. I took advantage of the communion line to leave - I was stiff after an hour and the incense was making me sneeze. I was glad I went since it was a very different experience than what I normally do.

Found the bus stop easily and headed to the Musee Bourdelle. Apparently he is one of “France’s greatest sculptors” but to me, the museum sure didn’t convey his artistry or vision. I think it was just poorly designed. My main takeaway is that he was a philanderer and enjoyed painting his muses but his paintings were rather amateurish and probably should have stayed private. The garden had several of his sculptures which appealed to me from a design and vision perspective; I wish there had been more emphasis on his sculpture. Overall, the museum - and him - left me bored. Good thing it was free!.

Took metro to Les Halles since I was going to an organ concert at St. Eustache. I’d forgotten how metros at multi-interchange stations are difficult since there are often no elevators, tons of stairs, and moving walkways. It’s a workout just getting on a train! (that takes care of the various pastries I have each day!) I had mis-remembered the concert time so I had an hour to kill and sat in St. Eustache and people watched. HUGE turnout for this concert, over 300 people. This church is an entirely different animal from the other ones I’ve visited in Paris so far - it’s majestic, huge; seventh century with soaring columns. They have a Keith Harding triptych altarpiece that John Lennon and Yoko Ono bought and donated to the church because Keith said that he always wanted a piece of his art to be hung in Paris. He died of AIDS at a young age, but I’ve always liked his style and remember seeing his works here & there in NYC.

This actual organ itself is very well known and the guest organist is a big deal in the music world. Played Elgar and Sousa’s Pomp and Circumstance. It really is a transporting experience being in such a glorious environment, hearing great music.

Tomorrow: St. Denis

Day 4, Mon, 11/: Sunny and upper 40s
Today was a day trip to a suburb/neighborhood that’s farther north of Paris called St. Denis (I believe it’s an area where a lot of immigrants live and there are housing/economic problems). However, it is the location of the amazing Basilique Cathédrale Saint-Denis which has tremendous historical significance as the place where royalty was entombed for almost 1200 years. We’re not talking just a bunch of graves with flagstones on the floor – oh no! Befitting kings or queens (or their kids or big-time aristocracy related to the king/Queen), they were buried in marble sarcophagi with effigies on top. They have a really good audio guide that gives so much information that even I OD’d on it. I learned all about the different of effigies throughout the millennia, why some had animals carved at their feet (and why the type of animals mattered); that initially their entrails and heart were removed and buried separately in an urn; initially they were carved in full royal regalia, but later they were carved naked, and then later they switched back to clothed. At some stage, the faces were all generic, but then they became portraits of the dead person. 42 kings, 32 queens, 63 princesses/princes plus stray dukes are buried here in over 70 recumbent tombs.

But beyond the tombs, it has amazing stained glass windows. The Abbot who coordinated the 12th c renovations felt light was the path to spirituality so he wanted a ton of windows, narrow columns, so that the windows would not be overwhelmed, and, contrary to every other church I’ve been in, there are no walls between the chapels so you have an uninterrupted wall of light.

There was an artist doing an oil painting of an interior arched wall splashed with the stained glass sun prisms. She looked very skilled; aside from her easel & palette, it was the way she held all the brushes in one hand with a different brush for each color and dabbed the brush into the paint blob on the palette and painted in one very smooth motion. If I saw that painting somewhere, I would buy it, except that I wouldn’t be able to afford it! She arrived when I did and left before me, I think because the light had moved and therefore her window to capture the light had gone; I hadn’t thought of that as something artists have to deal with.

Overall, I really enjoyed my time here. There weren’t many visitors so you can wander at will and absorb everything. (There's a crypt too.) It was very easy to reach via Metro line 13. The church itself is about 4 mins from the station, fronting a huge square and across from the city hall.

I spent almost 3 hours there and it was time to mosey along. I had researched other things to do in St Denis and found a museum of St Denis art and history, Musée d'art et d'histoire, which used to be a Carmelite convent. But I was starving so I found a chicken spot, PB Poulet Braise. It was only about 10 minutes from the Basilica and the tourist office drew me a map, but I suspect a lot of tourists would be off put, unnerved, and might even turn around on the walk since there a lot of empty/deserted shopfronts, streets are dirty, there are people that look like they’re homeless, a lot of working age men hanging around on the corners and streets. But the sun was out and I’m intrepid when I have a to do list, plus I really make an effort not to be a timid tourist. So I found the chicken spot, PB Poulet Braise, and the waiter apologetically told me they were closing in half an hour; I said “that’s fine - I already know what I want and I will eat quickly.” I had 3 fried chicken tenders with a coconut Thai dipping sauce that was peanutty and a little spicy. It was tasty and it filled the empty hole. Off to the museum.

I typically have very good experiences at small local museums and like supporting them. But yesterday’s (Bourdelle) and this one were below standard. Based on my visit, they don't seem to have many items to show; they had lots of pottery fragments; some coins; 19th century, poor quality paintings about the Paris commune; and handwritten lists and poem drafts from French poet Paul Eluard. It was a really confusing museum to walk through; even though there were many rooms in multiple buildings, there wasn't a logical flow (or else I couldn't figure it out). Signage in English was minimal. What would’ve interested me is reading about how the rooms in the Carmelite convent were used back in the day, but there was very little mention of the nuns. I’ve also had luck in local museums in talking to the docent in each room, but here they were on their phone with personal conversations or so intently staring at it that I truly thought I would be bothering them with questions (although to be fair, I did ask one guy where a certain gallery was and turns out it was two floors below me and he actually took me all the way down there). I didn’t spend much time there – well, actually I did, but that was because I was trying to figure out where I was going or trying to decipher description tags with Google translate.

Metro back to apartment. I had to find something for dinner other than quiche Lorraine or a ham and cheese baguette, so I stopped in a butcher shop that also sells roast chicken and bought half a small chicken. Then I went to a bakery and bought some good bread, some French butter, and a slice of almond tart. I had a feast for my dinner and there’s plenty of leftovers. Yum.

Tomorrow: Palais Galleria

Day 5, Tue, 11/5: Grey and 50
No churches today! Going to a fashion museum for two special exhibits and then some minor shopping. On the way to the subway, I stopped in my favorite bakery to buy a wheat and walnut roll and a sugar brioche. I’m a purist when it comes to pastry - I like a sweet yeasty bread, no raisins, chocolate chips, or fruit. Or a nice tarte tatin – all the fancy pastries with rich crčme are too much for me. And of course, a plain croissant is a thing of beauty...

Subways were quick and easy. Today’s mission was to the Palais Galleria, which is Paris’s museum of fashion for two special exhibits: Stephen Jones, Chapeaux d’Artiste, and Fashion on the Move. Several years ago, somewhere along the way I became aware of the two world famous milliners who are still alive - Stephen Jones and Philip Treacy. I went to an exhibit of Philip Treacy‘s hats in Antwerp (Antwerp is a hub, not only of diamonds, but of avant garde fashion and millinery). It was fascinating so when I saw that the Paris museum had an exhibit by the other milliner, I bought a ticket right away. It was SO great. I spent 2 1/2 hours just in the hat exhibition.

They gathered more than 200 of his hat creations for this show, many from the Antwerp Museum, many from his own archives and many from the Paris museum‘s collection. This was a well organized, well laid out exhibit as befitting a first-class museum. He’s 66, British and has pretty much always been successful. The hats run the gamut from things you could maybe picture yourself wearing to the absurd. In addition to private clients and his own line, he collaborated with top fashion designers for 30 years - the Dior designers, Mugler, Galliano, Gaultier - all of them.

There was a whole section of the exhibit focusing on five or six hats he created for each of those designers and they actually had the runway outfit that the hat was designed for, so you saw the mannequin wearing the outfit and his hat. What a spectacular experience to see runway fashions that may seem silly when you see them on TV but when you get to stand 2 feet away from them and look at the front, back and sides, etc. I had a whole different appreciation for the artistry and aesthetic. The museum made 3 videos specifically for this exhibit: 2 interviews with him and one with Jean-Paul Gautier talking about his influence. They also had videos of the fashion shows with the gowns and hats represented on the catwalk. I never watch the fashion shows because the clothing is so unwearable and unaffordable by the regular person but now that I’ve seen the hats and understand the importance that the designers placed on the hats, I’ll watch some of the past shows on YouTube.

This was the cherry on top: I overhead two young men (late 20’s/early 30’s) intently studying the designer portion of the Stephen Jones exhibit - specifically the Christian Dior exhibit. One (French?) was showing the other (British, shaved head) photos on his phone of garments and they were discussing the sewing details, particularly about embroidery and the cost of the machines to do a certain type “only 4 machines in the world and they cost about 90,000 pounds”. And one said “When I was at McQueen, I spent hours unpicking seams….did you have to?…and then the embroidery was placed and seams sewn again…before a show, we’d be working like mad right before they walked out”. For some reason I was super excited about these two fashion industry workers – I felt like it was a brush with celebrity (maybe a tenuous brush, but still!)

The other exhibit, Fashion on the Move, was very comprehensive but didn’t hold my attention nearly as much. Although the section on the evolution of the bathing suit was interesting; it turned out that in the mid 30s women were wearing bathing suits just like today’s one pieces. Seems odd that it would be OK to show that much leg, but they also had coverups and robes.

So it was now 2:30, and I was starving so I went to a brasserie restaurant just down the block. And here my feistiness appeared: the place wasn’t crowded and there were plenty of empty tables but the head waiter took me over to a tiny table that they literally were using to sort silverware and he pulled a chair over to it. I said “no, no is there another table?” He looked astounded, kind of waved his hand and said “you don’t want this table?” incredulously. I said “no” and waived my hand at some of the other empty tables for two. He said “you’re one person?” and I said “yes”. As he took me over to a table between other groups of diners, he said “you’re eating?” (versus just going to have a cup of coffee – like there’s going to be a mad rush on these tables mid afternoon.). But I said “yes, I’m eating”. On the other hand, the waiter was busy but perfectly friendly and civil. I decided to treat myself and had a “French rump beef steak with french fries, salad, and Roquefort sauce”. I people watched and had a delightful time; the lunch was very good – the fries were crispy, the steak was cooked truly medium and the Roquefort sauce was delish. Throw in a couple pieces of bread and I was a happy camper. Good food and I felt I stood up for myself.

I’m not a shopper but I had two missions so took the metro to Galeries Lafayette (successful purchases and out of there in 30 minutes. Metro back home, leftover roast chicken and reveling in my excellent day!

Tomorrow: Musée de l'Orangerie and Chocolate and Pastry Tasting Walking Tour

I’ve not been to Paris, but I’m enjoying reading about your interesting visit.

Anything about Paris catches my attention, so am along for the ride. I fly out to Paris today, we’re there for a week. Not much, I know, but we’re taking it easy and plan on walking around and rediscovering old haunts. Musée de l’Orangerie and d’Orsay for my Monet/ Impressionism fix!

A fascinating read. The far and wide neighborhood descriptions of which I’m not familiar after a dozen visits to my favorite city are enlightening. Your off the beaten path adventurous spirit so admirable. I must admit I’m jealous! Wish I had done more of these esoteric jaunts ten years ago when my knees worked better. This slice of armchair travel is bringing much pleasure. Carry on!

More great TR, vickiebypass. I loved the part about the hats and the guys! Have you visited the Textile Arts Museum in Lyon? Not hats, but very interesting. Good for getting a better table. Looking forward to more.

Enjoying your report and picked up a few tips for my next visit, too. Thanks!

All - thanks for the encouraging comments!
k_marie - I was in Basel a couple of years ago and loved it - lots of interesting museums! If you're interested, I posted a trip report (click on my name and Find Trip Reports and you'll see it in the list)

As many of you do, I keep a list of "Next Time I'm in Paris" (or London) of places I want to visit or return to in more depth. I used my existing list for this trip and will add the Lyon textile museum to the list in "day trips".

Day 6, Wed, 11/6: Grey and 50’sThe exhibit at the Musée d’Orangerie was the collection of US-German art dealer Heinz Berggruen of the most important painters and sculptors of the 20th century. He collected everybody, but this exhibit focused on Picasso & Klee, and a few Matisse and Cezanne. Normally, I like going to exhibits of collectors’ items because it covers a wide range of artists, but I must not have read the fine print closely enough because I don’t particularly like Picasso or Klee and they were 70% of the show! I had booked a tour which was good so at least I had the expert’s insight as to why these paintings were relevant, but I still wasn’t convinced.

I had two hours to kill before the walking tour and wanted to sit in a real restaurant in a comfortable chair and have a real lunch. I found Bar Le Vendome in the Melia Paris Vendome hotel midway between the museum and the walking tour meeting point. It is exactly what I wanted - there’s a lot to be said for hotel lobbies and restaurants when you want a comfortable place to sit inside. It’s walnut paneled, upholstered chairs, deep grey carpet and jazz in the background. I had a croque monsieur sandwich with a little salad. Really good people watching since this is on a side street off Rue St Honore (where all the designers have their shops) so the passers by are pretty chic. And carrying lots of expensive shopping bags.

Fashion update: According to the papers, this year‘s hot fashion trend is denim. Denim in almost any iteration – dresses, tunics, big boxy jackets, dusters, and of course, jeans. The pants can either be long and rolled up to show an inch or so of sock or long and hitting the ground. For women, they’re often worn with some kind of boot – ankle, midcalf, knee, etc. And different types of denim in one outfit are fine, probably desired. Although I’m not a fashion plate, I do like to be aware and I was intrigued to observe this all over Paris. (I tried wide jeans for about a week and they were too wide – my feet kept getting caught in all the fabric at the hems🤣)

Idly pondering the French approach to fashion I think it’s that they all (everyone – all ages, socio-economic level) make an effort to some degree. Whether it’s brightly colored pants or top or purse, there’s some level of color coordination between the pieces. Even for those who wear all black, there’s a scarf or leather purse with some color. Or maybe it’s the socks/hose and shoes that are coordinated. And very few adult men wear sneakers; most of them wear some kind of leather or suede shoes. Or if they are wearing sneakers, they are not Nikes or Adidas, but some fashion brand that the cognoscenti would recognize like dolce and Gabbana. Or Converse hi-tops.

Another side note: much of the city looks spectacular since it was spiffed up for the Olympics. Buildings were sandblasted so they’re white; bridges, railings, statues were re-gilded; and parks/gardens were neatened up. I keep reminding myself to not look at the ground when I walk so that I can see what’s adorning the upper stories of buildings. It’s always a slight shock to come around the corner and realize that ahead of me or off to the side - there‘s the Eiffel Tower!

More side notes: I think this is the first trip that I haven’t been carrying a paper map with me. First of all, who wants to look like a Neanderthal?! And those paper maps could be a pain in the neck with the folding, orienting yourself, etc. The good thing is that they did give you a sense of the entire city and where you are at a given moment in relation to the rest of the city. Using Google maps on the phone, I’m focusing on a very small area in disjointed views. OTOH, it’s awfully nice following the step-by-step walking directions on the phone😀

Paris-Walks: The Chocolate and Pastry Tasting walking tourwas as great as I hoped! We met at the Tuileries metro exit; the woman leading the talk was British, but has lived in Paris for years and before that in the Caribbean, so she has actually spent time on cacao plantations and was very knowledgeable. We went to four (or five, I lost count) chocolate shops and got about three pieces of chocolate per person in each shop, plus 1/4 of an eclair and a chocolate tart, a macaron and Angelina’s hot chocolate. Thank heavens I brought a bottle of water so I could clear my palate after each piece. They’re so rich that it took me several nibbles to finish each piece. In one place, I bought 4 pieces; then the next place was so good that I bought a 9 piece box where I selected exactly what I wanted. I won’t open that box until I’m home. This was a lot of fun, educational and well worth the €50 cost.
Tomorrow: Museum of Modern Art and great lunch

Day 7, Thu, 11/7: Grey and 50’s
Although the subways are very fast and efficient, they‘re rather soulless so I prefer taking buses. I look at what we’re passing, observe the other passengers and feel more part of the city. I have to say that the Paris public transportation app is extremely user-friendly and helpful - I can remember in other cities getting incredibly frustrated looking for the specific bus stop for the line I wanted. None of those problems this time.

I’ve been to the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris a few times and like their collection of modern & contemporary art so the combination of free admission and positive memories made it a no-brainer to visit. None of their winter exhibits interested me and since that’s where all the crowds were, the permanent collection galleries were pretty empty. I enjoy a fair amount of art from 1900-1950 (the modern part), but after that, it gets a little goofy for me (the contemporary). I spent a lot of time studying The Electricity Fairy fresco by Raoul Dufy. Commissioned for the Pavilion of Light and Electricity at the 1937 International Exposition by the national electricity company, it depicts the history and usage of electricity through the ages. I had fun identifying the historical and mythological figures and tracking the changes of era, use of colors, etc. I used a museum app (free for Iphone) that provided a lot of information info for this room and key works in the permanent galleries. Also enjoyed Matisse’s La Danse since I’ve seen his other version of the same work at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia. New to me were the huge brightly colored geometric paintings of Robert & Sonia Delaunay. Some of the contemporary works baffled me but it’s good to see what’s new in the art world….

Side note: I’m sure there’s a theory about this, but it drives me crazy when museums don’t have benches in every single room. It’s exhausting to stand on hard marble floors and look at paintings in depth. I often end up sitting in the security guards’ chairs, which they don’t seem to mind.

I spent about two hours there and went to their restaurant, Forest, which was very surprising! It's not a café or coffee shop but a real fine dining restaurant with linen napkins, etc. which is open for lunch, dinner and drinks. Their outside dining area is lovely but it was cold & gray so I had lunch inside. What a revelation in terms of the physical restaurant layout, furnishings and decor. Very atmospheric, felt chic and elegant. There were five other tables of customers there so it is certainly well known. (All French folks.). In fact of the three places where I’ve had a nice lunch, there were no Americans. Always a good sign for an adventurous traveler. The menu had several appealing options and I chose the schnitzel, which was moist, tender and yet crisply fried. The rice was flavorful and aromatic and there were some vegetables that I can't remember. I asked for bread which had great flavor and crust, and the butter had those great hits of salt. Service was attentive but not annoying.

Something unexpected that I really enjoyed was their background music - a great playlist (including put on your boogie shoes, sitting on the dock of the bay, tell it like it is, delovely, Bette Davis eyes, son of a preacher man and other great ones); some by the original artists and others were covers. Normally I don't pay attention to background music because it's background, right? But I found myself really listening and realizing what song it was, wondering who the artist was, etc. In addition to enhancing my experience as a solo traveler with no one to talk to, it added to the overall atmosphere which I characterized as "very sophisticated, cocktail drinking, heels wearing". I mentioned to the maītre d’ that it was a great playlist and he smiled and said “our chef actually curated the playlist and he takes it very seriously. I will tell him you noticed and liked it and it will make him very happy.”

On my way out I walked past the kitchen and saw the chef so I told him myself. I told him that I liked the combination of songs; I liked that some were originals and others were covers; and that a lot of people probably don’t pay attention to this playlist, but I did. And he said thank you. Then he said… “But how was the food?”🤣🤣🤣. I laughed and laughed, and so did he, but I then had to rave about the specifics of the food, and he brought out the young chef who made my schnitzel. I was amused that in my mind, he would be pleased to hear about the playlist when actually, of course the food is his number one concern. Good thing I decided not to rave about the ambience and décor since he might’ve figured what’s the point of food if all she’s going to talk about is the way the place looks and sounds!

Hopefully, he’ll see the humor - at least I gave him a funny story to tell people. And I’ll bet his three sub chefs who were right there cleaning & prepping were all smirking and will be telling that story to all of their friends.

Back to the apartment. The tour leader from yesterday‘s chocolate tasting walk had recommended a chocolate shop right near my apartment for the best candied ginger, so I stopped there. The other day I bought sliced ham and cheese and good bread so I’ve been having a sandwich for dinner each night which is absolutely fine – have to save some calories and money somewhere.😜.
Tomorrow: Victor Hugo Museum and packing

Loving this report. I also love candied ginger. Would you please post the name and location of the shop?

Still following along.

I checked and I realised I’d saved your Basel TR to my notes last year, for my ‘one day’ list.

gomiki: the chocolate shop is Charles Chocolatier and it is at 15 Rue Montorgueil, 75001. If you're coming from Le Halle or St Eustache, it's on the left side before you reach Rue Etienne Marcel. I also bought a great item they call a bar, but it is round, wrapped in gold paper. It's dark chocolate and nuts (pistachio's and hazelnuts). They have 3 sizes and I first bought the smallest to test it out and liked it so I went back and bought the largest. Although it's dark chocolate, it wasn't too bitter and a little nibble (or slice) is very satisfying. I don't remember the prices of the bar but it struck me as very reasonable.

Adelaidean - how funny that you saved my Basel TR! Our minds are always working. For both you and k_marie regarding Basel, I remember that the Basel Barfuesserkirche (Historical Museum) was so great that I went twice. The art museum that I think is one of the best I've ever visited is the Fondation Beyeler and they have a Matisse exhibit currently. Their regular collection is mind boggling too. Although it's over the border in Germany, it's very easy to reach via tram from Basel. Basel is a very manageable city to get your arms around versus huge cities like London, Paris & Sydney.

Day 8, Fri, 11/8: Grey and 50’s
The day started off badly but turned out fine. I had booked a guided WW2 Walking Tour with a company that I’ve never used before and paid online in advance, €39 which is expensive but the route was interesting. I showed up at the meeting point 15 minutes early but, long story short, the guide never showed up. I tried to reach them immediately via email, WhatsApp, and multiple phone numbers but there was no response then…and no response to date (I disputed the charge with my credit card company and they credited me). Grrr.

Anyway, after realizing that the WW2 walking tour wasn’t going to happen, I walked to the Victor Hugo Museum which is tucked in the corner of the Place des Vosges. I love the PdV so walked around all four sides and sat in the park to absorb the buildings' architecture. The museum is an old house which does a great job at showing Hugo’s life story, as well as the furnishings of the period. There are only 4 rooms decorated in the style of the era but each room contains a lot to see - paintings, other artwork, documents and decor. I didn’t know that Hugo was a poet, painter and draftsman in addition to author. In his middle age, there was a lot of political activity in France and Hugo was exiled for almost 20 years to the British isle of Guernsey. I had no idea about any of that so it was an educational visit as well as interesting. Note that they also had a free app for the Iphone that was an audio visit to each room by room, with detailed commentary on the major works in the house and his life. There were info boards in each room and a docent, but the audio app was great. And they had those snazzy little folding seats that you carry like a cane - perfect!

I decided to have lunch in their restaurant -it wasn’t nearly as fancy as yesterday’s (and no playlist😁) but comfortable seats and good food. They offer a few hot dishes each day, plus sandwiches, salads and desserts. I had penne with roast pumpkin, pine nuts and sage butter which was very tasty; and of course good bread. They don’t give you butter with bread; I think I read somewhere that the French are horrified at Americans slathering butter on rolls; their theory is that their bread is good and covering the natural flavor is bad. Yesterday I asked for butter but not today.

I chuckled to myself because I was sitting next to a couple and the wife’s friend (French). The women had been chatting and the husband was dozing, but then the friend moved to sit next to the women on the banquette. She moved in order to show the friend about a zillion photos from her vacation…with commentary on each photo. The friend started off making a valiant effort to respond to each pic but after about 15 photos, she wound down and just nodded or said “ah…..oh….” 😂. We’ve all been there – even if they ask, no one really wants to see vacation photos; they just want to hear “the weather was good….we had a great time”.

It was 3:15 by the time I finished lunch and I decided to meander my way back to the apartment; my traveling theory is normally I do two “things” a day and I don’t normally count lunch as a “thing” but since I’m taking a slow travel approach this time, lunch is now a “thing”.

Tomorrow: Eurostar to London (for 9 days – I’ll do a separate trip report for London)