I see France...

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Nov 6th, 2001, 04:57 PM

elvira

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I see France...

Two glorious weeks in Paris! I arrived Sunday and went to Georges’ (my landlord) to pick up the keys to my apartment. Three rooms and a full bathroom. I love Paris apartments; the entrance to the building is never in the same building as the apartment. Monday: Last year’s BEST boulangerie has been replaced by a BETTER boulangerie (according to Georges). After my croissant and coffee, I went to the Viaduc des Artistes and walked the full length of the gardens - roses still blooming! Then I walked back along the street to visit some of the shops (word to the wise: some shops are closed on Monday). N’O was open, which is a wonderful shop with dried flowers and seed pods, many from places with exotic names, and handmade papers. Found some wonderful scrapbooks and little journals for me and for gifts. OK, I cheated and went to Mickey D’s for a Big Mac and fries; I ordered in French, but the 16 year old girl (about a size 2) answered me in English. I’ve discovered that many French want to practice their English, and have decided to go for it, even if it isn’t perfect. Tuesday: This was shopping day on Blvd Haussmann; decided to try that l’Occitane lavender water for linens. Spritz on before ironing the bedsheets (oh yeah like that’ll happen; I’ll just spritz as they come out of the dryer). Made supper at home and watched the movie “The Rock” dubbed in French; Sean Connery speaks French with a Scottish accent. Tres weird.

Nov 6th, 2001, 04:58 PM

elvira

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Wednesday: The Marche des Enfants Rouges (named for a nearby school where children used to wear red uniforms) is smaller than some of the street markets, so is much easier to make choices. One vendor was selling Moroccan food and the aromas brought me back to Marrakech. It’s true that the sense of smell is the most powerful! There’s a gargoyle store in the Marais I wanted to visit, but it was closed in the morning; just as well; when I looked inside, it really gave me the creeps. So I went to BHV to wander around. Found little plastic clips in primary colors and was waiting to pay when a salesclerk asked me what they were. I have no clue what the French word for “electric shock” is so I said “pour l’electricite” and made a BZHZHZH sound and twitched. The woman laughed and said “Je comprends!” I figure I got talked about on break. Then to Franprix to buy groceries where I nearly caused an international incident. I gathered groceries in a basket, then went into the produce department to get potatoes. I stand in line at the checkout, only to discover that the PRODUCE must be bought in the PRODUCE department, and the clerk has to get a chit from the PRODUCE clerk to ring up everything. There was a great deal of eye-rolling and shrugging (as only the French can do, and none better than the Parisians) and I was about ready to just say “oh forget it” and walk out when I determined it would be more fun to torture them instead...payback for all the times they’ve tortured ME. No police were called, and I got home safely. Thursday: Off to the Chapelle Expiatoire (lots of victims of the Revolution buried here; original burial spot for Let ‘em Eat Cake and her unfortunate husband) where I discovered CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE STRIKE. I’m so lucky to know so many swearwords in so many languages because I used them all. I went to Paristoric instead - it’s a video about Paris, interesting, but not worth 50ff. I did like one part when the narrator asked “Paris” what she considered her most important monument. “Paris” answered “my streets” So I trot over to the Opera Garnier across the street; stand in line; have my bag searched; to discover NO VISITS BECAUSE OF THE STRIKE. I had two more swear words in Polish left, and I used them. By the way, it was pouring rain the whole day. Well, I decided to do laundry, and the laundromat was so cool: put your stuff in a washer, close the door, go over to a central control board, put in your 10ff, then push the numbered button that corresponds to your machine! Just like a self-serve gas station! I was totally entertained. Friday: RER to Asnieres, then a long walk to the Dog and Cat Cemetery. It’s a beautiful cemetery, with beautiful headstones and emotional epitaphs, far more than those for humans. I wonder why it’s easier to express emotion over a pet than for a spouse or mother? Rin Tin Tin is buried there; there’s a wonderful monument to police and rescue dogs. Down the hill are little huts...for the cats who populate the place. A woman came along and fed them, and even feral cats do the “dinner circle dance” (anyone who has cats will know what I mean). Decided to take the metro back (shorter walk) and went through an Arab neighborhood. Very odd to be in the minority, and a little unnerving, too. I got an idea what Arab-Americans must feel now. Nothing untoward happened and it was an easy trip back to Paris.

Nov 6th, 2001, 04:59 PM

elvira

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Saturday: Raining AGAIN, so I went to the Cluny Museum. I think this must be one of my favorites - tapestries, medieval debris, the heads of the Kings of Judah from Notre Dame (the revolutionists tore them down,thinking they were the Kings of France; didn’t the beards and forelocks give them a hint?) and...the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries. The repros on my aunt’s throw pillows do NOT do them justice. They are exquisite in their detail (if I were making them, the bunnies would NOT have eyes, and the background would have really big stitches) and it’s fun to try to “read” the allegory. Downstairs are the Roman baths and frigideum (which was a good 20-30 degrees cooler than outside). Then went shopping at Toile a Loupe (mission from my sister), which has all sorts of old and new pottery and ceramics from Provence. My purchases got smothered in bubble wrap when the owner asked if I would be traveling. Back to the Luxembourg Museum to see a Raphael exhibit, but never made it. There was a display in the gardens of hundreds of works of art made from wood - modern art done with wood. As I was about to leave I spotted a big black and white photo hanging on the fence. It was a display of sports photos: Winners of the Tour de France, the first hit for Joe DiMaggio, the photo of Cassius Clay standing over Sonny Liston, Jackie Robinson sliding home...Ruh Roh Rhonda, I’m now running late for my Fodorites’ GTG. I hustled to l’Ecluse in time and sat at a sidewalk table, proudly displaying my Fodor’s pin. Marla and DH came along and we just started talking as if we’d known each other forever. Sandy came along a bit later, and we all chattered like magpies. Had dinner, and five hours later the party broke up, and we’d still not run out of things to say!

Nov 6th, 2001, 05:01 PM

elvira

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Sunday: off to Vanves flea market; Sandy’d warned me that it was now all expensive junk. She’s right - the first two streets are tag sale items at antique gallery prices...but around the second corner is the cheap stuff. Little bit of things “10ff for anything on this table”, so I found some fun stuff like porcelain saucers and a silver spoon I think is supposed to stir martinis, but it’ll stir iced tea darn good. A man who was selling pins pointed at my lapel and said he like my pins (a little enamel pin of Vivienne Wood’s big blue shoe and...my Fodor’s pin! You watch, someday that’ll be worth a fortune). Then to la Villette to visit the Food Expo I’d seen advertised on posters in the metro. I’m figuring lots of tastings...oh nooooo...this was the SCIENCE of food in the City of Sciences building - not one thing to eat, and boring as hell. I mean, who cares what the molecular structure of glucose is (ok if you’re a scientist or somesuch, but I’m not). I did wander around the rest of the museum, and had a great time in the Senses area, especially sound. There were places where you could listen to different languages, and sounds you never hear, like the inside of an iceberg and fish in a panic. If you, or your kids, are tired of paintings and statues, this is a great break. Lots of interactive stuff for grown ups and kids, and I felt the trip wasn’t a waste. On the way home, stopped for bread and a little dessert...a ‘religieux’, which is a cream puff with a little cream puff perched on top with a chocolate cap (it looks like a pudgy friar, hence the name I guess). The proprietess asks if I would like vanilla or CHOCOLATE. That’s right, both puffs were filled with CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. Knock me down and call me Shirley, I have glimpsed heaven. Monday: To Passy Cemetery, which is a lot bigger than I thought. I wandered around for a couple of hours, then saw as I left that there is a map for sale. I want to go back and visit with a map, so I can find Debussy’s and Manet’s graves. I went to Samaritaine because last year they had a great crafts department. Well, I guess French women don’t do crafts, so it was about a third of the size. Had a muffin and coffee in their upstairs cafe (great view) and watched a French couple throw a fit because the waitress shorted them five centimes. Do the math... Chinese food for dinner. Tuesday: Off to the St Lambert neighborhood in the 15eme; it’s a very quiet area, no tourists, with lots of interesting architecture (like a little street with half-timbered houses). At the edge is the old slaughterhouse and animal market, which is now a beautiful park named for George Brassens. For educational purposes, there’s a small vineyard and an apiary, and in the middle of the pond is a giant clock tower. I have no idea why. There are trails and footpaths, and what appears to be a small amusement park (including a puppet theater). No tourists in sight, and certainly not crowded. I then went to the rue de la Harpe to the easyEverything (related to easyJet, I think) cybercafe to check emails and the Fodor site. The stupid French keyboard drives me nuts; all the letters are mixed up and the @ sign is a secret.

Nov 6th, 2001, 05:03 PM

elvira

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Wednesday: Montmartre and St Vincent cemetery, where Utrillo is buried. Very small cemetery, but very beautiful (you can catch glimpses of Sacre Coeur as you walk around). Went to the Museum of Montmartre, which is interesting enough, but it’s definitely something you’d want to do after several trips to Paris. In the summer there’s a restaurant in the garden (not open when I was there; eating salade Nicoise while wearing mittens apparently is not done). I walked by Sacre Coeur, and it was packed with tourists, speaking a zillion different languages. Thursday: To the 13eme and a walk through Chinatown. I love looking at Chinese produce to see things I’ve never seen before. Is that a fruit, a vegetable or an asteroid? Then to the Gobelins Factory. It’s only open Wed. and Thurs. I think, and at 2:00. The French tour started at 2 (English at 2:45) so I took the French tour. About 30 minutes into it, I realized my French could not keep up with the technical stuff, and then I heard...TEXAS accents around the corner! It was an escorted tour that was being given a special tour, so I sort of sidled my way in. The whole history of this factory (it also houses the Savonnerie and Beauvais workrooms) is fascinating. Yes the STRIKE was on, but a few artisans were at their looms working on these mammoth tapestries and rugs. One of the Dallas ladies was really peering at the work being done on the Savonnerie rug, and the man working on it gave her some of the wool he’d trimmed from the rug. Well, everyone just had to go right over and take a look. The group was led by a woman who spoke fluent French, so the artiste started talking to her, telling her that the warp was wool, the weft was cotton, and a linen thread was run in between each row...and a whole bunch of other stuff. The official Gobelins guide said “please, if you have questions, ask me” but she’d lost the group at that point to this delightful man who was describing his work (much better to talk to the guy who’s actually DOING the work). I figured the tour would take maybe an hour, but it was over two, and I was really sorry it was over. No museum, no gift shop...the museum is coming, though (it’s been coming since 1901). I had to hurry back home because I was taking Georges to dinner for his birthday. We went to Les Amoynes WITHOUT reservations...at 9:30, no one else came in after us, the place was half full, you’d have thought we’d ordered burgers and milkshakes...Excellent food, Georges and I got into a political discussion (in France, you can discuss politics with anybody, but you can’t ask what someone does for a living - too personal. No wonder Americans and French are at sixes and sevens) and eventually closed the place down. “Hey I’ve been thrown out of better places than THIS” Friday: I’m into lost and abandoned Paris, so I headed for the 16eme to find the Gare Passy and the abandonded train tracks. Found both (the Gare is now a fencydency restaurant) near the Jardins de Ranelagh, which is around the corner from the Marmottan. Then to les Orphelines and the second hand store (nifty tweed jacket for 40ff, and a Chanelly looking skirt for 30ff), and the 17eme for an antique book fair. Way too many people, and way too many junky old books at ridiculous prices (okay okay a first edition Voltaire is one thing, but a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook is another matter). After 45 minutes I left, but the Espace Champerret, where the fair was held, was interesting. Giant Aztec/Mayan looking structures were the entrance to the parking garage stairs, and there was a park nearby that had statues of Latin American notables. No clue why (if anybody knows why, let me in on it).

Nov 6th, 2001, 05:04 PM

elvira

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Saturday: last day in Paris, so I headed to a flea market being held near Pere LaChaise. It didn’t start until 10 (what kind of nouveau/yuppy flea market starts at TEN?) so I went into a cafe for coffee and a croissant. No idea the name, but it had a STAINED GLASS ceiling (art Nouveau) and Tiffany-style stained glass sconces. Hard to drink coffee when your head is tilted back. Walked through Pere Lachaise for about an hour (it’s quiet and peaceful, it smells like autumn) then to the flea market. More overpriced junk, but I did find a few little bits, and a wonderful book about Vaux-le-Vicomte. Georges had asked me to stop by to see the work he’s doing on a festival to be held next May. This is the fourth year, and this is the first he’s told me about it (he’s the head of it). The last weekend in May, the plaza in front of the Hotel de Ville, the Place de la Bastille, and the Canal St Martin are the sites for a huge street festival. The plaza will be turned into a bamboo forest, there’ll be giant fire pots along the canal (think torches on steroids), there’ll be theater groups, musicians, jugglers, dance troops...a giant hoohah that’s all free. So if you’re in Paris at that time, you’ll get a chance to see it. Sunday: Georges drove me to the airport, only to discover my flight to London had been cancelled. I got a later one that would still get me in on time to catch my flight home, so I waited...and waited. At 1:30, when the flight was supposed to leave, the announcement was made “everyone must go onto the tarmac and identify your CHECKED luggage”. Needless to say, I didn’t make the connecting flight, but the nice man at the United Airlines counter found me a flight to Dulles, where I had to stay overnight (Days Inn, $80, free airport shuttle). Now, the flight London>Dulles: we taxi away from the gate on time, then just sit on the runway. No announcement, we just sit...then the captain says “we’ll be returning to the gate to take care of a minor problem”. A steward approaches a Middle-Eastern looking man and asks him to get his things and come with him. Then, the flight crew starts tearing apart the seat where he sat, and the one next to it. Now, a big guy in a suit comes on board, and asks nearby passengers to identify their bags in the overhead bins. He then gets down on the floor and searches underneath the seats. When a passenger says “that man went into the back of the plane” (we were only one row from last row), the crew skee-daddles to the back. The big guy gets off the plane, the Middle-Eastern man does not return, and we take off. No explanation at all what or why; I think I was just as glad not to know. Yippeee, Dulles to Phoenix was uneventful!

Nov 6th, 2001, 06:06 PM

Diane

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C'est manifique! (or as my son at age 5 remarked: See? Many feet!)Thanks for another fun posting.

Nov 6th, 2001, 06:13 PM

Betty

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Merci beaucoup, Elvira! What a great report!(When does the movie version come out?) You really take me back. Many, many moons ago (mid-seventies) I spent a year in Paris working on my M.A. I lived in one of those apartment buildings like the one you describe. (BTW, where was yours and is it available to anyone or was this a private arrangement?) I also visited La Manufacture des Gobelins and even wrote a paper on it. And that pastry you loved was also a favorite of mine. (Responsible for a least twenty of my extra pounds.) I believe it is called "une religieuse" (feminine version) because it is supposed to look like a nun in her habit. Your experience in the produce department of the grocery made me laugh. I too had to be instructed on this bit of French culture, not in Paris, but many years later in the south of France. If your store in Paris operates like the ones I've experienced in France, you don't really pay for your produce in the produce department, but you weigh it on a special scale, punch a little button with the picture of the particular fruit or vegetable, and the machine spits out a little ticket with the price that you attach to the bag. That way, the check-out lady knows how much it costs. But in addition to reminding me of familiar things and places, you introduced me to some fascinating parts of Paris that I have not seen but will be sure to check out the next time I'm there, hopefully spring or fall of next year. I'm sorry you ran into the museum strike but it seems you managed to make good use of your time anyway. About your flight from London to Dulles, how nervewracking! I'm not sure that I wouldn't have got off and taken another flight. I'm glad everything turned out OK. Again, thanks for a great trip report.

Nov 6th, 2001, 06:55 PM

Judy

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Thank you,It's so much fun to read your report.

Nov 7th, 2001, 03:13 AM

#10

Gretchen

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We visited the Marche des Rouges Enfants last March--I am a market junkie and was excited because it had just reopened and it is the oldest market in Paris (1600's or such). I went expecting that (old) but it is very slick and new. Wasn't fully "rented" at that point either. The artisan's row is really interesting.Great way to preserve that viaduct. I actually love the Vanves market--have found Quimper there at good prices in the past but it has really dried up now (at least as of last week!).

Nov 7th, 2001, 04:54 AM

#11

dan woodlief

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Wonderful Elvira. Your return flight sounds like the kind my family was so afraid I might have. Scary. Your report shows how you can experience a place after you have been there several times and can slow down and experience the seldom-touristed areas. I would love to spend a couple of weeks in Paris in an apartment (or much longer). Entertaining as usual too. I think you should consider putting together your own Web site someday - maybe "The World According to Elvira."

Nov 7th, 2001, 04:57 AM

#12

Ess

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Fun report, Elvira. Welcome home (though I know your heart is still in Paris).

Nov 7th, 2001, 03:31 PM

#13

grasshopper

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Great report. Elvira, what would YOU do in Paris on New Year's Eve?

Nov 7th, 2001, 04:13 PM

#14

elvira

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Paris on New Year's Eve? I'd do what I do when I'm home - invite a few friends over for a great dinner, lots of wine, lots of champagne, watch the events on TV - spread out mattresses for those who don't want to drive home. The next morning, make breakfast for everyone, make the rest of the champagne into mimosas, and send everyone home around noon. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be able to zone out in front of the bowl games.

Nov 7th, 2001, 04:25 PM

#15

Thyra

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Thanks a million Elvira... wonderful Report..really got my Paris taste buds watering.... Must go back! You really have a talent for writing and I so appreciate you taking the time. Just wonderful.. glad you got home OK, weird about that plane ride... ohhhh I would have been white knuckled the rest of the way home.

Nov 7th, 2001, 05:05 PM

#16

cdf

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Elvira, I hope you are a writer, of other things besides these reports, you are so good at it! I am thoroughly enjoying reading about your travels and believe me, not everybody is entertaining when they tell about their trips~Keep writing, it is almost but not quite as good as being there~Thank you for the smiles you brought-"Knock me down and call me Shirley"?? My grandfather taught me some really good swear words in Spanish when I was 3 and he was a Marine, just in case you run out again

Nov 7th, 2001, 05:11 PM

#17

Lily

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Another thank-you, Elvira! I have thoroughly enjoyed both your London and Paris reports. Your writing is so consistently amazing. You truly have a gift. Please don't ever leave this board!