A half-delightful week in Paris - one with a surprising twist
Sep 1st, 2008, 07:10 AM
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A half-delightful week in Paris - one with a surprising twist
Chapter: The first
DH and I are normally US residents, but we have just (three weeks ago) moved to Amsterdam for this coming year while DH does a research sabbatical. Our DD is doing a university study-abroad year in Paris during the same time, so the three of us arrived in Amsterdam together. We spent a few days setting up our apartment in Amsterdam and exploring the city briefly, then headed to Paris to get DD started in her university program.
We got on the Thalys train in Amsterdam and arrived at Gare du Nord four hours later. Took the metro south to Cite Universitaire, where DD has temporary housing for the first couple of weeks of her university program. The campus is very pretty and right across the street from the Parc Montsouris – which looked really lovely but we didn’t have time to explore it. We left DD in the teeniest room in Paris to meet her new roommate, and DH and I made our way by metro to our hotel on Rue de Turbigo, just half a block from the Place de la Republique in the 3rd.
We had found some kind of incredible last-minute deal on the web for the Hotel Le Relais Du Marais - 52 euros a night! We loved the hotel – the staff was charming, ditto the room (although of course small in the usual Paris manner). We had a little balcony that looked out on a lovely Haussmann-type building across the street with flower-filled balconies of its own. You could look down the street (not from the room though) and see the huge statue at the Place de la Republique. Yep, we were definitely in Paris! The room was decorated very nicely. I saw one other room and it had quite a different type of décor, so I gather that each room is unique. Since our room fronted on the street, on the third floor, I was worried about traffic noise, but very modern 97-paned windows (or something similar) did a really impressive job of keeping out the din of traffic. I would definitely recommend the hotel.
We absolutely LOVED the location – we had stayed in the Marais when we were in Paris two years ago and became total fans of the district. You can walk everywhere from there and if walking is not your thing, the intersection of several metro lines is right under the Place de la Republique, so it is very convenient for getting to different parts of the city. The area itself is bustling, but in a very pleasant way.
Our first night it was late when we got there and we were exhausted, so just went to some random Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. DH had the worst pizza we have every encountered anywhere; my pasta dish was nothing to write home about (wait I am writing home about it), but it was all right. Oh well – who comes to Paris for the food anyway?
to be continued ...
DH and I are normally US residents, but we have just (three weeks ago) moved to Amsterdam for this coming year while DH does a research sabbatical. Our DD is doing a university study-abroad year in Paris during the same time, so the three of us arrived in Amsterdam together. We spent a few days setting up our apartment in Amsterdam and exploring the city briefly, then headed to Paris to get DD started in her university program.
We got on the Thalys train in Amsterdam and arrived at Gare du Nord four hours later. Took the metro south to Cite Universitaire, where DD has temporary housing for the first couple of weeks of her university program. The campus is very pretty and right across the street from the Parc Montsouris – which looked really lovely but we didn’t have time to explore it. We left DD in the teeniest room in Paris to meet her new roommate, and DH and I made our way by metro to our hotel on Rue de Turbigo, just half a block from the Place de la Republique in the 3rd.
We had found some kind of incredible last-minute deal on the web for the Hotel Le Relais Du Marais - 52 euros a night! We loved the hotel – the staff was charming, ditto the room (although of course small in the usual Paris manner). We had a little balcony that looked out on a lovely Haussmann-type building across the street with flower-filled balconies of its own. You could look down the street (not from the room though) and see the huge statue at the Place de la Republique. Yep, we were definitely in Paris! The room was decorated very nicely. I saw one other room and it had quite a different type of décor, so I gather that each room is unique. Since our room fronted on the street, on the third floor, I was worried about traffic noise, but very modern 97-paned windows (or something similar) did a really impressive job of keeping out the din of traffic. I would definitely recommend the hotel.
We absolutely LOVED the location – we had stayed in the Marais when we were in Paris two years ago and became total fans of the district. You can walk everywhere from there and if walking is not your thing, the intersection of several metro lines is right under the Place de la Republique, so it is very convenient for getting to different parts of the city. The area itself is bustling, but in a very pleasant way.
Our first night it was late when we got there and we were exhausted, so just went to some random Italian restaurant in the neighborhood. DH had the worst pizza we have every encountered anywhere; my pasta dish was nothing to write home about (wait I am writing home about it), but it was all right. Oh well – who comes to Paris for the food anyway?
to be continued ...
Sep 1st, 2008, 07:21 AM
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Chapter 2: Meanderings
We are the wander-around-and-see-what-you-find kind of tourists, so the next morning DH and I started out walking with the vague objective of arriving eventually at the Jacquemart Andre Museum in the 8th. First stop was a local bakery where we had MUCH better success than the previous evening’s dinner. Then we wandered along Rue d’Aboukir – sort of a garment district area – with some amazing clothes in the windows. I guess most of the stores are wholesale as quite a few of them had signs on the door sternly warning they did NO retail sales and “N’insistez pas s’il vous plait”, which made us laugh.
Then we stumbled across the Opera Palais Garnier (or whatever combination of those words is the correct name). I’d never seen it before. Just stunning. Toured around inside a bit.
Continued on our vague trajectory towards Jacqemart-Andre and came across the big Printemps department store. There is some sort of construction going on and they have a huge trompe l’oeuil sheet covering a large part of the building – it may sound funny, but it’s really beautiful. Here’s a website that shows pictures of some of it: http://www.leprintempsmiroir.com/index.php?lang=en I guess Paris even does something as prosaic as remodeling department stores with style.
We noticed people up on top of the building, so we figured if they could get up there we could too. So went inside and just began taking escalator after escalator till suddenly we were on the roof with an incredible view of Paris. Evidently this summer they had a guide up there who gave free talks explaining what is what in the Paris skyline that you’re seeing, but the program had ended the day before. Too bad. Well I recognized the Eiffel Tower all by myself at least.
More wandering with beautiful buildings seemingly around every corner – various churches, monuments, etc. until we arrive at the Jacquemar-Andre Museum. Enjoyed ourselves tremendously looking at the art collection amassed by this Parisian couple in the late 1800’s – Tiepolo’s, Rembrandts, Van Dykes, Frans Hals, etc etc. All in a gorgeous mansion on Boulevard Haussman. The salon has walls equipped with hydraulic mechanisms that can lower the walls into the basement, turning three separate rooms into one large room where they held balls for 1000 people at a time! I was amazed they had the technology to do that in the 1860’s. Puts Bill Gates’ house to shame. Really made us laugh when the English version of the audio-guide kept referring to the house as a beautiful example of the “upper middle class” lifestyle in Paris. In the 1800’s. I guess the upper middle class just ain’t what it used to be!
We are the wander-around-and-see-what-you-find kind of tourists, so the next morning DH and I started out walking with the vague objective of arriving eventually at the Jacquemart Andre Museum in the 8th. First stop was a local bakery where we had MUCH better success than the previous evening’s dinner. Then we wandered along Rue d’Aboukir – sort of a garment district area – with some amazing clothes in the windows. I guess most of the stores are wholesale as quite a few of them had signs on the door sternly warning they did NO retail sales and “N’insistez pas s’il vous plait”, which made us laugh.
Then we stumbled across the Opera Palais Garnier (or whatever combination of those words is the correct name). I’d never seen it before. Just stunning. Toured around inside a bit.
Continued on our vague trajectory towards Jacqemart-Andre and came across the big Printemps department store. There is some sort of construction going on and they have a huge trompe l’oeuil sheet covering a large part of the building – it may sound funny, but it’s really beautiful. Here’s a website that shows pictures of some of it: http://www.leprintempsmiroir.com/index.php?lang=en I guess Paris even does something as prosaic as remodeling department stores with style.
We noticed people up on top of the building, so we figured if they could get up there we could too. So went inside and just began taking escalator after escalator till suddenly we were on the roof with an incredible view of Paris. Evidently this summer they had a guide up there who gave free talks explaining what is what in the Paris skyline that you’re seeing, but the program had ended the day before. Too bad. Well I recognized the Eiffel Tower all by myself at least.
More wandering with beautiful buildings seemingly around every corner – various churches, monuments, etc. until we arrive at the Jacquemar-Andre Museum. Enjoyed ourselves tremendously looking at the art collection amassed by this Parisian couple in the late 1800’s – Tiepolo’s, Rembrandts, Van Dykes, Frans Hals, etc etc. All in a gorgeous mansion on Boulevard Haussman. The salon has walls equipped with hydraulic mechanisms that can lower the walls into the basement, turning three separate rooms into one large room where they held balls for 1000 people at a time! I was amazed they had the technology to do that in the 1860’s. Puts Bill Gates’ house to shame. Really made us laugh when the English version of the audio-guide kept referring to the house as a beautiful example of the “upper middle class” lifestyle in Paris. In the 1800’s. I guess the upper middle class just ain’t what it used to be!
Sep 1st, 2008, 07:42 AM
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Chapter 3: We move up in the world
We had worn ourselves out and didn’t really want to go out for dinner that second night. So we just made a stop at the Monoprix (an interesting glimpse into French life itself) around the corner from the hotel and bought some food for an elegant in-room dinner. It was great – and definitely beat the soggy pizza from the night before.
The next day we moved to new digs. Get this: an old friend of DH’s has been living in Paris for the past 20 years and offered us his apartment for the rest of the week (he was going back to the States for a vacation). Nice enough, right? But just where was the apartment? On a little side street in the 5th, in the block between the Boulevard St. Germain and the Seine – exactly a block from Notre Dame. Surprisingly, we accepted his kind offer! Another friend of ours from California, who is currently living in Aix-en-Provence, came up to stay with us. We had a joyful reunion. DD came over to join us for dinner and we all ate at a little restaurant in our (new) neighborhood, Le Petit Pontoise. We all thought the food was good, but were not absolutely bowled over. After dinner we strolled the block or so to Notre Dame and then across the bridge to a café selling Berthillon ice cream. – which we passed right by. OK, I’m lying. We all got multiple flavors and loved them. A wonderful evening.
We had worn ourselves out and didn’t really want to go out for dinner that second night. So we just made a stop at the Monoprix (an interesting glimpse into French life itself) around the corner from the hotel and bought some food for an elegant in-room dinner. It was great – and definitely beat the soggy pizza from the night before.
The next day we moved to new digs. Get this: an old friend of DH’s has been living in Paris for the past 20 years and offered us his apartment for the rest of the week (he was going back to the States for a vacation). Nice enough, right? But just where was the apartment? On a little side street in the 5th, in the block between the Boulevard St. Germain and the Seine – exactly a block from Notre Dame. Surprisingly, we accepted his kind offer! Another friend of ours from California, who is currently living in Aix-en-Provence, came up to stay with us. We had a joyful reunion. DD came over to join us for dinner and we all ate at a little restaurant in our (new) neighborhood, Le Petit Pontoise. We all thought the food was good, but were not absolutely bowled over. After dinner we strolled the block or so to Notre Dame and then across the bridge to a café selling Berthillon ice cream. – which we passed right by. OK, I’m lying. We all got multiple flavors and loved them. A wonderful evening.
Sep 1st, 2008, 08:00 AM
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I'm so jealous that you get to live in Amsterdam and your daughter gets to study in Paris!
The Jacquemart-Andre is my favorite museum...I particularly love the cafe and gift shop. Thanks for the report, we look forward to more!
The Jacquemart-Andre is my favorite museum...I particularly love the cafe and gift shop. Thanks for the report, we look forward to more!
Sep 1st, 2008, 09:19 AM
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fifi - thanks! grasshopper - we are very excited about Amsterdam and hoping to be able to do some traveling too. anneeby - yeah, the Jacquemart Andre is great I think - small enough to be accessible and not too crowded - it was just right for us.
Sep 1st, 2008, 10:02 AM
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Chapter 4: A turn for the worse
The next day DH and I and our visiting friend started walking, first wandering through the Ile Saint-Louis, poking our heads into little shops that appealed to us, then on into the Jewish quarter of the Marais. along rue de Rosiers. Stopped at the famed L’as du Falafel to join the long line of people waiting to buy a take-away falafel (it reminded me of the soup-Nazi scene from Seinfled. Although the restaurant staff was very friendly and helpful, so there the similarity ended.) It was a festive line and provided time for some great people-watching. With “best falafels in the world” (not sure I’d go that far, but they were good) we walked down to Place des Vosges for a picnic lunch. Then went into the Victor Hugo house and museum, which we enjoyed in a quiet way.
Decided to head over to Pompidou Centre, but as we passed the Carnavalet Museum which is devoted to the history of Paris, we decided to stop in there for a visit.
(Cue ominous music … dum da da dum ….)
The visit started off well enough – different sections of the museum are devoted to different centuries in Parisian history. I found the exhibits to be of varying interest , but not enough information or context for a Parisian-history-rube like myself– and found the layout of the buildings (it’s in multiple connected buildings) to be confusing. I never knew what century I was going to see next and soon became hopelessly lost as well as separated from DH and our friend. Kept seeing some beautiful courtyards (different ones) outside various windows I passed. Finally decided to just try to go back to the entrance - if I could find it – and wait for DH and friend to hopefully show up there.
By this time I was on some series of wide marble staircases that didn’t seem to have much traffic, but I just kept going down and down, looking for some sign to the entrance. I should have been looking at my feet instead because I suddenly inadvertently took about 4 stairs at once and landed on the side of one ankle. I collapsed immediately as I could not stand up. No one was around so I just pulled myself to the edge of the last stair for a few minutes trying to assess the damage. The ankle was achieving behomoth proportions pretty rapidly, as well as some interesting colors you don't usually want to see on your skin, but fortunately there was no real pain. After a minute or two another visitor came down the stairs and asked in French if I was OK. I said non and managed to convey that I couldn’t stand up. She went off in search of some museum employees and eventually I could hear some commotion coming my way.
Several museum employees eventually joined me and wanted to call the “pompiers”. I speak some French but am not at all adept at it, but it was fairly obvious they meant an ambulance. At first I resisted, but eventually realized that was going to be the only way I could get out of there as I could not even stand, much less walk down stairs. But where was my husband? I had our only cell phone (where his was is a long story) and I also had the only keys to the apartment we were staying in. Help!!
The next day DH and I and our visiting friend started walking, first wandering through the Ile Saint-Louis, poking our heads into little shops that appealed to us, then on into the Jewish quarter of the Marais. along rue de Rosiers. Stopped at the famed L’as du Falafel to join the long line of people waiting to buy a take-away falafel (it reminded me of the soup-Nazi scene from Seinfled. Although the restaurant staff was very friendly and helpful, so there the similarity ended.) It was a festive line and provided time for some great people-watching. With “best falafels in the world” (not sure I’d go that far, but they were good) we walked down to Place des Vosges for a picnic lunch. Then went into the Victor Hugo house and museum, which we enjoyed in a quiet way.
Decided to head over to Pompidou Centre, but as we passed the Carnavalet Museum which is devoted to the history of Paris, we decided to stop in there for a visit.
(Cue ominous music … dum da da dum ….)
The visit started off well enough – different sections of the museum are devoted to different centuries in Parisian history. I found the exhibits to be of varying interest , but not enough information or context for a Parisian-history-rube like myself– and found the layout of the buildings (it’s in multiple connected buildings) to be confusing. I never knew what century I was going to see next and soon became hopelessly lost as well as separated from DH and our friend. Kept seeing some beautiful courtyards (different ones) outside various windows I passed. Finally decided to just try to go back to the entrance - if I could find it – and wait for DH and friend to hopefully show up there.
By this time I was on some series of wide marble staircases that didn’t seem to have much traffic, but I just kept going down and down, looking for some sign to the entrance. I should have been looking at my feet instead because I suddenly inadvertently took about 4 stairs at once and landed on the side of one ankle. I collapsed immediately as I could not stand up. No one was around so I just pulled myself to the edge of the last stair for a few minutes trying to assess the damage. The ankle was achieving behomoth proportions pretty rapidly, as well as some interesting colors you don't usually want to see on your skin, but fortunately there was no real pain. After a minute or two another visitor came down the stairs and asked in French if I was OK. I said non and managed to convey that I couldn’t stand up. She went off in search of some museum employees and eventually I could hear some commotion coming my way.
Several museum employees eventually joined me and wanted to call the “pompiers”. I speak some French but am not at all adept at it, but it was fairly obvious they meant an ambulance. At first I resisted, but eventually realized that was going to be the only way I could get out of there as I could not even stand, much less walk down stairs. But where was my husband? I had our only cell phone (where his was is a long story) and I also had the only keys to the apartment we were staying in. Help!!
Sep 1st, 2008, 10:15 AM
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Chapter 5: A much too literal “trip” report
The museum employees didn’t really speak English and I was sure in no shape to gather my pathetic-attempts-at French-wits about me, but eventually I was able to get across that I needed “mon mari”. They paged him but he didn’t come. But at least our friend heard the pages and she did come. She speaks better French than I do thank goodness, so we began to get some communication going. The museum employees were wonderful and so kind. Just then the ambulance crew arrived and after looking at my leg they insisted on taking me straight to a hospital.
I won’t lie. It was no fun. Especially just disappearing from the museum not knowing where my husband was and with no way to let him know what had happened or where I was going. That almost disturbed me more than my unstand-on-able leg did. I really had no idea how we were EVER going to find each other. My cell phone had been acting up and not working well, and as I said, he didn’t have one. Since I was the only one with the apartment keys, I knew he couldn’t even just go back there. It was awful.
Oh well nothing I could do. We zipped to a French hospital where they were very nice and took an x-ray of my leg right away. I knew it was bad news when the person who came in to discuss the results of my x-rays introduced himself as the “orthopedic surgeon”. He told me I needed surgery the next morning and would have to be kept in the hospital overnight. Oh no!
The museum employees didn’t really speak English and I was sure in no shape to gather my pathetic-attempts-at French-wits about me, but eventually I was able to get across that I needed “mon mari”. They paged him but he didn’t come. But at least our friend heard the pages and she did come. She speaks better French than I do thank goodness, so we began to get some communication going. The museum employees were wonderful and so kind. Just then the ambulance crew arrived and after looking at my leg they insisted on taking me straight to a hospital.
I won’t lie. It was no fun. Especially just disappearing from the museum not knowing where my husband was and with no way to let him know what had happened or where I was going. That almost disturbed me more than my unstand-on-able leg did. I really had no idea how we were EVER going to find each other. My cell phone had been acting up and not working well, and as I said, he didn’t have one. Since I was the only one with the apartment keys, I knew he couldn’t even just go back there. It was awful.
Oh well nothing I could do. We zipped to a French hospital where they were very nice and took an x-ray of my leg right away. I knew it was bad news when the person who came in to discuss the results of my x-rays introduced himself as the “orthopedic surgeon”. He told me I needed surgery the next morning and would have to be kept in the hospital overnight. Oh no!
Sep 1st, 2008, 12:11 PM
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Oh my, I was really enjoying your "trip report" and now, it is truly " trip" report. Thank goodness at least your friend found you.
I was going to reply " who goes to Paris for the Italian" food, when you claimed to have had the worst pizza ever( I actually reserve that honor I think, but at least I had it in Italy!!) , but now I feel so bad that you hurt yourself,, so I am still posting it, but feeling guilty,, LOL
Looking forward to next report very much. I wonder how the French hospital was, I can imagine without full commmand of language it would be confusing and stressful, I mean , most of us feel like that even about hospitals in our own town!!
I was going to reply " who goes to Paris for the Italian" food, when you claimed to have had the worst pizza ever( I actually reserve that honor I think, but at least I had it in Italy!!) , but now I feel so bad that you hurt yourself,, so I am still posting it, but feeling guilty,, LOL
Looking forward to next report very much. I wonder how the French hospital was, I can imagine without full commmand of language it would be confusing and stressful, I mean , most of us feel like that even about hospitals in our own town!!
Sep 1st, 2008, 12:23 PM
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Oh no! I was thoroughly enjoying reading about your experiences, but the literal trip...I really feel for you. Please keep writing as I know we are all anxious to hear how the hospital went, and especially how things ended up with DH.
Sep 1st, 2008, 12:25 PM
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Oh NorCalif. I was so pleased to see and read this thread of yours as I knew you were leaving at some point for Amsterdam.
I am cringing for you, I am so sorry about your fall and everything that took place, utter confusion and such a worry for you I know. Thank goodness your French speaking friend heard the page and came to your assistance. I guess you forgot to give her the key to the apartment?
Be glad you are not here in NorCalif. We had horrible triple digit temperture that went on for day. Over night the temperture has gone down thankfully but on and off (such as today) the wind is terrible!
I look forward to your next installment. Sending you good wishes and hope you are now all right!
I am cringing for you, I am so sorry about your fall and everything that took place, utter confusion and such a worry for you I know. Thank goodness your French speaking friend heard the page and came to your assistance. I guess you forgot to give her the key to the apartment?
Be glad you are not here in NorCalif. We had horrible triple digit temperture that went on for day. Over night the temperture has gone down thankfully but on and off (such as today) the wind is terrible!
I look forward to your next installment. Sending you good wishes and hope you are now all right!
