Trip Report: December in Paris, with a day trip to Strasbourg
Dec 31st, 2008, 06:16 AM
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Trip Report: December in Paris, with a day trip to Strasbourg
<b>December in Paris</b>
My wife, 20-year-old daughter, and I recently spent a week in Paris, from December 16-22. The trip was a Christmas present for our daughter, who is living in a French dorm at college, speaks excellent French, but spent the past summer on an internship counting birds and living in a trailer in southwestern Indiana. Not that there’s anything wrong with southwestern Indiana -- it’s just that our daughter had really earned a nice vacation.
This was my wife and my fourth trip to Paris (the previous three were in summer 2004, fall 2006, and fall 2007). Our daughter was with us in 2004, and she spent 14 days in Paris during summer 2005 on a program sponsored by Duke University. Her French is very good; my wife and my French is not.
For this trip, in addition to the invaluable feedback I always pick up in this forum, I consulted the brand new “Fodor’s Paris 2009” guide and read “Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City’s 102 Best Restaurants,” by Alexander Lobrano (See “Fodor’s Travel News: Alexander Lobrano’s Favorite Paris Restaurants,” http://www.fodors.com/news/story_2956.html). Lobrano’s reviews introduced a few new eateries I wasn’t familiar with, and included some old staples we’d previously visited.
For accommodation, we booked an apartment through Vacation in Paris, a New Jersey agency discussed in other posts on this forum. We’d booked an apartment in the Latin Quarter through them for our fall 2007 trip, and were pleased both with the apartment and the agency’s service. For this trip, we booked the “Square du Temple Loft,” a one-bedroom apartment on rue du Temple in the Marais near République (http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_57.htm).
With five separate metro lines serving République, as well as several bus lines, we had no problem getting around Paris. I especially liked the proximity to both Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, which were important transportation hubs for our trip. Total cost of the apartment for six nights, including damage waiver, was $1,119, or $186.50 per night.
After considerable searches on airfares over several weeks in late summer and early fall, I finally settled on a British Airways flight from Washington-Dulles International to London Heathrow, and travel by Eurostar to Paris. I would have preferred a direct flight via Air France or United to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle, but the lowest fare I saw, which required a connection, was about $850. British Airways had a flight to London for $629, and I was able to purchase advance round-trip Eurostar tickets for about $105 each. The fact that I love train travel, and that my nephew and his family had just moved to Windsor, England in October 2008, sealed the deal. We’d spend our last night in Windsor, and my nephew could drive us to London Heathrow, just 25 minutes from his front door. Perfect!
For those who like to count their pennies, here’s our transportation costs, with the approximate exchange rate plus fees, per person:
British Airways round-trip airfare -- $628.92
London Underground from LHR Terminal 5 to Kings Cross St. Pancras -- $6.20 (£4)
Eurostar round-trip London-Paris -- $105.04 (£55.67)
London Underground from Kings Cross St. Pancras to Paddington -- $6.20 (£4)
Train from London Paddington (PAD) to Windsor & Eton Central (WNC) -- $7.75 (£5)
TOTAL per person: $754.11.
A link to the pictures from our trip will follow at the end of this trip report (e.g. I’m still working on them).
Next, we arrive in London and Paris.
My wife, 20-year-old daughter, and I recently spent a week in Paris, from December 16-22. The trip was a Christmas present for our daughter, who is living in a French dorm at college, speaks excellent French, but spent the past summer on an internship counting birds and living in a trailer in southwestern Indiana. Not that there’s anything wrong with southwestern Indiana -- it’s just that our daughter had really earned a nice vacation.
This was my wife and my fourth trip to Paris (the previous three were in summer 2004, fall 2006, and fall 2007). Our daughter was with us in 2004, and she spent 14 days in Paris during summer 2005 on a program sponsored by Duke University. Her French is very good; my wife and my French is not.
For this trip, in addition to the invaluable feedback I always pick up in this forum, I consulted the brand new “Fodor’s Paris 2009” guide and read “Hungry for Paris: The Ultimate Guide to the City’s 102 Best Restaurants,” by Alexander Lobrano (See “Fodor’s Travel News: Alexander Lobrano’s Favorite Paris Restaurants,” http://www.fodors.com/news/story_2956.html). Lobrano’s reviews introduced a few new eateries I wasn’t familiar with, and included some old staples we’d previously visited.
For accommodation, we booked an apartment through Vacation in Paris, a New Jersey agency discussed in other posts on this forum. We’d booked an apartment in the Latin Quarter through them for our fall 2007 trip, and were pleased both with the apartment and the agency’s service. For this trip, we booked the “Square du Temple Loft,” a one-bedroom apartment on rue du Temple in the Marais near République (http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_57.htm).
With five separate metro lines serving République, as well as several bus lines, we had no problem getting around Paris. I especially liked the proximity to both Gare du Nord and Gare de l’Est, which were important transportation hubs for our trip. Total cost of the apartment for six nights, including damage waiver, was $1,119, or $186.50 per night.
After considerable searches on airfares over several weeks in late summer and early fall, I finally settled on a British Airways flight from Washington-Dulles International to London Heathrow, and travel by Eurostar to Paris. I would have preferred a direct flight via Air France or United to Aéroport Charles de Gaulle, but the lowest fare I saw, which required a connection, was about $850. British Airways had a flight to London for $629, and I was able to purchase advance round-trip Eurostar tickets for about $105 each. The fact that I love train travel, and that my nephew and his family had just moved to Windsor, England in October 2008, sealed the deal. We’d spend our last night in Windsor, and my nephew could drive us to London Heathrow, just 25 minutes from his front door. Perfect!
For those who like to count their pennies, here’s our transportation costs, with the approximate exchange rate plus fees, per person:
British Airways round-trip airfare -- $628.92
London Underground from LHR Terminal 5 to Kings Cross St. Pancras -- $6.20 (£4)
Eurostar round-trip London-Paris -- $105.04 (£55.67)
London Underground from Kings Cross St. Pancras to Paddington -- $6.20 (£4)
Train from London Paddington (PAD) to Windsor & Eton Central (WNC) -- $7.75 (£5)
TOTAL per person: $754.11.
A link to the pictures from our trip will follow at the end of this trip report (e.g. I’m still working on them).
Next, we arrive in London and Paris.
Dec 31st, 2008, 06:26 AM
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<b>Day 1: Tuesday, December 16</b>
We arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 5 on British Airway 216 on time at 6:50 a.m. Clearing British Customs was much quicker and more pleasant that previous trips we had made through Terminal 3. We bought three tickets for the Underground for £12 and hopped onto the Picadilly line for a 50-minute trip across London to Kings Cross St. Pancras. The arrivals lobby in Terminal 5 has several automated ticket machines (none of which worked with either my Citibank Visa or American Express cards), and a large ticket desk that thankfully had a very short line.
Taking the Underground during London’s morning rush hour, particularly with luggage in tow, requires perseverance, as the train gets really, REALLY crowded. We considered the Heathrow Express, but the cost for three Express Class Single tickets is £49.50 (£16.50 each), and gets you only as far as Paddington Station. Then you still have to catch the Circle or Hammersmith & City Line to reach Kings Cross St. Pancras, and still shell out £4 each for single tickets (apparently, unless you have an “Oyster” card, a single ticket fare from London Heathrow into town is the same as a single fare inside Zone 1). So we put up with the crowd, which started thinning out as we passed through central London. By the time we cleared Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square in central London, the Underground was nearly empty.
Our bags accompanied us on the Underground without much fuss. There’s both an escalator and elevator to the Underground platform in Terminal 5. At Kings Cross St. Pancras, however, the exit we took from the station didn’t have an escalator, so we had to haul our bags up a couple of flights of stairs. I imagine if we had looked we could have found either an elevator or escalator, as both Kings Cross Station and St. Pancras International are major long-distance rail hubs.
We made a brief photo stop on behalf of our daughter, who’s a big Harry Potter fan, at “Platform 9-3/4” at Kings Cross Station, then walked over to the Eurostar ticket desk in St. Pancras International and retrieved our tickets. I had purchased the tickets in advance through the Eurostar website (http://www.eurostar.com/) and chose the option to collect my tickets at St. Pancras International.
The only hiccup was a last minute schedule change prompted by ongoing repair work in the Chunnel due to a severe fire this past Fall. I was notified by e-mail about a week before arrival that Eurostar 9020, which was originally scheduled to depart London at 11:01 a.m., had been rescheduled to depart at 10:23 a.m. This narrowed the connection time from our Heathrow arrival and train departure by 38 minutes (from 4h11 to 3h33). However, with the on-time arrival of our flight and quick trip through Customs, we made the cross-town connection with plenty of time to spare, even via the relatively slow Underground (the more expensive Heathrow Express takes just 21 minutes to travel from Terminal 5 to Paddington Station).
Eurostar 9020 departed on time and arrived at Paris Nord around 2:10 p.m. local time – about 15 minutes late. We took advantage of the 3-hour 45-minute trip to get in some extra sleep, which we welcomed. We took a short métro ride to République, and were at our apartment by about 2:45 p.m. Weather in Paris was cold and cloudy, about 38 degrees Fahrenheit. With only one exception, this was our weather for the entire week.
The Square du Temple Loft apartment is on the 5th European floor, and a small two-person elevator is available. Typically one of us took turns walking up or down the stairs while the other two hopped onto the elevator. The apartment has plenty of room with a large open living/dining/kitchen area that includes a pull-out futon-style bed, a separate bedroom with comfortable queen-sized bed, and a relatively large bathroom that includes a washing machine. The pictures and description on the Vacation in Paris website accurately describe the place (http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_57.htm). The apartment faces an interior courtyard, so there was no street noise. We did on a couple of occasions hear loud music coming from a neighboring apartment, but this was the exception and not the rule.
Dinner on our first night was at Leon’s in St-Germain des-Prés. The restaurant specializes in mussels served in an iron pot, and the place was nearly empty at 6:30 p.m. We had mussels marinière, mussels provencale, and salmon filet, plus a bottle of Alsatian Riesling. Total dinner bill was about 65€. A perfect, relatively inexpensive dinner on a cold, damp winter evening.
<b>Leon’s</b>
6th Arrondissement
131 Blvd. St. Germain (near the Church of St. Germain-des-Prés)
Métro: St-Germain des-Prés
Next, Christmas shopping at Galeries Lafayette and Lavinia.
We arrived at London Heathrow Terminal 5 on British Airway 216 on time at 6:50 a.m. Clearing British Customs was much quicker and more pleasant that previous trips we had made through Terminal 3. We bought three tickets for the Underground for £12 and hopped onto the Picadilly line for a 50-minute trip across London to Kings Cross St. Pancras. The arrivals lobby in Terminal 5 has several automated ticket machines (none of which worked with either my Citibank Visa or American Express cards), and a large ticket desk that thankfully had a very short line.
Taking the Underground during London’s morning rush hour, particularly with luggage in tow, requires perseverance, as the train gets really, REALLY crowded. We considered the Heathrow Express, but the cost for three Express Class Single tickets is £49.50 (£16.50 each), and gets you only as far as Paddington Station. Then you still have to catch the Circle or Hammersmith & City Line to reach Kings Cross St. Pancras, and still shell out £4 each for single tickets (apparently, unless you have an “Oyster” card, a single ticket fare from London Heathrow into town is the same as a single fare inside Zone 1). So we put up with the crowd, which started thinning out as we passed through central London. By the time we cleared Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square in central London, the Underground was nearly empty.
Our bags accompanied us on the Underground without much fuss. There’s both an escalator and elevator to the Underground platform in Terminal 5. At Kings Cross St. Pancras, however, the exit we took from the station didn’t have an escalator, so we had to haul our bags up a couple of flights of stairs. I imagine if we had looked we could have found either an elevator or escalator, as both Kings Cross Station and St. Pancras International are major long-distance rail hubs.
We made a brief photo stop on behalf of our daughter, who’s a big Harry Potter fan, at “Platform 9-3/4” at Kings Cross Station, then walked over to the Eurostar ticket desk in St. Pancras International and retrieved our tickets. I had purchased the tickets in advance through the Eurostar website (http://www.eurostar.com/) and chose the option to collect my tickets at St. Pancras International.
The only hiccup was a last minute schedule change prompted by ongoing repair work in the Chunnel due to a severe fire this past Fall. I was notified by e-mail about a week before arrival that Eurostar 9020, which was originally scheduled to depart London at 11:01 a.m., had been rescheduled to depart at 10:23 a.m. This narrowed the connection time from our Heathrow arrival and train departure by 38 minutes (from 4h11 to 3h33). However, with the on-time arrival of our flight and quick trip through Customs, we made the cross-town connection with plenty of time to spare, even via the relatively slow Underground (the more expensive Heathrow Express takes just 21 minutes to travel from Terminal 5 to Paddington Station).
Eurostar 9020 departed on time and arrived at Paris Nord around 2:10 p.m. local time – about 15 minutes late. We took advantage of the 3-hour 45-minute trip to get in some extra sleep, which we welcomed. We took a short métro ride to République, and were at our apartment by about 2:45 p.m. Weather in Paris was cold and cloudy, about 38 degrees Fahrenheit. With only one exception, this was our weather for the entire week.
The Square du Temple Loft apartment is on the 5th European floor, and a small two-person elevator is available. Typically one of us took turns walking up or down the stairs while the other two hopped onto the elevator. The apartment has plenty of room with a large open living/dining/kitchen area that includes a pull-out futon-style bed, a separate bedroom with comfortable queen-sized bed, and a relatively large bathroom that includes a washing machine. The pictures and description on the Vacation in Paris website accurately describe the place (http://www.vacationinparis.com/apts/id_57.htm). The apartment faces an interior courtyard, so there was no street noise. We did on a couple of occasions hear loud music coming from a neighboring apartment, but this was the exception and not the rule.
Dinner on our first night was at Leon’s in St-Germain des-Prés. The restaurant specializes in mussels served in an iron pot, and the place was nearly empty at 6:30 p.m. We had mussels marinière, mussels provencale, and salmon filet, plus a bottle of Alsatian Riesling. Total dinner bill was about 65€. A perfect, relatively inexpensive dinner on a cold, damp winter evening.
<b>Leon’s</b>
6th Arrondissement
131 Blvd. St. Germain (near the Church of St. Germain-des-Prés)
Métro: St-Germain des-Prés
Next, Christmas shopping at Galeries Lafayette and Lavinia.
Dec 31st, 2008, 06:35 AM
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<b>Day 2: Wednesday, December 17</b>
Note that the travel time via Eurostar from London to Paris was <b>2 hours 45 minutes</b> (not 3 hours 45 minutes) -- I forgot to factor in the one hour time difference between London and Paris.
We spent Wednesday morning at the Musée d’Orsay, focusing on the Impressionists (http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html). Lunch was at one of our old favorites, Taverne Henri VI on the Pont Neuf. We had two open face egg plant sandwiches, a cheese plate, and three glasses of white wine. The place was packed and the food inexpensive and delicious. The owner is extremely friendly and gregarious, and speaks French and English with equal ease, though we heard no English from the other tables on this day. Cost for lunch was about 40€.
<b>Taverne Henri VI</b>
13, Place du Pont Neuf
(at entrance to Place Dauphine on the Île de la Cité
Métro: Pont Neuf
Our afternoon was spent Christmas shopping and decoration-gawking at Galeries Lafayette. The store featured a fabulous brightly-decorated Christmas tree under the dome in the main hall.
<b>Galeries Lafayette</b>
40, Boulevard Haussmann
Métro: Chaussée d’Antin La Fayette
Our final shopping stop before dinner was at Lavinia, one of Paris’ biggest wine shops, on boulevard de la Madeleine. We ended up buying two Côtes du Rhône reds and two Gigondas reds.
<b>Lavinia</b>
3-5 boulevard de la Madeleine
Métro: Madeleine
Finally, dinner was at Le Soufflé, a well-known Paris destination near Place de la Concorde. We had reserved a table for 7:30 p.m. by phone around Noon-time. Here we had three dinner soufflés (chicken and mushroom, artichoke, and fromage), three dessert soufflés (chocolate, framboise, and Grand Marinier), and an inexpensive bottle of Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire Valley. The place was quite busy, the service was prompt and friendly, and the souffles were delicious. Cost for dinner was exactly 100.40€.
<b>Le Soufflé</b>
1st Arrondissement
36, rue du Mont-Thabor
Métro: Concorde
Tel: 01 42 60 27 19
Next, we take a day trip to the Christmas Market in Strasbourg.
Note that the travel time via Eurostar from London to Paris was <b>2 hours 45 minutes</b> (not 3 hours 45 minutes) -- I forgot to factor in the one hour time difference between London and Paris.
We spent Wednesday morning at the Musée d’Orsay, focusing on the Impressionists (http://www.musee-orsay.fr/en/home.html). Lunch was at one of our old favorites, Taverne Henri VI on the Pont Neuf. We had two open face egg plant sandwiches, a cheese plate, and three glasses of white wine. The place was packed and the food inexpensive and delicious. The owner is extremely friendly and gregarious, and speaks French and English with equal ease, though we heard no English from the other tables on this day. Cost for lunch was about 40€.
<b>Taverne Henri VI</b>
13, Place du Pont Neuf
(at entrance to Place Dauphine on the Île de la Cité
Métro: Pont Neuf
Our afternoon was spent Christmas shopping and decoration-gawking at Galeries Lafayette. The store featured a fabulous brightly-decorated Christmas tree under the dome in the main hall.
<b>Galeries Lafayette</b>
40, Boulevard Haussmann
Métro: Chaussée d’Antin La Fayette
Our final shopping stop before dinner was at Lavinia, one of Paris’ biggest wine shops, on boulevard de la Madeleine. We ended up buying two Côtes du Rhône reds and two Gigondas reds.
<b>Lavinia</b>
3-5 boulevard de la Madeleine
Métro: Madeleine
Finally, dinner was at Le Soufflé, a well-known Paris destination near Place de la Concorde. We had reserved a table for 7:30 p.m. by phone around Noon-time. Here we had three dinner soufflés (chicken and mushroom, artichoke, and fromage), three dessert soufflés (chocolate, framboise, and Grand Marinier), and an inexpensive bottle of Pouilly-Fumé from the Loire Valley. The place was quite busy, the service was prompt and friendly, and the souffles were delicious. Cost for dinner was exactly 100.40€.
<b>Le Soufflé</b>
1st Arrondissement
36, rue du Mont-Thabor
Métro: Concorde
Tel: 01 42 60 27 19
Next, we take a day trip to the Christmas Market in Strasbourg.
Dec 31st, 2008, 09:00 AM
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Great read...one very slight correction. Using the Oyster card to get to Heathrow from Central London is definitely NOT the same fare as within zones 1 and 2 -- peak times, zones 1 and 2 are 1.5 pounds per trip and Heathrow is 3.5 pounds; the difference is less pronounced during off-peak times (also, I believe they've changed both the fares and the peak/off-peak schedule for 2009 -- peak used to be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in 2009, if I'm reading correctly, it'll be more traditional morning and afternoon rush hours).
Dec 31st, 2008, 09:11 AM
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<b>Day 3: Thursday, December 18 - Strasbourg Christmas Market</b>
We caught an early métro to Gare de l’Est to catch the 8:24 a.m. iDTGV 07961 to Strasbourg. I had read an article a few years ago in the Washington Post about the Strasbourg Christmas Market (“In France’s Strasbourg, All Is Merry and Bright”, by Robert Camito, Washington Post Travel, November 28, 2004), and had added it to one of my “must-see” things to do in France.
I purchased discount second class iDTGV tickets on September 23 through the Voyages-sncf.com website (http://www.voyages-sncf.com/). While I don’t speak French very well, I’m competent at reading French and had no trouble navigating the website and purchasing and printing iDTGV tickets from my home computer. Total cost for three round-trip tickets was 114€ ($167.32).
The train left Gare de l’Est exactly on time, and the trip couldn’t have been more pleasant and relaxing. No question -- the French know how to do trains right! Travel time from Paris to Strasbourg was 2h19, and we arrived on time at 10:43 a.m.
We took a tram from Strasbourg Gare Centrale to Homme de Fer (Place Kleber), then walked to Strasbourg Cathedral where the main Christmas Market is held. The tram station is directly below Gare Centrale, but you have to walk outside the main building (which is enclosed by a large glass structure), then down an escalator. Here we bought a “Trio” ticket for 5.20€ from a ticket machine that accepted Euro coins and paper currency. The “Trio” allows 2 to 3 people unlimited trips on the Strasbourg buses and tram for 24 hours. We then descended two additional escalators to the lower level where the tram platform sits. You can take either Tram A (Red line - direction Illkirch Lixenbuhl) or Tram D (Green line - direction Aristide Briand) to go into the central part of the city.
<b>Strasbourg CTS</b>
Learn more about the Strasbourg tram system here: http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/Accueil...R/Default.aspx. Retrieve a central city tram map here: http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/Portals...carte-2008.pdf
Strasbourg is a beautiful old city, dominated by Strasbourg Cathedral, one of Europe’s most beautiful examples of gothic architecture. The plaza in front of the cathedral is the hub of the Christmas Market, and narrow streets with numerous shops and restaurants emanate out from the area. There were numerous booths that sold a broad range of Christmas-related “stuff” -- I’d call it an “upscale” flea market (one online post I read used the word “kitsch”). We did find a small number of artisan merchants who sold nice hand-made products. We picked out a hand-blown glass ornament, an attractive Santa Claus ornament, and then explored some of the narrow back streets and beautiful old buildings around the cathedral. At a Nicolas wine store, we picked up two bottles of Alsatian Reisling and one bottle of Gerwerstraminer.
Lunch was at Zum Strissel, a quintessential Alsatian wine bar recommended by StCirq on this forum. To assure ourselves seats for lunch, we called a day ahead and made a reservation for 1:00 p.m. We’re glad we did, as the place was packed. We had a tarte flambée “traditional” and two orders of Coq au Riesling with spaëtzle for our mains. For dessert we shared fondant tiède au chocolat et glace vanilla and struedel tiède aux pommes sur crème anglaise. The mains were very good, but the desserts were really outstanding! For drinks we had an Alsatian Picon-Bière, Kir au vin blanc d’Alsace, and a glass of house Riesling. Cost for lunch was exactly 59.20€.
<b>Restaurant Zum Strissel</b>
5, Place Grande Boucherie
Tél. 03 88 32 14 73
http://www.strissel.fr/FR/accueil.php
After lunch, we explored La Petite France, one of Strasbourg’s prettiest areas. The neighborhood is characterized by numerous old timbered buildings that line its narrow streets and the Ill River. We then took a tram back to Gare Centrale to board iDTGV 07962 at 4:15 p.m. for the return trip to Paris. We arrived back at Paris Est on time at 6:34 p.m.
We really loved Strasbourg, and wouldn’t hesitate to visit again, particularly as a starting point for a more thorough exploration of Alsace during the spring or fall. However, one visit to the Christmas Market was enough for us.
Next, we tour Père Lachaise Cemetery and buy fine chocolate at La Maison du Chocolat.
We caught an early métro to Gare de l’Est to catch the 8:24 a.m. iDTGV 07961 to Strasbourg. I had read an article a few years ago in the Washington Post about the Strasbourg Christmas Market (“In France’s Strasbourg, All Is Merry and Bright”, by Robert Camito, Washington Post Travel, November 28, 2004), and had added it to one of my “must-see” things to do in France.
I purchased discount second class iDTGV tickets on September 23 through the Voyages-sncf.com website (http://www.voyages-sncf.com/). While I don’t speak French very well, I’m competent at reading French and had no trouble navigating the website and purchasing and printing iDTGV tickets from my home computer. Total cost for three round-trip tickets was 114€ ($167.32).
The train left Gare de l’Est exactly on time, and the trip couldn’t have been more pleasant and relaxing. No question -- the French know how to do trains right! Travel time from Paris to Strasbourg was 2h19, and we arrived on time at 10:43 a.m.
We took a tram from Strasbourg Gare Centrale to Homme de Fer (Place Kleber), then walked to Strasbourg Cathedral where the main Christmas Market is held. The tram station is directly below Gare Centrale, but you have to walk outside the main building (which is enclosed by a large glass structure), then down an escalator. Here we bought a “Trio” ticket for 5.20€ from a ticket machine that accepted Euro coins and paper currency. The “Trio” allows 2 to 3 people unlimited trips on the Strasbourg buses and tram for 24 hours. We then descended two additional escalators to the lower level where the tram platform sits. You can take either Tram A (Red line - direction Illkirch Lixenbuhl) or Tram D (Green line - direction Aristide Briand) to go into the central part of the city.
<b>Strasbourg CTS</b>
Learn more about the Strasbourg tram system here: http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/Accueil...R/Default.aspx. Retrieve a central city tram map here: http://www.cts-strasbourg.fr/Portals...carte-2008.pdf
Strasbourg is a beautiful old city, dominated by Strasbourg Cathedral, one of Europe’s most beautiful examples of gothic architecture. The plaza in front of the cathedral is the hub of the Christmas Market, and narrow streets with numerous shops and restaurants emanate out from the area. There were numerous booths that sold a broad range of Christmas-related “stuff” -- I’d call it an “upscale” flea market (one online post I read used the word “kitsch”). We did find a small number of artisan merchants who sold nice hand-made products. We picked out a hand-blown glass ornament, an attractive Santa Claus ornament, and then explored some of the narrow back streets and beautiful old buildings around the cathedral. At a Nicolas wine store, we picked up two bottles of Alsatian Reisling and one bottle of Gerwerstraminer.
Lunch was at Zum Strissel, a quintessential Alsatian wine bar recommended by StCirq on this forum. To assure ourselves seats for lunch, we called a day ahead and made a reservation for 1:00 p.m. We’re glad we did, as the place was packed. We had a tarte flambée “traditional” and two orders of Coq au Riesling with spaëtzle for our mains. For dessert we shared fondant tiède au chocolat et glace vanilla and struedel tiède aux pommes sur crème anglaise. The mains were very good, but the desserts were really outstanding! For drinks we had an Alsatian Picon-Bière, Kir au vin blanc d’Alsace, and a glass of house Riesling. Cost for lunch was exactly 59.20€.
<b>Restaurant Zum Strissel</b>
5, Place Grande Boucherie
Tél. 03 88 32 14 73
http://www.strissel.fr/FR/accueil.php
After lunch, we explored La Petite France, one of Strasbourg’s prettiest areas. The neighborhood is characterized by numerous old timbered buildings that line its narrow streets and the Ill River. We then took a tram back to Gare Centrale to board iDTGV 07962 at 4:15 p.m. for the return trip to Paris. We arrived back at Paris Est on time at 6:34 p.m.
We really loved Strasbourg, and wouldn’t hesitate to visit again, particularly as a starting point for a more thorough exploration of Alsace during the spring or fall. However, one visit to the Christmas Market was enough for us.
Next, we tour Père Lachaise Cemetery and buy fine chocolate at La Maison du Chocolat.
Jan 3rd, 2009, 07:20 AM
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At long last, back to my computer...
<b>Day 4: Friday, December 19</b>
Our first and only day of sunshine! We celebrated the fine weather by exploring Père Lachaise Cemetery. We purchased a nice fold-out cemetery map from a vendor at the gate for 2€. Among the notable gravesites we visited were: Frédéric Chopin, Jim Morrison, Jean-François Champollion, Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, and Eugene Delacroix.
We then hopped on métro line 2 to Jaurès to explore Canal Saint-Martin. We walked south along the canal toward République and had lunch in a small café along the canal: two broccoli quiches and one quiche provencale, plus a tabouli salad and a carafe of water.
We spent the afternoon in St-Germain-des-Pres food shopping at La Grande Epicerie and shopping for gifts at La Maison du Chocolat. There was quite a line outside La Maison, so we waited our turn to order several small gift boxes of fine chocolates for friends and family back home. Total bill came to 64.20€. Ouch!
<b>La Grande Epicerie</b>
38, rue de Sèvres
Métro: Sèvres-Babylone
<b>La Maison du Chocolat</b>
19, Rue Sèvres
Métro: Sèvres-Babylone
Dinner tonight was at Chez René. The restaurant is enthusiastically recommended by Alexander Lobrano, who writes: “In business since 1957, this old-fashioned bistro specializes in the cooking of Beaujolais and Lyon and is a favorite of Parisians who live in the area.” He also claims that the restaurant offers the best boeuf bourguignon in Paris. Our dinner consisted of two entrees (tomates grappes and tomates with mozzarella), two mains of boeuf bourguignon and one of saucisson lyon (poached sausage with oil-dressed potatoes), and for dessert two mousse au chocolat and one glaces et sorbets. Wine was a half bottle of Côtes du Rhône red. Everything was quite good, and the boeuf bourguignon was the best I’ve ever had, though I’m by no means an experienced food critic. Cost for dinner was exactly 116€.
<b>Chez René</b>
5th Arrondissement
14, Boulevard St Germain
Tel: 01 43 54 30 23
Métro: Maubert-Mutualité
Next, we finally visit the Eiffel Tower and have an excellent dinner at Le Pamphlet.
<b>Day 4: Friday, December 19</b>
Our first and only day of sunshine! We celebrated the fine weather by exploring Père Lachaise Cemetery. We purchased a nice fold-out cemetery map from a vendor at the gate for 2€. Among the notable gravesites we visited were: Frédéric Chopin, Jim Morrison, Jean-François Champollion, Edith Piaf, Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, and Eugene Delacroix.
We then hopped on métro line 2 to Jaurès to explore Canal Saint-Martin. We walked south along the canal toward République and had lunch in a small café along the canal: two broccoli quiches and one quiche provencale, plus a tabouli salad and a carafe of water.
We spent the afternoon in St-Germain-des-Pres food shopping at La Grande Epicerie and shopping for gifts at La Maison du Chocolat. There was quite a line outside La Maison, so we waited our turn to order several small gift boxes of fine chocolates for friends and family back home. Total bill came to 64.20€. Ouch!
<b>La Grande Epicerie</b>
38, rue de Sèvres
Métro: Sèvres-Babylone
<b>La Maison du Chocolat</b>
19, Rue Sèvres
Métro: Sèvres-Babylone
Dinner tonight was at Chez René. The restaurant is enthusiastically recommended by Alexander Lobrano, who writes: “In business since 1957, this old-fashioned bistro specializes in the cooking of Beaujolais and Lyon and is a favorite of Parisians who live in the area.” He also claims that the restaurant offers the best boeuf bourguignon in Paris. Our dinner consisted of two entrees (tomates grappes and tomates with mozzarella), two mains of boeuf bourguignon and one of saucisson lyon (poached sausage with oil-dressed potatoes), and for dessert two mousse au chocolat and one glaces et sorbets. Wine was a half bottle of Côtes du Rhône red. Everything was quite good, and the boeuf bourguignon was the best I’ve ever had, though I’m by no means an experienced food critic. Cost for dinner was exactly 116€.
<b>Chez René</b>
5th Arrondissement
14, Boulevard St Germain
Tel: 01 43 54 30 23
Métro: Maubert-Mutualité
Next, we finally visit the Eiffel Tower and have an excellent dinner at Le Pamphlet.
Jan 3rd, 2009, 07:23 AM
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<b>Day 5: Saturday, December 20</b>
This morning we explored the back streets of the Marais and visited the Musée Carnavalet near Place des Vosges. The museum is devoted to the history of Paris, and admission is free. A nice collection of artifacts, artwork, and exhibits span the ages from Roman times to the present.
<b>Musée Carnavalet</b>
23, rue de Sévigné
Lunch today was at Breizh Café, “the city’s best new crêperie” according to Alexander Lobrano. We had one egg, spinich and cheese galette; one galette normande (Normandy ham, Camembert cheese, and lettuce); and one goat cheese and lettuce galette. We also shared two delicious dessert crepes, the best of which was drizzled with caramel sauce and a dollop of caramel ice cream. Best crepes I’ve ever tasted! Reservations recommended (several people were turned away during our lunch). I can’t remember the cost, as we paid in cash, but prices were pretty reasonable.
<b>Breizh Café</b>
3rd Arrondissement
109 rue Vieille du Temple
Tel: 01 42 72 13 77
Métro: Filles du Calvaire
Later this afternoon, we finally took the métro across town to Trocadéro, where we admired the Eiffel Tower with a festive crowd in a carnival atmosphere. There were performers, skate-boarders, and people of all ages and nationalities milling about despite the cold, dreary weather. Based on a previous post in this forum, we made our way to the Cafe De L’Homme inside the Musée de l’Homme, where there’s a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower. We ordered three glasses of house white wine for 21€ and watched the Eiffel Tower light up as the night sky slowly enveloped Paris. Beautiful!
<b>Cafe De L’Homme</b>
17, place du Trocadéro
Tel: 01 44 05 30 15
Métro, RER: Trocadéro
Dinner tonight was at Le Pamphlet. This restaurant on rue Debelleyme in the Marais has received repeated recommendations in this forum, is on Alexander Lobrano’s list of the 102 best restaurants in Paris, and was even recommended in a recent Washington Post article by food critic Tom Sietsema (Washington Post Travel, October 26, 2008).
We started with a gift from the kitchen: a dip of tuna, capers and Espelette pepper that we spread on toasted bread. This was followed by an amuse-bouche of artichoke soup. The 35€ menu of the day included an entree, main course, and dessert. Our entrees were two orders of smoked salmon and one order of duck gizzard. Our main course selections were roast duck with polenta for me and Dover Sole for my wife and daughter. Dessert included one poêlée (sauté of clementines with Grand Marnier and honey-nougat ice cream, and two orders puff pastry (four small puff pastries filled with crème anglaise, hazelnut cream, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream). Everything was delicious, and the service was both friendly and attentive. The restaurant staff here really understands how to put a smile on people’s faces! Total bill for three was 117€ including one Kir and one glass of house red wine (Côtes du Rhône).
<b>Le Pamphlet</b>
3rd Arrondissement
38, rue Debelleyme
Tel: 01 42 72 39 24
Métro: Saint-Sébastien-Froissart
Next, we return to St-Germain des-Prés and buy some pastries.
This morning we explored the back streets of the Marais and visited the Musée Carnavalet near Place des Vosges. The museum is devoted to the history of Paris, and admission is free. A nice collection of artifacts, artwork, and exhibits span the ages from Roman times to the present.
<b>Musée Carnavalet</b>
23, rue de Sévigné
Lunch today was at Breizh Café, “the city’s best new crêperie” according to Alexander Lobrano. We had one egg, spinich and cheese galette; one galette normande (Normandy ham, Camembert cheese, and lettuce); and one goat cheese and lettuce galette. We also shared two delicious dessert crepes, the best of which was drizzled with caramel sauce and a dollop of caramel ice cream. Best crepes I’ve ever tasted! Reservations recommended (several people were turned away during our lunch). I can’t remember the cost, as we paid in cash, but prices were pretty reasonable.
<b>Breizh Café</b>
3rd Arrondissement
109 rue Vieille du Temple
Tel: 01 42 72 13 77
Métro: Filles du Calvaire
Later this afternoon, we finally took the métro across town to Trocadéro, where we admired the Eiffel Tower with a festive crowd in a carnival atmosphere. There were performers, skate-boarders, and people of all ages and nationalities milling about despite the cold, dreary weather. Based on a previous post in this forum, we made our way to the Cafe De L’Homme inside the Musée de l’Homme, where there’s a fabulous view of the Eiffel Tower. We ordered three glasses of house white wine for 21€ and watched the Eiffel Tower light up as the night sky slowly enveloped Paris. Beautiful!
<b>Cafe De L’Homme</b>
17, place du Trocadéro
Tel: 01 44 05 30 15
Métro, RER: Trocadéro
Dinner tonight was at Le Pamphlet. This restaurant on rue Debelleyme in the Marais has received repeated recommendations in this forum, is on Alexander Lobrano’s list of the 102 best restaurants in Paris, and was even recommended in a recent Washington Post article by food critic Tom Sietsema (Washington Post Travel, October 26, 2008).
We started with a gift from the kitchen: a dip of tuna, capers and Espelette pepper that we spread on toasted bread. This was followed by an amuse-bouche of artichoke soup. The 35€ menu of the day included an entree, main course, and dessert. Our entrees were two orders of smoked salmon and one order of duck gizzard. Our main course selections were roast duck with polenta for me and Dover Sole for my wife and daughter. Dessert included one poêlée (sauté
of clementines with Grand Marnier and honey-nougat ice cream, and two orders puff pastry (four small puff pastries filled with crème anglaise, hazelnut cream, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream). Everything was delicious, and the service was both friendly and attentive. The restaurant staff here really understands how to put a smile on people’s faces! Total bill for three was 117€ including one Kir and one glass of house red wine (Côtes du Rhône).<b>Le Pamphlet</b>
3rd Arrondissement
38, rue Debelleyme
Tel: 01 42 72 39 24
Métro: Saint-Sébastien-Froissart
Next, we return to St-Germain des-Prés and buy some pastries.
Jan 3rd, 2009, 07:36 AM
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<b>Photos from Paris and Strasbourg in December</b>
I finally went through the photos from our trip. Here's a look at the best of them: http://mysite.verizon.net/dgilbert53/travels/index.htm
I finally went through the photos from our trip. Here's a look at the best of them: http://mysite.verizon.net/dgilbert53/travels/index.htm
Jan 3rd, 2009, 09:50 AM
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I know Leon on Blvd. St. Germain. It has a green and white awning. There is a Starbuck's just to the left of it.
I would have ventured in but that awning was so off-putting. It made the restaurant look like a tomato stand. How dreadful!
Thingorjus
I would have ventured in but that awning was so off-putting. It made the restaurant look like a tomato stand. How dreadful!
Thingorjus
Jan 3rd, 2009, 11:06 AM
#18
Delightful photos. I don't know who is "reporting" that the Jim Morrison grave is the most visited in Père Lachaise, because in Paris everybody says that the most visited grave is that of Allan Kardec (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Kardec)
Jan 3rd, 2009, 12:40 PM
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Very nice trip report and lovely photos. Thank you for posting the detailed instructions for taking the tram to Strasbourg. I am thinking of taking a day trip to Strasbourg when I visit Paris in May.
