Sorry this is very long, but I figured not enough for two reports and I needed to get it done.
Days 9-11 were exclusively conference days so no report, except to say the conference facilities at Cite des Sciences were definitely designed by a masochistic male … those seats were so uncomfortable! AND dinner on our last night at Le Table Dancourt (on rue Dancourt, Montmartre) was one of the best meals I had – simple and delicious (€32 each including wine).
Day 12: We finished at the conference at lunchtime, and my colleague decided that an afternoon of shopping for gifts was in order. We managed to glide through several hours of browsing at Galeries Lafayette before purchasing Tour de France items and other mementos. Next door at Au Printemps I enjoyed one of my sweetest moments in Paris. While I was testing after shave for my husband, an elderly French woman asked me where to find the “Chanel Cinq”, I pointed to the women%26#39;s perfume section and she began to speak to me in rapid French. I quickly explained that I was Australian and didn’t speak French. Ah well… then she smiled warmly and spoke more slowly and used gestures to give a long story about her son who was a wine expert and had spent time in Australia and New Zealand. I caught a few words heere and there, just enough to keep a thread of understanding. She was so warm and delightful and as we parted she patted my hand, just like my gran would have. Who said the French aren’t friendly!
I met up with my colleague again and we had a simple but enjoyable meal at the Pub St Lazarre before heading home to pack.
Day 13: My colleague left for the rest of her trip and I decided rather than taking the taxi I would venture back from the 19th to the Latin Quarter by bus. All started out well, with a lovely young bus driver helping my with my suitcases and a wonderful trip on the 75 bus past Buttes Cheaumont and its surrounds into Chatelet. Once off the 75, I didn’t stop and look at exactly where I was, and so I’d walked two blocks with three bags before I realised I was going the wrong way, and then another two blocks before I had a real plan! I finally managed to find another bus up Blvd St Michel, bringing me close enough to “home” at Hotel du College de France. My new room on the fifth floor was even sweeter than the other and I was quickly settled in. Despite my 90 journey in on the bus, it was still only 9.30, so I merrily walked down to my favourite breakfast place, Les Delices du Fournil, on the corner of rue des Carnes just outside the Metro stop at Place Maubert. The owner, Maree, welcomed me back and made my café elonges just as I like it! Maree and her husband had just opened this business a couple of week beforehand and they were working so hard to make everyone welcome. She speaks excellent English (after living in Glasgow for several years) and their simple selections were always fresh and delicious. I ate there nearly every morning, and sometimes later in the day too when I was too tired to look elsewhere.
Afterwards I took the Metro to Place de Concorde which was abuzz with preparations for Bastille Day. I walked down through the Jardin des Tuileries, enjoying the sheer beauty and variety of green coolness. I then backtracked on the Metro to the Arc de Triomphe (like most of the other English speaking tourists in Paris that day apparently). That huge, impressive flag was flying for Bastille Day and I must say it was a superb sight. As I strolled down the Champs Elysees I found the Renault store and managed to buy my husband two beautiful model cars (which he loved), and some more great music for my son at the Virgin Megastore. I ate an extravagant lunch of ceasar’s salad and a coupe de champagne lunch at a sweet little place called Chez Clement on rue Marbeuf. I think I was the only tourist, but the staff were pleasant and the surroundings so enjoyable.
Feeling a post champagne fatigue, I headed home and picked up a message from fellow TA follower Ozbod. When I called her mobile, she and her husband we were on the Open Tour bus cruising along Blvd St Germain just a few blocks from my hotel. We decided it was fate and they jumped off and met me for a cool drink and ice-cream (thanks for the treat Julie!). It was nice to meet in person and have a giggle at our addiction to the TA Forum!
The rest of the day passed in walks by the river, a pleasant meal at Le Montebello, and the mundane task of washing!
Day 14 (Bastille Day!): Last night when I looked in my info file I realised that the Orsay was open this morning. On the way I slipped into Notre Dame where I lit a candle for my recently departed Mum and wept a little for her passing. I’m not a religious person, but I knew she would have been pleased of a prayer here in this special place. As I left, the Bastille Day fly over planes zoomed by providing a great show.
At the Orsay, I was delighted to find myself behind just one person for both the security and ticket purchase. Wow …. What a wonderful place this was. I was on a tight time schedule as I had plans to meet friends for a picnic early in the afternoon. So with just a couple of hours I took the express escalators to the fifth floor and soaked in the reality that I was standing nose to nose to Van Gogh, Renoir, Monet and so many more. I enjoyed a beautiful chocolat frappe seated behind the huge clock face and loved the view of Montmartre from the balcony. I raced back to Les Delices du Fournil to collect my picnic goodies which Maree had kindly kept in her cool storage for me and made a quick sprint up to the Luxembourg Gardens to meet my friends... who were 45 minutes late! Again no hardship to sit in the shade quietly reading a book. We had the perfect picnic on the grass near the Fontaine des Medicis (with lips and nose and all). When we approached the grass, there were already many people sitting there and so we did likewise and enjoyed the wonderful summer foods of Paris and a beautiful bottle of wine. Just as we were finishing up, a policewoman arrived blowing her whistle and evidently telling everyone to move off the grass. We didn’t mind as we were pretty much finished, and perhaps enjoyed it just a little more because it was “illegal”!
That night I went to the gospel concert at St Julien de Pauvre. My second concert there and what a brilliant concert this was. Just seven people filled that church to brimming with beautiful rich harmonies. I bought their CD and smiled all the way home. It was so fabulous that it wasn’t until I was in bed that I realised that I hadn’t eaten any dinner!
Day 15: My last whole day in Paris and sadly I was feeling quite ill with a cold that I’d been trying to ignore. I talked with my husband on the telephone and he mentioned Citroen model cars … without telling him I’d already bought Renaults, I decided that I would return to the Champs Elysees to buy him models from the Citroen store. Everything took a big effort and I didn’t get my Metro/bus combo right (the correspondences within those big metro station seem to go on and on!) and so it took ages to get there I found that the store was closed for a major renovation and due to open in July, but not yet. Grrr…. I consoled myself with a visit to Marionnaud to stock up on Caudelie products to take home. I also ducked back to Lafayette to buy an extra suitcase because I’d calculated that the model cars I%26#39;d already bought wouldn%26#39;t fit in the suitcase space I’ve got. The selection of luggage in Paris is amazing, orwell priced.
By the time I got back to the hotel, I felt really poorly and before I knew it I’d slept away two precious hours. It was nearly 3pm and my chance to visit Versailles was fast slipping away. I raced down to the RER and as I paid for my ticket/pass, I heard the 3.10 arriving but I wasn’t sure which platform. I raced up the one where I could hear the train and jumped on. It’s only when we pulled out of the next station that I realised I was going the wrong way and I was heading out into the south eastern suburbs! I leapt off at the next stop and by the time I got back to my originating station I’d wasted another half an hour. I should have stopped right then, but I continued on and reached Versailles along with many other tourists. It was jam-packed, really hot, dusty and awful. I hated it. Not Versailles, which I’m sure, if I could have actually stood still and looked, would have been magnificent, but there were so many people and so much noise and I was so unwell that it was a disaster for me. As I stood in the “garden” (aka hot dustbowl), an announcement came over the PA asking people to leave the garden (police and fire trucks arrived). I realised I was relieved to have the excuse to go. I was angry with myself that this would be the last major experience I would have in my trip.
On my return I treated myself with a quick side trip to Shakespeare and Co to buy a book for my long journey home. What a delight this old store is. A quick quiche at my favourite eating place and I fell into bed exhausted.
Day 16: With but one morning left, I decided to take it easy and revisit nearby places. I still had to buy my father a small gift. I walked across to Isle St Louis and enjoyed a coffee at Restaurant de L’Isle. Then I found lots of little stores open and I bought some beautiful fossilised rocks for my son and delicious mustards and jams for my Dad. I decided that despite the early hour it was warm enough and my last chance to sit in Berthillion where there were just two other people. I luxuriated in the nougat et mieulle (nougat and honey) and chocolat noir ice creams. Their beautiful bathroom made me chuckle and I took a photo!
I sat in the park at the end of the island and then took the bus back across to St Sulpice which I had passed several times but not visited. The organ was playing one long last note as I entered and I realised I had missed something spectacular. I gently cruised through this last awe inspiring church before finding a quiet place to eat right next door to the Village Voice, where I bought another book because I already realised that the one I bought last night wasn’t going to last long enough (23 hours of flying!).
I gently cruised back along Blvd St Germain and sat quietly in the coolness of the foyer until my taxi arrived. It was €54 well spent to arrive on time at the airport.
It was an amazing time and I felt like I’d been in Paris for a month. Feeling a little weary and snuffly with my cold I was ready to go home to my family, and a little cool Winter air.
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I enjoyed reading your reports. Thanks for posting them!
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Thank you for sharing with us. Your trip was obviously a worthwhile, memorable experience.
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Thanks for taking the time to read my trip reports. I had a wonderful time and, TA played a signficiant role in that.
Cheers everyone
:o)
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Hi ETG, that was a fantastic finale to your series of trip reports and I was so completely enthralled that I felt as if I shared your disappointment when you arrived at Versailles but, as you suggest, that was just a small blip in an otherwise wonderful trip. Thank you for sharing your experiences. When is the next trip?
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There is a positive aspect to missing a major sight : it gives you a reason to go to Paris again. Of course you must have felt very frustrated and miserable that day, but now that you%26#39;re home, I%26#39;m sure all the wonderful experiences you had outweigh the bad ones. Right?
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Oh Shoesy you%26#39;re absolutely right! That last little experience certinaly could not have over-shadowed the rest of this beautiful trip.
I am fortunate to have several good friends who were as excited about my trip as I was, and since I%26#39;ve been home I%26#39;ve visited with each of them and shown them all my photos, reliving all the experiences. Each time I retell the story of my trip to Versailles, I add that it just means that I have to go back there NEXT TI ME.
I suspect that next time will be a fair while away. In a bizarre twist we have another major trip planned this year to the USA to fulfil some long standing promises to good friends and family there. So the severely depleted savings account will take a few years to replenish I suspect!
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