Day 5, Saturday, 19 September – We woke up and packed in anticipation of our trip on the Eurostar train to Paris. Met a delightful couple from Leicester, Steve and Abbey. Both in their mid 40’s, they met at a vegetarian club and have been together for 5 years. She was of Indian descent and her first marriage was an arranged marriage, her husband was very controlling and she finally divorced him after 20 some years. She has a daughter and a son. Steve is a grandfather. Unfortunately for them, someone stole their luggage from the train car either during the trip or when the train arrived in Paris. Because of this we didn’t exchange numbers or email addresses but we do know where she works so hopefully will get on to them later. Steve confided to Howard that he was going to propose to Abbey the next day, luckily the ring wasn’t in the luggage. They weren’t the only ones to have had their luggage stolen, an Australian couple also had one of their bags taken as well. Of course, this now makes Howard paranoid about our luggage wherever we go!
We stowed our luggage at the station (the luggage storage area was very smelly) and started to make our way to Montmarte. Unfortunately I got our bearings incorrect (this is to be a recurring theme for me and I realize at long last that I cannot read a map)!
We stopped for a few drinks at a bar near the station, glorious weather and then headed down the street to stop for some lunch. Paid €9 for a beer! Good God – got a picture of the menu to prove it!!
After lunch we walked in the correct direction and visited Sacre Couer. Is there any Catholic property that is not worth its weight in gold?? $$ are pouring in here as well although they don’t charge for admission but there is a gift shop and souvenir stalls. Believe Sacre Couer to be on the highest part of Paris. Montmarte is just a glorious section of Paris, high up on the hill and glorious views over the city. Although tripadvisor warns of your security there, we felt very safe and didn’t see any scammers at all.
View of Paris from Sacre Couer
Get a load of the face!! Sign in Montmarte, I took alot of BW photos for our study
Courtyard in Montmarte
We left the town and stopped at a local for a glass of wine, felt very glamorous sitting outside in a French bistro and of course those sexy French accents! Took the metro back to the station to get our luggage. The metro is so easy to use, it makes Melbourne’s trains stupid in comparison. Trains come every three or four minutes and they connect to different train lines.
Anyway, checked in to our hotel in the 7th district, Hotel de Turenne, around 7:30. Cute room and bathroom is bigger than London bathroom but no shower screen so water, water everywhere after a shower. Had a juliette balcony overlooking the street and plane trees.
Had previously booked dinner at the oldest restaurant in Paris, Ala Petite Chaise, for 9 pm but called to say that we would be a bit late. It was only a 15 min walk away from us, passed the Invalides and the Army Museum which was lit up and absolutely beautiful. Got there about 9:15 and still had to wait 30 mins for our table. Arrogant maitre de but the food was fantastic! I had the escargot followed by rabbit in a white sauce with fettucine. Howard had the French onion soup followed by two types of fish with steamed julienne vegetables. Every dish fantastic, bottle and two glasses of sauvignon blanc totaled €81. Walk back to hotel on a fabulous, glorious first night in Paris!
Musee de Armee
Day 6, Sunday, 20 September – Well, it had to happen sooner or later and it did – Howard’s obsession with laundry got the better of him and he had to do a load at the launderette near the hotel. So, our 9 am start was delayed and even more so by the fact that he couldn’t operate the soap dispenser. After getting me to help him figure out how to use it we are finally advised by a Yank that the central pay machine operates both the machines and the soap dispenser.
I go explore the area while he does the laundry and am impressed by it, so cute and the metro is just around the corner from the hotel. Rue Cler is also around the corner but our time in Paris is pretty jam packed so doubt that we will have time for a picnic. Had a panini and a latte for breakfast and we were off around 11.
We picked up the Paris 2 day Museum Pass and our first stop was the Decorative Arts Museum located in the Louvre. Very beautiful pieces of furniture, glassware, sculptures and paintings dating back to Medieval times. This was located at the area known as the Concorde which is at the end of the Champs Elysees, a wide boulevard with an obelisk at the end as well as gardens, mazes, lakes, fountains and the Louvre itself. Very stylish and historical and at this stage we haven’t seen any modern buildings. It is all so very BEAUTIFUL! Paris itself has around 2 million people with a further 9 million living in the suburbs.
Fountain in the Concorde
Obelisk in the Concorde
After the Decoritive Arts we walked back to the 7th and visited Musee Rodin, beautiful gardens with a large number of his sculptures laid in and around the grounds. Many of the streets in the area have high walls abutting the footpaths and high gates as well. We saw some gates being opened and behind was a huge house and court yard. This was the same with Rodin’s house so the district we were in was very, very nice and expensive one imagines.
Musee Rodin gardens
The Thinker
From there we went for lunch at a local café where we had a few language problems at the café but the table next to us helped out. Then it was off to the Musee d’Orsay, a fabulous art gallery located in a converted railway station. Loved the Cezannes, Pissaros, Van Goghs. Able to take pictures of the paintings as well.
That night we had dinner at Jim Haynes house with about 50 other people. Three course meal with cardboard wine for €25 each. Met a lot of Americans and some ex pat Aussies. He has been hosting dinner parties every Sunday night for the last 30 years. You have to book these days, I did it via the internet at www.jim-haynes.com It was great to talk to fellow travelers about their journeys. The Americans couldn’t believe that I was American and thought I was either Irish or Scottish (!) To the Australians there I was definitely American. We go to Marais district afterwards and have a few more drinks at one of the gay bars. Oddly enough the super efficient metro closes at 1:00 am – just missed the train so took a taxi home.
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