Monday, January 27, 2025

Final Day in Paris - November 24, 2024


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Unfortunately, the boulangerie was not open early on a Sunday morning.  

My last day in Paris was warmer than the first two days.  In the 60s (Farenheit).  Another early morning, I had a list of places to visit -- and I was determined to check all the boxes.   The first stop was Le Foréal for breakfast - scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice, fruit, croissant, and a cappuccino. 14€  

https://lefloreal.com/fr/services

After breakfast, the first stop was the Canal St. Martin, a few blocks from where I was stayed.   After walking by the canal and taking photos, I headed to the Republique Metro as my next stop was the Arc de Triomphe.  I did not have enough time to go to the top and look out, but I took a few photos and, of course, I asked someone if they would take my picture ... with my camera,





The stop for the Arc de Triomphe is Charles de Galles.  I love the names of several other stops, including Franklin D. Roosevelt and George V.




Back to the Metro..  The next stop is Place de la Concorde as I wanted to see it in daylight.  Parts of the plaza are under construction.


The sun is trying to come out


Sunshine!!!!!!





I used my long lens to snap the Arc de Triomphe from near the Place de la Concorde -- street is the  Champs-Élysées





 Back to the Metro to Saint Michel Notre Dame.  One week after  I was in Paris,  60 Minutes had an exclusive look inside the restored Cathedral before it reopened to the public.

    Across the street from the Metro exit was a cafe, Saint André Paris.  I decided I wanted a glass of wine so I ordered a chardonnay, sipping it as I sat at an outside table,  taking in the scenery.




I did not see Quasimodo











Really, Paris?





This is the back of a statue near the cathedral on Île de la Cité.  There was no way to see the front of the statue due to the construction








Time for coffee and a croissant at a patisserie across the street from the Cathedral. Much to my delight, the historic bookstore Shakespeare and Company was a few minutes away,  This is not the original bookstore started in the 1920s by Sylvia Beach, an American.  This store honors her memory.  













There was a line to get into the bookstore .. WORTH IT!!!!


Yes, I could have spent an entire day at Shakespeare and Company.  Did I buy a book?  Yes.   I purchased a copy of The Paris Bookseller by Kerri Maher, a historical fictional account of Sylvia Beach's life.







The cashier asked if  I wanted the book stamped with the store's imprint.  I said .. of course.   I also paid 50 cents for the brown bag.  Another yes.

I enjoyed The Paris Bookseller.  A good read.  Highly recommended.

https://www.shakespeareandcompany.com/

Square René Vivian

The Square is across the street from Shakespeare and Company



Back to the Saint Michel Metro to Saint Sulpice and the Luxembourg Gardens ... it was a hike but I got to the Gardens before it got too dark.








The Luxembourg Palace was the residence of  Marie de' Medici, mother of King Louis XIII, and is now where the French Senate meets.





A bit of color







Anne of Austria

The park includes statues of 20 French queens.  There is also a replica of the Statue of Liberty, which I did not see.,  

Kids can go for pony rides 


I exited the park and walked to the Rennes Metro stop (line 12).   Two stops and I got off at Rue du Bac.  I noticed more shops with Christmas decorations.   I had a 5:30 p.m. dinner reservation at Les Antiquaires, a bistro near the Musée d'Orsay.  It was recommended by a French friend -- thanks JF for the dinner although it would have been even better had you been present.



Rue du Bac



A warm welcome from the bear, but he doesn't show you to your seat.


Chardonnay in the cafe, and a Rosé with dinner 



I started with onion soup, followed by a massive, delicious Cobb salad, and, for dessert Bourbon Vanilla Crème Brulée.   Fun fact: this dessert is British (Burnt Cream), but the French name makes it sound posh.  

The Cobb salad included Bleu d'Auvergne (a French blue cheese).  The pieces of cheese were huge.  Chunks.  

https://lesantiquaires.net/



All gone!

    The restaurant is popular with Americans.  As I passed one table, a young man said  Go Nats!  I was wearing a Washington Nationals jacket.  He added: I am from Washington, D.C.  I said: Alexandria.   This was the second time I heard support for the Nationals.  The first was at the Eiffel Tower on Friday.

                    

It was a quick walk to the RER C station (Musée d'Orsay station) -- two stops to Champ du Mers (Tour Eiffel).  I had an 8 p.m ticket to go to the top floor. At the entrance was a sign stating the top floor was closed due to the winds.  Tours could only go to the second floor (two levels).  The second floor is high, and I could only imagine how high it would be to go to the top.  It was very windy.

The second floor is two levels.  You can walk around on both levels and see the lights.  There are shops where you can buy tacky souvenirs,  macrons, and a glass of champagne.  I had the latter:  21 Euros for a glass of champagne.  I could recycle the plastic glass when I left the Tower and get back 2 Euros.  

Do you think I chose recycling or did I put the glass in my bag?

Taken just before heading down the stairs to the RER


It was very dark.  This is Notre Dame.  I used my 18-400 lens.



Sacre Coeur





I was on the second floor for the 9 p.m. light show,  Another fun fact: the Eiffel Tower's Light Show is protected by copyright.  As an amateur photographer/tourist, I take photos and videos of the light show and post them on social media.

It was fun to be under the lights while I was on the second floor.






So did I go for the 2 Euros or did I rinse out the glass and slip it into my bag?   It is not required to give the glass back.  I asked - and said: I am keeping it.  I call it my slightly tacky souvenir from the Eiffel Tower.

A few days after I was back home, the Eiffel Tower refunded the difference in price between the Second and Top floors.  This is normal practice if you cannot go to the top floor.  

I had hoped to see the Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower as the IOC allowed the Rings to remain until the next Summer Games.  However, the original Rings were removed and lighter Rings will be added to the Eiffel Tower.

I enjoyed my time at the Eiffel Tower. I love the sparkly show!  A quick walk back to Champ du Mers, where we had to wait about 20 minutes for the next train.  Much to my surprise, I spotted several Remys scampering about the station.  Paris has a Remy problem, worse than New York City. Parisian Remys are tiny, but they are everywhere.

Champ du Mers to Saint Michel Notre Dame where I switched to Line 4 to Châtelet (2 stops), and got on Line 11 to Goncourt, where I was staying.  I returned to my Air BnB after 11 p.m., finished packing, set the alarm for 5:30 a.m. (Ugh!), and went asleep.

It was very early morning on November 25.  I slipped out of the apartment and walked to Goncourt.  Nothing, not even the bakery was open.   I took the Metro to Châtelet and then walked -- a bit of a walk underground to the Châtelet les Halles station for the RER B to Charles de Galles airport.  It takes about 50 minutes to get to the airport  -- and then another long walk to your departing terminal.
As I arrived late at night and departed early in the morning, I never saw the view between the airport and Paris.

After checking in and going through security, my passport was stamped.  I was chuffed because this never happens -- and it also happened when I arrived in Paris.   I was hungry and I looked forward to a nice Paris breakfast before getting on the plane.

The only choice -- seriously -- was  McDonalds.  Okay,  they served croissants, macrons, cafe au lait, and a selection of familiar MickyD breakfast food, including an Egg McMuffin,  I ordered a cafe au lait, two macrons, and an Egg Muffin.    This was the worst Egg McMuffin I have ever eaten.  I also wanted a bottle of water, but the McDonalds does not sell bottles of water.   After my meal, I went to the Relay shop to buy a bottle of water and a bag of Haribo gummies.


The first thing you see when you walk into the Relay Shop is Disney's Remy (Ratatouille)
That would be an easy no.  

The flight to Heathrow was on time.   Went through in-transit security without a hitch - and then it was time to eat, shop, and relax before flying home.  I arrived just after 10 a.m., and my flight to DC was at 5:35 p.m.

I had lunch at the fabulous Gordon Ramsay.  A Caesar Salad, Sticky Toffee pudding, and an ale.   I stopped at Smith's for Maltesers and a bottle of water.  Skipped Duty-Free as I did not need alcohol,  but headed to Fortnum & Mason for tea and several small jars of honey.  Everything thing fit into my carry bag.  There are several coffee places - and then settled down in a chair opposite the lovely Christmas trees, sipping the coffee and reading a book.

My D.C., flight was also on time.





The plane landed on time as well.  Got back my bag, and headed toward the Metro - it is nearly an hour's ride to the Springfield Metro where my car was parked.  Home in less than ten minutes.  The cats were happy to see me.  I gave them a few of the treats I bought them - and then we all headed to bed.

The Paris Metro system is efficient and supported by the RER trains. An express train between CDG and Paris is expected to open in 2027.  Most Metro and RER stations do not have elevators and/or escalators.  Stairs.  Many stairs.  I have arthritis in my right knee which left me going slowly up and down the stairs by day two.  Yes, people offered help.  

I checked my Pacer app at the end of each day: On Friday and Sunday, I clocked eight miles each day. On Saturday, I walked ten miles!!!!!  My Air BnB was on the third (and top) floor of an 18th-century building.  No elevator.  





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3 comments:

Christina said...

I was tracking with you the whole time until I got to the part of the remys at the Paris train station. I could not handle that issue.

Marlene Eilers Koenig said...

They did come near us, more scared of us than we were of them. The rats were small, scurried away. I am more used to seeing rats as big as cats!

Manon said...

Wonderful photos. You seem to have enjoyed your trip very much. A small detail: the statue in les jardins du Luxembourg is Anne d'Autriche .