Paris - More Sites & Food!
We had a few additional days in Paris is see more sites, shop and eat. Mid week we moved to our second Airbnb which was in the Marais area - which is in the 3rd arrondissement - and one of my favorite areas. It’s very close to fun restaurants, boutiques, the Picasso Museum and has a real neighborhood local feel to it. This Airbnb was the same one I stayed in over the recent Christmas holiday so I knew it would be great. If you’re staying in the same city for more than 3 or 4 days I highly recommend switching lodging to get perspective on another area - even though I know it’s nice to settle in and feel comfortable. Push yourself for a new adventure!
I’ll start with food since that’s always an area everyone is interested in seeing. A new Airbnb means find a new boulangerie for breakfast. Done! Right around the corner was Chez Manon and they had an amazing spread of choices to start our day. We also wanted to try crepes so found a good spot over in St Germain (6th arrondissement) for lunch where for 8 euros you got a savory crepe, sweet crepe and drink. We took that deal! And you shouldn’t leave Paris without trying at least a few macarons from either Laduree or Hermès - vanilla and pistachio for me.
We ate at Fulvio on my last trip and it sounded like another great idea. The owner swears it’s the best Italian in Paris and right now I would have to agree.
We shared the burrata appetizer and I can’t remember what kind of pasta dishes we had but they were both great! And the wine list is hand written in a little notebook. I love that!
A great lunch one day over in the Rue Cler area which is not far from the Eiffel Tower. There is a street called Rue Cler and on a nice day it’s a great little walk that has so many cute local shops with all the things you need and want to buy on a daily basis - wine, cheese, chocolate, bread etc. Unfortunately when we were starting the walk we got hailed on! So instead we made a mad dash for the restaurant we had picked for lunch. Oh well......next time.
A smoked salmon salad with white asparagus for Julie and my favorite French chicken and a potato in some kind of a pastry encasement. We did sit outside even though it was raining. Those awnings and heaters make it possible.
And our final night we checked out a recommendation from my friend Kim for Chez Janou in the Marais. We were surprised to get in without a reservation but were so happy - the food was wonderful and it was so cute. Forget what they say about French waiters being stuffy, these people were super nice and fun.
We shared amazing mussels for an appetizer - then scallops and risotto for Julie and Sea Bass with mashed potato for me. Yumm!
A highlight of our stay in Paris for me was to finally make it to the Marmottan Museum. This museum is not covered on the Museum Pass, not in a touristy area of Paris, but totally worth the effort to get there if you are a fan of Claude Monet. It houses the best collection of his work with over 100 pieces including Impression Sunrise which began the Impressionist movement. I loved every minute!
The Marmottan housed in a beautiful mansion on the southwest fringe of urban Paris.
Another beautiful area to see is the Luxembourg Garden located in the St Germain area. It’s a 60 acre park dotted with fountains, statues and the Luxembourg Palace where the French Senate meets. Also an interesting side note the French Secret Service is headquartered underneath the gardens. Who knew?
Luxembourg Palace
Parisians love to hang out in the gardens and even though it was a little chilly we saw lots of locals. The sailboats are for kids to rent and sail in the large pool behind the palace. They are not remote controlled. They push them with a long stick.
Julie needs to take that new little grandson back to Paris to sail one of these boats!
And we did do a little shopping. It’s never the first thing on my list but I’m up for an hour or two here or there.
A famous American bookstore on the left bank. A meeting place for Hemingway, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound. Worth a stop for sure!
An Hermès store. This is the inside. Interesting! And very expensive.
Printemps. A large department with fairly affordable prices.
My favorite is Galleries Lafayette. It has an incredible Tiffany ceiling, great restaurants and fun fashions. When I was there over Christmas they had a big Christmas tree that has now been replaced by a huge trampoline that people enter from the 4th level. No thanks!
That’s it for my time in Paris! We saw, we ate and we walked. I’m never ready to leave Paris and this time was no exception. But I was also really looking forward to exploring Belgium and that’s where we were headed.
Gare Du Nord one of 6 large train stations in Paris and where our fast train to Brussels was leaving from.
Whoops! Forgot to post this from the Marmottan! I can’t get enough Monet!
Top left is the painting that started the Impressionist movement - Sunrise.
Check back soon to read about our adventures in Belgium - the land of waffles, fries, beer and chocolate😊 And some pretty cool other stuff!