Strasbourg, France

First I would like to say that I love taking the train. Well at least I love it in Europe where the train stations are beautiful and the trains are wonderful and clean. Such a pleasant experience to get on and not have someone telling you that since you have a suitcase and a personal item you can’t have a purse too. Nope! They don’t care. You get on and read a book and then they get you where you want to go - almost always on time - and then you get off. And did I mention how beautiful the train stations are? Worth saying it twice.

My train to Strasbourg was from Gare de l’Est so I took two metro lines and it got me right there. Had no problem finding the right train and settled into my reserved seat. The sooner you book your train ticket the less you pay. Tickets available either 3 or 4 months in advance - I can’t remember exactly but I booked right when they were available and got a very low fare. Slightly less than a two hour ride through pretty farmland and we were there.

Strasbourg is in the Alsace province in France, but is so close to Germany if you didn’t know it you might think that’s where you were. In fact the area has gone back and forth between the two countries, but since the end of WWI has been part of France. Asterisk that during WWII the Nazi’s did take it over but it was not officially back to being part of Germany. Strasbourg is more than just an adorable city. It plays a fairly large role in the EU and shares administrative responsibilities with Brussels and Luxembourg. The old core of the city is very quant though, and I found myself wandering the streets and taking pictures of just about everything. My room wasn’t ready yet so I did go get a bite to eat amid my wandering. I’m very into Caesar salads with chicken because with the heat eating something hot just doesn’t appeal to me.

I will confess when I got back to the hotel and in my room I took a little nap. Just maybe 30 minutes but truth be told I’ve been traveling for the good part of a month and this packing up, catching trains, walking miles has been fantastic but also a little tiring. Plus I have a couple of days in this area so I’ll have plenty of time to see the major sites. After my catnap I grabbed Rick Steves walking tour and headed over to an area called Petite France. It’s sits right along the river so dates back to the 16th century when trade came by river and also powered local industry. Lots of cute restaurants and shops in the area and I must have taken 50 pictures of various buildings. Many are what are called Half-Timbered and were a more inexpensive way to build than stone.

A few more pics from my wandering. These Alpine dolls are so cute and they are everywhere. They definitely seem more German.

The center of the town is dominated by this massive Cathedral dating back to 1176. More to come on that. I didn’t tour it today but will definitely get inside and learn more about it. Impossible to get the entire church in a picture!

I’m obsessed with the half-timbered houses! More to come tomorrow 🤗

Chartres and Dior

Day 6 was a day trip to Chartres, and all went smoothly getting to the right train station and on the correct train. Success! It’s actually not that difficult. There are 6 major train stations in Paris and one minor one. They all have trains going in a specific direction so depending where you’re headed you need to get to the correct station. The train to Chartres leaves from Gare Montparnasse so that’s where I went on the metro. Then you need to find the right train. This picture is just a tiny piece of the station. There are usually 2 or 3 floors so HUGE!

Chartres is about 50 miles southwest of Paris so just a little over an hour ride from Paris usually. The trains are clean and very pleasant. Chartres is a fairly small town but quite famous because of their cathedral dating back to about the 1100’s. Like so many really old buildings it has had its share of trauma. Fires, wars you name it. Considered to be the best example in Europe of a Gothic cathedral. It was a gorgeous day and with how crowded much of Paris has been all week a nice break to get away for a day. You don’t need a map to get from the train station to the cathedral. You see it the minute you leave the station as it towers over the town. I headed right there hoping to get on the noon tour done in English.

The first church in this spot back in 876 received a very important relic - the actual veil (what we would now call a scarf) worn by the Blessed Mother Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. Scientifically tested and dated back to the first century. And yes I did get to see it!

I won’t even begin to tell you all I learned about this cathedral. The tour guide was excellent and turned out she actually grew up in Oak Park where I live! Small world! Her mom still lives there and she studied at the University of Chicago and now lives and teaches in the area. She does a noon tour in English Tuesday through Sat for 18 euros. Takes about an hour and 15 minutes and to say that barely allows her to scratch the surface of this amazing incredible building is an understatement. The stained glass windows predate Saint-Chapelle in Paris and some say actually inspired Saint-Chapelle. I’ll let the experts argue about that. I think both are fantastic. The windows actually tell the entire story of the Bible from start to finish. Every statue and they are everywhere are all planned with a reason and the most incredible detail. People have studied this building for decades and are still figuring it all out.

The top two pictures are the veil of Mary - encased in glass and behind the metal bars.

All that information made me work up an appetite- and luckily there are some great restaurants right around the cathedral. I picked one called Cafe Serpente and had a delicious omelette and salad gazing at the beautiful building and marveling at all the detail. The restaurant is so cute inside but on such a beautiful day why stay inside.

I took a stroll around the cute town and they have a very sweet main street with cute shops. Also walked through some of the very old neighborhoods and saw a couple of half-timbered houses which often times dates them to medieval times. I’m just guessing but they certainly looked old. The top right picture almost looks like a Monet painting to me.

On my way home I passed about 49 patisseries with beautiful desserts and when I got to number 50 I decided I deserved a treat. Also I love the sweet way they wrap the desserts - like they are a gift! So true! Lemon Meringue Tart for me s’il-vous-plaît!

Day 6 - another day - another boulangerie and croissant!

My big event for today was the Dior Museum. I had purchased a ticket and reserved a time before I left on my trip and was very glad I did. I got in as soon as they opened at 11 AM and didn’t have to wait in a long line of people purchasing tickets and running the risk of not getting in. I would love to tell you this is me heading in to make a dress purchase but that is definitely not the case. Although after seeing all of these gorgeous dresses I might put it on my list.

I don’t know anyone that has been to it as it just opened in spring of 2022, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m not super into designer clothing but I do know a bit about a few of the old guard and think it really is a form of art. I expected to see really beautiful dresses and I wasn’t disappointed in the least.

They have different rooms set up by theme, and lots of history about his life, family and career. It is all exquisitely presented. Top right is Christian Dior’s actual office. They take you through the 70 years of designs and even now who has taken over for him since his death in 1957.

Pretty gardens outside of the Louvre! Always something gorgeous to see. Well I’m off to Strasbourg for a few days tomorrow. Check back to see how Germany looks when it’s in France! I’m excited to see it🤗

Paris Days 4&5

I started day 4 with a pre-booked walking tour of Montmartre. I used the company Paris Walks based on research I had done and topics of interest to me. I had been to Montmartre and the crowning jewel at the top of the big hill overlooking the city Sacré-Coeur a couple of times in the past, but didn’t know as much as I would like about the history of the area. Paris Walks does at least one walk a day and sometimes more and they are all over the city. So if you’re interested just Google them and then see what tours are available the days you’re going to be in Paris. 25 euros per person and I don’t think appropriate for young children. The tours are at least two hours of walking and lots of information. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide and at least 20 people on our tour so I think they do sell out. Pay in cash at the start of the tour. I did know that many of the artists I love (the Impressionists) lived in Montmartre along with various other types of artists. Probably where the term starving artists began because most of them lived like paupers with no heat and very little income. We got to see where Renoir, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec lived to name a few. The Moulin Rouge is located in Montmartre and everyone knows the big red windmill on top. Actually moulin means mill and there were a number of windmills on the hill used to grind food. There are three remaining - the one on Moulin Rouge and two others. Bottom right picture is where the Impressionists used to all meet in the evenings. Top right was our guide and it’s worth it to take the tour just to hear the fabulous story of the sculpture coming through the wall in the bottom left.

We wound through all the little streets climbing the hill to reach the top finally and ending the tour at Sacré-Coeur. We didn’t go in and the line was enormous so I wasn’t even tempted. It’s free and if you’re there you really should see it. Also a wonderful view of Paris.

Next stop for me was to the Marais so I jumped on the metro. Got out and walked up the stairs and ended up in the most enormous farmer’s market I’ve ever seen in my life. There were stands from all over France with incredible things to sell. Wine, cheeses, meats, pastries, fruits and veggies and cooked food that all looked amazing. I was tempted by the crepes but so was everyone else. If you lived in the area how fantastic. The food is so fresh here. I purchased some apples at a little market by where I’m staying and they are delicious.

My destination was Place des Vosges - built by Henry IV in 1605 and meant to create the most exclusive neighborhood in Paris. The writer Victor Hugo lived in one of the apartments and his biggest hit was Les Misérables. You can actually tour his apartment - it’s a free museum so I said why not? The picture of the little statue inside the glass case is Cosette from Les Mis.

I had a nice lunch right there on the square with a great view of the central park. Lots of people out enjoying the beautiful day and open to everyone.

Since I was in the area I visited another of my favorite churches - Église St Paul - St Louis. When I was here over Christmas one year I attended a wonderful concert there and remembered how beautiful it is inside.

Since I’m in a church mood I took a stroll over to check on the progress they are making on Norte-Dame post the devastating fire in 2019. Lots of scaffolding but it’s coming along. On the walls around it there is a very interesting detail of the extent of the damage, the removal of the damage and then the reconstruction. I believe the most recent date for completion is sometime in 2025. I remember watching it burn on TV and thinking it could never be reconstructed. So happy to be wrong.

Day 5 started with me breaking one of my Paris rules. That rule is never go very far to get a great croissant and coffee from where you are staying. Mostly because I’m not Paul Hollywood and like most normal Americans I can’t tell a fantastic croissant from an extraordinary one so why go very far. Head in a different direction everyday and stop at the first boulangerie you get to and order. (Side note - I learned this on the walking tour. Called a boulangerie because bread in France was always round. Boule means round in French. Only more recently was bread baked in what we now call the baguette.) Well I had read about this place that just looked fantastic, but it was at least 30 minutes on the metro from where I’m staying. So I asked Stephanie from the food tour I did whether it was worth the trip and her answer was YES. So I headed there this morning and just as I expected there was a line out the door. Most boulangeries here are open 7 days a week - because remember in France good bread is considered a necessity. Well this place - Du Pain Et Des Idées is only open Monday through Friday - no weekends. You want our bread - come during the week! It was quite delicious! And so beautiful inside.

The bakery is in the 10th arrondissement I so decided to explore the area a bit. It’s where the Canal Saint-Martin is and now is quite a hip area with boutiques and cafes. The canal has cute bridges and I saw a darling park right along it with kids playing.

I ambled around and came across a few more arches. This one was my favorite.

I had heard about a beautiful park called Parc Monceau so made a visit and it was so delightful. Quite large - had a carousel, playground equipment, exercise areas, lots of people running, areas where kids were playing soccer, statues, water, a bridge and lots of benches with so many people enjoying the beautiful day. Today was the first day of school and the kids had just come from school so had backpacks and school bags and nicer clothes on than typical for kids at a park. Really made me feel like a local. Well except for the fact that I don’t speak French! Well a little and I am getting a bit better.

Tomorrow will hopefully go smoothly. I’m planning a day trip from Paris so fingers crossed I have planned well. Here’s another of my favorite pics - art and music at the Louvre💕

Paris Day 3

A gorgeous day in Paris so I headed to one of my favorite places - the Luxembourg Garden. To Parisians what Central Park is to New Yorkers on a smaller scale.

I take a picture from the same spot every time I’m in Paris and it always makes me happy. I definitely had plenty of company as the park was packed, but it’s big and everyone was enjoying the day. The bottom right picture has the Panthéon in the background. Lots of benches and green chairs to sit on and enjoy the park.

One of my favorite restaurants all the way back to 2016 has relocated to just outside the garden so that was lucky and I went there for a nice lunch. It’s called Trieze au Jardin and I sat outside with the park right across the street. I had the artichoke pie as they call it but more like a quiche crust. Delicious!

France has a number of beautiful churches and I like to stop and visit when I’m walking by and have the time. Sometimes I go out of my way to see them and St Sulpice is one of those churches. I love the architecture and lots of times they have beautiful artwork inside. With the fire at Norte Dame and reconstruction project going on St Sulpice which is not too far from Norte Dame has taken on additional significance. It was patterned after St Paul’s Cathedral in London and is really a beautiful building. It has three huge paintings by Delacroix right as you walk in on the right. I like to give thanks to a higher power for all my blessings and say some prayers for friends and family.

Now for a totally different experience I headed to see Samaritaine. I had read about it recently in the states so here is a brief history. La Samaritaine was a historic Parisian department store that closed in 2005. It had been in business since 1869 and had a beautiful Art Nouveau facade. It’s located right at the Seine River and the Pont Neuf Bridge. It was purchased by LVMH - the luxury goods corporation most well known for Louis Vuitton. So fast forward to 2021 when after an extensive revamp it has been reopened. I really wanted to see it from an architectural aspect and it was absolutely stunning.

I’ve seen a number of restaurants around Paris that have these beautiful flower displays on top. I love them! Let’s do this in Chicago too! Here is a sampling of what I’ve seen.

And in the vein of let life surprise you - the joy of aimless wandering - I happened across this group of at least 100 random people doing ballet across one of the bridges of the Seine River. Lots of people stopped to watch and everyone was smiling - dancers and watchers. A shared experience by all.

That was my day! Hope yours was wonderful as well. 💕

Paris Days 1&2

Yes I’m back in Paris! It never gets old to me. This time will be different though because I’m not doing things that I’ve done once, twice or even three times before - like the popular museums. So if you want to read about places like the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and Orsay etc., check my previous Paris posts. All great to see but I have some different things planned and more time to just walk the streets and browse and relax. To me the city is spectacularly beautiful - even in the rain.

Day 1 was mostly a travel day. I was flying from Bergen so not really that big of a deal - except that Bergen is not a huge airline hub so my best option was a flight that forced me to get up at 3:30 AM to get to the airport on time. That was tough. Then a flight to Oslo to change planes for Paris. Once I landed I took the metro from the airport to my hotel. Charles de Gaulle is a big and somewhat confusing airport. And then not super well marked to find the metro and make sure you’re getting on the right train. But I do love puzzles so that’s half the fun for me. Plus you save a bunch of money and also time. The trains are more efficient in most cases than a taxi or Uber because of traffic. So after accomplishing all that and getting to my hotel I was almost ready to call it a day. But nope too early. So instead I went out for food and then walked around making sure some of my most favorite things were still here.

I like to make my first meal in Paris the famous Croque-Monsieur sandwich. Basically a fancy grilled ham and cheese sandwich but no one makes it like here in France. And available just about everywhere.

Found some of my favorite things. Still here and even beautiful with a few sprinkles.

Paris has one of the best public transportation systems in the world. And now coupled with a smart phone it’s the best bargain and gets you from one end of the city to the other in no time. And so reasonable. I always research which metro pass to purchase and make it a priority to get it right at the airport so I’m ready to go. They don’t all have these cool retro metro signs but it makes me happy when I see one.

On to day 2 which was way more exciting than day one. Started with my breakfast of choice. Just assume this is what I will be eating every morning. Different places but always the same items.

My first stop was the Opéra Garnier. It was built for Napoleon III in 1875 and still to this day hosts the opera and ballet. I had never been inside so it was on my list for this trip. Mind blowing! If you don’t have time to go to Versailles then go here instead. There are parts that were modeled after Versailles and just over the top decoration. I was there about two hours and did the self guided audio tour for a few extra dollars. Well worth it for the detail I would have missed on my own. It’s a HUGE building so had to use my panoramic camera function to get it all in.

I took at least 50 pictures of the inside. The bottom right is the ceiling in the auditorium and was redone in 1964 by Marc Chagall. I’m so glad I went. I really loved it and even though it’s not covered on the Museum Pass (which I highly recommend if you’re seeing quite a few museums) it’s worth the entrance fee.

Then when you leave the Opéra Garnier walk right across the street into Galleries Lafayette and go up to the roof and see it from there! And get a picture with the I love Paris sign🤗

And a fabulous view of some of the city and the rooftops!

Take some time and browse the store also. Has a magnificent stained glass dome over the cosmetics area that has a constantly changing centerpiece and at Christmas an enormous tree.

In the afternoon I did a wonderful food tour. I did some research as you need to sign up for these in advance and decided to go with Paris By Mouth. They had great reviews and do small groups no larger than 8. Also different areas of the city. They last between 3 and 3 and a half hours and since I’m not really a foodie and there is such fantastic food in Paris I decided to try it. First of all I met really fun people. All from the US from NYC to LA, and a great guide Stephanie that is originally from Philly and living in Paris for the last 6 years. She has been in the wine business and super knowledgeable about French food and culture.

We met Stephanie in the 6th arrondissement which is kind of the Beverly Hills of Paris. She took us to 5 of the best shops in the area for different foods that we would learn about and enjoy in the last part of the tour. Bread, cheese, charcuterie, chocolate and dessert. And we ate it all in a wine shop. The French take food very seriously and have awards that are given out for the best of the best. Like the Oscars of food. And there are things that there are actual laws about such as what ingredients bread can contain and how much it can cost. The best bread in the world and it can’t cost more than about $1.50. And they regulate the cost of chocolate croissants - because everyone should be able to afford one. Got to love a country that thinks chocolate croissants are a need😊

So after we went to all the shops we went to the wine store and Stephanie taught us so much about each of these categories. We tried them all with different wines and I will never buy my cheese at the grocery store again! This was such a fun thing to do and I highly recommend it. And I’m sure none of us were hungry for dinner!

More fun planned for the coming days. Everywhere you look in Paris you see something beautiful.