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| Take an imaginary seat at the cafe table and let's explore Paris! |
Paris, France
Dates of Travel: Saturday, August 28th – Friday, September 3rd, 2021
Andy and I were supposed to visit France in June 2020, in celebration of our 10-year wedding anniversary. We have visited many places together, but never Paris, “the city of love,” nor any other part of France. Thus, it seemed high time for us to rectify this.I am a planner by nature, and so I had a beautiful itinerary organized well in advance of our anniversary getaway. We would begin with 6 days in Paris, followed by a few days in Provence (timed perfectly for the lavender fields), Alsace, and even a couple of days in Lucerne, Switzerland, before finally heading home. It was an extremely complex trip, with planes, trains, (rented) automobiles, hotels, and so on, all coordinated to perfection. Alas, like so many other people’s 2020 travel dreams, our beautiful plans were not meant to be. At least, not in time for our 10-year anniversary.
Eventually, we came to the year 2021. As we moved into summertime Europe opened its doors a little wider to US tourists. Thus, Andy and I began to wonder if we could after all recapture some of our lost travel hopes and dreams from the previous year. The elaborate itinerary I had originally planned for us would definitely not be possible now, primarily due to Andy’s diminished PTO bank, but maybe we could, finally, at least see Paris. With COVID still complicating matters, it was probably better for us to have a less complicated trip planned, anyway. We’d at least avoid the hassle of negotiating multiple entry requirements, travelling great distances to find things closed, and especially – gulp – the need to cancel SO many things all over again if our trip failed to materialize once more.
Between Andy’s 5 days of PTO and two weekend days, we could just manage a 7-day getaway to Paris (including travel days). We had never flown to Europe for anything less than a two-week stay before (have to make that plane money worth it), but we decided not to let the perfect be the enemy of the good – especially after the preceding year – and, in any case, we figured that 7 days was plenty of time to do Paris justice as first-time visitors.
Pre-Arrival: COVID Preparations
Details about our COVID travel experience can be found here, but in short, as fully vaccinated travellers we needed:
- Our CDC cards
- A signed attestation form declaring we had no symptoms of COVID on the day we planned to fly (at the time of this writing, the form can be found on this page)
Though it was not explicitly listed as travel a requirement, Andy and I also brought proof of negative COVID tests taken with 72 hours of travel. There is a Walgreens pharmacy near our home where you can drive through, self-administer the RAPID ID NOW test, and have results in your email inbox in less than an hour, so it’s relatively simple and convenient.
Once in France, we would then need the passe sanitaire, a.k.a. health pass, in order to do anything fun like eat at restaurants or visit museums. The process for obtaining the health pass has changed a few times since our visit and the latest information (at the time of this writing) can be found here. Andy and I were lucky enough to get our health passes emailed to us just in the nick of time for our trip.
Airport Arrival, Train, and Hotel
Airport Arrival and Taking the RER Train into Paris City Center
We took an overnight flight from Chicago out of O’Hare Airport and arrived in the morning at Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport in Paris. Shortly after disembarking the plane, we immediately found ourselves in a large mob of people waiting to clear passport control. This took us approximately 45 minutes to do, which is faster than the 1.5 hours+ I read about other people waiting.
They did not ask to see anything other than our passports. That said, the gate agent at O’Hare had already checked for our CDC cards and attestation forms, and placed a red sticker on our passports indicating we had shown the necessary documentation. Thus, the red sticker must have been good enough for passport control at CDG.
We usually visit an ATM upon arrival at our destination’s airport to withdraw the local currency. However, we had some trouble finding a working ATM at CDG. We only encountered two on our path through the airport on our way to the trains, and both of those ATMs were out of service. Luckily there was a working ATM not far from the train platform.
Your transportation options from the airport include train, taxi, bus, or private vehicle. We took the train - specifically, the RER B train - into the heart of Paris. I would heartily recommend taking the train as it is affordable and avoids traffic, potentially getting you to your hotel much faster than a car would. You can buy paper train tickets at the ticket machines near the platform.
FYI, there was no staff checking our tickets before boarding, but be sure to hold onto your train ticket all the same because you could be asked to show it at any time. Don’t throw it away until after you have exited your destination station.
As for what to do with your luggage while riding the RER B train, we simply kept our bags directly in front of us at our seats, effectively blocking off the seats directly facing us. We were travelling relatively early in the morning, so the train was pretty empty and we didn’t feel too bad about the blocked off seats. I’m not sure if this would be a faux pas at any other time, but it seems you could really do no better on the train.
After a fairly scenic 40 minute train ride we arrived at our Metro station, St. Michel Notre-Dame. This station is a particularly convenient jumping off point for many journeys throughout Paris as it connects to several different lines. Our hotel was practically steps away from this station as well, which was also quite handy.
Hotel
I find location is very important when choosing accommodations in a city, and especially so when it is your first visit. This would be our first time in Paris (and France, on the whole), and Hôtel Europe Saint-Séverin (38-40 Rue Saint-Séverin, 75005 Paris, France) seemed to hit this mark for us. The hotel is very conveniently located near St. Michel metro station, and this helped us to visit many of the far-flung destinations throughout Paris. It was also convenient when arriving from the airport, as it is a straight shot and you do not have to drag your bags very far before arriving at the hotel.
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| The view from our hotel room window. |
The streets surrounding the hotel are extremely hustling and bustling, which generally I prefer (the "heart of the action," so to speak), although all the shops and restaurants in the narrow alleys that surrounded seemed mostly populated by tourist-trap restaurants, so we didn't exactly feel in the heart of the "real" Paris walking through there. The hotel is situated in the Latin Quarter, a popular arrondissement (district of Paris) for tourists. It is also quite near the river Seine and Saint-Germain-des-Prés (another arrondissement that is popular with tourists).
Pros:
- The building has an elevator that is just large enough for two adults and their two bags, so that was useful for bringing the luggage up and down.
- The lobby has a computer you can use, if you need that.
- The air conditioning in our room was basically silent, but also effective, so that was impressive.
- The bed was comfortable – soft, but also firm and supportive.
- The front desk helped us out SO many times.
Cons:
- All that said, I could never get quite comfortable in our room. It just didn't seem very clean. Nicks and scuffs can sometimes give that illusion, even in a room that is basically clean, but there were also black spots throughout the tile grout in the bathroom. This made the room feel gross to me the whole time. There were a couple of tiny, old stains on sheets. Occasional drain flies, and a large spider hanging over the sink in the bathroom. Also, when I went to sit on a couch in the hotel lobby, I almost sat in a huge spider web there.
- Little/no noise proofing, so late night motorcycle races and blaring ambulances were readily heard.
- Few outlets. Had to unplug lamp and kettle to charge phones at desk. Some older properties buy lamps with outlets for phone charging, but not here.
Our 7-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, Luxembourg Gardens, and Aimless Wandering
After checking in at our hotel Andy and I quickly walked over to Notre-Dame Cathedral. It remains closed due to the fire in 2019, but you can still take a moment to enjoy its charming exterior features. Moreover, there is a square in front where people seem to gather for music and the like, especially in the evenings.
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| The famous Notre-Dame Cathedral, still undergoing restorations in 2021. |
After admiring Notre-Dame, Andy and I shared lunch at a nearby restaurant Au Vieux Paris d'Arcole. You may have seen this restaurant in photographs as both its interior and exterior are very charming. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by an opera-singing Italian waiter, whose dry sense of humor was a bit much for us to process in our current jetlagged stupor. In any case, the restaurant certainly provided the perfect atmosphere for feeling awestruck by the sense that we were really in Paris.
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| A picture-perfect scene for our first meal in Paris. |
We are always happy to maintain a daily gelato regimen while travelling in Europe, and so after lunch we initiated that routine at Amorino (a gelato chain you will see everywhere), with a few scoops topped by a macaron.
With gelato in hand, we went for a short stroll, and soon came upon the Marché aux Fleurs Reine Elizabeth II. This is an old, streetside flower market that also sells live birds on Sundays.
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| I am always happy to divert course in the direction of beautiful, cascading plants. |
Following our plant-gazing, our strolling soon took us to Sainte-Chapelle. I have heard that this is the place to see for its famous stained-glass windows, and with Notre-Dame now being closed, it is also touted as a worthy substitute. We bought our admission tickets at the ticket counter for the Conciergie (2 Bd du Palais, 75001 Paris, France), another attraction, since you cannot buy tickets for Sainte-Chapelle on site.
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Colorful and window-y, just as advertised. |
Sainte-Chapelle was nice to see, and it looks just as nice in life as in online photographs; that said, I didn’t really feel moved by it. I think, as impressive and opulent as it is, it’s just not really my preferred aesthetic, and being there didn’t make me feel any differently (unlike the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, which looked garish in photographs but felt heavenly in situ). Besides, Europe is replete with stunning churches on almost every corner – even small, unknown churches are usually museums of a sort – so when there is an admission fee, I expect to feel something more. Or maybe it was just the jetlag clouding my senses.
Eventually we came to the part of our day that was reserved for aimless wandering. Wherever you meander in European cities, you will surely pass by many interesting sites without even trying, so I can hardly enumerate everything we saw. However, I must note that during our directionless wandering Andy and I quickly noticed many 8-bit styled mosaics. These were usually installed at street corners and above street signs, but also near notable attractions just about anywhere. He and I are big video game fans, so these mosaics intrigued us to no end. We later learned that a street artist named “Invader” (and his copycats) are mostly responsible for these video game-inspired mosaics. I highlight some of these mosaics and other nerdy features of Paris here.
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| Random scenes of beauty can sneak up on you when you least expect, so be sure to go for an aimless stroll! |
Shortly after passing the famous Saint-Sulpice Church, Andy and I arrived at Luxembourg Gardens. It was a Saturday afternoon (and still our arrival day, so we were somewhat dazed). Consequently, the park was full of people. Most were conversing and laughing with friends while lounging about in green metal chairs strewn throughout the park. There were also children sailing tiny boats in the large pool of water situated before the palace. Andy and I found that the weather throughout our trip was rather variable, frequently chilly, and intermittently drizzly (in defiance of bone-dry weather reports). However, at this particular moment, the sky was blue, the sun was warm, and it was a very pleasant atmosphere overall for lounging in the park alongside all these other people. While we sat and enjoyed the scene, we also observed a few wedding parties passing by, surely taking advantage of the stately ambiance to take some stunning photographs.
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| A stately view of Luxembourg Palace while visiting Luxembourg Gardens. |
Luxembourg Gardens is not far from an Angelina cafe, and so we made that our next stop. I was not really hungry while at Angelina and only wanted to try the famous hot chocolate. Andy decided to get some chocolate crepes for himself along with his hot chocolate. That is a lot of chocolate! I am not sure that anything we sampled at Angelina was world-altering, but I would agree that their cocoa was, on the whole, quite tasty. Ultimately, I would say it’s worth a stop at an Angelina if it’s convenient for you, but I didn’t feel like it was a revelation worth diverting from other plans.
Day 2: The Grand Mosque, the Eiffel Tower, and the Palace of Versailles
Sundays at the Palace of Versailles are reputedly beyond busy. This is especially so because the fountains are running and the music is playing throughout the gardens on that day. Since Andy and I were travelling during a global pandemic, I figured we ought to take advantage of the situation. Thus, Sunday was the precise day we scheduled a visit to Versailles, on the premise that the crowds would (hopefully) never be any less and we could enjoy all of the spectacle in relative comfort. I booked our palace entry tickets for 2:30pm, since I figured that was probably about the time we’d fully perk up from our jetlag.
Since our Versailles plans weren’t until the afternoon, we had a whole Sunday morning to play with. I was interested to see the Grand Mosque of Paris, as I love that aesthetic. Andy and I meandered over there, first walking down by the River Seine, then passing by the Pantheon, and even peeking into an old Roman arena where French teenagers now played soccer. Eventually we arrived at the mosque.
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| A view inside, complete with COVID flyers and floor-markings to facilitate social-distancing. |
The gardens, wall etchings, and patterned tile at the mosque were all very beautiful. It wasn’t quite the Alhambra, but a nice place to visit all the same. Once we were done marveling at the architecture and gardens, Andy and I left and rounded the corner to find the tea room and restaurant. Here we enjoyed a couple of drinks – mint tea for me, pineapple juice for Andy – loukoumi (I usually like this, but found it too cloying here), and a spiraling pistachio pastry. I blissed out in the tea room’s courtyard, and especially admired its large fig tree.
There is apparently also a hammam and a souk contained within the mosque complex, but we didn’t see any of that. Instead, once we were done with our drinks, Andy and I headed back to the hotel for a much-needed break. Once that was taken care of, we were back on the move once again, this time by train. We each purchased a Mobilis train pass (don’t forget to sign and date your ticket if you get one!), which provided unlimited train rides for the day in Zones 1-4. This would get us to Versailles, and also to another stop that I wanted to make. Since we were passing right by the Eiffel Tower, I figured we could stop there before going all the way to Versailles. And then, maybe, on the way back we could stop there again to see the tower at night and have some dinner nearby. Ultimately, we spent so much time at Versailles that the latter part of that plan didn’t happen, so the Mobilis pass probably didn’t pay off.
Anyway, at least we did manage to visit the Eiffel Tower on our way to Versailles. We walked around, observed the crowds (never mind the line to go up the tower), and took in the many views from the Champs de Mars and the Trocadero. The latter was under construction, so it was not quite as charming as in the photos you see online. Swarms of people were there nonetheless, lining up for a quick glamor shot with the tower in the background.
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| The Eiffel Tower was looking a bit moody under that overcast sky. The barricade at the Trocadero provides a pop of color. |
Following our stop at the Eiffel Tower, we carried on to the Palace of Versailles. I am not as enamored with the pomp and circumstance of royalty as some are, but nevertheless, visiting the Palace of Versailles was probably the absolute most favorite thing we did on this trip. Even if you don’t care for homes of the rich and famous, I would still say the palace is worth visiting, and outside of the palace itself, the gardens of Versailles are stunning and massive. In fact, the entire area is 18 times larger than Vatican City. Being so large, there are a few restaurants on-site, so you can enjoy a long day there. There is a lot to see, including groves, statues, fountains, sunflowers, farm animals, fairytale-looking cottages, and so on. You can rent bikes or a golf cart to help you cover all of this ground more quickly, or else rent a boat for some pleasant rowing down the canal.
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| Wow! |
We had such a long and fantastic day at Versailles that I have a whole travel diary written for it over here.
Day 3: The Louvre, Macarons, Pear Sorbet, and Le Marais
The next day was our big visit to the Louvre. In a token effort to beat the crowds, we booked a 9:30am admission time. Andy and I had a quick breakfast at Liberté café before heading straight to the Louvre. We arrived a little early, so we wandered into the Tuileries Garden and sat peacefully near the big fountain there. Eventually it became time for us to enter and we essentially walked right in, after a quick scan of the health pass QR code.
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| Everyone shares a photo of the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory, et al., but I am going to share a photo of this humongous bull capital from Susa Palace instead. |
The Louvre was not very busy yet, but there were still people there, and I remembered reading that a visit to the Mona Lisa should be the first order of business, before it gets too crowded. We followed this advice and were able to swiftly weave through the empty rope barricades right up to her. With that done, we could now more leisurely visit the other myriad artworks and greatest hits of the museum (such as the Venus de Milo, Winged Victory at Samothrace, Liberty Leading the People, and Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss). During the middle of our visit, we took a restorative break at Caffe Mollien. This cafe features an outdoor terrace for an eagle eye view of the entry pyramid. The entry line seemed to have grown quite long by the time we took in that view. That was at about 10:45am.
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| The view from the terrace of Caffe Mollien. |
We are big Nintendo fans, so Andy asked me to take a photo of the audio guide counter with all of the Nintendo-branded headphones and Nintendo DS’s. While I snapped a single shot from a few feet away, the person manning the counter yelled at me and told me no photos of the headsets were allowed. So strange, after all of the other priceless works you are allowed to photograph. I guess they are trying to prevent a Nintendo-themed heist.
While exiting the Louvre, we were surprised to see that we were made to pass through a full-fledged shopping mall, with a McDonald’s, a Pandora – the works. An interesting juxtaposition.
On the way back to the hotel we hit up a Laduree, for science, as we would later that day try Pierre Herme for macaron comparison purposes. (For the record, I think I did prefer the latter slightly, if only because the flavors were a little bit more inventive when compared to Laduree’s more traditional flavors.)
Once we were done relaxing at the hotel, and after an unremarkable sushi lunch, we began walking to Le Marais. We crossed bridges to the Ile de la Cite and the Ile Saint-Louis. Immediately across the Pont Saint-Louis was La Brasserie de L’Isle Saint-Louis. We stopped here for some famous Berthillon ice cream. This quick stop was another memorable highlight of our trip. We were seated right away, our waiter was friendly, and the view from the café was so pleasant, watching pedestrians and cars arriving on the island from the bridge. Perhaps most importantly, we had our first bite of Berthillon’s pear sorbet. This sorbet masterfully conveys the essence of that rare, juicy pear that you must eat over the sink while its sweet juices flow down your face. We tried a couple of other ice cream flavors, too, and they were all good, but pear is pretty rare as a sorbet flavor. We made sure to seek it out at least 3 or 4 more times over the course of our trip.
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| The pear sorbet that dreams are made of. Paired with some pretty good coffee ice cream. |
Le Village Saint-Paul was one of our first stops in the Marais. I had carefully timed our visit there to ensure everything would be open; despite my best efforts, it seemed that every single one of its shops was closed. I am not sure if this was due to new COVID hours, or something else – I had read that renovations were taking place a year ago, so maybe it just hasn’t reopened? In any case, the overall complex appeared to be mixed-use, with some residences atop the shops. Those residents were making use of the empty courtyard, so it was not entirely lifeless. Eventually, Andy and I made our way out of Le Village Saint-Paul and onto one of the busiest streets in the Marais, where plenty of other shops were open. One was an alluring fruit market, where I bought several figs to compare with those I am growing at home. Of course, the Marais figs were much more massive, and probably equally delicious.
Other stops in Le Marais included Pierre Herme for more macarons and L’As du Fallafel. I am a fan of falafel, so of course we needed to check it out. Seating seemed a bit tight at the restaurant, so we brought our food to a small park (apparently, Rosiers – Joseph Migneret Garden), where we gathered with other great minds who shared the same idea.
Day 4: Musee d’Orsay, Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, and the Retro Video Gaming District
The next morning, Andy and I walked almost as far as the Pantheon for breakfast at Jozi Café, lured by the positive reviews. This was a sweet, cozy little place with a pleasant barista and tasty pancakes. It definitely seemed like a student hangout type of place.
Following breakfast, we moved on to today’s main attraction, which was a visit to the Musee d’Orsay. Here you will find famous pieces by the likes of Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh, and also Odilon Redon, who I was not familiar with before, but whose works I particularly enjoyed. In addition to the artwork on display, the museum building itself is also worthy of admiration, being a former train station.
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| Artwork by Odilon Redon. |
Next on the agenda was the Champs-Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. This was probably the most “box ticky” thing we did on the trip. I’ve seen the Magnificent Mile, I’ve seen 5th Avenue, I’ve seen several other analogues, but of course you *must* see the Champs-Elysees. Well, now I’ve seen it. I guess a busy street with high-end shops I cannot afford just doesn’t do much for me. As for the Arc, it was surprisingly massive. You can read about how tall it is, but it is still surprising to see it life-size once you get up close to it. While walking there, Andy commented that surely it would not take us 30 minutes to get there, as it seemed to be so close. Nope. It was just deceptively huge. I understand that the arc is a good place for a bird's eye view, if that is something you are seeking.
While riding the train back to our hotel, I reminded Andy about a different shopping street I had noticed on Google Maps that might be more our speed. Thus, instead of returning to the hotel, we took the train all the way to the Republique stop. We immediately came upon the Place de la Republique, which was being used as a massive outdoor skate (board) park. Soon past that, we arrived at our intended destination, which was Boulevard Voltaire, home to countless retro video gaming shops – seriously, at least more than ten – all in a row. Much like the Champs-Elysees, Andy and I only window shopped here, but at least the wares were more compelling and the temptation to spend felt more palpable, as we are both big nerds. Indeed, this small corner felt like a tiny Mecca to us; even without spending a dime, it was worth the trip as each shop was like a small museum and shrine to video gaming and pop culture. I have to give credit where it’s due – the nerd culture in Paris seemed strong overall. We loved this about it.
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| A street sure to delight every nerd and gamer. Follow here for more photographs. |
Day 5: Quartier de la Mouzaia, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Jardin Bergeyre, Buddha Bar, and Eiffel Tower Light Show
We wound up at Cafe Panis for breakfast this morning, though it is not where we initially wanted to go. Despite being in a very touristy spot, it ended up being a great breakfast.
Today we planned to visit some far-flung quarters of Paris. Specifically, the Mouzaia and the Bergeyre. Since our shortened trip itinerary no longer afforded us the opportunity to visit parts of France outside of Paris, I thought it might be interesting to visit these smaller residential neighborhoods, just for a taste of something different. Sandwiched between these two neighborhoods was the Parc des Buttes-Chamount, which we also planned to visit.
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| A small residential street in the Mouzaia. |
In the end, I was not overly impressed with the Mouzaia or Bergeyre. While somewhat photogenic, I did not find them especially so in comparison to other ‘small towns’ in Europe, or Montmartre, which we later visited. I would describe Mouzaia as a less charming version of the Italian village my mom is from… I know not everyone has that point of reference, so other visitors might appreciate it more. And Bergeyre I would describe more as strangely laid out than charming, with each tall building running “deep” into a pit in the ground. It’s hard to explain; not so much a pit, as a deep, below street-level courtyard.
Our visit to the Parc des Buttes-Chamount redeemed the whole outing. We liked this park a lot. It was perfect for walkers, joggers, bicyclists, and hillside loungers, with nice wide trails and plenty of beauty to enjoy at any pace. Unfortunately for us, the highest point of the park, the Temple of Cybele, along with the bridge leading up to it, were closed off, ostensibly due to the risk of rock slides. Nevertheless, there were other bridges and beautiful naturalistic features for us to enjoy in the park, and even a few different varieties of birds for us to watch. Andy and I also found a satisfying lunch in the park at one of its three restaurants, the Pavillon du Lac.
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| A view of the Temple of Cybele in Parc des Buttes-Chamount. |
That afternoon we made a brief pilgrimage to Berthillon, freshly reopened following their August holiday. The ice cream was still good, but they lacked an outdoor patio, so we ate it on the move.
For years I have had the music of the Buddha Bar in my digital collection. When I learned that there was a Buddha Bar in Paris, and that we would be going to Paris, I aspired to go there for dinner. Thus, Andy and I packed a couple of nice outfits appropriate to such an outing and went there for dinner at 7:30pm Wednesday night. I don’t know if we really needed a reservation under the current circumstances, but our hotel’s front desk graciously gave the restaurant a call and made one for us. I know that the Buddha Bar was more like a nightclub once upon a time, but during our visit it seemed strictly to be a somewhat upscale restaurant and/or place for a few drinks. Or maybe we just left before things really kicked off. We are not nightclub people, in any case, so this iteration was better for us.
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| The lighting inside the Buddha Bar casts everything in a red hue. |
Following dinner, Andy and I made our way to Pont Alexandre III. We arrived mere minutes before the 9pm Eiffel Tower light show would begin.
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The light show takes place for 5 minutes at the top of every hour after dark. |
The bridge provided a wonderful setting to take in that view, and it is better still that we didn’t need to travel all the way out to the tower. Even the bridge itself was nice to look at, all lit up and adorned with gold statues, lamplight reflecting on the river below. Altogether, the illuminated bridge, the shimmering river, the distant silhouette of the city, and the twinkling tower, made for a very pleasant and iconic Parisian scene.
Day 6: Musée de l'Orangerie, Montmartre, and Sacre-Couer
This was our last real sightseeing day in Paris. First thing on the agenda was a 10:30am visit to the Musée de l'Orangerie. This was a smaller, more manageable museum – essentially just a showcase for Monet’s panoramic waterlily paintings, along with various other art pieces all contained to a single floor in the basement. Andy and I sat and gazed upon the waterlilies for a good while, admiring their serenity, before walking up to each painting to see how the impressionist “illusion” disappears as you get closer.
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| A pleasant scene at l’Orangerie. |
Following our visit to the museum, Andy and I journeyed by train to Montmartre, the neighborhood on the hill. We arrived at Abbesses station. I mentioned to Andy that the transfer to the funicular was nearby, but spoke of it no further. Abbesses was the only train station where we took an elevator, to avoid its over 200 stairs (Abbesses is the deepest Metro station in Paris).
Once Andy and I were above ground, our first stop was the Wall of Love. This was located just immediately outside of the train station exit. After finding the words “I Love You” in the few languages we know, we began our walk up the hill. Andy didn’t think he was going to make it, but between my encouragement and a couple bottles of water, we made it all the way up those stairs to the top. I assured Andy the view would be worth it, and he agreed that it was. However, I guess he was not clear that the funicular would have allowed us to skip all those stairs… I think it is better as (36-year-old) first-timers to earn that view with our own sweat. Plus, you get to absorb more of the “vibe” while weaving through the streets and ascending on foot.
It really did feel like we alighted upon some kind of enlightened plane once reaching Sacre-Coeur. Everyone mulling about there seemed to be so peaceful and joyful, with music playing while we all serenely shared the distant view. Or maybe the radiant positive mood was just a side effect of there being no more stairs to climb. 😉
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| Light beaming into Sacre-Couer. |
After a peek inside and around the church, Andy and I headed for the Place du Terte. I guess Place du Terte was not really what I imagined, since I had envisioned more of a market scene; instead, most of the square was predominated by outdoor dining space for restaurants, and there were only a few artists around the perimeter. I guess maybe this is a recent development.
Andy and I were good and hungry by now, and we quickly found seating at Le Consulat. Once our bellies were full of antipasti, bread, and mussels, we continued our wanderings around Montmartre. The Montmartre neighborhood demonstrated more of that European charm I had hoped to find in Mouzaia. While travelling, I find that I tend to really like big cities, and really *love* mid-sized cities. They seem to exhibit more of a distinct character, and people often live there more often than they commute. Montmartre sort of gave me that mid-sized city feeling, even though it is technically just a neighborhood.
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| A charming residential block in Montmartre. |
There was nothing left on our itinerary once we returned from Montmartre. The end of our trip was drawing near. We needed to stop by Pierre Herme for some souvenir macarons, so we took the really long way around and visited the inside of Saint-Sulpice, as well as Marche Saint-Germain, first. This added many more steps to our daily count.
Speaking of our impressive step count, once we had our macarons in hand and were almost back at the hotel (again), my feet finally announced that they had had enough. More specifically, it was my ankle – I had missed a step in one of the Metro stations, and though I did not trip or roll it, I landed a bit hard. I thought I had gotten away with it, but I guess now was the time my body decided it was ready to complain. Not bad timing, all things considered. It would certainly have been worse to hear those complaints while walking the steps up to Sacre-Coeur. Nevertheless, my ankle was now buckling and sending out shooting jolts of pain like never before, so it was officially time for some Advil and a rest. Removing my shoes required great care. Visually speaking, the heel looked fine. I have never suffered anything like this before, even when pushing myself even harder than this week. I guess maybe it’s a sign of age, or just a lot of different factors coming together to viciously assault my ankle.
Ankle pain aside, it was our last night in Paris, and so we gingerly ventured out for one last dinner. We chose Le Petit Chatelet, thanks to its favorable reviews, pleasant location, and, perhaps most importantly, proximity to the hotel. While on our way there, we saw that the Shakespeare and Co. bookstore was as empty as we’d ever seen it, with no line, so we took the opportunity to pop in. I couldn’t take the stairs (or didn’t want to risk it, anyway), so we just saw the ground floor. It reminded me a bit of the Atlantis bookstore on Santorini.
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| A delectable poached pear with violet ice cream from Le Petit Chatelet. |
Following a post-dinner stroll, the night was still not over yet, and I was determined to have some tea on a patio before finally turning in. Andy and I decided to try the Saint Severin Restaurant right in front of our hotel. Since we had a very early morning ahead, I tried to order what I thought would be a decaf rooibos tea (they told me it was “red tea”), but this wound up being a berry-flavored black tea. Oops. I drank it anyway. C’est la vie. Andy, for his nightcap, ordered a large bowl of pear sorbet. It was just as delicious as the first time.
Day 7: Departure
We had originally planned to take the RER B back to the airport, but with my ankle in the state it was, and the luggage we had to carry, Andy thought it was best to take a taxi. I protested – I figured I could tough it out, and I was kind of looking forward to one last train ride, now that we were experts. But I honestly didn’t know how I’d cope with dragging my suitcase up and down the stairs of a Metro station, where needed. Two suitcases at once, plus the heavy laptop bag, plus the carry-on backpack, would probably be a little much for Andy. Thus, the evening before our departure, we asked the hotel to book us a cab. The cab service cost us something like €65, or $77 USD. I wasn’t happy about spending that money, and we must’ve had the slowest cab driver ever, but at least this ride afforded us an above ground look at some other parts of town on our way to the airport. And since it was 7:00am, traffic was also not too bad (throughout the week, GMaps usually predicted that driving and walking would take about the same amount of time, to give you an idea of the traffic).
When we arrived, we found CDG to be a fairly sleepy, empty airport. We checked our bags in quickly. Almost nothing at the airport was open, save for one souvenir shop and one deli counter. That deli counter always had a line, since it was the only food option available. Bring a snack and a book. Or start working on your trip report. 😅
Hints, Tips, and Stray Thoughts
Trains
Trains on the same line sometimes diverge onto different tracks, and ultimately wind up at different terminal stations. Furthermore, some trains run express and skip some stations entirely. To help you navigate all of this, there are always maps of the train line with its various forks displayed prominently in the train station. After you’ve determined the proper terminal station for your journey based on the line map, there are then helpful electronic screens hanging above the platform, displaying the next few trains that are coming, so you can figure out which train you need to get on. Maybe it sounds complicated in print, but it is all very logical once you are there.
Restaurant Seating
While visiting café Angelina on our first day, Andy and I still couldn’t quite discern what is the customary way to be seated at a restaurant in France. We figured we ought to wait for a host or hostess to seat us, as that seemed to be the vibe, but at Angelina (and several other places), we ultimately had to approach someone and ask to be seated. I think the need to scan the QR code for the health pass upon entry complicated matters a bit, but I wasn’t sure to what degree. I decided to be bold and query the waitress after she brought us our menus. I explained that it was our first day in France, and we were wondering if restaurant guests customarily wait to be seated or seat themselves. She kind of tiptoed around it, but the gist I got is that you are supposed to wait to be seated; however, French people just barge in (she pretty much explicitly said this) and seat themselves. That said, with the need to scan the health pass now, even the French must diligently wait to be seated. Online advice indicated that, if there are place settings on the table (plate, silverware, etc.), you should wait to be seated, otherwise, at a more casual place (like a café), you can seat yourself.
Credit Cards
A note about paying for things by credit card: our American-issued Visa card – the Chase Sapphire Preferred card – worked everywhere we went, including the machines at the train station. I remember that, historically, train station ticket machines were infamous for having trouble with non-chip and PIN cards, but we did not encounter this issue. Another tip: our Chase card has tap-to-pay functionality, and if your card does, too, definitely go for that option every time it is available. That way you probably won’t have to worry about a PIN or a signature. Usually, you’ll just tap and get a receipt, without further ado. It’s very convenient.
Although our credit card was painlessly accepted at all physical locations, we did run into trouble with two online purchases. We hadn’t booked tickets for the Orsay or the Orangerie in advance, as we did not want to overcommit ourselves. However, it was also not possible for us to purchase tickets at the door due to the COVID restrictions; all tickets needed to be reserved online. Both the Orsay and the Orangerie websites seemed to run on the same engine for purchases, and neither one let my Visa card go through. For the Orsay I imposed on my sister at home and asked her to buy us the tickets (we repaid her, of course); she ran into the same trouble, but at least did not need to make a long-distance phone call to her credit card company to resolve it. For the Orangerie, we asked our hotel’s front desk to book those tickets for us. There may have been a small surcharge, but better than bothering my sister again. In a real pickle, we could have probably gotten in touch with our credit card company to resolve it, so none of this was a real disaster.
Sanisettes
My perpetual crisis is the urgent need for a toilet at the most inopportune moments. For just these situations, Paris offers plentiful, free-to-use, minimalist facilities called sanisettes. Basically they are fancy porta-potties, and are found throughout the city streets, but also in other places, like the occasional train station. The novelty of sanisettes is that the door locks after each use and the whole space is sprayed down with water; thus, they are branded as high-tech and sanitary. I had the “pleasure” of using two of them, and they were not at all what I had hoped for them to be. First, (as is the case in much of Europe,) amenities such as toilet paper, water, and soap are not to be assumed. Moreover, when you step into one, everything is indeed wet, *you hope* with clean water, but toilet paper and anything else that was left on the floor is still firmly in place, just soaked, which doesn’t really make you feel better.
Bread
I’m going to take a moment here to talk about bread in France, or at least, in Paris. The stereotypical image of a French man walking down the street with baguette under arm is entirely sound. Indeed, we saw that very scene play out many times (and, once or twice, even with a beret to complete it). The French truly love their bread. Andy and I also share this fondness for freshly baked bread, but for us, this implicitly entails warm bread. Not so in France. All of the bread we were served in Paris (save for two wood-toasted pieces at Le Petit Chatelet) was served cold. To me, that seems a shame, and a waste of good bread, but my online research indicates that there is a reason for this: the French believe that warm bread will give you a “brioche,” or a potbelly. Yes, maybe it does, but that is only because it so good, you will eat even more of it! I get the idea of scooping up the remains of your plate with the bread, which we are also fond of, but it is still more enjoyable while the bread is warm.
Rats
While walking past public parks throughout Paris, we frequently saw signs with admonitions about rat abatement. The whole week we were in Paris, we did not see a single rat. On our last night in Paris, we saw three. The first two appeared before it was even dark out. We saw them playing and tussling in the grassy verge in front of Le Petit Chatelet. It was almost wholesome. The third we saw in the square in front of Notre-Dame. Despite my angry heel, I was determined to spend some time sitting in that square on our final evening, admiring the cathedral one last time. There were no musicians in the square this time, but there was an overly gregarious rat walking along the ledge where everyone was sitting. He walked right up to one girl, much to everyone’s disbelief. While we were all engrossed in this encounter, a random man loudly JUMPED at everyone who sat watching with bated breath – BOO!
Closing Thoughts
All in all, I would say we had a very successful and enjoyable trip. COVID produced some hurdles, but as noted, there were also some opportunities we were able to take advantage of. Andy and I are both really glad we were able to get the health pass before our trip, although other trip reports indicate it would not have been a dealbreaker either way. Moreover, we are very glad we got to make this trip happen at all!
Putting the COVID element aside, Andy and I both really liked Paris a lot. I think it was all we hoped for, with good food, charming streets, attractive architecture, nice parks, and so on – there was even a pronounced nerd culture to help us feel a greater sense of kinship. Of all the attractions that are popular with tourists, I would say that Versailles and Montmartre were our favorites. I still hope that we will be able to fulfill the itinerary I once dreamed of, sooner than later, with time spent in Provence, Alsace, and beyond, but I can hardly feel disappointed by the beautiful week we were able to spend in Paris.
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