This was our first time to Paris, and we loved the whole week! Even in a big city, seven nights is plenty but we were able to find contrasting things to do every day. Hilly Montmartre is magical, though you need to also take refuge in the much less crowded, cobbly streets. Parks like Luxembourg Gardens are a paradise – at least in May – and there’s an endless array of pastry and bread shops, cafes, bars and restaurants of course. There must be more boulangerie and patisserie than there are pizzerias in New York. Plus, Paris is cheaper than even our own small town in Long Island, NY. In shops, imported bottles of American whiskey are way less expensive than they are at home. Apartment rentals and sales, though dear are much less than Manhattan or London.
Firstly I’ll mention the criticism many tourists have made for many years of Parisians being cold and brusque. We found pretty much everyone serving us or with whom we shared a few words to be really lovely. Especially in non-touristy areas like Batignolles, but generally even in most tourist spots (like ‘Amelie’s Cafe’ in Montmartre).
Okay, I found the young waiter in one Cafe a little aloof and he’s probably never done anything like fallen backwards against a tree with a bag of laundry. But generally, so long as you always greet someone with a “bonjour” or “bonsoir” everyone is warm and kind.
Okay, let’s crack on with a diary of what we did and experienced in our eight days, illustrated with a lot of our photos.
Day one (9th and 18th Arrondissements: Pigalle and Montmartre)
Flying from JFK, we went with Norse Airlines which Marie had found online. The planes are excellent, Norwegian. The staff are purty nice – but don’t bother you unnecessarily – and we picked the Premier class. It’s not like business class but you get a great deal of room. The only improvements could be a little more comfortable headrests and better meals as the food was a bit “meh”, and too rich. Other than that we were very happy, and it was a $1,000 less than Air France! We’ll take sandwiches next time.
PLUS if you pick a smaller airline company there are advantages. We’d heard De Gaulle Airport can be pretty manic and huge but the Norse terminal is a little one and so easy. The baggage carousel is right there as you step off the plane, then a nice young woman coordinates a taxi for you outside.
Marie had also done excellent research in finding us a hotel. We can totally understand if travellers like to stay at a hotel near a big tourist site, but we didn’t wish to. The Hotel Joke in Pigalle (the old Red Light District and still sexy but in the most well-mannered and clean way) is part of the Astotel chain of hotels, and is relaxed, humourous as the name suggests and friendly.
We’d booked the bigger room admittedly but it was perhaps the most spacious hotel room we’d ever had. By reception there are always snacks, coffee and tea. Also, you can drop into any of the other hotels around Paris under the same group and pick up snacks and drinks and use their toilet facilities too. Nice! And we even had BBC channels, though we also put French channels on in the background in the morning just because.
It was now about 1 or 2pm I think, as we enjoyed setting out our stuff in the room and relaxing. Ordinarily we always crash-nap when arriving in Europe, but we’d both had some sleep on the plane and opted to stay awake for the duration. Sun was shining bright, and we went out to explore Montmartre which was beloved of the Impressionists. Pigalle is towards Northern Paris and our hotel just around the corner from the Moulin Rouge with uphill Montmartre starting just about three minutes walk further north. We passed Cafe de 2 Moulin, “Amelie’s Cafe” where they filmed a lot of scenes for the film.
Many streets were reasonably crowded but not too bad, and a lot of side streets were extra charming and humble. I said to Marie that I’d suddenly remembered that Van Gogh and Theo’s apartment (for two years) was around somewhere. She replied that if it’s no more than a twenty minute walk we’d seek it out. It turned out to be about 18 feet from where we stood! Outside is just a simple blue plaque, very low key. It happens that he moved 38 times in his life. Oh to turn back time, knock on his door and ask to buy a painting…
We had a enchanting afternoon and evening in dappled sunshine. We weren’t going up as far as the Sacre Coeur today but had a beautiful view from a cobbled street below and behind us from the gated grand garden a cat delighted everyone by showing itself. We’d come prepared with cat treats in our bag.
We had a first cafe stop at Chez Ginette – my first beer, a blonde – and bought pastries from Arnaud Larher to have in the hotel that night.
Later we also went back to Amelie’s Cafe, which is – well, exactly as in the scenes – Marie with a mint cordial (like toothpaste, but glad she tried it as it’s a Parisian thing), a croque monsieur – a toasted French ham and cheese sandwich – for the lady and a beef borguignon for me. Both delicious. And a pint of Chouffe beer for me.
Day 2, first full day (4th and 9th Arrondisements including Galeria Lafayette, Notre Dame and Ile St. Louis)
A late lie-in as we were both shattered! We started off with breakfast at the excellent Book Nook close to the hotel. We love that here and other cafes in Paris laptops are banned on weekends and at some tables on all days!
Today was going to be the opposite of yesterday, very rainy, so I suggested to Marie we could look for a big old, grand department store. That happened to be Galeria Lafayette, which was wonderful and with a stunning dome ceiling! A lot of interesting stuff too. Imagine Fortnum and Mason or Harrods but grander and much less expensive. We didn’t know it had a rooftop to enjoy too, with views of the Opera building, the Eiffel Tower etc.
We were tempted by some mice espresso cups but we hung back on buying anything. There’s an almost endless choice of chocolates and biscuits.
A metro train next from Opera station to the area around Notre Dame. My sister Lisa, who lived near the Eiffel Tower when a French student in the 1980s (and shared an apartment with JK Rowling there before she was famous) recommended we cross a bridge from the cathedral to one of the small islands, Ile St. Louis.
Narrow, beautiful streets with rustic shops and cafes. We were tempted by a cheese plate cafe, but it was very quiet and we carried on. St. Regis Cafe popped up and this is recommended in our Lonely Planet guide. It was perfectly old time elegance, and had a charcuterie board and myself a glass of red wine. Of course the waiter asked me to take a sip but I feel like saying, “of course I’m not going to say no thanks, I know practically nothing about wine!”. And one of our first of many delicious baguettes.
We absolutely loved the cafe. Cafes are always casual in Paris too, and you’re also not rushed in any way whatsoever.
We took some photos outside Notre Dame, and Marie pointed that the queue/line was moving quickly so we surprised ourselves by joining it and were in in five minutes. A beautiful cathedral it must be said, and mass was coincidentally on.
Then we needed a number 76 bus back (or 74, forget which). Marie couldn’t face the multiple stairs and escalators down to a metro – it was one of those stations close to the Earth’s core I think – and I was happy with a bus which we both enjoy more. It was supposed to be every eight minutes or something, but forty minutes later and we’re still standing there! And about a dozen number 80s stopped. Those goddamn 80’s buses! The gripe is the same world wide.
We gave up and started walking to a different bus stop for a number 21 but checking back over our shoulder a 76 arrived! The Seinfeld episode where they’re waiting forever for a table at a Chinese restaurant, only for the host to announce their table is ready the second they leave came to mind! Though we’d got lucky!
Back at the hotel, and later that evening we’d booked a one hour tour in a Citroen 2CV. They pick you up from the hotel and our man arrived on time. Oh, I just glanced at Trip Advisor and some say they’ve taken a three hour tour and loved it, but we felt an hour was good! Our driver apologised for the rain, and asked us where we’d like to go. We hadn’t been near the classics like the Champs Elysee and Eiffel Tower etc so we rumbled along happy as larks and really enjoying the motor (my dad used to have a Citroen Diane, one step up but not quite as cute as the 2CV). He let us out at the Eiffel and at the prestige of Place Vendome, both for photo opportunities and both very quiet tonight.
To finish the day, a drink at our local bar.
Day 3 – Catacombes, Luxembourg Gardens, cabaret
Breakfast at Liperli this time, a small and classy Colombian cafe. We loved all the breakfast stops we made. Look fellow Brits, you’re not going get a bacon sarnie for breakfast here except perhaps at an Irish pub! Start light and save yourself for lunch.
Then on a bus to the Catacombes (or ossuary really) which passes by the Louvre so I got a couple of photos passing by.
So the Catacombes…we enjoyed the spooky experience though I imagined something a bit more open and cave-like/grander. It was an interesting thing to do, and it ends up in a slightly wider area where a clandestine classical concert was held in 1897! The Catacombes started when health problems began from the overcrowded cemeteries so many of the bodies were transferred underground. There are unknowns here, but also the occasional renowned figure.
You’d think – at least we did – that it’s probably just been open to the public in relatively recent times but no. 1809!
Back out in the sunshine, and a very nice walk to the sophisticated and cooling Luxembourg Gardens (well, I suppose they’re not cooling in August but perfect today).
Then a lunch stop at Angelina’s just outside one of the park gates. There are six branches in Paris. Great service, some real characters and – gor blimeys, Marie’s avocado toast was an absolute work of art but I think it cost no more than the same dish back home where it’s just mashed on the toast!
I also had the best and largest croquet monsieur.
A bit more relaxing in the park, including at the idyllic La Fountaine Medicis, and back out onto the streets.
We then walked to Shakespeare and Company, which is a very famous British bookshop. I’ll borrow and paste a little from the website’s history on it…
“Shakespeare and Company is an English-language bookshop in the heart of Paris, on the banks of the Seine, opposite Notre-Dame. Since opening in 1951, it’s been a meeting place for anglophone writers and readers, becoming a Left Bank literary institution…
…When the store first opened, it was called Le Mistral. George changed it to the present name in April 1964—on the four-hundredth anniversary of William Shakespeare’s birth—in honor of a bookseller he admired, Sylvia Beach, who’d founded the original Shakespeare and Company in 1919. Her store at 12 rue de l’Odéon was a gathering place for the great expat writers of the time—Joyce, Hemingway, Stein, Fitzgerald, Eliot, Pound—as well as for leading French writers.
Through his bookstore, George Whitman endeavored to carry on the spirit of Beach’s shop, and it quickly became a center for expat literary life in Paris. Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Anaïs Nin, Richard Wright, William Styron, Julio Cortázar, Henry Miller, William Saroyan, Lawrence Durrell, James Jones, and James Baldwin were among early visitors to the shop.”
It was very busy, but lovably shabby and friendly. The book is most definitely alive, especially in Paris where you see bookshops everywhere!
On the way to S & Co. we passed through some touristy streets in the 5th arrondissement which were the only part of Paris we didn’t like…only a smallish area I think but tacky tourism, a pirate themed shop and all.
Two metro rides back to our hotel, and we got ready to go out to the cabaret, ‘Nouvelle Eve’ nearby.
I’d never been to a cabaret before, and I wasn’t even expecting the set up of dining tables around the stage! You can either book earlier and dine first, or book for just smaller tables behind. A server will bring you drinks if you wish, and we did (a lager for me, diet pepsi or coke for Marie).
We enjoyed chatting to a young Australian couple next to us. She had seen the show before, and had brought the boyfriend along.
I kind of imagined a cabaret to be a bit Goth-y and slightly dark and I knew sexy because Marie told me beforehand. It was very upbeat, at times cheesy in a glam way but really nicely done and also with some great variety acts thrown in whilst the dancers changed costume. The girls often danced topless. The Can Can was especially impressive.
Its dancers are lead by a singer whose name I forget, but when she called up three involuntary but happy males from the audience to show off any silly dance they could suddenly come up with to the music (I escaped again!) blow me if she wasn’t an English Northern lass who sounded like she came from Manchester!
We got Lebanese kebabs to take back to our hotel room.
Day 4, Friday – Musee d’Orsay/7th Arrondisement/Truffle meal
Today was art gallery day! Neither of us were particularly bothered about going to the Louvre. Instead Musee d’Orsay sounded much better and Marie had managed to overcome difficulties with paying by American credit card back home and got us tickets. It also covers the exact era I studied, 1860-1914. So particularly the Impressionists and post-Impressionists. The building is a former train station and is airy and perfect for a museum. You can also take photographs from the inside of one of its two giant clocks.
We headed straight for the action on floor 5 and thoroughly enjoyed it except for the heaving crowds. And many were just taking snaps of each artwork on their phones and moving on. What’s the point?!
The Van Gogh room was probably the most crowded, the others a little better.
We took our time, then headed down to I think the 3rd floor where some art deco furniture and paintings by the Nabis group were on display. I like the Nabis as much as the Impressionists, and down here it went from three hundred people in a room to about four. We loved that. Marie enjoyed the Nabis paintings too. I still like Bonnard’s work very much, but now I think I enjoy Vuillard’s as much. And Denis too, though his work is more carefully considered and less spontaneous. His paintings might be a of a religious theme but I love the style and I definitely work in that peaceful, flat decorative style myself sometimes.
A food break in the cafe next. We had “printed” a 20 x 16” poster of one of my favourite Van Gogh paintings too, The Siesta, and would need to pick it up. The quality is top notch!
After the Orsay, a longish walk along Rue St. Dominique towards Rue Cler, not that far from the Eiffel Tower and we could see it appearing between buildings. Rue Cler is an area that the American travel presenter Rick Steves knows well, and Marie thinks he stays here. The street is very nice, with a mix of tourists and local French appeal and we found a great little olde-worlde place Steves recommends, Le Petit Cler. There a cheese plate and drinks.
In the evening, in Pigalle we had one of the two best meals of the trip I think, and the most unique at Le Artisan de la Trufe! In this beautiful little restaurant recommended again by Lucille on youtube, every dish contains truffle, including desserts and occasional drinks! Marie chose the ravioli, I the burger and fries and we shared crème brulee. We went for simple drinks (coke and white wine) so as not to get completely truffled! It’s a rich flavour and for me not to have too often to appreciate most.
Day 5, Saturday – Montmartre Cemetery/Sacre Couer/Algerian dinner
Breakfast at popular Urban Bakery in Montmartre, more delicious coffee and more of that pillowy sweet bun goodness.
And on with a very enjoyable stroll through the 18th Ar. We then set about finding Montmartre Cemetery. I imagined something small and overgrown, but it’s very big with different “districts” and levels. It’s known partly for the 250 plus cats that live there! And they’re well looked after by the keeper. What an interesting cemetery too. Many graves have photographs, sometimes animated ones – a man fishing, another turned out to have been a gay pornographic film maker when Marie looked him up on wikipedia, one tombstone included a head stone for a cat and a granite cactus, some were really modern with modern art like giant ball bearings, some were simply classically beautiful with angels. We were especially there for the cats though and within minutes, out of my vision I heard Marie say, “hello…!”. We fed this black cat some treats, though when she came near the cat swiped a paw in warning. They have shelters with straw all over the cemetery, though maybe life is a bit rough for them. It ate the treats very gingerly and looked like it (probably a boy) maybe had some dental issues.
Later we had a nice talk with a Canadian couple, and passed some other well-known graves like Alexander Dumas. One grave was simply within a wall of thick glass with the signatures of the two deceased also on a glass panel on the ground inside.
We then came up to a grave that made us smile, ‘Familie de Gas’ and for a moment it almost brought on childish humour. Then we realised we had found the one we were looking for! It was Edgar Degas’ grave! Just very humble and simple with a relief of an artist, casually done. We had seen the Canadian couple again in the distance and they shouted and pointed instructions on how to find his grave, but we thought it would say Degas, not a family tomb with de Gas.
We saw more cats, and fed one or two more. And then fed ourselves on a mildewy bench, with a baguette we bought this morning at Urban.
Next, a climb up the hill to the Sacre Couer. We had thought to take the fenicular up but by this time we were almost there! It was well packed, which we of course expected, with a super long wait for people to go in. We’d seen Notre Dame and that was enough, and we sat on the stone steps with hundreds of others and looked out at the view. A street musician did his thing to our right. I took photos of course and we did take the fenicular going down just to say we had done it. There we found the ‘I Love You Wall’, which is in a small park. The wall is “I Love You” in over 250 languages.
Marie got a strong coffee next to take away from Beans on Fire and we took a look at Amelie’s apartment from the movie. The grocers below is very recognisable (since we recently watched it).
And we visited the oldest chocolate shop in Paris, La Mere de Famille, and bought a couple of a bars that sent us into raptures later. We already had some total luxury chocolate left at home from friends but we might be adding even more to bring back! And we dropped in to a mini supermarket to get yet more chocolate, but more typical French bars for family and work colleagues.
After a hotel regroup, we ate dinner not too far away at a very amiable, sweet family run Algerian restaurant, Lounja. Both of our dishes very good, Marie’s couscous and merkez sausage and I meatballs and a more-ish curry gravy (though too many peas).
fez up!
Day 6 – Marais
When watching tv in the morning, it was interesting to see that on fast-food commercials (this one for Burger King) there is advice underneath “be kind to your body, eat at least five fruits and vegetables each day”!
We got the metro to Bastille to take a quick look (now just a memorial column marks the rough spot of the old prison). A walk next to posh Place de Vosges and we into the free Victor Hugo House (his luxury apartments within a hotel to be exact). Much of the décor was quite unique and inspired by the Orient. And much objet d’art, some created by Hugo himself and quite fun.
Coffee, croissant and cake at the garden cafe that he sat at himself.
Then we walked to the lively area of Marais, which we hadn’t happened to pass through yet. Our target was the food markets, but first we weaved through a lot of other stalls at the side of the street selling junk and funk. The food market was big and quite crammed, a feast for hungry eyes but we were going for the crepes. At LuLu business was buzzing and we enjoyed watching the giant crepes being prepared. Even at this time, early afternoon I feel, they had run out of a couple of staple items so we couldn’t have ham. We wanted a savoury crepe, not a sweet one today. Marie and I had been talking about the andouille sausage, so we pivoted to that. The friendly girl taking the cash said it’s delicious.
It was certainly different to others being made, as our man laid down a lot of sauteed dark brown onions before the sausage, salad etc. We got out of the market where no seat was available and made for a nearby park. It was indeed delicious – quite strong but very nice, though…uhm. Marie said it smelt funky. The word andouille was followed with a French word after it on the menu, so Marie looked it up. It was tripe, so pig’s intestines. Many Italians enjoy tripe a lot, for example, and this one was good but not quite what we were after. We finished two thirds of it (we only found out half way through) and the pigeons got some of the actual crepe bread!
And now for something completely different, next up was the Cambridge Pub. I had looked this up in Lonely Planet a while back. For snacks they have meat pies and sausage rolls, but I could tell it was going to be tasteful. We imagined a mixture of French and British ex-Pat, but not at all! They serve pints, and at a bar but it’s really 80% French. We liked it a lot either way. Sitting at the bar for an hour or more and chatting a bit to the bartender, Marie ordered a mocktail, myself a cocktail, ‘Final Credits’ – Strawberry, Avallen Calvados, Whistlepig rye whiskey, frog’s breath, Empirical Ayuuk, Fizz (is “fizz” an ingredient?!). It was refined, gently sweet and subtle on the alcohol. You could drink five of these and not be as tipsy as one Old Fashioned back at home! We shared a sausage roll – excellent. I had a French lager-beer and we left very happy. The staff were pretty friendly too.
Football corner…
A bus back to the hotel, and a check on the football scores. It had not being going too well with my team Newcastle United being 1-0 down against Everton. The last game of the season with about four teams vying for the remaining Champions League places. Despite losing we still get a place in the competition courtesy of Aston Villa’s loss so what joy!!
We showered and changed, and had a plan for tonight’s meal. We hadn’t had steak frites yet. Close to us in Pigalle and straight past the avenue of sex shops and lap dances is a very popular, large and extremely affordable brasserie called ‘Bouillon Pigalle’. Queues can wrap around the street, but Marie had reserved for us. Staff somehow manage not to look too frazzled, as things move fast though you’re never ever rushed in Paris once you sit down.
The place is fun, and a local institution. We both enjoyed the steak frites (peppercorn sauce on the side). At 12 euros each!! And bread. And we both had desserts. I got a half bottle of red wine for 7 euros.
From their website!
“To all appetites, take note: From noon to midnight, the “world champions” of egg mayonnaise, onion soup, snails with parsley butter, cod brandade, beef bourguignon, calf’s head with gribiche sauce, profiterole, floating island, whipped cabbage, rice pudding, etc. will flash before your eyes.
The same generosity on the thirst side, with various water, soft drinks, beers, wines, bubbly, served by the pour…
In plain English, every day, the plate and the glass are like you have never seen before.”
Day 7 – Tuilleries Gardens
Another grand park, but not long in we both needed to take a Jimmy Riddle (pee) though the toilets were closed. So out on to the nearby street. We passed on going into a bustling, crowded cafe and continued down a side street…and continued and continued but all we could see were luxury shops for twenty minutes. Finally we stumbled upon a small casual Szechuan cafe-restaurant, Guli. It actually gets rave reviews on many sites and it was indeed first rate! And it had a toilet! We settled down to lunch, a spicy broth and dumpling soup for Marie, a chicken satay “bento box” (but not in a box, just in a ceramic bowl). And Chinese lager.
Now we were ready to return to the Tuilleries and we particularly enjoyed a large pool with many ducks and fish (and people) next to the steps leading out of the gardens. Birds are different in Paris though. Smarter and cleaner than in NYC with more unusual markings and colours.
We saw no squirrels whatsoever so our peanuts remained ziplocked.
The next big feature next was to head for one of Seine boat tours, the original one, Bateaux Mouches. The walk there was all very photogenic with perfect views of the Eiffel Tower. Marie also wanted to dwell at the Alexandre III Bridge just before you get to the boat sites.
The bridge really was sublime, and we took a lot of photographs.
As we went down to Bateaux Mouches a woman was petting what was clearly one of a small boat’s pet cats, a big fluffy ginger thing. We had to join in, and anyway I still had our cat treats in my 24 shoulder bag. It was very sweet..Quite the opposite of the black cat in the cemetery, but one lives a bit rough and one is probably a bit pampered.
Okay, to the boat offices. It’s big business and there are whole fleets and rival companies. As we were getting on, a lot of the tourists pushed past us to try to get the best seats but they needn’t have because there were plenty.
And a man behind Marie twice clumsily knocked her on the head with his selfie stick (she said “if it happens a third time I’m going to throw him overboard!”).
Other than that the tour was terrific! And a good length too. Even when you get to a certain point and turn back you don’t stop at the launch but carry on well past to get close up views of the Eiffel. I took a tonne more shots.
And it’s all very happy, many people wave from the banks and from the bridges as you pass. Great value too, at 18 euros each for what must have been about an hour and ten.
For dinner, we were mad for a cheese board! 17.45 is a small chain restaurant and there is one in Pigalle. It specialises in them.
The only thing is we miss a good sharp cheddar, but then again France produces one of the world’s best sharp cheeses with Roquefort.
Anyway, we loved the meal. You circle which cheeses and meats you want. One of the ones we picked, an unusual, creamy one was billed as being Louis XIII’s favourite!
Day 8 – Batignolles
It had been a week of mostly being near sites and a lot of people, so we had a different plan today. Going back to the young woman on youtube – Lucille. Her tips had been successful so far, and she loves the residential area she lives in. And in which you find no sites but just charming streets. Batignolle.
We could walk there from near our hotel. As our flight wasn’t until 8.30pm tonight we had a taxi reserved for 4.30pm at the Joke. So plenty of time to just chill, breathe in a residential, local area where the pace is slow.
It wasn’t too far a walk from the hotel, maybe twenty minutes and we went against Paris custom and ate a croissant whilst walking along!
At a busy corner cafe suggested by Lucille, we sat outside with croissant, chocolate chip scone (me, it was small but weighed more than quarry rock) and tasty, comforting cappuccino for Marie, London Fog for me. Just behind Marie around the corner a toddler was fascinated with Marie’s red hair, whilst to my left was a young woman with a big, sloppy golden retriever – always a favourite!
Then to the park opposite. We’d seen the ducks on yt. The ducks aren’t remotely afraid of humans as they know that’s where some of their food comes from. Even the teenage ducklings come up to you! We know not to feed much bread though as it’s bad for them. Try grapes.
And more wandering, we came to a more modern section. In Martin Luther King Park it’s a genius set-up. Pristeen apartment blocks of varying shapes and with plants and trees on balconies, then in-between jogging paths (lots), general fitness facilities, a skateboard park, but also a wildlife sanctuary for a whole variety of birds! There is an Ibis Hotel in the park, so if someone wishes to stay in a peaceful, villagey area like Batignolles – and it goes on for a few miles, we’ve more to explore yet – and just get public transport to tourist spots then you’re quids in!
Back to more old-charm Batignolles streets. It’s described as an area of various cultures & ethnicity. There’s certainly a lot of Italians here, with cafes, restaurants, delis etc. It was an example of the latter, Castro’s where we got another baguette – a classic Italian: Serrano, parmesan 24 mois, roquette, special de tomate and extra virgin olive oil. The filling is just enough. When getting older especially, the wall of meat NYC hero’s is way too much.
We stopped at the duck park again. It’s such a haven of a small park and we spent a happy hour there on a bench with the baguette, watching the wildlife. Of course we offered a tiny bit of bread, at our own peril.
On the walk back to the hotel, we stopped at a record stop and I bought a 7” Francoise Hardy single, a bargain 10 euros and stamped 31.12.68 but in very good condition!
When getting into our taxi, our nice driver turned back for us after we were five minutes into the traffic when we realised we’d left behind the Francoise Hardy record on the table of the hotel lounge! She was an excellent driver too, through eye-of-the-needle vehicle gaps and when we got into the tunnel closer to the airport there was a crash ahead and movement ground down to a crawl. Marie said to me, “uhm, now I’m a bit worried”. But once we’d cleared that it is was smooth as you like. We gave her 90 euros on a 70 fare, partly as it took her ten or fifteen minutes to twist back through the skids and honks of rush hour traffic to even get back to the hotel. Her expression was, like, “I don’t understand, the fare is 70”. She was proper chuffed with the 20. Not a tipping culture.
At the airport I tried to create my own security queue/line!! I saw a belt that was completely clear of both bags and people (and staff), so I’m thinking “cushty, I’ll have a bit of that” and started loading my items into the trays when Marie exclaimed lightheartedly, “what are you doing? There’s a reason why no one is there – the belt is even switched off. The queue is over there!”. Anyway, I’d already packed the trays so walked them over the twenty yards to the correct one.
And finally…
(from google images)
Despite having a tremendous time, we both came back sick! Some bacterial infection we picked up right near the end and which didn’t impact us until home thankfully. Marie has been fluey, and she did research on my symptoms and I think I got dysentery (finally getting much better and almost there). Working on this journal was something positive to do once the fever went down.
I work in a library, and of course there are lots of cute novels with Paris in the title, a lot of romance, mystery etc. We joked that we should write one, ‘Paris Tried To Kill Us’!
Okay, that’s it! I can’t type any more!
TravelHoglet 