I actually have to confess that I had been to Paris before, once, when I was seventeen. I was with my senior comparative government class in Brussels to observe the EU (yeah we had the best teacher ever) and we went to Paris for the day. It was a long day trying to see everything and it became much more complicated when we got terribly lost and almost missed our train back to Brussels. So I decided to start over with Paris, give it a clean slate. Oh Paris. Where to start? First of all I must have been a French aristocrat in a past life because it seems Paris has everything that I love: cheese, wine, pastries, cafe au lait and chocolate.
I met the Irishman in Paris (Cue romance novel). He was there for a men only trip to the horse races but I managed to sneak in after the racing was over and the other men had left. Clever, I know. We stayed in a lovely apartment near Place de la Republique which I found thanks to this website. It was so Parisian and wonderful.
We started on our ambitious task of seeing all the sights in two days by walking along the canal towards Notre Dame. After a tour of the amazing Cathedral we paused briefly for lunch I had a brie and ham baguette. Then we continued towards the Louvre only to discover that it was closed. Thankfully it was open the next day! We continued walking and took a slight detour to get some macaroons from the famous Laduree, I also had a palmier and a cafe au lait. Of course. This was Paris. I had too. I also had to take a quick look in Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton because, well I was in Paris. I also don't have a job and did not win the lottery so really it was a bit of material world torture.
We continued to walk up the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe which we then went inside and climbed all 248 steps to the top. Though it was cloudy the views of the city were worth the trek. I'm sure on a clear day the view is incredible.
After a long day of walking we were tired and not sure what we were going to do about dinner. The woman who owned the apartment had recommended a few places nearby, one of which was also in my handy guidebook, so we decided to give it a try and I am so glad we did. The restaurant was very small, very much a whole in the wall type of place, which is usually a good thing. We walked in and in broken French asked for a table and if they had an English menu. We were sat in a corner and their version of an English menu was an adorable young waiter explaining the menu (which was written on large boards on the walls) in broken English. We both ordered the fish not really knowing what type of fish it was or what it came with, aside from the fact it was with bok choi. This fish was delicious. Buttery melt in your mouth and fresh. And delicious. Along with the bok choi was potato and I think turnips. It didn't matter that we were not sure of what it was because we both concluded it was one of the best meals we've had. I also think they fish may have been sea bass. I of course had a glass of wine to go with my meal and then a very fancy dark chocolate mousse served with an unidentified, but very nice, fruit. Throughout the meal people kept trying to get into the restaurant but, alas, we had taken the last table. The restaurant was booked out for the night. I almost felt guilty. Almost. But the fish was to amazing and it was such a romantic, quaint perfect Parisian experience that clearly it was meant to be. Ce la vie.
Also I got these shoes. From this shop called Antione et Lili. See? Named after me. The shoes had my name on them. Literally.
The following day we had to leave. We also had to go to the Louvre and to the boulangerie which had the very best apple tart I have tasted. Obviously it was busy day.
After breakfast we went to the train station where we put our luggage in a locker. I think this is so European. It also reminds me of spy movies like the Bourne Identity so naturally I felt like I was someone on some covert operation. Perhaps to steal all the pastries. Then we went to the Louvre finally as I really have wanted to go there for a long time. It was certainly on my bucket-list. And now I can say that I have been to most of the major museums in the world. The Louvre is, of course, massive and we didn't get to see everything but I think we got to everything I really wanted to see. I was sad to see they were advertising an exhibition of late Raphael works opening the following day. I did get to see the works of Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Delacroix in the French paintings section and Caravaggio and Da Vinci in the Italian section and the statue of Venus de Milo. And of course I saw the Mona Lisa. For a piece of such fame it really is quite unassuming. Of course there was a crowd of people pushing to get up close for a photo but I made my way to the front and just stood, looking at the painting appreciating it for what it was and appreciating the fact that I was standing in front of it which was really quite humbling. Before the digital age people didn't have cameras with them at all times and they went to museums to see the artwork, not take a photo to prove that they were there. I wonder if the people snapping photos actually stopped to take a moment and realise what was happening around them. There was a staff member of the Louvre in charge of maintaing crowd control and after people had snapped their photo she would push them along but she let me stay where I was right at the front. Maybe she didn't notice me or maybe it was because I was actually looking at what was in front of me so she let me stay.
After the Louvre we had a quick bite at a nearby brasserie. I love brasseries. I love there is a place where you can get food or coffee or wine or all of the above anytime of day. That you can sit there for as long as you like. It's perfect. There should be more brasseries in the world. Then it was off to the train station and au revoir to Paris. But hello to London (next post coming soon)!
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