As promised in the Rick Steves tour description, we did a lot of walking over the week and (literally) covered a lot of ground. While the tour's focus was introducing us to the significant and historic sights of Paris, the good amount of free time scheduled during the week emphasized the importance of us finding our own way around, rather than just being shown around. Arnaud made sure we knew the Metro and bus routes and encouraged us to practice our French whenever possible, all so that we could feel like we were experiencing the city like locals.
The real sightseeing began on Monday morning, when (after a thorough orientation of the Metro system) Arnaud took us to our first stop: the historical heart of Paris, Ile de la Cite, where we visited Sainte Chapelle and the Notre Dame. We crossed back into the city and wandered through the funky Latin Quarter, where we went our separate ways for lunch. I chose Le St. Andre because it looked like a quintessential Parisian cafe. And it did not disappoint -- I had a yummy croque monsieur with a half carafe (!) of red wine. Later that afternoon, we walked through Jardin du Luxembourg.
The real sightseeing began on Monday morning, when (after a thorough orientation of the Metro system) Arnaud took us to our first stop: the historical heart of Paris, Ile de la Cite, where we visited Sainte Chapelle and the Notre Dame. We crossed back into the city and wandered through the funky Latin Quarter, where we went our separate ways for lunch. I chose Le St. Andre because it looked like a quintessential Parisian cafe. And it did not disappoint -- I had a yummy croque monsieur with a half carafe (!) of red wine. Later that afternoon, we walked through Jardin du Luxembourg.
On Tuesday morning, after escorting us up to the Sacre Coeur via funicular ride, Arnaud handed us over to Christopher, a British
expat and our local guide for a walking tour of Montmarte. We started the walk outside the Sacre Coeur looking out over Paris and
we wound our way downhill through the narrow and cobblestoned streets. Christopher was generous with his art history knowledge, and showed us photos of artists and their paintings as he pointed out the spots where they worked. We saw the studio where Picasso painted (Le Bateau-Lavoire) and the apartment Van Gogh shared with his brother. Christopher kept us Amelie fans in mind and pointed out the sloped street that features in the opening shot of the movie. At one point while we walking, a street musician played the accordion. (Why didn't I get a picture??) I was in in Amelie heaven of course, and after the tour ended, I treated myself to a beer and a crepe at Café des 2 Moulins (the Two Windmills), the cafe where Amelie works. We had free time that afternoon, and I used it to explore the amazing Pere Lachaise Cemetery (see Stark and Moody), and then later we joined up again for another group dinner and were treated to a nighttime boat cruise on the Seine.
On Wednesday, Arnaud led us into the heart of the Marais district, which is a neighborhood of contrasts. In the lovely Place des Vosges, Arnaud pointed out Victor Hugo's apartment and told us stories of the royal parades (and executions) that once took place there, and then he weaved among posh shops and mansions to see several sobering memorials to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. After we circled back to our starting point (in front of Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis church), we parted ways for another free afternoon. After a quick visit to the Picasso Museum, I hopped on the Metro and headed back toward the Notre Dame to find Shakespeare & Company bookstore, which had been at the top of my must-see list. I had lunch in the adjacent cafe and then took my time poking around inside the store, browsing mainly in the children's section. I splurged on two books and a souvenir tote bag. After that, I strolled along the Seine (as one must do when in Paris) toward the Louvre, where the group re-grouped and Arnaud introduced us to local guide Elisabeth who led us inside for a private tour of the uber-famous museum. Unfortunately, after two days of steady walking, I was a bit too tired to fully appreciate all the wonders of the Louvre. I will definitely have to go back, although maybe it is just a little too famous for my taste. Because. yes, I have a picture of people taking pictures of the Mona Lisa. :-)
On Thursday we took the train out to Versailles, where Arnaud once again handed us over to Elisabeth for a private tour of the palace. After ogling at all of the opulence inside, we headed outside to see the immense gardens. Arnaud and Elisabeth gave us a quick orien-tation and then turned us loose to explore on our own. There was so much to see that it felt a bit overwhelming, so I focused on my one must-see: the outdoor ballroom featured in the Kate Winslet/Alan Rickman movie A Little Chaos. The rest of the day was free time, so after taking the train back to Paris, I had a yummy late lunch at Cafe Constant and then headed to the Arc de Triomphe. It took me longer than I expected to find the underground walkway to access the Arc, but once I got there I went straight to the top for a glittering nighttime view of Paris. Bonus moment: I was there at the right time to watch the regular evening ceremony that honors departed soldiers. Finally, despite the chilly temperature, I walked back to the Metro along the Champs-Élysées, which was fully decked out for the holidays. I resisted the temptation to enter the posh stores, but I did splurge and pay two Euro to use the fanciest public toilet I will probably ever see.
Friday was our last full day of the tour, and the morning was art-focused. After breakfast, Arnaud walked us through the stark and empty Jardin des Tuileries to meet up with his former art teacher (so cute!) for a private tour of Musée de l'Orangerie, which has an entire room devoted to Monet's Water Lilies. The museum was featured a lot of Impressionists (my favorite) and was much more accessible than the Louvre, but for some reason I didn't take any pictures there! After the Orangerie, Arnaud led us across a bridge (one of several bridges that is decorated with hundreds of locks ... though Arnaud was quick to point out they are placed by tourists, not locals) to Musée d'Orsay where we were again free to explore our own for the afternoon and then make our own way back to
the hotel before our last group dinner. I joined a few other Stevers and had lunch in the funky cafe on the top floor of the museum, and then I checked out the special exhibit on Frédéric Bazille. I could have stayed there longer of course, but I was starting to feel anxious that the tour was coming to an end and I wanted to walk around and see more of the city. I ended up walking along super-fancy Rue Royale (where the holiday decorations included faux chandeliers hanging over the street!), and on a whim I stopped at Laduree for delicious macaroons and decadent hot chocolate. That made for a lovely and yummy last afternoon.
It was a good week.
© 2016 by Molly Glover.