Spring in Paris

~ My sojourns in France, 2010-2019

Spring in Paris

Tag Archives: Jardin de Luxembourg

A Monday Stroll

16 Thursday Jun 2016

Posted by Robert Mack in Experiences, Photos

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Berkeley Books, Boulevard Saint-Germain, Design et Nature, Deyrolle, Edgar, Fontaine de l’Observatoire, France, Galerie Vivienne, Instutute du Monde Arabe, Jardin de Luxembourg, Palais Royal, Panthéon, Paris, Right Bank, Sénat, Security Fence at the Sénat, Seine, Sherard, Square Barye, St. Etienne du Mont, stuffed animals, taxidermy

On Monday Sherard and I set out to explore the right bank, which we had slighted so far. We strolled over by way of the elegant Galerie Vivienne and the lovely garden of the Palais Royal.

Bookshop in the Galerie Vivienne.

Bookshop in the Galerie Vivienne

Greenery in the garden of the Palais Royal

Greenery in the garden of the Palais Royal

We crossed the Seine and entered the 7ème arrondissement along the rue du Bac, so I could show Sherard Deyrolle, a world-famous taxidermy shop with an astounding collection of animals and insects. I respected their rule against photos but to give you the idea here are some pics from the smaller but also wonderful Design et Nature [Photo Set] at the other end of my own rue d’Aboukir.

Stuffed animals at Design et Nature

Stuffed animals at Design et Nature

Stuffed animals at Design et Nature

Stuffed animals at Design et Nature

After walking along the posh Boulevard Saint-Germain we had coffee at the square in front of the Odéon, were disappointed to find that Phyllis Cohen’s Berkeley Books is closed on Mondays, then strolled through the Jardin du Luxembourg.

Panthéon seen from the Jardin du Luxembourg

Panthéon seen from the Jardin du Luxembourg

Security fence going in around the Sénat in the Jardin du Luxembourg

Security fence going in around the Sénat in the Jardin du Luxembourg. Necessary, but sad.

Fontaine de l'Observatoire of the Jardin du Luxembourg

Fontaine de l’Observatoire of the Jardin du Luxembourg

We chose a pleasant spot and read our books for an hour in the Jardin du Luxembourg.

Sherard pretending to read Foucault in the garden of the Palais Royal

Sherard pretending to read Foucault in the garden of the Palais Royal (which he really did in the Jardin du Luxembourg)

Then we walked over to Vavin, where I had had a memorable Niçoise salad my first year, at La Rotonde. They didn’t have this on the menu, though, and everything else looked pretty pricey, so we had cheap and cheerful baguette sandwiches at a boulangerie instead. We then walked up to the Panthéon, where I was disappointed to find that the beautiful St. Etienne du Mont church is closed on Mondays. Then through the Jardin des Plantes, fortunately open. The free observation deck of the Instutute du Monde Arabe is also closed on Mondays, and Square Barye, the little park at the east end of l’île Saint-Louis, was closed due to the flood, so all in all we had a good walk but were frustrated by closures at several points.

We partially made up for the disappointments of the day with a lovely small-plate meal at Edgar, a newly-opened hotel restaurant right around the corner from my 2016 apartment.

Dinner at Edgar

Dinner at Edgar

A Long Weekend

07 Sunday Jun 2015

Posted by Robert Mack in Experiences, Photos

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

An Hour from Paris, Chris, Jamie, Jardin de Luxembourg, le Musée des Tramways à Vapeur et des chemins de fer Secondaires français, Little Italy, Marais, Matt, meals, Montorgueil, Morton, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Paris, Place des Vosges, poularde, Rosa Bonheur, rue Montorgueil, Seine, Steam Trains, Tramways

Chris and Matt have been great friends for many years with Jamie, an American who now lives and works in Denmark. Jamie and his Danish partner Morton arrived late Thursday night from Denmark. We all met up for breakfast on Friday, at a café on rue Montorgueil.

Morton, Jamie, Matt, Bob and Chris at breakfast on rue Montorgueil.

Morton, Jamie, Matt, Bob and Chris at breakfast on rue Montorgueil.

We then strolled down to the Seine and over into the Latin Quarter. As we arrived at the Jardin du Luxembourg Matt suggested a picnic. I ducked into a crisp-looking wine store and asked the friendly proprietor whether it is permitted to have a picnic with wine in the park. He said yes, then directed us to a nearby cheese store and boulangerie and suggested two refreshing rosés. When we asked for plastic cups he offered to loan us real wine glasses! Our compliments to the Cave du Senat.

The proprietor of the Cave du Senat.

The proprietor of the Cave du Senat.

Our picnic was lovely, although there was a glitch. We had invited Antoine to join us but just before he arrived he suffered a wardrobe malfunction and had to hightail it home, then off to his tutoring gig. As we finished exploring the park Antoine suggested that we meet him before dinner at Rosa Bonheur in le parc des Buttes-Chaumont. I had been planning to take Matt and Chris there on Sunday afternoon, which is the gayest time, but the weather seemed perfect so we set out by bus — despite my ignorance of the need to flag it down — and métro. We got there in time to see the last few sunbathers, and to get a photo in the late afternoon light.

Morton, Jamie, Chris and Matt at the parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

Morton, Jamie, Chris and Matt at le parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

By the time we circled back to Rosa Bonheur the crowd was growing — perhaps 1/3 gay even on a Friday — and we arrived just as the crowd-control barriers went up. We bought our third bottle of rosé to toast the moment, then … umm … perhaps one or two more, while we waited for Antoine (who arrived a few minutes later) to get to the front of the very slow entrance line. We had saved a few glasses of wine to help him catch up, but just as he was finishing it started to rain, and everyone headed for the interior of the little guinguette.

Rosa Bonheur after everyone took refuge indoors from the rain.

Rosa Bonheur after everyone took refuge indoors from the rain.

While the rain was annoying I was glad that Matt and Chris got to see the indoor scene, which can be quite fun. Fortunately the rain stopped fairly quickly, and we were treated to a lovely sunset.

Sunset at le parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

Sunset at le parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

Antoine had made reservations at Le Baratin, a restaurant in the 20ème that is frequented by the chefs of other top restaurants.

Morton, Jamie, Bob, Matt, Antoine and Chris at Le Baratin.

Morton, Jamie, Bob, Matt, Antoine and Chris at Le Baratin.

It’s quite an appealing place, but it caters more to French patrons than to tourists. Our experienced and persuasive waiter commented, for example, that I was “as bad as the Chinese” when I took a snapshot of my meal.

My tender poularde at Le Baratin. NOT to be called « poulet ».

My tender poularde at Le Baratin. NOT to be called « poulet ».

As we left I noticed a mature woman having a smoke outside the front door. After she confirmed that she was the chef, she agreed to let me take her photo.

The chef outside Le Baratin.

The chef outside Le Baratin.

On Saturday Matt, Chris, Jamie and Morton went off to Versailles, which I have visited several times. I did laundry, ironing, grocery shopping, and, just for you, gentle reader, wrote a week’s worth of blog posts.

Sunday morning we all caught up again for breakfast, in the Haut Marais, then wandered down to the Place des Vosges, and finally back to the 2ème, where Matt, Chris and I said our farewells to Jamie and Morton, then set off to le Musée des Tramways à Vapeur et des chemins de fer Secondaires français (the Museum of Steam Tramways and Secondary Railroads of France), about an hour from Paris by train. This proved to be a charming little museum, with the additional benefit — only two days a month — of a ride on a steam-powered secondary train!

We got to ride on this working steam tramway.

We got to ride on this working steam tram from the turn of the last century.

Not only were there no other foreign tourists there, but the friendly volunteer staffers told us that they get almost no foreigners ever. I trust that our train-loving friends will fix this on their future visits to Paris!

Bob, Chris and Matt with Bob's new French bff.

Bob, Chris and Matt with Bob’s new French bff.

We had neglected to eat lunch, and nothing was open in the vicinity of the museum, so we were starving by the time we got home. A restaurant on rue Montorgueil that I have turned my nose up at many times because of its English name — Little Italy — satisfied our hunger rather well.

Travel Note: I realized half-way through the trip that I had made a 6 euro travel error. I had purchased one-way tickets to Valmondois for all of us, forgetting that my monthly Navigo pass includes the entire Ile-de-France system on weekends and holidays. We only bought two tickets back to Paris after I confirmed this with the clerk at the train station. The monthly Navigo pass for zones 1 and 2 now costs 70 euros. It’s fun to just slap your wallet on the métro gate like the cool kids but it doesn’t really save money unless you use the weekend deal a few times a month. Note also that the weekly Navigo does not include the Ile-de-France deal.

After several busy days we were happy to make it an early evening.

Mot du Jour: poularde. According to Antoine, a “young fat chicken.”

Paris – After the Top Ten Sights

21 Monday Jul 2014

Posted by Robert Mack in Photos, Practical Information

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Albert Kahn museum, Alcohol, Alfred Sisley, An Hour from Paris, Arc de Triomphe, Bastille, Bercy Village, Bois de Vincennes, Canal Saint-Martin, Catacombs of Paris, Château, Château de Vincennes, crime, day trips, drinking, Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais, Institut du monde arabe, Jardin de Luxembourg, Jardin de Reuilly, l'Oasis d'Aboukir, Latin Quarter, L’Étoile Manquante, l’officiel des spectacles, LB Café, le Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, le musée du quai Branly, le Musée Jaquemart-André, Marais, Metro, Montmartre, Montorgueil, Moret-sur-Loing, mugging, Musée Carnavalet, Musée d’art moderne, Musée des Arts et Métiers, Musée Rodin, Musee d'Orsay, museums, Opéra Garnier, Open Café, Palais de Tokyo, Palais Royal, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Parc Floral, Parc Monceau, Parc Montsouris, Paris, Pariscope, Passy-Auteuil, Petit Palais, pickpockets, Place des Vosges, Pompidou, Pompidou Center, Promenade plantée, Provins, Public Drinking, Rambouillet, Rosa Bonheur, rue de Charonne, rue Montorgueil, safety, Seine, Senlis, train

The Top Ten Sights

[If you just want to see what my life in Paris has been like you can skip this post.]

On your first visit to Paris, like everyone else, you will go up the Eiffel Tower.

Iconic!

Iconic!

You will go to the Louvre and take a snapshot of the Mona Lisa.  You will gaze in awe at the facade of Notre-Dame. You will have an ice cream made by Berthillon on l’Île Saint-Louis. You will take a Bateau Mouche tour of the Seine. You will stroll along the Champs-Elysée up to the Arc de Triomphe.

Arc de Triomphe

Arc de Triomphe

You will eat a soggy crêpe at a stand in the Latin Quarter. You will climb the south slope of Montmartre up to Sacré Coeur and be dazzled by the view.

IMG_1188

In all of those places you will be surrounded by other tourists doing exactly the same things, clutching their maps and mobile phones to ensure that they never stray from the well-worn Tourist Track.

Not only will you do these things, you must do them, and you should do them. Why? Because these places are iconic, and your friends would never forgive you if you didn’t. Because that’s what it means to go to Paris for the first time. And, last but not least, because they’re fabulous. It is not tragic that everywhere you go those first few days will be excruciatingly touristy. It’s normal.

Every travel book will tell you how to see the top ten tourist spots over your first few days, and I leave this task to them. But when you have gotten this out of your system — after your first few days, or on your second visit — read on. This post is about what to do after you’ve seen the top sights.

Getting Ready for More

First off you will need some technology. Get the RATP app, the Métro app and the TripAdvisor City Guide app that I describe in my Getting Into Paris post. These will help you get around and enable you to stray as far as you like from the beaten path without anxiety. And if your battery runs out just stroll for a bit until you run across a métro station. They all have detailed maps with a red dot labelled « Vous Etes Ici » (You Are Here). While you may have to change lines once or twice there will always be a station within a few blocks of your hotel.

Next, find out what’s happening in Paris. One excellent resource is the City of Paris English web site at this link (and there’s lots more on the French language site). For under a euro you can pick up a copy of Pariscope or l’officiel des spectacles at any newsstand (they come out on Wednesday). The text is in French but you should be able to puzzle out most of the listings even if you don’t read the language. Look in particular for exhibitions at the Grand Palais and Petit Palais.

Last but not least, shift gears. You are no longer checking off “must-see” sights. It is not important that you see the eleventh through twentieth best things in Paris. What you want now is to have some personally rewarding experiences, connecting in one way or other with this big, complex and fascinating city. Slow down, let your blood pressure drop a few points, and look up from your maps! What aspects of the city do you want to explore over these next few days?

Indoor or Outdoor?

The first big question is whether you’ll be exploring outdoors or looking for something under a roof. This obviously depends on weather as well as your own preferences. My one additional observation is that Paris can be lovely in the rain if you have the right gear to keep warm and dry, and you’ll want that gear anyway to get to an indoor destination if it’s raining.

Indoor Options

These are just a few suggestions out of a myriad of wonderful indoor options. Do two things in each case on line before you set out: Check the opening days and hours, and see what special exhibitions are on offer.

  • Musée d’Orsay
    This wonderful museum is on many top-ten lists, but if not it certainly deserves top consideration as your next indoor destination. Buy your tickets on line or at a travel agent to avoid the ticket line, which can be more than an hour long. When you enter go left and take the elevator or escalators up to the fifth floor, to start with the Impressionist masterpieces. There’s plenty more on lower floors but you don’t want to risk getting tired before you reach the top.
  • Pompidou Center
    The Pompidou is fun to look at since its structural elements and mechanical systems are on the outside, color coded. But it also has a great collection of modern art, an ok collection of contemporary art, and interesting rotating exhibitions. Your ticket also lets you see whatever is going on an the French first floor, opposite the escalators to the main floors. And whatever you do, check out the view from the top floor.
  • Musée des Arts et Métiers
    If you like machines and technology allow a half-day for this enormous grab-bag of mechanical stuff, ranging from tiny scientific instruments to giant steam engines.
  • Musée Carnavalet (closed for renovations until the end of 2019) This is the museum of the history of Paris. It’s also a marvelous grab-bag — of art, furnishings and memorabilia. Like all the City of Paris museums, it’s free, and closed on Mondays. But note that until the end of 2019 collections from the French Revolution, 19th century and the Belle Époque are closed for renovation.
  • Opéra Garnier
    Strangely, I’ve never taken the tour of this utterly gorgeous building, but friends tell me it’s excellent. (I have been to several performances in the new opera building at Bastille. It’s a great space but you must reserve in the first few days tickets go on sale to get affordable tickets.)
  • Catacombs of Paris
    These vast underground tunnels are where the bones are stashed when construction work wipes out a cemetery, most notably by Haussmann’s renovation of Paris in the mid 19th century. It’s ghoulish but fascinating. I’ve described the experience thusly: Ten minutes of “When do we get to the bones?” Ten minutes of silence. Then half an hour of “When do we get to the end of the bones?”
  • Other Museums
    There are a hundred museums in Paris!  Among those I’ve enjoyed are le Musée Rodin (which needs good weather because at least half the masterpieces are in the extensive gardens), the odd and wonderful le Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, the informative Institut du monde arabe (which offers a great view from the roof even if you don’t want to buy a ticket to the museum), the primitive-art-museum-that-dare-not-speak-its-name le musée du quai Branly, one of several house-museums, le Musée Jaquemart-André, the city’s answer to the Pompidou, the Musée d’art moderne, and the adjacent — wild and wooly — contemporary art museum, the  Palais de Tokyo (but confirm first that the exhibitions are open). Some are quite obscure, but nearly all will reward your time. How about trying a museum that isn’t in the guidebook, or even in this post??  A full list is at this link.

Outdoor Options

    • People-Watching from a Café
      This is one of the most delightful things you can do in Paris. You can do it almost anywhere, but here are some of my favorite spots.

      • My favorite street for people watching is rue Montorgueil in the 2e, and my very favorite table is at the LB Café with a view down rue Tiquetonne as well as up and down Montorgueil. You will see all sorts of people, from stylish youths to women pushing baby carriages, to still-elegant retirees. Some foreign tourists — increasing every year — but still mostly French. Order an expensive coffee or kir and nurse it for an hour or two as you take in the passing parade!  Then become part of the parade yourself as you stroll up to the top of the street, beyond the arch, to check out the L’Oasis d’Aboukir.
      • A close second, though much more touristy, is L’Étoile Manquante on rue Vielle du Temple in the Marais, at the intersection with rue Sainte-Croix-de-la-Bretonnerie. Or if you want a stronger gay flavor, the classic Open Café on rue des Archives.
      • Another busy and stylish place is Bercy Village, a posh shopping area at the Cour Saint-Émilion métro stop.
    •  Stroll Along the Promenade Plantée
      This is a linear park along the top of a disused railway viaduct – the (earlier) Parisian version of New York’s High Line. Depending on the season it has beautiful flowers, and always offers commanding city views. The elevated portion ends with a pedestrian bridge over the green center of the Jardin de Reuilly, a favorite sunbathing spot. You can plan lunch at le Janissaire, then continue another mile or so along a portion of the tracks that ran through a depressed cut. Or you can window shop your way back to Bastille by dozens of artist studios and art-related stores that have been created in the arches of the viaduct.
    • Have a Picnic
      There are so many great parks to choose from!  A few of my favorites are:

      • the lovely little Place des Vosges and the similar garden of the Palais Royal
      • the big and beautiful Jardin du Luxembourg
      • posh little Parc Monceau
      • large and hilly and un-touristy Parc Montsouris
      • spectacular though somewhat remote Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, which has the wonderful ginguette Rosa Bonheur in the top corner (near métro Botzaris), and the delightful little Temple de la Sibylle overlooking its man-made lake.
      • The Bois de Vincennes on the east side of Paris (like the Bois de Boulougne on the west) is dauntingly enormous, but there are great things to do there: rent a boat on the lake, visit the gorgeous Parc Floral, go to the brand-new zoo, tour the Château de Vincennes, etc. Just make sure the métro stop you go to is within walking distance of the part of the park you’re aiming for!

      But don’t limit yourself to parks. There are other lovely spots to picnic.

      • The banks of the Seine are classic spots for a picnic, especially around or in the vicinity of the two islands at the city’s center. Just go down one of the flights of steps and find your perfect spot.
      • Another favorite place to picnic is along the banks of the Canal Saint-Martin in the 10e. Most charming is the section from rue du Faubourg du Temple (where it emerges from its long tunnel) up to the bend when it turns towards the east.

      Everyone seems to have wine or beer with their picnics, except in parks where a sign specifically prohibits alcohol, but the legal picture in theory appears to be quite complex. My thought is that if others are drinking in the same area and you aren’t rowdy you are unlikely to get more than a warning. In particular there doesn’t seem to be an “open container” law like in the U.S., just prohibitions on actually drinking in public.

    • Take a Walking Tour
      Strangely, I’ve never taken an organized tour, but it should be worthwhile. There are good self-guided walking tours in the TripAdvisor City Guide app mentioned above, and if you speak French and have data on your mobile there are fascinating (albeit uneven) self-guided tours at ParisInconnu.com that I enjoyed in 2014.
    • Get Lost on Your Own!
      This is my favorite thing to do in Paris. You always find something interesting, especially if you’re willing to divert from your original plan to do down a curious alley or investigate an attractive patch of greenery. Here are some possible areas to try, but don’t let this list limit you. In each case zig-zag through the area, exploring side streets, arcades (passages) and alleys as well as the main street.

        • Le Marais, 4e
          The lower Marais, the 4e arrondissement, is a classic area for strolling — and getting lost. There are plenty of restaurants and shops, open even on Sunday. The busiest and most touristy area is north of rue de Rivoli but I recommend a quieter stroll also on the other side of rue de Rivoli, including the little pedestrian area called Village Saint-Paul.
        • Montorgueil, 2e
          This is a nest of narrow pedestrianized streets chock full of shops, restaurants and bars.
        • Latin Quarter, 5e and 6e
          There are curious walking areas in every direction from the fountain of Saint Michel. Notice the throngs of tourists to the east. Check out the many bookstores downhill from Odéon. Stroll up past the Sorbonne to the Panthéon, then continue down to the charming old market street rue Mouffetard.
        • rue de Charonne, 11e
          This is a hip and slightly edgy area. Be sure to go up and down the side streets!
        • Montmartre, 18e
          Lots of tourists, but also lots of fun windy streets. Be sure to explore the north side of the hill as well as the busier south side.
        • Passy-Auteuil, 16e
          Yes, this is where the rich people live. And indeed there are sterile canyons of wealthy apartments. But some of those buildings are gorgeous, and there are some nice restaurants and bars there if you can put up with locals dripping with money and privilege (and English). Start at with a coffee at posh La Gare, at métro La Muette.

      I never worry much about safety in the daytime – you can basically go anywhere within the Peripherique highway (which you can’t cross without noticing!) At night you might want to ask your hotel if you plan to stray far from the touristy zones, but even in the dark much of the city feels quite safe. The type of crime you’re more likely to encounter is a pickpocket or mobile-snatcher on the métro, at a railroad station or in a crowded museum or other tourist area, though kids from the rougher suburbs are reputed to go in for street robberies now and then. There are also scams such as petitions, shell games, gold rings, etc. that you should just ignore. Paris is beefing up its police presence to reduce crime against tourists.

Day Trips Outside of Paris

In the unlikely event that you run out of things to do in Paris proper I am a big fan of the guidebook, An Hour From Paris. I’ve done a dozen day trips from it over my years in Paris, each accessible by train:

      • Chantilly
      • Château d’Écouen – Musée national de la Renaissance
      • La Ferté-Milon and a 4-1/2 mile walk along the Canal de l’Ourcq (wonderful)
      • The Jean-Jacques Rousseau museum in Montmorency
      • Parc de Sceaux (only 15 minutes from Paris; gorgeous though rather recent restoration of Le Nôtre park)
      • Crécy-la-Chapelle (wonderful though requires a train change)
      • Conflans-Sainte-Honorine and Andrésy (wonderful)
      • Champs-sur-Marne (where the château has now reopened)
      • Albert Kahn museum and garden in Boulogne
      • Alfred Sisley Pilgrimage to Moret-sur-Loing
      • Senlis
      • Provins
      • Rambouillet

Eating!

Last but not least, Paris is a paradise for food. My own forays have only scratched the surface but you can check out Dining Off (and On) the Beaten Path if you like. The TripAdvisor City Guide has suggestions and reviews. You might also like the The Fork site or app, which allows online reservations and also offers discounts.

La Fête de la musique

23 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by Robert Mack in Experiences, Photos

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Fête de la musique, Jardin de Luxembourg, La Fête de la musique, meals, Vélib

Friday was June 21, the date each year of La Fête de la musique (the Festival of Music). I had stumbled across it two years ago and been simply blown away. Hundreds of free musical performances, in all genres, take place simultaneously across the city. Central Paris (at least) is thronged with happy people, many of them young and attractive (and drunk). My 2011 blog post, including links to several video clips, is at this link. I was interested to learn that the event is intended to be world-wide; the closest thing we have is New Year’s Eve, but the summer solstice is more conducive to outdoor fun.

Jared and I started the day with another walk across the 5ème, which he remembered fondly from his student days. It was cloudy, but the flowers in the Jardin du Luxembourg were still pretty.

IMG_8836 MED

Jared raised a question that I hadn’t previously focused on: How do those palm trees survive the winter? On closer examination we confirmed that each was in a large pot, so they could be moved into an Orangerie (a large greenhouse) during the winter months.

We had lunch at a nearby brasserie: two quite acceptable salades Niçoise.

IMG_8832 MED

We had another Vélib’ issue after lunch, even though there were lots of bikes: I got one right away with my annual card but the terminal (borne) at the nearby station was frozen. The next closest station was a considerable walk, but there we both got bikes. I headed home and Jared went shopping.

I had been chatting on line for a few days with a young Parisian man named Hugues (pronounced, roughly, “Oog”). It suddenly developed that he had time for an apéro that very afternoon. We met at the LB, which I like because you can people watch on both rue Montorgueil and rue Tiquetonne. Jared and I had made previous plans to cook dinner together that evening, and on a whim I invited Hugues to join us. The three of us had a lovely time cooking and eating a fish dinner made with fresh ingredients Jared had just bought along rue Montorgueil.

IMG_8850 MED

Hugues and Bob at our home-cooked dinner, with Jared, at 59, rue Saint-Sauveur, on June 21, 2013.

After dinner the three of us met up with Geoff, who introduced us to yet another cozy and friendly gay bar, Les Souffleurs. My first year in Paris I lived for a month just a couple of blocks away, on the same street, but I never realized that this place was there. I don’t much enjoy the big noisy style of bar, but I found this place sympa. I’ll definitely be back!

IMG_8857 MED

Jared, Geoff, Hugues and Bob at La Fête de la musique.

We bar-hopped to Le Labo, a modern bar a few blocks away where Hugues had installed the lighting and video screens. The technology was impressive but the crowd was sparse and I see no reason to go back. At the end of the evening Geoff headed home and Hugues walked Jared and me back to 59, rue Saint-Sauveur. On any other night the métro would already have stopped, but it runs all night on La Fête de la musique.

Hugues is not fluent in English so our on-line chat and nearly all of the evening’s conversation was carried on in French. Geoff is fluent in French, while Jared and I are both pas mal, so the language barrier wasn’t an issue. There were even a few amusing times when Jared and Geoff lapsed into English and I translated for Hugues.

Mot du jour: « rencard ». Slang for a rendezvous, but I prefer the definition in Google Translate: “hot date”.

Bonus mot du jour: « célibataire ». Jared did a double-take when Hugues said he was « célibataire ». I clarified that this meant “single,” not “celibate.”

Please sir, I want some more.

04 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by Robert Mack in Experiences, Musings, Photos

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Alex, Ali, apartments, arrival, Balzac, Colin, flâneur, Jardin de Luxembourg, Lisa, meals, Metro, Parc des Buttes-Chaumont, Rosa Bonheur, rue Montorgueil, temple de la Sibylle, Vélib

Until 2010, I had always lived within fifteen miles of Boston. I had spent summer vacations with my parents in Pennsylvania, and I had traveled widely, but I had never really lived anywhere else. I liked Boston, obviously, but I felt that my life there had become too predictable, albeit comfortable. One of the reasons for my first petit séjour to Paris was to shake things up a bit, and see what it might be like to live somewhere else for a couple of months. Much of the time I was alone, but I discovered a strong connection with my cousin Lisa, several good friends visited, and I made a few lovely Parisian friends. I had a great time, so naturally I did the same thing the following year. In 2012 I was determined not to spend Spring in Paris, to prevent this from becoming routine. But my Aunt Jane’s memorial gathering proved too strong a draw, so I went again, last September. This year the thought of not coming back crossed my mind, but when I checked and found my favorite apartment still available for June I reserved it without a second thought. Oh, wait, does that make me someone who spends a month or two in Paris every year, usually in the spring? So it would seem!

Nothing like an authentic Parisian Boulangerie! (This one happens to be in Tokyo, but they're are quite a few in Paris as well...)

Nothing like an authentic Parisian Boulangerie! (This one happens to be in Tokyo, but there are quite a few in Paris as well…)

How, then, can I keep the experience fresh and interesting? How can I prevent my time in Paris from becoming as predictable, if also comfortable, as my time in Boston? I don’t have a confident answer, but I can offer this: I eat up a storm in Paris, but each year when I get home I find that I have lost about ten pounds. This year I brought along my fitbit, a high-tech pedometer and altimeter, meshed with a sweet iPhone app. At home I typically walk about three miles a day, but half that when (two days a week) I go in to work. In each of my first three days here I’ve walked more than seven miles, and climbed more than twenty flights of stairs. I explore Paris, in a way I rarely do in Boston. When that stops it will be time to switch to another city.

The fitbit record of a so-far typical day in Paris. This reflected errands in the morning, Rosé Bonheur in the afternoon, and a bracing walk back home after dinner.

The fitbit record of a so-far typical day in Paris. This reflected errands in the morning, Rosé Bonheur in the afternoon, and a bracing walk back home after dinner.

Enough musing, what have I been up to? My direct flight on Air France was one of the easiest six hours I have ever spent in the air. The guy in the middle seat got bumped up to business class so it was possible to spread out a bit; I even got some sleep. Charles de Gaulle airport was a madhouse as usual, but the hour-long wait for immigration was considerably alleviated by a surprisingly erudite conversation with Alex, a Boston College student who was arriving for a month-long course on French literature and culture, starting with Baudelaire. We stumbled together through the annoying process of buying RER train tickets, which I finally understand: None of our credit cards worked, and the machines do not accept bills, so change your bills to coins at the Information booth first thing. The express train stops first at Gare de Nord, then at Châtelet — very efficient.

The weather had been dreadful in Paris this spring — cloudy, cold and rainy almost continuously through the end of May. But to my delight the sun arrived also at the start of June and it has been lovely ever since (and is predicted to continue). Unseasonably cool but otherwise utterly delightful. My adopted quartier and favorite apartment were much as last year. Another year’s wear and tear has left a few traces, but then the same could be said of me!

My first 24 hours were mostly devoted to errands — groceries, SIM card, monthly métro pass recharge — each an exciting adventure my first year, and now a comfortable *sigh* routine. My French is still a mess, and I make stupid mistakes, but I’m also becoming ever more confident that if I just keep talking and listening, and asking people to repeat themselves when necessary, I can communicate.

Sunday afternoon and evening were utterly fabulous. I met up with Colin and his friend (and fellow Harvard grad student) Jaime just below the wonderful Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. We strolled up to the Temple de la Sibylle, then arrived at Rosa Bonheur around 4:30, just before the barriers went up and the line to get in began lengthening. It was, as always on a fine Sunday evening, a scene. We started with beer, then switched, comme il faut, to rosé, which we continued sipping until all three of us were bien arrosée. 

IMG_8153 MED IMG_8154 MED IMG_8158 MED

We eventually staggered out of the park in search of food and landed at La Pelouse, a rather nice local spot. After dinner Jaime jumped on the métro while Colin and I set out on foot. My own idea had been to walk with him a ways, then take the métro home myself. But conversation and the lovely evening powered us along and I didn’t take my leave until Hôtel de Ville.

My Monday started with a flâne through the mostly-bourgeois 6e arrondisement, which I have slighted in prior years.  One does indeed hear a distressing amount of English on the sidewalks, and some places are painfully touristy. But the quartier has a storied history and I found a few photo-worthy scenes.

IMG_8175 MED

All those fabulous names naturally attract visitors from all over the world. Sartre and de Beauvoir would have despised nearly every one of them, and would have fled to some dive, in the 20e perhaps, where people still think and talk and argue.

I did have a nice rabbit skewer. Only after ordering it did I realize that I was eating a fellow mammal! Oh well, it was delicious.

I did have a nice rabbit skewer at a nearby restaurant. Only after ordering it did I realize that I was eating a fellow mammal! Oh well, it was delicious anyway.

"To Balzac. To Rodin." I think they would both have enjoyed the setting.

“To Balzac. To Rodin.” I think they would both have enjoyed the setting.

"Pelouse interdit" at the Jardin de Luxumbourg, with the Senat.

“Pelouse interdit” at the Jardin de Luxembourg, with the Sénat in the distance.

Monday’s highlight was dinner with my cousin Lisa and her partner Ali. It was lovely as ever to see them, and to catch up on all their news. We plan to get together again next Sunday when our cousin Brian arrives, at the end of his Grand Tour of Europe. Lisa is six months pregnant and aglow with maternal-ness:

Cousin Lisa at 59, rue Saint-Sauveur on June 3, 2013.

Cousin Lisa at 59, rue Saint-Sauveur on June 3, 2013.

One parting piece of advice: It would be possible for a Paris neophyte to put soap on his hands in a restaurant toilet but then be unable to figure out how to turn on the water in the sink. He might go upstairs and complain to his waiter that the water doesn’t work. The waiter might then remind him that one must push a button on the floor to cause the water to flow. One would then be quite embarrassed! Please, don’t be that person!

Sink with no working handle. Button on floor. Embarrassed neophyte in mirror.

Sink with no working handle. Button on floor. Embarrassed neophyte in mirror.

Mot du jour: “pintade” — “un animal, comme une poule mais plus petit” (“an animal, like a chicken but smaller”) per our waiter at La Pelouse. In English, a “guinea-fowl.”

Brasserie Julien

15 Sunday May 2011

Posted by Robert Mack in Art, Experiences, Photos

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Brasserie Julien, Jardin de Luxembourg, jardin des plantes, meals

On Friday evening my Parisian friend Jacques took me to dinner at a magnificent Parisian institution, Brasserie Julien, in the 10ème just outside the Porte Saint-Denis. I posted an album of photos from the memorable evening at this link.  Here are a couple of samples:

Bob at Brasserie Julien

Bob at Brasserie Julien

Jacques at Brasserie Julien

Jacques at Brasserie Julien

The decor is gorgeous art moderne, dating from the 1920s. The atmosphere is friendly and bustling and the food is sumptuous but not fussy. Altogether a lovely evening with a great friend.

During the day Ryan, Alan and I explored the left bank, starting with a picnic in the Luxembourg Gardens, then wandering over to the Jardin des Plantes. I had a look at the greenhouses (which I found mildly interesting) while they saw the Grand Gallery of Evolution, which I had seen last year. The forecast had been for rain, but in the event it was cool but otherwise lovely.

Ryan and Alan in the 5ème

Ryan and Alan in the 5ème

Ryan and Alan enjoyed a meal at a Provençal restaurant in the 8ème while Jacques and I were at Brasserie Julien.

Also, I just posted a group of “streetscape” photos from my first two weeks, at this link:  2011 Streetscapes I

Luxembourg Gardens on a Near-Perfect Sunday

25 Sunday Apr 2010

Posted by Robert Mack in Experiences, Photos

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Fondation Cartier, Fontaine des Quatre-Parties-du-Monde, Jardin de Luxembourg, meals, Montparnasse, Sacre Coeur, Saint Sulpice

Another lovely day, despite some dark clouds that hinted at the possibility that it may someday rain again here.

My wandering started and ended at the Luxembourg Gardens.  I find the central portion barren but the grassy areas around the sides are absolutely lovely.  My latest photos, including several from there, are up at Paris-9

The Senat (with Sacré Coeur peeking over its shoulder) from the Fontaine des Quatre-Parties-du-Monde in the Jardin du Luxembourg.

I also enjoyed a quiet hour in and around Saint Sulpice. But other parts of today’s walk, around Montparnasse, were less inspiring.  I don’t much like that neighborhood.  It seems to be dominated by clueless tourists and establishments that cater to them.  The Montparnasse cemetery isn’t bad, but Père-Lachaise is better.  And that darned tower looms over everything!

A visit to the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain was a mixed bag.  The current exhibition is by Beat Takeshi Kitano, a Japanese performance artist and art brut painter.  I enjoyed the wittiness of his installations and paintings but I was turned off by the zaniness of his videos.  It was fun to see little kids really getting into his stuff, which could mean either that its appeal is universal or that it’s puerile.

Around 16h (4 pm to you) I suddenly felt tired, and it began looking like rain, so I came back home and took a nap.  Rejuvenated, I cooked dinner with the last of the half chicken I bought last evening, accompanied by the ever-present haricots verts and a still-warm baguette from the local bakery.

Dinner at home on April 25, 2010. The bread was still hot from the bakery, and dessert will be (half of) a “delice framboise“.

All is Forgiven

06 Tuesday Apr 2010

Posted by Robert Mack in Art, Experiences, Photos

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Art, Jardin de Luxembourg, meals, Notre Dame, Orhan Pamuk, Palais Royal, strawberries, weather

Spring in Full Bloom in the gardens of the Palais Royal.

Forget my complaints about the weather — today was perfect. Short sleeve weather, as opposed to the undershirt-shirt-jacket-raincoat weather we’ve been having. Lots more photos at Paris-3 Photo Set.

I started out this morning with a few little SNAFUs that combined to make up a very enjoyable day. First, I was expecting the delivery of an inexpensive printer, which I decided to get so I could print maps, boarding passes, etc. Amazon.fr is as efficient as amazon.com, and it even has access to my U.S. account information. But the delivery man had no way to notify me when he arrived (except calling my French cell phone, which for some reason didn’t happen) so he just left a slip in the mailbox. Fortunately, the system here is to leave the package at the nearest Post Office, which was quite close. It wasn’t available until 14h (2 pm), however.

After that I headed out to see an exhibition of Indian miniatures at the national library. (I’m reading Orhan Pamuk’s “My Name is Red” so the topic is of particular interest at the moment.) Through an erroneous or misread listing I went to the Rue Richelieu branch (a few blocks away) instead of the Mitterand branch. The only exhibit at the Rue Richelieu branch was a strange-sounding (free) museum of “money, medals and antiques.” True to its name, it is a highly miscellaneous collection, but it includes some quite impressive antiquities, as well as other interesting or amusing stuff.

In fact, however, I had a hard time even finding the library. It appeared to occupy a whole city block on my map, but almost all of the street frontage was normal shops and stores. There was no entrance at all on Rue Richelieu but eventually I noticed a sign saying that the entrance was on the opposite street. Meanwhile, as I was looking at my map trying to find the library I noticed that I was right next to the gardens of the “Palais Royal“. I had never seen or heard about them but I thought I might have a look. The flowers and magnolia trees were in spectacular full bloom so I forgot about the library for about an hour while I took pictures from various angles and sat for a bit soaking up the sun and scents.

After a surprisingly good lunch at a Lebanese restaurant in the area I picked up the printer box and headed to a rendezvous with Yannis, the owner of the place I’ll be renting in May. A mutual friend introduced us, which was a big savings for me since it avoided agency fees. He sounded very nice from our conversations and indeed he was (when he finally arrived).

At his suggestion I went over to have a look at Notre Dame, then continued on up to the Luxembourg Gardens. When dusk began to fall I hopped on the métro back home and was pleased to find that the little food shops on my street are open until 20h (8 pm to you), and even offer discounts at the end of the day. I would have taken a picture of dinner but for the fact that it was exactly like my first two home-cooked meals. Except that it was followed by a dessert that included fresh strawberries from the local fruit market.

Strawberries

Archives

  • October 2020 (1)
  • July 2019 (5)
  • June 2019 (31)
  • May 2019 (21)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • June 2018 (15)
  • May 2018 (14)
  • April 2018 (1)
  • June 2016 (21)
  • May 2016 (18)
  • April 2016 (1)
  • August 2015 (1)
  • July 2015 (1)
  • June 2015 (20)
  • May 2015 (10)
  • March 2015 (1)
  • July 2014 (2)
  • June 2014 (15)
  • May 2014 (17)
  • April 2014 (1)
  • July 2013 (1)
  • June 2013 (16)
  • September 2012 (17)
  • June 2012 (1)
  • July 2011 (1)
  • June 2011 (19)
  • May 2011 (18)
  • April 2011 (1)
  • June 2010 (2)
  • May 2010 (29)
  • April 2010 (31)
  • March 2010 (4)

Categories

  • Art
  • Experiences
  • Musings
  • Photos
  • Practical Information

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Tags

Ali An Hour from Paris Antoine apartment apartments Arc de Triomphe Art Aya Balzac Bastille Belleville Belleville Open Studios Bouillon Chartier Brian Café de l'Industrie Canal Saint-Martin Chris contemporary art Eiffel Tower Elliot Eugène Experimental Cocktail Club flowers flâneur food porn France Fête de la musique Jackie Jacques Jaime Jardin de Luxembourg jardin des plantes Jared jour férié L'Absinthe Café L'Ejumeau l'Oasis d'Aboukir language Le Duplex Lisa Louvre Lézard Café Marais Marché aux Puces Mariage Frères Matt meals Metro Monet Montmartre Montorgueil Musee d'Orsay Musée des Arts et Métiers Nanashi Navigo neighborhoods Open Café Palais de Tokyo Palais Royal Parc des Buttes-Chaumont Parc Monceau Paris Place des Vosges Promenade plantée Rosa Bonheur rue Montorgueil Sacre Coeur Seine Sherard street art swimming temple de la Sibylle Vélib weather Zhizhong

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel