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Post by Laidback on Oct 23, 2008 13:50:10 GMT -5
I just discovered that this Napoleonic retreat is only about a 45 min. train ride from Gare du Nord. Can anyone comment on it from personal experience? Anne, Phread, Maison Metz, Gitte...anyone?
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Post by Jody on Oct 23, 2008 15:05:58 GMT -5
JIm we were there several years ago. I'll try to find some of my pictures for you. Our main reason for going was to see where the treaty ending WW! was signed in the Foret de Compiegne. That in itself was interesting as the rail coach which holdsw a small museum is right in the foeilds. The chateau at Pierrefonds and the small town is delightful. I don't know how both could be done without a car but the town and chateau certainly could. The chateau sits on a hill overlooking the town and looks like a fairy tale castle!
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Post by GitteK on Oct 23, 2008 19:03:39 GMT -5
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Post by Anne on Oct 24, 2008 2:23:09 GMT -5
Yeah, maybe we could organize something ... I have never been to Compiègne yet Jim, so sorry I can't help .
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Post by Megan on Oct 24, 2008 2:45:17 GMT -5
I would be keen
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Post by Darcy on Oct 24, 2008 20:38:45 GMT -5
Well, I'm not an OP WW, yet , but I'd love to do this daytrip with you. Gitte, you are such a good influence on me. I'm leaving for Paris in 13 days, I'm planning on seeing you there in May '09 and I've booked an apt for two weeks in Oct '09. Yippee Skippee! I'd better get busy on finding an apt for May.
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Post by GitteK on Oct 25, 2008 1:58:47 GMT -5
That's GREAT, darcy !! And Meegin !! Et mon amie Lorrainnaise aussi ........ So in May we go for an expedition to Compiègne (should we rent a petit automobile, peut-être ? That would be fun !! ;D ) And lunch/dinner at Papillon, right ?
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Post by denise on Oct 25, 2008 3:19:25 GMT -5
:)Goodness another WW OPF GTG being planned. You are a busy lady Gitte! Not sure about this one yet, I really SHOULD go on the annual "lie on the beach somewhere hot" holiday with the girls, but I would rather go to Paris for a day trip with you lot. I will have to see about financial restraints and dates. maybe i can manage to fly over for 24 hours. Megan which was that cheap hotel you stayed in last September? Lots of love Denise
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Post by GitteK on Oct 25, 2008 3:22:49 GMT -5
As I just wrote to ma belle amie lorrainnaise: The days when one could go to Paris incognito, just be on one's own alone and not have to talk to anyone seem to be over...... ;D
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Post by Jody on Oct 25, 2008 5:06:39 GMT -5
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Post by MaisonMetz on Oct 25, 2008 10:54:43 GMT -5
Jim -
I missed your post until now. Don and I visited Compiègne and its château on a day trip ten years ago - can't believe it's been that long ago. At any rate, I found my trip journal of our time there, and here's what it contains. I suspect that there may well have been a number of changes since our visit:
"We had planned a day trip to Compiègne and the Château Pierrefonds, but ended up only at Compiègne. The château is in the center of the town, in an area where you definitely need the right shoes. The cobbles here won the award for the most precarious walk of the trip, particularly in the soft rain.
The château itself is enormous – one of three that could hold all of Louis XIV’s royal entourage, though it is smaller than the other two, Versailles and Fontainebleau. Now it contains several museums as well as the royal apartments that were our main interest. The apartment furnishings are a mix of Louis XV, Louis XIV, and Napoleon I and III periods. Our guide was charming and made the tour bilingual when she realized that two of the three of us on the tour were Americans. She’d worked at Compiègne for twenty years, and her depth of knowledge and enthusiasm were marvelous. Some of the rooms are very well furnished. Within the last decade or so several have been restored to their original character and brilliance of color. The ballroom was very large, as one would expect. It has 15 chandeliers and 22 settees that rim the long sides of the rectangular-shaped room. In addition to the ballroom, two things stood out above all. First was a series of wonderful trompe l’oeil paintings by Sauvage. Most are over door panels and subdued in hue. They resemble 3-dimensional bas relief so well that you have to look twice to realize that, after all, they are paintings and not sculpture. Another interesting part of Compiègne was that one is able to tour some of the small, private rooms behind the grand, large public rooms. For example, we saw the king’s salle de bain and the room where his secretary worked. The most exquisite, however, was the Empress’ salle de bain, done in white and gold. It is round with lovely white silk walls and fairly large. The tub along the curved wall was covered with a curved platform and cushions so that it functioned as a seating bench when not used as a bath. The room also had chairs and table for playing cards and a beautiful dressing table with mirror. Afterwards we had a leisurely late lunch at the Hostellerie du Royal Lieu at 9, rue Senlis on the outskirts of Compiègne ."
Jo
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Post by GitteK on Oct 25, 2008 11:18:46 GMT -5
MaisonMetz - another priceless piece of travel info. from you. What our Gourmand-in-chief Laidback is for our selection of restaurants, you certainly are for giving an astounding selection of tour options !! A big exalt from moi.
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Post by mossie on Oct 25, 2008 13:50:10 GMT -5
Denise et al. If you are in need of a cheap hotel I always use Le Laumiere www.hotel-lelaumiere.com/index-gb.htmIt is very basic, very clean and well run. About 50 yards to Laumiere metro. A street side room is 58 euros and they do a fair breakfast at 8 euros. Laumiere is three stops from Gare du Nord on line 5.
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Post by denise on Oct 25, 2008 14:26:46 GMT -5
:)Thanks mossie, I had forgotten aout that. you have told me about it before, I will keep it in mind.
Love Denise
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Post by GitteK on Oct 25, 2008 14:34:27 GMT -5
Mossie, this is great ! Merci ! Cool location and to judge from the photos, it's a very OK option, and the price is more than acceptable !! Thanks for the tip, even if I prefer an apt. it's nice to have a handful of budget hotels, e.g. for extending the vacation with 1-2 days in the beginning.
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