Post by exeman on Jun 12, 2007 5:40:15 GMT -5
Trip Report below. Hope I've put this in the right place! And thanks for the invite andiandgaz.
Arrived to heavy, overcast skies last Thursday having flown flybe from Exeter. Struggled a bit to find our way round CDG but eventually found the RER station which was undergoing refurbishment hence the lack of signage. Changed at St Michel and found the correspondence to Cluny-La Sorbonne much shorter than we had been warned about. We stayed at the Familia Hotel which was OK but wish I’d spent a bit more or forgone the balcony for a better room elsewhere.
First stop, Museum le Moyen Age which was good despite being surrounded by school trips. Then, on to Notre Dame and just as importantly, to my wife, Berthillon. Tried a mixture of glaces, sorbets and tuiles. Very good; raspberry sorbet was stronger than eating real raspberries. Close run thing but I still prefer San Cispino in Rome and Italian ice cream generally. Dinner was at Le Petit Prince where the food was good and the ambience and service excellent.
That evening, and again in the morning, I walked the Rue Mouffetard. A real disappointment. To me it was just a faintly seedy street reminiscent of many in English cities.
The second morning we went to the Musee D’Orsay. Marvellous, wonderful. Not just the paintings but also the building itself. Four hours went by so quickly.
Then, to rest our feet, we took a boat trip with Les Vedettes de Pont Neuf. Good value, I thought.
By the way, after two days, we still haven’t seen the sun. But at least it’s been dry; back in England they’ve had two inches of rain in 24 hours in some places.
To end the day Mary went back to the hotel while I walked though Little Athens, ghastly, and the Luxembourg Gardens, delightful. Too exhausted to go out for dinner we got a take away and a bottle of wine and collapsed.
Saturday morning started with a walk around the Picasso museum where I learned how little I knew of the range of his work. Then a walk through the Marais and a baguette in the Place Vosges to celebrate the sun’s arrival at last. Then the metro, so clean, so cheap, to L’Orangerie . I had never realised how large Monet’s water lilies are. Some nearly 20 feet long. Back to the hotel for a rest and then out again to Saint Chappelle for a classical concert. Wonderful playing and acoustics in a marvellous setting. Definitely the highlight of the trip even with the scaffolding over the altar.
And to end the day, dinner at La Maree Verte at the recommendation of the hotel. OK but not great.
The final morning we had planned to go the Gregorian Mass at Notre Dame but we were just too tired. Instead we went to Montmatre and , blow me, we end up watching the mass at Sacre Coeur. I found Montmatre far too touristy but the giant mosaic of Christ in Sacre Coeur was beautiful.
By now the weather had got much better and as our final farewell to Paris we went on another boat trip.
We will return!
Arrived to heavy, overcast skies last Thursday having flown flybe from Exeter. Struggled a bit to find our way round CDG but eventually found the RER station which was undergoing refurbishment hence the lack of signage. Changed at St Michel and found the correspondence to Cluny-La Sorbonne much shorter than we had been warned about. We stayed at the Familia Hotel which was OK but wish I’d spent a bit more or forgone the balcony for a better room elsewhere.
First stop, Museum le Moyen Age which was good despite being surrounded by school trips. Then, on to Notre Dame and just as importantly, to my wife, Berthillon. Tried a mixture of glaces, sorbets and tuiles. Very good; raspberry sorbet was stronger than eating real raspberries. Close run thing but I still prefer San Cispino in Rome and Italian ice cream generally. Dinner was at Le Petit Prince where the food was good and the ambience and service excellent.
That evening, and again in the morning, I walked the Rue Mouffetard. A real disappointment. To me it was just a faintly seedy street reminiscent of many in English cities.
The second morning we went to the Musee D’Orsay. Marvellous, wonderful. Not just the paintings but also the building itself. Four hours went by so quickly.
Then, to rest our feet, we took a boat trip with Les Vedettes de Pont Neuf. Good value, I thought.
By the way, after two days, we still haven’t seen the sun. But at least it’s been dry; back in England they’ve had two inches of rain in 24 hours in some places.
To end the day Mary went back to the hotel while I walked though Little Athens, ghastly, and the Luxembourg Gardens, delightful. Too exhausted to go out for dinner we got a take away and a bottle of wine and collapsed.
Saturday morning started with a walk around the Picasso museum where I learned how little I knew of the range of his work. Then a walk through the Marais and a baguette in the Place Vosges to celebrate the sun’s arrival at last. Then the metro, so clean, so cheap, to L’Orangerie . I had never realised how large Monet’s water lilies are. Some nearly 20 feet long. Back to the hotel for a rest and then out again to Saint Chappelle for a classical concert. Wonderful playing and acoustics in a marvellous setting. Definitely the highlight of the trip even with the scaffolding over the altar.
And to end the day, dinner at La Maree Verte at the recommendation of the hotel. OK but not great.
The final morning we had planned to go the Gregorian Mass at Notre Dame but we were just too tired. Instead we went to Montmatre and , blow me, we end up watching the mass at Sacre Coeur. I found Montmatre far too touristy but the giant mosaic of Christ in Sacre Coeur was beautiful.
By now the weather had got much better and as our final farewell to Paris we went on another boat trip.
We will return!