France

Paris is such a huge city with an estimated population of more than two million and a metropolitan population of over 12 million, covering about 105 square kilometres, we could barely do it justice in the short period of time we had.  Chris and I had a full week, but the kids only had five days.  Still, I think we saw enough to give us a good overview of the city.  I definitely saw enough to conclude this is my most favourite city in the world – at least so far.

It seems our first night in Paris with the kids, on my birthday, set the schedule for the rest of the week where we went to bed late and slept in later than normal in the morning.  We still managed to cram a lot into each day, often returning to the apartment in the late afternoon for a rest before heading out for another late night.

The first few days in Paris were cool and wet although it rained on and off so we could time things to avoid the rain most of the time.  I was surprised at how cool it was, especially in the evenings.  But the last three days warmed up significantly and it finally felt like summer.  The warm weather seemed to bring the crowds so it was a mixed blessing.

July 14 is Bastille Day in France, the equivalent of Canada Day (July 1st) in Canada.  It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. Many events are planned for the day including a large military parade in the morning along the Champs-Elysées.  Unfortunately, by the time we got ourselves organized, it was pretty much over.  However, we did watch the spectacular fireworks held that night in front of the Eiffel Tower.  There must have been close to half a million people crammed onto the Champs de Mars, the park in front of the Eiffel Tower.  In keeping with the “disco” theme, a large disco ball was suspended from the Eiffel Tower and music from the 70’s and 80’s accompanied the 30-minute fireworks display.  It was an incredible experience.

Alyssa captured the fireworks and the twinkling
lights that go on every hour on the hour. 

 Andrew’s perspective of the fireworks.

Each day we explored a new neighbourhood, usually on foot, sometimes by metro (especially when it was raining) and often using the public bicycles.  In fact, this was our favourite mode of transportation.  It was a great way to cover some distance while at the same time going slow enough to really enjoy the scenery.  Mind you the traffic was a bit crazy at times so you had to be very alert and cautious especially on large promenades like the Champs-Elysées. We saw many locals using these bikes – men in business suits coming home from work during rush hour traffic and many women in high heels and short skirts or dresses.  The most memorable sight Chris and I saw before the kids arrived was that of a young woman on a bike wearing a see-through dress and super high heels.  As she passed by, we got a great view of her thong bikini.  Oh-la-la!

Food was another highlight of our visit.  We ate breakfast at the apartment each day and usually enjoyed a late afternoon snack when we returned for our little breaks.  The rest of the time we enjoyed the French culinary experience and had many delicious meals.

(Food photos courtesy of Alyssa)

It wasn’t all fine dining though.  Of course a visit to Paris would not be complete without eating chocolate crêpes and croissants which were readily available on just about every street corner.  And some of us enjoyed the food in the amusement park too.

(Photo courtesy of Andrew)

(Photo courtesy of Alyssa)

(Photo courtesy of Andrew)

(Photo courtesy of Alyssa)

Andrew, Alyssa and I took every opportunity to practice our French and I was impressed with how well we managed.  Alyssa probably hasn’t spoken French since high school yet she conversed quite easily, especially when we were shopping.  Andrew has been learning French at work and is very conversational.  Poor Chris was often left in the dark as we sometimes forgot his language skills were far more basic.  We did not experience any rudeness when we spoke in French as I have heard is often the case.  To the contrary, most people were patient and very helpful, even if they could speak English, they often continued in French.

Andrew’s Parisian look – the hat was bought from a street vendor.

We did, however, experience plenty of French rudeness in other situations.  For example, one afternoon Chris, Alyssa and I were standing on the sidewalk waiting for Andrew to catch up.  Alyssa and I were on one side, and Chris on the other.  We were not blocking the sidewalk in any way; there was plenty of room to pass between us, and several people did with the exception of one woman.  This woman walked along the outside edge of the sidewalk where Chris was standing and when she reached him, she stopped abruptly in front of him, so close that their noses were practically touching.  At first we thought somehow she recognized us from somewhere and we all stared at her, puzzled.  She just stood there expectantly for a moment and when nobody moved,  she said curtly (in French), “I would like to pass, if you don’t mind”.  Chris didn’t understand what she said, so I translated.  Chris was so taken aback.  There was plenty of room on the sidewalk to walk by, but this women felt she had the right to walk where Chris was standing.  Chris stepped aside and the woman haughtily continued on her way like we had been such an inconvenience to her.  There were plenty of other situations where we encountered what we perceived to be an arrogant and condescending attitude towards us.

On our last day, we planned to visit the Louvre and ride the Ferris Wheel in the amusement park next to the Tuileries Garden.  Almost every day we passed by these attractions but for one reason or another didn’t visit either.  We couldn’t believe it when we arrived at the Louvre early Tuesday morning to find out it was closed on Tuesdays!  Similarly, we arrived at 11:00 on Tuesday night to ride the Ferris Wheel only to find they had just closed it down early because a film crew was setting up to shoot a film.  We accepted that it just wasn’t meant to be.  And all the more reason to return to Paris one day.

Alyssa in front of the old-fashioned carousel.

Big kids on the swing.  It was actually quite scary.

The elusive ferris wheel as seen from Tuileries Garden.

At the amusement park – a family of shutter bugs.

Another perspective of the ferris wheel.

Tuileries Garden with the Louvre.

There were plenty of chairs throughout the Tuileries Garden 
offering many places to take a break.
(Photo courtesy of Andrew) 

 (Photo courtesy of Alyssa)

The photos below are in front of the Louvre….
the closest we got!  (Photos courtesy of Andrew)

On the way to Sacre Coeur Cathedral, we passed through the neighbourhood where the famed Moulin Rouge was located, close to Montmartre in the Paris district of Pigalle on Boulevard de Clichy in the 18th arrondissement.  We were surprised to find ourselves in the middle of a sex district.   Montmartre was a charming neighbourhood with steep streets filled with lots of little boutiques and restaurants geared very much to the tourist crowd.

(Photo courtesy of Andrew)

(Photo courtesy of Alyssa)

(Photo courtesy of Andrew)

Sacre Coeur Cathedral stood high on a hill.

An expansive view of Paris from atop Sacre Coeur Cathedral.
Notice the Eiffel Tower in the far distance. 

Climbing the exterior stairs to the roof top of Sacre Coeur Cathedral.

Laughing at Chris’ jokes on the way to the top.

The interior staircase to the rooftop.
(Photo courtesy of Andrew) 

The Eiffel Tower as seen through Alyssa’s telescopic lens
from atop Sacre Coeur Cathedral. 

The shadow of Sacre Coeur over the city landscape.
(Photo courtesy of Alyssa) 

On our way to the Eiffel Tower by bike, we paused to take this photo.  Across the street we saw the monument that is a tribute to Princess Diana, marking the place where she died in a car crash fifteen years ago.

We enjoyed more great views of the city from the second level of the Eiffel Tower that we reached via the staircase.  Surprisingly, it was a relatively short wait (about 30 minutes) to purchase our tickets.  The climb to the first and second levels didn’t take that long either.

A night time cruise along the Seine offered a different perspective of the city.

(Above photos courtesy of Alyssa)

We crammed so much more into our few days in Paris including a visit to the famous flea market, Les Puces de Saint-Ouen, lots of shopping wherever we went, listening to street musicians the highlight of which was a group playing classical music, a visit to the Latin Quarter, and a walk through St. Germain de Pres.  By the end of our trip, we were pretty tired but satisfied with all that we saw and did.  As we headed back to England via the train through the chunnel, there was a lot more fun still in store for this family vacation.

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Andrew and Alyssa arrived first thing on Friday morning after an overnight flight from Toronto.  I was so anxious to see them, I barely slept at all the night before.  Funny how I have managed for almost a year without them (and them without me), but once I knew they were coming, I could barely contain my excitement knowing they were on their way.  Having the kids with me for my birthday was the best gift ever (thanks guys!).

Alyssa surprised me with a “Paris” wardrobe for my trip.  When I had mentioned earlier that I didn’t want to look like a frump in Paris, she had simply responded with a “don’t worry about it mom, I’ve got it covered”.  I thought she would bring me a top or two – imagine my surprise and delight when she handed me five complete outfits including a pretty dress to wear for my birthday dinner.

Once the kids were settled into the apartment, we set out to explore Paris.  The weather was dismal – cold and rainy just like England – but it was perfect museum weather.  We got caught in a torrential downpour on our way to the Musée d’Orsay.  It didn’t stop the kids or Chris from taking pictures along the way.

Here’s some of Alyssa’s shots:

After wandering through the Musée d’Orsay for a couple of hours taking in the gorgeous impressionist works of art by some of my favourite artists like Monet, Van Gogh, Degas and Renoir, jet lag got the better of the kids and we headed back to our apartment for a little rest.

The musée d’Orsay used to be a train station.
The two clocks have been transformed into windows with
great views overlooking the Seine. 

Alyssa zoomed in and got a great shot of Sacre Couer
from the clock window.

Never too old to have a nap on mom’s lap!

Alyssa had just said to me:  If only I could lie down just for a moment.
And Voila! A place to lie down for all of us.

At the apartment, we indulged in an indoor picnic of french baguette, a variety of cheeses and pates, and a delicious French wine that cost less than 3 euros, followed by a lovely afternoon nap.  What a luxurious way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Because of the rain, we decided to postpone our plans to visit the Eiffel Tower and instead we made our way to the Arche de Triomphe which was close to the restaurant where Chris had arranged my birthday dinner for the second seating at 10:15.  After a quick tour in the pouring rain around the Arche de Triomphe, we ducked into a lively bistro restaurant for pre-dinner drinks. It felt very Parisienne even though the place was probably full of tourists.

We ate dinner in a tiny French restaurant tucked away on a side street just around the corner from the Arche de Triomphe.  Our three course meal was perfect in every sense – taste, presentation, quality.  We had fun tasting each other’s selections.  The food was absolutely amazing and the ambience in the restaurant was intimate and cozy.  The waitresses were delightful, nothing like the snobbish waiters we have been warned about.  These girls spoke quite good English but were equally happy to speak to us in French when they saw we wanted to practice.  They were very down to earth and really made our night memorable.   We had the best table in the house, next to the window where we could gaze onto the dimly lit street, lined with orderly apartment buildings; we felt like we were on a movie set.  We closed the place down at 12:30.

Back at the apartment, my birthday celebration was far from over as we toasted my birthday with a bottle of champagne – sure it was well past midnight in Paris, but it was still my birthday in Ottawa, 6 hours earlier. Alyssa suggested we do something that was done for her on her 25th birthday last spring:  each person shares how they feel about the birthday person.  Chris began, followed by Andrew and then Alyssa.  They each expressed to me how they felt about me, things they admired in me, how I have influenced them positively…..it was very touching and endearing.  So often we don’t tell the people we love how we really feel about them, and why they mean so much to us.  Well, the three most important people in my life gave me those expressions of love – what a beautiful and memorable gift on my 50th birthday.

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We arrived at our apartment in Paris around 6:00 on Wednesday evening.  The apartment was in the garment district in central Paris within walking distance to most tourist attractions.  We found the apartment on airbnb.com and we would recommend it with some caveats.  The apartment was large, especially by European standards with two bedrooms, a large living room, dining room and kitchen.  This was not a vacation apartment.  It was the home of a young family of four who rent out the apartment while they are at their summer home in the south of France.  So it gave us a really good sense of what it is like to live in Paris, if only for a week.   The apartment was very comfortable, albeit a little shabby around the edges.  The location was superb with a vast selection of restaurants, bars, grocery stores, clothing and shoe stores right around the corner.  It was also located on a street that was home to a group of “ladies of the night”.  We had been warned about this in advance so it was no surprise to us.  It was actually rather fascinating to observe the routine of these ladies, many of whom were old enough to be grandmothers.

Our first night was spent getting ourselves oriented, picking up food in preparation for the kids’ arrival, and exploring the neighbourhood and a little further afar.  We loved the location of our apartment as it was in a very lively, dynamic neighbourhood, just around the corner from the Metro and within walking distance of the Louvre, Notre Dame, Musée d’Orsay, and many other tourist attractions.  It was a thrill to walk along the Seine at dusk, to see the Louvre, and to wander through the Tuileries Garden; these were places I have read about and seen in movies and now here I was in person.

I’m in Paris, baby!

First glimpse of the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
It would be another couple of days before I got a closer view. 

We visited the musée Rodin the next day.  Auguste Rodin was an accomplished sculptor, who achieved fame and notoriety while still alive.  He had a vast collection of his own sculptures and drawings as well as several paintings by famous artists like Renoir and Monet.  He donated his complete collection of art to the French government on the condition that the government create a museum in the Hôtel Biron to showcase his work.  It was in this hotel where he lived and worked from 1908 until his death.  Incredibly, the government did not accept this generous offer immediately, but took many months before making a decision and then it took several more years of squabbling before the museum became a reality.  Sadly, Rodin had died in the interim amidst all the bickering and didn’t see his life ambition realized.  Today, the musée Rodin stands as a lasting legacy to the remarkable accomplishments of one man.  The museum (along with a second site just outside Paris at Rodin’s old home, the Villa des Brillants at Meudon) is home to a collection of over 6,600 sculptures, 8,000 drawings, 8,000 old photographs and 7,000 objets d’art.  Many of Rodin’s sculptures adorned the beautiful, tranquil gardens surrounding the museum.

The Thinker, by Rodin.

Later that day, we discovered an inspiring photo exhibit tucked away in the corner of the Tuileries Garden called “Through My Window” by the photographer Ahae. Over the course of two years, Ahae took no less than a million photographs—all from just one window of his studio—recording the countless episodes that took place within his view amongst the creatures with whom we share our planet. It was selections from these photographs that were on display.  What I found so amazing was that the scene outside his window did not appear at first glance to be all that special in and of itself, yet the photographs that were taken are simply stunning.

In the evening, we attended a concert held in  Sainte Chapelle, renowned for its stained glass windows.  The venue was intimate – only 12 rows of seats – and the two musicians (violin and harp) played an eclectic collection of classical music.  Outside, it poured relentlessly throughout the entire concert. 

 We did a lot of walking on that first day and really broke in our new “city” walking shoes.  What a great start to our trip.

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