OK, it's been a really long time since our trip. My notes are sparse so I am trying to piece it all together.
It was pretty uneventful taking the TGV back up to Paris from Montpellier. On time, speedy and we had reservations at the same hotel in Paris.
Once we checked in to the hotel, it was off to see and experience more of Paris that we hadn't seen before. Well, maybe that's a little white lie. DH had actually acquiesed to my desire to SHOP in Paris this time. On our last trip, I had hoped to do a little shopping on our last day. Alas, we weren't thinking, and all the shops were closed when we arrived (tip for newbie travellers who like to shop- don't plan to shop on a Sunday in Europe) and hit me with a reality stick- last year we were even in Paris during the bi-annual soldes (sales). Lack of government sales and shitty dollar to the euro exchange rate be damned, I was still going shopping.
Even though I have an extreme aversion to large department stores, we ended up at Les Galleries Lafayette (Macy's in NYC gives me hives). I've never done research on shopping or anything else for that matter regarding Paris (except for hotels and restos) before our trips, so I had no idea where to begin looking for interesting boutiques/shops. And, dear reader, my husband has an extreme aversion to shopping. So a one stop smorgasbord was deemed to be the best solution.
Now, when in France- I pretty much want to buy everything. OK, my consumptionist side is revealing itself. But hey, I only get to visit here once a year...and there's a bit of the safari mentality cursing through my veins. No I don't have a budget to buy everything, or even several things. But this girl is a girl and she likes to be a girl. And the French like to make a girl feel like a girl.
My husband lasted about 15 minutes in the store (a record for him) before he announced that he was going to visit the Paris Opera while I shopped. He had worked there years ago, while on tour in Europe. While it was tempting to join him...I decided it would be better to remain at Les Galleries- ogling one pretty frock and the next and the next and the next. I eventually found a sundress that satiated my ooh-la-la french envy, plunked down the CC and did the virtual ostrich head in the sand thing regarding the actual price in dollars vs euros.
On to the next item on my agenda. It was time to head to La Duree for macarons. If you've been oh so patiently following this blog from the beginning, you will remember I was on a bit of a macaron treasure hunt- courtesy of moi and my friend Cynthia's sometime obsession with them. DH kindly escorted me to the La Duree on the Champs d'Elysee. Once I entered the golden gates, he noticed the glazed look in my eye and promptly said, "Take your time, I'll be waiting for you across the street in the pub.". Ooh! The choices, beckoning and calling my name. All those pretty little pastries, so lovingly coaxed into being, dressed in their finest to beguile a sucker like me.
There were too many choices in front of me. If I were lucky enough to live in Paris, I would probably have insisted on returning at least once a week, to sample the divine pastries available for the choosing. But, the macaron mission kept me on task. I selected a dozen minis to take back to NYC for Cynthia (and moi) to taste test. Chocolate, Violet, Lemon, Strawberry, Mocha, Pistachio,...ooh lah lah. For myself, I selected two full sized macarons, to be consumed in France. I chose a chocolate and a pistachio. After choosing my treasures, I patiently waited in line, while the shopgirls prettily boxed them, I paid my tab and then joined my husband across the street.
Too shy to break into them right in the store, this was the moment I had been waiting for- were they worth it? Well, honies, let's just say that the first bite was all of heaven and the best part of hell combined. If my husband had asked me to choose between him and the macaraons at that point, it would have been a hard decision. Yes Virginia, La Duree macarons are worth every cent you spend and each inch you travel to taste them.
Having fed the girl kitty, it was my turn to be the big man. DH suggested we go to La Defense and see the Eiffel tower from a new view. A quick hop and stop on the Metro and we were there. Neither of us was awed by La Defense. We were both amused/intrigued by the gypsies trolling for scams. The view of the Eiffel tower was lovely. And then we were done. I'm sure we're missing some huge significance here, but these were our impressions.
It was getting to be that time of day, so dinner options were discussed. I was all in favor of a nice dinner at a local bistro of cafe, but my husband was heavily leaning towards a picnic. Since the saintly spousal points were leaning towards my husband, we both agreed to assemble a picnic.
We amassed at bevy of food from the tiny grocer around the corner from the hotel Studia. And of course, I needed a little more sustenance (some calamare some gigantes), so supplemented from a Greek vendor in the neighborhood. Grabbed a bottle of wine and headed down to the Seine, right in the shadows of Notre Dame.
I've wanted to picnic on the Seine since I lived in Europe over ten years ago. Never got around to it, tonight was the night.
We spread out the blanket, laid out our meal and uncorked the wine. There were several other couples partaking in the same lovely experience. As the tourist boats sped by, it was fun to be toasted by the people on the boats and even more fun to pretend that we were 'real Parisiennes', raising our glasses and wishing a bon soir in return. But eventually, the way we started our trip, was the way our trip would draw to and end. Ah yes, as Fanny Brice sang in Funny Girl, it started to "Rain on our Parade". We huddled underneath the bridge with about a six other couples, as the rain came down and we waited to make our hasty retreat back to Hotel Studia.
One more day, and then we would have to leave our dear France.
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