DAY 31 - SUN 3/31 - La Tour Eiffel

Today is Easter Sunday and one of Catholic France's major Holidays.

We were too pooped to pop today, so we made a plan with the Harlings to each do our thing and meet in the late afternoon for our aperitif and dinner.

They ended up going to Montmartre, first doing Sacre Coeur, actually getting into the church to catch a pre-Easter service which they said was beautiful, and then going to Place du Tertre to see the artists. They said it was sooo crowded that they ended up just finding a nice, out of the way place to have lunch and people-watch.

We got up late and went to our new favorite cafe in the area on Rue de Grennelle, the main street in the 15th arondissement. There was a huge market there right under the elevated Metro tracks. This was a very large market, so we walked the entire length and back, drooling at some of the food products and displays. By the end of our walk, we again couldn't resist and just had to buy some cheeses, pate, bread, veggies, fruit and wine and bring it all home for a little picnic. We so wanted to use our cute little terrace, but it was still frigid outside, so we spread out in our little kitchenette. It was delicious and fun and relaxing...just what we needed.

After our dejeuner (lunch) we decided to actually visit La Tour Eiffel up close and personal. It's also in the 15th and within walking distance from our apartment. Almost as soon as you go out our door you can see it looming from every street in the area. We walked over, and, as many millions of times you have looked at it from afar, being right there is an unimaginable treat for the eyes...and an engineering marvel. There are just oceans of people waiting on forever-snaking queues at each of the four legs to get into the four huge elevators that bring you up to the first, second, and third levels. Even though it's bitter cold, there's a fun atmosphere and no one is complaining. We hang around for at least an hour, ogling and taking pictures from every angle, and of course watching the people. There is just one couple we see who has obviously just dined at the Jules Verne restaurant up on the third level. They are obviously wealthy, as the prices to go up and eat there are also out of this world! But probably that's because you can see the world from that vantage point. There's also a restaurant on the second level for the masses. And to think that this structure was to be only temporary, constructed as the entrance arch for the World's Fair of 1889. And so it has remained all these years, the tallest structure in Paris, and the most recognized and most visited paid monument in the world. 

          

          

We then left the area and started walking back to our old neighborhood in the 6th to meet the Harlings. We passed adorable children hugging trees and playing hide and seek, guards with assault rifles patrolling the streets ready for any activity, the Ecole Militaire and Les Invalides (Napoleon's tomb). Then we got into the really beautiful and high rent district...these apartment buildings make Park Avenue look like middle class housing! The air is different here along Avenue de la Bourdonnais and the Champ de Mars, a huge park stretching from La Tour Eiffel to the Ecole Militaire. 

           

There are privet hedges and horse drawn carriages slowly meandering through the beautiful scenery on this Easter Sunday...this is movie material...was that Woody Allen I just saw?

We continued walking until we reached 'ground zero' at Le Nemrod Cafe where we met up with the Harlings. They were already there waiting for us. We chatted with our old buddies, the waiters and barmen, who of course now all recognize us and engage us like old friends...it's very nice...we feel at home here...Marty even kissed Stephanie, our regular waitress. We caught up with the Harlings on each of our day's activities. And then it's time to go to dinner.

For their last night in Paris, we made a reservation at La Coupole again, one of our favorite haunts. Our confirmed reservation for five had somehow not appeared on the list, yet another snafu at La Coupole. Luckily, our Maitre D' friend, Sabastion Adam, was there to rescue us and promptly seated us. Then Marty noticed that the awful waiter we experienced last time with the Behars would be serving us.....that would not do, so, after a word with Sabastian, Marty got him to relocate us to a different table and soon complimentary champagne followed. It turned into a lovely beginning, and dinner was superb...starting with les huitres (ersters) and escargots and finishing up with our favorite La Coupole dessert of profiteroles...the Harlings enjoyed the La Coupole experience. We dined for several hours and then walked the Harlings back to rue de Rennes for their walk home and we took the Metro back to the 15th.

We so enjoyed the Harlings visit. It's becoming an annual event.

DAY 30 - SAT 3/30 - Iles Cite & St.Louis

Frank wanted to take us for a stroll around the petites isles in the Seine in the heart of Paris, which we had not visited yet on this trip.

We bundled up and began our walk through Le Jardin du Luxembourg which they loved. 

                                

Then we passed by the Musee de Cluny, a palais from the Middle Ages, quite immense, impressive and beautiful, which once had thermal baths. In the courtyard was a huge chess set where a father and son were actually playing a game by moving the gigantic pieces around the board. 

We came to the first bridge to cross over to L'Isle Saint-Louis, the smaller of the two isles, where the Harlings had actually stayed in charming little hotels there in prior trips, so it was very memorable for them to be there again. Crossing that bridge gave us our first close-up view of the back of Cathedrale of Notre Dame de Paris and its gargoyles...no matter how many times you see it, no matter from which vantage point, it is breath-taking.

Then we arrived on L'Isle Saint-Louis. It is truly charming, like a little village in the middle of Paris, with its small colorful buildings and shops. Of course we were keeping our eyes open for the perfect picturesque and good place for lunch, and Voila! We found it...Cafe St. Regis, a very old Belle Époque cafe. They made room for the 5 of us, and we had the best dejeuner (lunch). Then we found a wonderful ice cream store and had some gelato. We worked our way across another bridge along the ramparts, and past some street actors, to the bigger island, L'Isle de La Cite, where Notre Dame is located.

           

We approached the Cathedrale from the petit parc behind it, which brings back very vivid and fond memories for us...it was just about this same time of year, back in 1969, when we were strolling there with our new-born baby, Justin. For some reason he was crying his eyes out, not a happy camper, and we had all we could do to console him. Seeing people there today with their little babies in strollers and backpacks, not to mention lovers, just brought the memories right back to us like it was yesterday.

           

Even though it's cold, and still March, that doesn't seem to slow down the hoards of tourists that flock to see Notre Dame...there is now a huge viewing stand to accommodate them all as well as the celebration of the cathedral's 350th anniversary. We were lucky enough to get inside the Cathedrale just before they were closing the doors for the afternoon.

We wended our way over to the Right Bank past the bookstalls on the Seine, and Bazaar Hotel de Ville, to take the Harlings to the stunning Place des Vosges in the Marais. 

At this point, all of us were frozen so we slipped into a charming cafe under the arches around the Parc and had some nice hot chocolates and wine to warm up. 

We sat there and talked and talked until it was time to walk back over to the Left Bank and go to dinner at Chez Rene, a well known old bistrot were famous politicos are known to frequent. 

We had lovely pâté, champignons, coq au vin, boeuf Bourgogne, lots of red wine, Creme caramel, and don't forget the Mille Feuilles!  

Wow! it was all so good!

Note: "WOW" is now part of French vocabulary and you hear it sprinkled throughout local conversations.

Bonne Nuit!