It's probably the biggest and most vibrant marketplace in Paris...vendors set up and break down two mornings a week. Besides the freshest most beautifully laid out produce, meats, fish and crustaceans, and of course breads and cheeses, you have all sorts of other edible items, and activities too, including jewelry, crepe and galette making, juggling, cooking, roasting, pig snouts and ears, organ grinders, whole hind of pig with a rose in its tush to catch your eye, offal (kidneys, pancreas, hearts, gizzards...see if you can spot the cleanly butchered colognes...(never seen those on a menu!), rabbit, all kinds of fowl, tongues large and small, and of course the horse meat stall, to name just a few. And don't forget the great people-watching, one of our other favorite sports. Browse through the photos and see for yourself.
Organ grinders...
Crepe maker...
Star fish...
Sea urchin (Uni)...
Bulots (large sea mollusks)...
Rabbit in mustard sauce...
Pigs' snouts...
Rabbit roasts...
Chicken from Bresse, supposedly the best chicken...
Lamb butt...
Offal - Kidneys and Brains...
Lambs' Testicles...yup, that's right!
Curly fries...
Octopus tentacles...
Sows' Ears...
Horse meat vendor...
Epoisse, one of our favorite cheeses...
Our mouths were watering the whole time we were there...about three hours...and we so wanted to buy some things and make a picnic. But as usual the weather was cold, damp and windy so it was a little off-putting. Toward the end when vendors were starting to dismantle their stalls, we broke down and had to try some cheese. So we bought three little gems of cheeses and of course a delicious baguette and took turns biting into the different cheeses and breaking off a hunk of bread as we were walking. Then, when we passed the spit-roasted chickens again, this time the aromas of all the different herb flavors got to us and we couldn't resist, so we bought a half chicken, not knowing how we were going to eat it without any plates or utensils. Then we had to buy a vegetable to go with this, so we got a small bunch of baby tomatoes on the vine that were sweet like candy, and of course we needed some fruit to complete the meal, so we got a succulent orange (no washing needed). Now where to dine. There are no tables or chairs in the market, so we just found a bench-like slab of stone and sat down to dine. It was a juggling act, but we did it, sitting until our tushes were frozen, but it was all heavenly, tasty, fresh, and delicious.
We then walked back through the market which, was pretty well over by then, and headed to the Gare de Lyon, a major train station in the area. We passed tents along the way housing some homeless people, and the Opera Bastille, a modern building inaugurated in 1989.
First, we wanted to get warm. And secondly, we were told that there is a restaurant/cafe upstairs in the train station where it's great to go for a bite to eat or a coffee and dessert, especially on a Sunday afternoon, or to just take in the view. Train station restaurants were once grand places for a meal. Today, only Le Train Bleu (named after the fast train that once took the elite down to the Riviera) in the Gare de Lyon remains. It still has upscale food and excellent pastries, and the fabulous Belle Époque decor and grandeur make the place a landmark, leaving you awestruck, not to mention the good people-watching and the spectacular view overlooking the main hall of the station... a truly hidden gem! Locals flock here for Sunday brunch, and to schmooze, so that's a good sign.
Donut maker...
Frogs' legs on skewers...
Shoppers...
Approaching the Gare de Lyon...
Ornate curved staircase up to Le Train Bleu...
The amazing Belle Époque interior of the only formal restaurant in a still functioning train station.
You can do fine dining...
Or you can just have a sweet and coffee and just relax in grand style...we had an assortment od delicious macaroons and cafe noisette...
And of course there is great people-watching...
And the station itself is amazing, with the Belle Époque structure housing the speed trains that take you everywhere, notably the Côte d'Azur (Riviera)...(
It was now about 5 o'clock so we decided to go over to St. Germaine des Pres on the Left Bank and hang out and see what we wanted to do for dinner.
And sat for over an hour just reading and relaxing....
In the Metro we came upon a wonderful classical orchestra which was drawing a big crowd. We watched and listened for a while and then went along to our destination.
In the St. Germain des Pres area we wandered passed all the famous old cafes where we used to people watch for hours. They're not what they used to be, but it's still a very lively, popular area.
As we were walking we passed a cinema that was playing 'Looking for Sugar Man' in the original version with French subtitles. It was at the right time to kill a few hours before dinner, so we went in. The movie was great, in a beautiful theatre.
When we came out we spotted Le Petit Zinc, a bistro we used to frequent in the old days. It has been bought out since then, doubled in size, and made much more upscale, in the Belle Époque style as well. Even though it wasn't the same as the old days, we were in the mood and decided to eat there. The menu and quality had changed, but serendipitously it fit our mood. We met a charming young couple sitting next to us, David who is French from Brittany, and Darcy who is American from Maine, who live in Holland and both work for NATO where they met. He works in counter terrorism, and she, very pretty but with a lot of grit, as she said, after having been in the army in Iraq and Afghanistan for several years and then living in Kuwait for several more years to make money...she's in IT doing cyber counter terrorism work...who knew?! They were both very charming, interesting, and smart.
And so the evening ended...
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