Our first days in FRANCE!

We departed San Diego bright and early on Tuesday September 4; flight was smooth and connections easy; we arrived bright and early Wednesday September 5 in Paris.  We were in the right frame of mind having watched Midnight in Paris on our flight!  We were able to check in early at our hotel, and although a nap would have been lovely, we ventured forth to convert ourselves to Paris time and start our France adventure by seeing this special city.  

The Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus provided a good overview of both the Left and RIght Bank, noting major sights along the way.  We hopped off and walked around Notre Dame and ate delicious ice cream at Berthillon on Ile de St. Louis. The bus returned us to the Parc Trocadero area, where we had a nice light dinner at Le Coq cafe near our hotel.  Very proud of ourselves for staying awake until 8:30 p.m., we crashed exhausted and happy.

On Thursday, we found a great boulangerie nearby and enjoyed people-watching and some terrific almond croissants. Then we were ready to secure our Navigo passes for the week on the Metro system, and ride the Metro to the Musee D’Orsay. The Navigo pass is perfect for us as there are two metro line stations within a 5 minute walk in either direction from our Hotel. The Paris Museum passes allowed us to enter without waiting in line, so we were soon exploring this exquisite collection of Impressionist painting. From the Realists painting for the Salon to the Impressionists who had to stage their own exhibitions after being denied entry to the juried shows, we enjoyed the full day seeing the real paintings that we had seen so often reproduced. Can’t beat seeing the real work. We can’t go into this magnificent building,  a former Train station, without admiring its creative reuse as a museum. We also can’t help thinking about the movie Hugo which was based on the life of a young boy who lived in a train station. 

After lunch at the museum revived our energy, we hopped back on the sightseeing bus to view the Montmartre neighborhood.  With good weather and a short walk, we rode a funicular up the very steep hill to visit the basilica of Sacre Cour. High on the hill overlooking the city, it stands out as a landmark and provides a commanding view of all of Paris.  

Feeling parched after taking the stairs back down the hill, we stopped for a beer and more people-watching at a local sidewalk cafe before boarding the bus again to finish the Montmartre loop back to the Metro.  The Metro provided a quick trip to Place Victor Hugo, near our hotel.  We ate at Cafe Victor Hugo and enjoyed the traditional Boeuf Bourgogne with a nice glass of Cotes du Rhone to finish our day.  

Friday we are off to Versailles!  We caught an early train, having bought fresh croissants at our favorite neighborhood boulangerie for breakfast on the train.  Arriving in Versailles before it opened, we found a very short security line so entry to the Chateau was relatively easy.

It was raining when we finished touring all the main rooms, so we extended our time indoors by visiting the Hall of Battles, lined with monumental paintings of the many wars involving France. The Palace is quite a testimony to Louis XIV,  both his vision and strategy to take his power to Versailles and build such a palace.

The rain stopped as we were ready to start our stroll through he huge gardens. We enjoyed the very formal gardens; even though it is late season being September it was sight to see. We were there on a day when some of the fountain had water shows which made it even more special!

After the gardens we returned to the train. On the way we passed a very long line of people  waiting to enter, making our early arrival decision seem brilliant. We returned late in the day and headed for a highly rated local bistro where we enjoyed a wonderful meal of duck magret and steak with peppercorn sauce. The waiter recommended a great bottle of Cote du Rhone as a perfect match. After all our walking we decided to treat ourselves to dessert, and it was a great choice. We had a creme brulee which came with the carmelized sugar still warm and the custard full of real vanilla bean. The chef happened by for a short chat and was very pleased with our compliments on his efforts.  

A few comments: we have walked 25 miles in 3 days and climbed 30 stories. As a result we have no guilt about enjoying the great French food and wine! The Trocadero area we are staying in is very quiet, but close to many great local places/restaurants with more locals and fewer tourists.  The weather has been cool in the morning and warming in the afternoons, and very peasant.