I just returned from my very first trip to Paris - having stayed for 10 nights and having done it alone!
I stayed in a little studio apartment in the Marais which I rented thru Thierry at Parisbestlodge. He was such a pleasure to deal with from beginning to end and the studio was in the most perfect location. He has full service computer already hooked up with DSL, which enabled me to stay in touch with my children, who although are all grown now (I am 57) ... seem to worry more about me, then I do them!
I used parishuttle van service for my pick-up and delivery to the airport. I purchased thru them online. I found there instructions very easy to follow. You must call them from a FREE phone in the airport before heading to baggage claim. That was easy. I may have waited a total of 15 mins at the point where they told me to wait...and then on the delivery...the driver was actually about 10 mins early...but so was I...so no problem.
I had some fears about finding my way in the airport, imagining how HUGE it is, etc. For anyone, with the same concerns, it was all very easy, clearly marked. They have those trams which run you from one terminal to another...but evidently you can%26#39;t get on the wrong one. Someone, please correct me, if this is an inaccurate statement.
My first day, after arriving and meeting with my wonderful landlord, Thierry was to head out over to the I%26#39;l de la Cite%26#39; to see Notre Dame. It was quite a moment to lay my very eyes upon this cathedral for the first time. It is simply majestic and at the same time imposing and quite somber. I had brought my little swarovski binoculars with me and I was sooo glad I did! After leaving Notre Dame I crossed over the Petit Pont to the 5th and walked just the first few blocks...stopped at a patiserie and a creperie stand for a sandwich and something sweet to bring back to my apt. I headed back and stopped for a bottle of great inexpensive Cote du Rhone and some essential groceries from the market right next door to my apt. I went up and took a little nap - when I awoke it was 10:30 pm!
Day two, was a glorious sunny Fall Sunday in Paris, and I knew I wanted to go to the Richard Lenoir Market at the Bastille. I took a leisurly walk there, passing the Cavernalet and stopping to take pictures in their beautiful gardens....over to Place des Vosges ... which was just so lovely. I imagined having a day where I could just come and sit with a book and a baguette and surround myself in this splendor! (I didn%26#39;t...not this time...not this trip!)
I kept walking and finally there was the obelisk at the Bastille! Right there was the absolutely fabulous Richard Lenoir market! This was total immersion into Parisian life! The freshness of the foods and the colors of the produce were just amazing. Stall after stall after stall of all kinds of fish and crustaceans (sp) and cheeses and breads, vegetables and fruit - the vendors all yelling out their %26quot;deals of the day%26quot; in French (such music!) and all the local parisiennes with their market baskets filling up for the week! My heart was sooo full in the mood of these moments...I just loved it!
From there I headed back, as I had made several purchases of bread and cheese and grapes and clementines (the best ever!)
but found myself exploring the St. Paul area which I thought was quite charming, too. I fell upon a small little green area with a bench or two and sat down and ate some of my crepe I had purchase at the market and some of my grapes. I went back and unloaded my groceries, and headed out over to investigate my Metro stop (Hotel de Ville) and to possibly purhcase my carnet tickets. I did this and decided to hop on the metro and go a few stops and get off. I got off at the Louvre/Rivoli and walked over to the Louvre/Pyramid and was completely in awe! No pictures ever depicted for me, the enormity of this magnificent structure! I didn%26#39;t expect to like the Pyramid, as I had always had an opinion about how this modern structure ever got placed in front of the Louvre ...with it%26#39;s age and grandeur. It seemed somehow disrespectful to me. But, you know what? I sat across from them against a wall, and just took it in, and it%26#39;s initial impact on me, was not what I had expected at all! It%26#39;s actually quite an interesting juxtaposition and I really did like it. While I was sitting against this wall I happened to look up to my right just slightly.... and Ohhhhhhhh.... there was the Eiffel Tour sticking it%26#39;s head up in the distance!! What a moment that was!
I got up and walked thru the Tuilleries and there in front of me, was the Carousel (ferris wheel). I don%26#39;t like heights particularly, but I am terrified of ferris wheels! As I got closer to it, a voice in my head said, well while you are at it...why not take on another fear (the first one being travelling to a strange city alone!) and so...I went and stood in line...bought a ticket (E8) and climbed on with two other woman who were apparently together. It was so exhilerating and I had absolutely no anxiety and no fear! It was just amazing having this perspective of the city. I could see everything!
From there at Concord, I walked all the way back, down along the Siene with lots of other Sunday strollers, runners, elderly couples holding hands and young families with strollers. As I got closer to the H de V area I came back up and walked along the rue de Rivoli and saw all the booksellers and artists as well as some %26quot;tourist trappers%26quot; selling paris keychains, and mini ET%26#39;s and posters.
I headed back to my apartment, ate my delicious market goodies, a glass of wine, wrote to my kids...
and then headed out around 8 to meet two woman from another forum who were staying nearby me in the 3rd for dinner at au vieux bistro on the I%26#39;l de la Cite. I would not go back here again. I will leave a seperate review of this experience. After dinner, our plan was thwarted to take the Seine cruise together from Pont Neuf. They had cancelled the 10:30 boat, due to not enough pssngers.
So, we went up to head home, and just as we stopped on Pont Neuf the ET began to twinkle! A great ending to a blissful day!
To end for now, I just want to encourage any solo females who may be wondering if they can do a trip like this alone....I am here to tell you ... you absolutely can! Paris is a very managable city to navigate. If you are fearful of taking the Metro, then you need not be!!
Cross that off the list of things to be fearful of! I do suggest, getting a good map that clearly depicts all the metro stops...as well as a good metro map. Study the lines (this was my bedtime reading material for months before I left). Before I ventured down the stairs to the Metro, I would already know where I was going...and in my pocket was a slip of paper stating what direction the line I was taking was to be heading...as well as any changes (correspondence) I needed to take and their end points too. This way I could walk down, see the directions signs and know which way to go, without stopping and consulting the wall map. I loved the system...it is amazingly efficient and clean! *Hello, NYC...are you paying attention??!!) I took photos of several metro stations, because I thought many of them were works of art themselves!
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trechic,
You%26#39;re off to a great start! Enjoying your report. Which apartment did you rent from parisbestlodge?
If I could make a suggestion--add your other day reports to this thread. That way it will be easier to read the report in its entirety instead of searching for each day in order.
Thanks!
Ting
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Day Two, Three and Four......
Day two was rainy. It was quite moody and I loved it! I decided to head over to the BHV which was only about two blocks from my apt.
I took a glance thru and could definitely get used to having one of these great stores in my neighborhood. Everything you could think of was there...including bathroom sinks and cabinetry, or simple craft items, picture frames, or greeting cards.
From there I decided to head to Galeries Lafayette. This required me to change lines for the first time. It was very easy. GL was an amazing department store in an absolutely gorgeous building. It had it%26#39;s Xmas tree up which stood a million miles high underneath the dome. It was extremely crowded and I had no interest or desire in trying anything on, nor was this trip going to be about shopping ... especially for items I could buy back in the states without incurring the choke hold on my neck...due to the weak USD!
I was in awe though. Pocketbooks and bags of every major designer took up at least half of one whole floor. Shoes and boots, the same....soooo fun! I went up to the cafeteria for lunch. Now, this is the epitome of %26quot;ladies doing lunch%26quot; IMO! Go shopping, and stop up for a fabulous salad from the salad bar, or a hot salmon plate, if you wish...and a glass or two of wine or a flute of champagne.... looking out at the ET...all the while... enjoying conversation with friends perhaps...and then go back and do more shopping! So incredibly civilized!
Day three...I went to to the D%26#39;Orsay. WOW! Another amazing building (glad to have had my binoculars with me again, this day!) I took some great photos (unfortunately my first six days of photos were accidently deleted from my camera). I had the best afternoon here. To be amongst such amazing works was so awe inspring for me. I went up to the top floor and had lunch in the most beautiful dining room I have ever eaten in. Sorry, I lost these photos too!
I had a wonderfully delightful waiter, a very nice cheese plat and a salmon dish that was great... a good red...nice conversation with a young family next to me from Canada and left.
When I got outside, the sun was shining. I immediately changed my original plan of heading to Montmartre...and instead wanted to take advantage of the sun (who knew when it might shine on me again?) and get over to St. Chapelle. Unfortunately, while standing in line (I had puchase my four day museum pass at D%26#39;Orsay ... but this did not get me into St. Chapelle any quicker)...the raindrops began to fall again. With the use of my binoculars I was still able to appreciate greatly the magnificence of this work. I still can imagine with the sun out, it must be like being inside a jewel box!
From there I went back to Notre Dame, there was a short line, and I went in. From there, I went over to the I%26#39;l St. Louis and walked that darling area and stopped for a gelato at Amorino and walked home...leisurely strolling along the way.
That night I was to meet my two new friends again for the Seine Cruise from Pont Neuf. Unfortunately, I arrived late ... so they went ahead on the 8 o%26#39;clock ... I arrived just passed the hour ... so I went and had a glass of wine in their bar ... had a nice chat with a handsome gentlemen who asked not only if he could treat me to the cruise but if he could meet me afterwards for another drink!!!
I did not take him up on his offer.
I took the cruise and enjoyed it... I sat up front and it was quite cold...so make sure to dress warmly.
By the time I got back in, I was windblown, and chilled to the bone...and not feeling in anyway appropriately dressed or groomed to be meeting this elegant man. So, I let the moment come and go.
Day Four...
I found my way to St. Denis Basilique. AMAZING! There are tombs of Kings and Queens dating back to the 1100%26#39;s!! To observe these amazing structures and imagine what went into their creation, is just mind boggling to me. I have just purchased %26quot;Pillars of the Earth%26quot;...because I am so interested now in knowing more about this after visiting all these gorgeous and amazing cathedrals and churches in Paris.
I had lunch in a pleasant little square nearby that was very enjoyable. It was a beautiful sunny day!
From here, I got back on the Metro for Montmartre. My final stop was Anvers. I climbed up to Sacre Coeur and admired the view from there. This is another structure that I was not impressed with. It does remind me of a huge .. overly frosted wedding cake. I went down around the back and took a lovely walk thru the park at the bottom of rue Maurice Utrillo...and down further to Place St. Pierre to explore some of the wonderful fabric shops. I adored Reine...but it was sooo crowded ... the stores and the entire area...that I began to feel clostrophic... and left...got on the metro and headed back..
I stopped in at a small cafe on the darling tree-lined square at the end of my street again, for a glass of wine and a delicious salad.
Got a few groceries...stopped at the corner patiserie and went home for a nap.
After that, I went back out that evening over to the I%26#39;l St Louis and got a Berthillion and took a leisurely stroll around and along the Seine over to the Pont des Arts and sat on a bench and watched the ET twinkle in the distance.
Another blissful day in the most beautiful city in the world!
I just want to mention that I loved the area of the Marais I stayed in. My studio was on rue du bourg-tibourg which could not have been better. The area is eclectic and alive with great energy, great little boutiques and cafes and restaurants. I took many photos ... although as I said I can only share my last three days with you all.
I was within easy walking distance of the Islands, the 5th the 6th, Bastille, Louvre and Concord (which I walked to and from twice - but I am a big walker)...the Picasso and Carnavalet, Place des Vosges.
Fabulous area! Loved it!
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Great writing and detail... looking forward to more!
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I love it that you conquered your fear of traveling alone, and are having such a good time. Lots of good information here.
Ting
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; They have those trams which run you from one terminal to another...but evidently you can%26#39;t get on the wrong one. Someone, please correct me, if this is an inaccurate statement.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
YUP....the new CDGVAL automated shuttle / trains run on a reversing-fixed ligne around the airport---from CDG #1 to CDG #2-TGV The has five(5) stops: CDG Terminal # 1....PR car park....CDG Terminal #3-Roissypole....PX car park...CDG Terminal #2-TGV / RER station....then the reverse direction. There%26#39;s a train along every four(4) minutes and terminus-to-terminus travel time is only eight(8) minutes. The worst that can happen is that you board a CDGVAL train heading in the %26#39;wrong%26#39; direction and it takes you an extras 6-to-12 minutes to get where you want to go. Beyonf this...the CDGVAL is almost %26#39;idiot-proof%26#39;.
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Wonderful trip report! I am looking forward to the next installment!
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%26gt;%26gt;%26gt; I have just purchased %26quot;Pillars of the Earth%26quot;...because I am so interested now in knowing more about this after visiting all these gorgeous and amazing cathedrals and churches in Paris.%26lt;%26lt;%26lt;
It%26#39;s a %26#39;..good read..%26#39;...(as is the sequel %26#39;World Without End%26#39;) but though there are a LOT of details of various gothic design elements and construction methods....there are precious few drawings or diagrams ( http://www.ken-follett.com/pote/illustrations.html) to help to %26#39;..visualize..%26#39; the text.
So before you crack the cover, do a simple Google search using %26#39;..Gothic Construction Methods..%26#39; as your basic search criteria and then print out some of the basic diagrams and drawings that you%26#39;ll find at several sites. Since %26#39;..Kingsbridge Cathedral..%26#39; is such an integral %26#39;..character..%26#39; within the story....it%26#39;ll help keeping your eyes from crossing as you read the many descriptive passages of design and construction methods.
For what it%26#39;s worth, Follett used two cathedrals in England as his rough %26#39;models%26#39; for his fictional %26#39;..Kingsbridge Cathedral%26#39;--
Wells Cathedral--http://www.wellscathedral.org.uk/ --for the original %26#39;Kingsbridge%26#39; design....and.....
Salisbury Cathedral--
http://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/--for the lfinished %26#39;Kingsbridge%26#39; design.
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Leave to you, KDK!! You never lead me astray!! Thank you so much for that wonderful information!
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Not really...As it happens I just got around to reading both this past week.....with my copies of Thrachtenberg%26#39; s %26#39;..Architecture..%26#39;, and David Macaulay%26#39;s %26#39;..Cathedral..%26#39; open on the table next to my chair...as refreshers to my recollections of Art %26amp; Architecture 101.
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Great reports, Trechic - thanks, and here%26#39;s hoping your great experiences give others the push to just go out and do it on their own!
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