Postcards from France

Europe On The Calendar Again!

Our last trip to Paris was in 2011

We did it! We booked our first trip to Europe with the kids in mid-July. It's going to be the four of us, traveling light and as simply as possible. A week in France for a reunion with our dear friends from Singapore and a week in the UK visiting my second cousins and great uncle and seeing a castle or two.

We land in Paris and spend a night in a quaint Inn in the Marais, stroll some of the sights and then catch a train to Bordeaux for our Singapore friends visit. After about 5 days in Bordeaux, we will take the train to Paris and chunnel to London to spend a night there (and a day exploring - Austen is determined to see Big Ben so we better do that) before heading out to our thatched cottage we have rented for a week in Oxfordshire.  It's the most we have ever moved around with the kids and are hoping they aren't too upset by the changes. Finding the space to travel and make it feel unhurried is our new challenge. We also are not bringing Joel's bike, the big double stroller, car seats, electronic devices (aside from phones), or anything that doesn't fit into a carry on bag. That is my mission anyway. Pictures of this actually happening pending.

Our baggage pile on the way to Montreal in 2016. This is what travel hell looks like.

Eating across Paris

Paris is one of those places where you want to be able to say "I had the best meal of my life" but sometimes with all the tourist traps it's hard to really find a truly great meal. It's harder still to find a truly great meal that's not going to break the bank.

Before we left for Paris my good friend and fabulous Parisian, Noras, sat down with me one afternoon and shared her hidden gems of the city with me. I made several google maps that can be easily printed out for your next trek to the land of caloric bliss.

The Eiffel Tower

 

On our first trip to Paris on our honeymoon over four years ago we eyed the long line ups for the Eiffel tower. It was tempting to queue with the masses but instead we satisfied ourselves with strolling around the base like most visitors do.

Joel's parents bought special tickets to have a small group tour on this trip which allowed us to jump the queues and enjoy the tower with almost no waiting at all. We went this morning and were rewarded with a clear beautiful day for the experience. I thought I'd chicken out at the second level but I made it all the way to the top. The views were incredible and above all the feeling of being in this iconic place is hard to describe. So many history lectures came to life in my imagination. I really had no idea I would be this swept away by a monument but there you go. That's the beauty of travel.

Tomorrow is our last full day before we leave for London. It's one we have chosen to fill with domestic tasks... Stocking up on toiletries and buying hardware. You'd think we lived on an island or something.

Christmas in Paris: the 24th

We expected the 24th to be a day of shops closed for the season and shelves bare of breads and pastries. We started the day with a walk down to a bakery we found that has the most marvellous crossants. They were very busy and there were certainly many special orders lined up but we were surprised at the surplus of bread they had for the day. As we walked the city the rest of the afternoon we saw an over abundance of food at bakeries everywhere and hardly anyone out shopping. Shops were staying open late but it was clear that there was going to be a lot of food to waste this year. We mused that the financial climate in France right now may have taken a toll on consumer spending. Floral shops were packed to the gills with arrangements that looked as if they had over-ordered many times what they needed and the christmas tree vendor still had almost full stock of trees left by 3pm on Christmas eve...

We spent the early evening taking a river boat down the Seine on a special champagne tasting cruise. It was truly the most gloriously touristy thing, we began under the Eifel tower and cruised past Notre Dame and the Louvre while our guide walked around with bottles of bubbly answering our questions about champagne production.

After the boat tour we cabbed back to our apartment and began heating all the part of our Christmas dinner. It was a great feast and a very memorable Christmas.

Christmas in Paris: the preparations

We spent our second day, Dec 23rd, out walking the streets of the city trying to gather all the ingredients for our Christmas dinner on the 24th. Not all things made it to the 24th... here are some of the places we went and things we consumed.

First there were Macarons from the Laudree patisserie. We had all the most unusual flavours we could find. I really liked the gingerbread flavour.

Quatrehomme is a magnificent cheese shop. We filled a bag with an impressive spread of cheese for our feast. Not sure what its official name is but we especially enjoyed a truffle cheese which the shop makes just for the season.

Rue Cler, the famous gastro corridor was our stop for lunch but it was also where we found street vendors selling roast potatoes, roast chickens and all the sides. We picked up a quiche here for me and I fought off the cold with a hot chocolate thick enough to pass for fondue.

We couldn't have a proper Parisian Christmas feast without a visit to Lenotre... Our purchases here included a pyramid made of dinner rolls in every variety they make and a Buchedenoel which you can see in all its glory below.

Landing in Paris

Paris, a set on Flickr.

We landed in Paris yesterday at 6am and are now staying at an apartment Joel's parents are renting. This places is like a movie set, frecos painted in the hallways, Victorian furniture, chandeilers over the beds, windows opening out onto views of historic buildings.

We spent our first day out walking and shooting a few pictures on the iphone. I have started an album on flickr which we'll keep adding to as the week progresses.

Ville Franche Sur Mer

 

Italia

 

We went on a driving trip to Italy today for lunch. It was beautiful. 30 degrees and sunny. We stopped for a stroll on a long beach with the most perfect teal water and rolling waves... and crispy Italians...

Had pasta and pastries (why do our clothes still fit? It beats all odds) and then headed back to France again. I'll never get over the views of the coastline here. The N7 road we take between the towns in high up, cut into the side of the cliffs and all you can see is teracotta rooftops and blue shutters and of course the sea. The roads were congested today with the mega yacht show going on in Monaco. The man on the radio is asking us if we have thought of insurance for our mega yacht, and have we been properly covered for our precious artwork on board. This is another planet entirely.
This is our last night in France and then we head back to London tomorrow and then the cruise begins...

Monaco

 

 

Canyons and Cote D'Azur

 

 

 

Yesterday we made the 11 hour drive from Avignon to Ville Franche Sur Mer. We passed through some scenery I can only describe in pictures so click on the picture above and go check them out!

The whole trip took us along Napoleon's route through the Grand Canyon which is lush and full of vibrant blue rapids. We drove through the Luberon region which Peter Mayle wrote about in A Year in Provence and stopped at a Market for goodies and real Fendi sunglasses for 10 euros... haha, no.
We drove down though Cannes which felt like arriving in LA compared to where we'd been. Ville Franche is really a rich touristy burb of Nice overlooking breathtaking views of the Mediterranean. Just around the corner is Monaco where we went today for a walk. We strolled around the Palace grounds and the waterfront there taking in the comings and goings of the mega rich who call Monaco home as they pay no income tax there. But a 3 bedroom flat will set you back about 8 million. Our hotel la Fiance du Pirate is really great. Amazing view, nicely appointed and beautiful pool and great breakfasts. Hard to find cheap places to find a bite here but we've done pretty well at the bakery. Off for dinner now!

Can a Golf pull a camper?

At 40km an hour our drive around the Cotes du Rhone vineyards began slowly. We were as it turned out one of two vehicles on the narrow road. Our Peugeot and a Golf lugging a prehistoric camper with Dutch plates. Joel found his inner angry French man and we were off to see mile after mile of vines and valleys bits of forgotten ruins.

It was a perfect day for it, sunny, 27 degrees and a Sunday so no other traffic. Where people disappear to on Sundays without the use of vehicles is still a mystery to us. You can't even find a gas station open so it's just as well the roads aren't bustling with traffic.
We purchased our first souvenir in a shop with all sorts of beautiful linens and pottery. A linen tablecloth, hand embroidered with a matching set of napkins.
Tomorrow we move from our Hotel in Avignon to a new place in Ville France Sur Mer until the 20th.

On the bridge of Avignon

We are sitting in a rustic back room of a Brasserie, tastefully adorned with tapestries and paintings of local scenery. Jazz is softly playing in the background, the local wine is cheap like water and the menu boasts delicious things like tapanade. Yes, I'm back to that again. I keep some in my purse in case I encounter a baguette.

Our room is inside the walls of the old city in a house as old as the walls themselves. The decor is eclectic. (ok so i admit I would love to rip out the carpets and go on a plastic flower kill but it's charming nonetheless.) The bed has a handmade quilt and the window has shutters. We went to the local superstore (somewhere between the magical ambiance of a dollar store and Zellers) to pick up wine glasses and cutlery for our picnics.

We've decided to spend the rest of our time in France eating, napping and figuring out how cheap you can go before the wine tastes like ass. Current bottle: €4.95... so far so good.

Le sigh

La Trou Normand

On our first day - date unknown, we don't count anymore - we checked into our hotel and made a b-line for Le Troumilou, the place Joel's parent's highly reccommended. It was great, upon hearing that we'd been refered the host sent us each a Kir on the house and took great care of us.

Joel's French is all coming back, we have been treated very well everywhere save the vespa-nazis but they can't be helped.

The Marais area where we are staying is very old with narrow cobblestone streets full of boutiques from various local designers. The clothes are beautiful though very expensive here. A little further from our hotel are some stores like Zara which are half the price of at home and we've both lucked out with our purchases.

The whole vibe is so different from London, more calm. Even though everyone is drinking all the time no one is drunk and no one down here is under 25. People are polite and as soon as Joel asks the waitress for the correct way to say something we've got a sure ally.

We spent part of yesterday in the Louvre though only just saw a few things. The galleries leading into the Mona Lisa, the Egyptian rooms and the Napolean Chambers a a whole lot of things that are all a blurr now.

We did the Saint Chapelle and Notre Dame today which was really beautiful. I have found a deli with the most amazing tapanade ever and a bakery with baguettes that just melt in your mouth. I think they add extra butter...

Joel's post missed the fact that we had a very romantic stroll for hours after dinner by the light of the river boats travelling up and down the Seinne. We ended up at the Eiffel tower after passing many building of note along the way. The Eyewitness guide borowed from Tanta and David has been invaluable. We use the Rick Steves for the hotel reccommendations but his maps are rubbish. Wish we'd picked up an eyewitness for London, maybe we'll get one for Nice.

OK, my post is long enough. We are going to La Trou Normand for dinner tonight near our place and will likely walk away the evening.

Paris

Last night, after eating and drinking too much Italian food... We walked along the Sienne river to the Eiffel tower. It was enrobed in green light and sparkled a magical epilepsy inducing sparkle of epic proportions. It must have something to do with the Rugby world cup, because there was a big inflated Rugby ball hanging deep from the crotch of the towers legs, It was Soooo big, yet alone. Missing a brother no doubt. Also, when you see 12-15 rats lounging on the grass in the shadow of the tower, and they don't run away from you, you think they could get away with being Parisian squirrels. Just a thought. That's it for my inappropriate post.

Joel