View from the Back
Ramblings of a retiree in France
Postcard from 36 hours in Paris
I’m back from a flying visit to Paris, a city I really should visit more often. I found a great deal on a delightful hotel in the 6th arrondissement, a stone’s throw from Notre Dame and Quai d’Orsay, one of our favourite museums in Paris. We arrived in time for lunch at a neighbourhood restaurant, part of Guy Savoy’s stable. My beloved had the set lunch menu while I went a la carte with carpaccio of octopus followed by salmon. It was delicious and we saw off the calories with a brisk walk along the Seine.
My beloved was taking a few precious hours away from work to do a spot of sightseeing. While I’ve visited all Paris’s major attractions at least once, my beloved has not. He wanted to see inside Notre Dame but swiftly changed his mind when he saw the 300 metre long queue – maybe next time. Instead we admired its intricate exterior Gothic carvings before continuing our walk.
Instead, we visited one of his favourite museums and enjoyed a fabulous exhibit of treasures from the Second French Empire, a time of tremendous wealth in France where it was de rigeur to flaunt said riches. The other was of the works of Frederic Bazille, an impressionist who hob nobbed with the likes of Monet, Renoir and Sisley but tragically died too young, leaving a small but beautiful body of work.
After our dose of culture we strolled back to the hotel to enjoy a reviving cuppa. The hotel had already endeared itself to me by giving us a room upgrade. It then exceeded my expectations with a complimentary bottle of my favourite beverage. It will be deservedly receiving a glowing report. We spent the evening in the hotel bar enjoying a jazz concert before retiring for a great night’s sleep.
The following morning my beloved had a packed itinerary starting with an early business meeting over breakfast leaving me to enjoy a lie in followed by a busy day pounding the Parisian pavements. I started by walking around the St Germain area which is full of interesting shops and galleries before straying across the river into an old favourite, the Marais.
I walked the streets of Paris for over six hours before meeting my beloved back at the hotel for an early dinner in a typical French brasserie where we both tucked enthusiastically into a plate of oysters before heading home. Next stop New York!
What a lovely post! I love Paris. Would love the name of the hotel. Thanks, Lori
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Thanks Lori. We stayed at the Hotel D’Aubusson http://www.hoteldaubusson.com but I made the booking on http://www.booking.com.
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Beautiful post! Love the pictures 😍 Shall save this up for when I visit!
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Thank you Priya, Paris is a beautiful city. Hope you can visit it soon.
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I loved your article. This is my kind of blog.
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Thank you for your kind words. Wishing you a happy New Year.
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