There is just no place quite like Paris on this earth.
I lived there for a while back in 1993, and it will always feel a bit like home to me.
On Friday night, we arrived in Paris, lovely hotel, the Renaissance Marriott La Defense (except that they don't offer free internet - €7 an hour!!!, and that they overcharged the phone call home to check on feverish Son#3 - 3 minutes for €24!!!!).
Now don't go thinking that we roll in the money, because we don't I can assure you, but the Renaissance Marriott happens to be in La Defense, a mostly business district and must therefore be quite desperate for weekenders to fill its plush suites.
Gorgeous views of the Grande Arche. Breathtaking.
The French aren't intimidated by architecture, it must be said.
We booked via Weekendjeweg.nl - and only paid €109 per room per night, including breakfast, not too shabby for a 4 star-hotel in Paris and much cheaper than at the hotel itself, let me tell you.
The only other setback is that the hotel is difficult to find by car - a maze of roads run underneath the hotel, crisscrossing the district and confusing the already-confused navigation. We parked at Valmy 1 (€55 for the weekend).
All minor obstacles aside, the beds are glorious, an ample breakfast, and all quite close to the Metro and RER station.
Back to my story:
After we arrived, we walked to the RER / Metro station, La Defense, bought 2 three day passes (about €21 a piece), and went to Chatelet.
We walked and walked all over the Marais, lovely and quaint and vibrant and exactly what you expect Paris to be. Lots and lots of gay bars where the husband claims his bum was probably pinched, but that might have been me.
Finally, at 10h30, we saw Breakfast in America, a super diner-style restaurant with vegetarian (!!!) hamburgers plus the usual meaty-variety on the menu, Budweisers and Stella Artois to soothe our throats.
Tired but satisfied, we strolled back along the Ile de France where people were sitting on the quays, drinking, talking and just being. Lovely.
In bed at 2h30. We can't do that at home.
Saturday saw us off to a great start: Stuffing ourselves at breakfast, then taking the Metro to Pyrenees, and looking for the Canal St. Martin, which was disappointing.
This is the best angle I could come up with:
We walked all along the canal, finally sat down at L'Atmosphere for wine.
Word of warning!!! Don't go there!!!! Bad, rude service, we nearly had to beg to get the bill. When we asked to see the menu, a short troll of a waitress took the knives and forks off the table and told us that we can't eat there.
Should have left then.
Felt quite sad after the whole experience.
Off we went to Parc Buttes Chaumont to cheer ourselves up. It's up a hill so be prepared to walk. Lush and super kid-friendly.
We sat on a bench for a long time, eating chips and drinking water. Children were rolling downhill on their sides, dogs sniffing each other up, families and picnics and smart ladies walking forcefully up the hill on high heels. Impressive.
After this, we returned to the hotel for a nap.
Having wonderful weather, we headed to Concorde with the Metro, up we crawled onto street level and then a gorgeous, gorgeous walk through the gardens at Tuileries towards the Louvre with the sun going down behind the Arc de Triomphe.
Next time we'll take some wine and just sit there.
A great thing to do, is to wait until the lights go on at the Louvre, it gives the entire complex such an ethereal feeling. Pure magic!
Another walk and then the metro to St Paul, where at 22h45, we went looking for a restaurant still willing to give us something to eat.
Boring but brilliant, we ended up at Breakfast in America again, just in time, then around the corner to La Favorite, old-school French cafe-style, which is superb for people watching.
And if there is anywhere where People Watching is superb, then Paris would be it.
That's it for now. Tomorrow I'll tell you all about our Super Sunday.
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