Sunday we visited Montmarte and the Sacre-Coeur. This is such a lovely area and the weather was perfect. The sun was shinning on us Sunday! We started our trip on the Metro, getting off at Anvers station. We have purchased a Navigo card which gives us affordable traveling inside central Paris. Sure beats keeping up with all the little paper carnet tickets. When you first arrive you have to plow through a touristy street, but once you get past that part it is less crowded. We rode the funicular to the top which was much easier than climbing all those steps.
There are all sorts of street entertainers.in this area. We saw King Tut, Jesus, some Irish Dancers, and this harpist.
We toured the church, which is quite impressive. This church took 44 years to build.
View looking over the city.
We walked through town and visited the Place du Tertre, which is a town square filled with artists. Always fun to look but they can be expensive.
We stopped by our favorite restaurant on the way home for Faye’s farewell lunch (or early dinner). We thought about getting dessert but just took a picture instead.
Friday we went to the Louvre. What can I say? It was huge, crowded, big, overloaded, enormous, packed, and HOT as H…
We saw the highlights and left. It was an exhausting day. Mostly because of the heat.
Inside the shopping area of the Carrousel de Louvre.
Yummy lunch!
Saturday we went to a Wine Exhibition, Vigneron Independant. . Michel took us as we were afraid it would be overwhelming as we don’t speak much French. It was very overwhelming!. These folks love their wine. There were over 1000 independent wine vendors with booths. All I could remember about French wine was the wine specialist from Splendid Table (NPR) said you should try wine from Loire Valley. We tasted several wines, pushed through the crowds and marveled at it all. They also had mustard booths, honey booths and food of all sorts. Robert treated me to some White Bordeaux. My Favorite wine. This place was also hotter than we expected. We would have stayed longer if we had known to wear shorts and a tee shirt.
Faye and I decided to purchase a souvenir shopping bag. When we got to the booth the two salesmen were very funny. They asked us where we were from, we told them Atlanta, Georgia. OMG said the one who could speak English. “Why are you here?” I told him we were here to drink…he laughed. Then he asked “Really, why are you in Paris?” So we told him we were cat sitting He really did not believe us and laughed again. Then said our bags were free….because we were from USA. Good score on our part!
The French people have been very kind to us everywhere we have been. You hear that they don’t like Americans but so far that has not been the case. We have been blessed to have this opportunity to see Paris at our leisure.
Thursday morning we traveled to La Defense to view La Grand Arche. This a more modern side of Paris often called “Little Manhattan.” There is a large mall and business district here along with the Grande Arche. The Arche is large enough to place Notre Dame inside the arch. While Faye and I were reading the plan and trying to decide which way to go a French man chatted us up. He filled our ears with lots of trivia about the Arche and the local church and art work surrounding the area. We plan to return and take the art tour of the outside sculptures. The French man knew all about the Georgia Bulldogs – we forgave him for insulting us…..
We also toured the Christmas Market in this area. Faye purchased caramel nougat. Yum!
Inside the mall. All prettied up for Christmas. A quick-lunch at Monoprix was a good choice.
Faye at the candy store.
A funny goat selling scarves.
We had not really planned on a Thanksgiving meal in Paris but it happened anyway. They have frozen food stores in Paris called, Picard. They only sell frozen food and have a section for adults and babies. Robert and I went a few days ago and bought things we thought “looked” good. When we got home we translated the labels …..we had bought turkey cutlets! So Thanksgiving dinner was in the making. We had turkey cutlets, green beans, potato crisps, and mince meat pie. Oops, almost forgot the fresh sauerkraut.
I forgot to post an exciting moment. When we toured Notre Dame, the choir was practicing Handel’s Messiah, in English, just for us. They were amazing. We sat and enjoyed a free concert. There are free concerts in the churches most Sunday’s so we will work in a few of those before we leave.
We live next door to a Catholic church and will sneak over for their Advent Concert this week.
Thanks for visiting us again. We love your comments.
