Friday, August 29

Friday was our first day to use our Museum Passes, and we planned to start off with a bang. However, most museums did not even open until at least 9:30, so we slept in an extra 30 minutes compared to the previous morning. We were on our way to a repeat performance at Boulangerie Eric Kayser, and it was fantastic yet again. From our usual window seat, we even saw a corgi pass by, so we knew it was going to be a good day.

After filling up on pain au chocolat, we walked to the Saint-Lazare Metro station for our first meeting with the famous Paris Metro. At this point, it was about 8:30, and things were picking up. People were rushing everywhere, and we tried to stay out of everyone’s way while we looked for a ticket machine. We found a few green-colored machines over by the kiosk window. One machine only accepted credit cards, and the other accepted both cash and credit cards. Luckily, there was no line and we stepped up to the machine that accepted both types of payment. I navigated through the menu (it was very easy, and there was an English option, too) and selected 2 carnets of tickets. A carnet is a grouping of 10 tickets that you buy in bulk to save a bit per ticket. (1.37 euros per carnet ticket vs. 1.70 euros per single ticket).

I took out the credit card, inserted it into the machine, and we were…DENIED. Uh oh….No need to panic, however. I had read that these machines probably would not accept US Credit Cards (no chips), so we had cash ready- just in case. After a few more seconds, we took our 20 new metro tickets (10 trips for each of us), double-checked the metro map, and looked around to see which direction we needed to go.

Saint-Lazare has four metro line connections and an RER Connection, so it is very easy get anywhere in the city from there. However, that also made it a very busy and potentially confusing station. Luckily, the directions to the different platforms were very well marked, and we easily followed them to the platform for Line 14. Line 14 is one of the newest lines in the city, so it was a good introduction to the metro. It was completely automatic, so we did not have to use any of the levers to open the doors which is common on most other metro lines. We got on the train and held on as it sped through the Paris underground.

At the third stop, we exited into an even larger metro hub- Chatelet. This station is the largest and busiest in all of Paris, and it was also undergoing a major expansion/renovation. Luckily, there were many signs and maps to help guide us to our desired exit. Even once we resurfaced, we were still a bit turned-around, but after a quick check of the map app, we righted course and headed to the river. On the way, we stopped at an interesting tower that seemed to appear out of nowhere. This tower was the Tour Saint-Jacques, and it was surrounded by a very quiet park. The tower was a part of a church that was built in the early 16th century. During the revolution, the church was demolished, but the tower remained.

We crossed the river on the Pont au Change to the Ile de la Cite. As it was still a bit before 9:30, we took a stroll around the western end of the island. The views of the Rive Gauche from the island were fantastic! We walked along the river until we reached Pont Neuf. The sky was still overcast- nothing new there. However, the sun was showing signs of trying to break through the shield of clouds. We continued along the other side of the island, turned at the Conciergerie, and joined the small line forming to enter the Sainte-Chapelle.

Since the Sainte-Chapelle shared an entrance with the Palais de Justice, security was a bit more intense than the other monuments. Because of this, the Sainte-Chapelle was one of the few monuments/museums that our Museum Passes would not allow for us to skip the line. However, the process was efficient, and we were through into the courtyard in only 5 minutes. We showed our Museum Passes to the staff member at the entrance. He looked at our “valid dates” (you actually write in your name and “valid dates” on the Museum Passes) and let us through. The entrance to the Sainte-Chapelle is actually the lower “basement” level of the chapel. Here, of course is a gift shop, but there are also things down there worth seeing such as the oldest (supposedly) painting in France. (I am not sure how old the painting is, but since the chapel was consecrated in 1248, I would guess that it dates to around that time.)

After learning the history of the chapel- it was built to house all of the holy relics acquired by Louis IX- we ascended the winding stone staircase up to the main level of the chapel. We were completely unprepared for the beauty that awaited us there. Mouths agape, we were stunned to see the morning light streaming through the most impressive stained-glass display we had ever seen. The intricate pieces of glass refracted a glowing colorful light that seemed to be impossibly perfect. Even with two of the seven main window groups under renovation, the overall effect was not diminished in the slightest. It was truly awe-inspiring and a sight that could not possibly be replicated.

Still a bit star-struck by the stained glass, we exited the Judicial complex and walked southeast towards Notre Dame de Paris. It was impossible to miss the magnificent cathedral towers rising over the buildings of the island. We thought about using our museum passes to go up in the towers, but we decided to wait for another time. Instead, we took some pictures of the beautiful exterior and joined the short line to enter Notre Dame itself.

The inside of the cathedral was cavernous- and crowded. We made our way along the alcoves with the tourist masses. There was a very interesting historical exhibit near the very back of the cathedral that showed the construction progress of Notre Dame through the centuries. I did not realize that it was built in many different stages- the first stage was started in 1163 and completed in 1182, with the final stage not being fully completed until 1345. Perhaps the most impressive features of Notre Dame are the massive stained glass windows that can be found high above the viewer on both sides of the cathedral. Perhaps they would have been even more impressive had I not just viewed the stained glass of the Sainte-Chapelle, but they were still incredibly beautiful in their own right.

Partially because we wanted to escape from the maddening crowds, and partially because I am fascinated with historical artifacts, we paid 3 euros each to view the Treasury. The artifacts found in the treasury document the history of the cathedral. There are also many reliquaries that were removed from the Sainte-Chapelle and brought to Notre Dame during the revolution. Some interesting relics found in these reliquaries included pieces of the Crown of Thorns and pieces of the True Cross.

After touring the Treasury, we went back outside- but only for a moment. At the back of the square in front of Notre Dame was a staircase that led underground to the entrance of the Notre Dame Crypt. We showed our museum passes and entered a dimly-lit building that housed some of the ruins from the earliest Roman settlement of present-day Paris- Lutece. There were many interesting displays that explained more about what we were seeing, and the settlement itself. It would not be the last time of the trip that we would find ourselves amid the ruins of this early Roman city, either. Overall, I really enjoyed the Crypt, but Megan did not so much. I suppose it comes down to whether or not you find history museums interesting. If you have a museum pass, check it out for a bit.

From here, we took a walk around Notre Dame to admire the beautiful architecture of the flying buttresses. We also came across a bridge chock-full of “Love Locks.” From what I have read (and seen), many Parisians do not appreciate the “Love Locks”, and even some bridge panels are now collapsing under the weight of all that metal. Out of respect for those who call Paris home, we did not place a “Love Lock” on any bridge. However, they did add a very interesting facet to the city views.

From here, we crossed the Pont Saint-Louis to the island of the same name. The Ile Saint-Louis is a really charming neighborhood with lots of shops, galleries, and restaurants. We did a bit of shopping around, but at noon we gave in and found a nice restaurant with a view of Notre Dame- Le Saint Regis. We settled in for a few glasses of wine and some lunch. I had another croque-madame, and this one was better than the first one I had the day before. We had a mild panic attack because we realized our cash reserves were running low. However, the restaurant took credit cards (everyone does, really), and this time it was accepted! I was a little worried that we would have had more issues with our no-chip credit card like we experienced in metro earlier that day, but happily, we had no other card rejections for the the rest of the trip!

There was another reason that we wanted to be close to the Ile Saint Louis for lunch- dessert at Berthillon! Berthillon is renowned for their ice cream, and we were determined to try it. Much to our dismay, we saw that the ice cream shop was closed for the entirety of August. However, just across the corner were a few cafes/brasseries that also sold Berthillon ice cream, so it appeared that we were in luck! The ice cream lived up to the hype. It was incredibly tasty and smooth. As I write this, I realize that this was the only time we had Berthillon ice cream on our trip, and I deeply regret that. Go get it twice when you visit!

As we ate our Ice Cream, we walked across the Pont Marie back to the Rive Droit mainland. We followed the Seine until we reached the Hotel de Ville. We crossed the road and stopped briefly to admire the impressive building before continuing along the Seine. About this time, the sun finally appeared and bathed everything in a new light. This gave us an entirely new perspective from the overcast and drab skies that we had become accustomed to for our first day and a half in the city.

We continued our walk along the river until we came across a massive building complex that could only have been the Louvre. We walked through an archway into a courtyard and saw the iconic Pyramid designed by I.M. Pei through another archway. We decided that it would be a nice time for a break, so we sat on the side of one of the fountains to watch the courtyard scene in the warm sunlight.

We saw the long line winding around the pyramid, but it was not yet time to go into the museum itself. Instead, we walked under the Arc de Triomph du Carrousel (not to be confused with the other one!) into the Tuileries Gardens. The gardens themselves were beautiful. There were perfectly maintained with flowers of all kinds blooming everywhere. The grass was in excellent condition, but that was because no pedestrians were allowed on the grass at all. People gathered around the fountains in the green chairs that we found in many other city parks. It was Friday afternoon, and quite a few people were out enjoying the sunshine.

We walked the full length of the gardens in search of our next museum- the Orangerie.  This museum was highly recommended, and it did not disappoint. We showed our museum passes to enter, and we walked right up to the main event- the eight giant water lily paintings of Monet known as the Nympheas.  And by giant, I mean giant- these paintings took up an entire wall- each! They were fascinating to view, but unfortunately no pictures were allowed. The lower levels featured some other beautiful works from other famous artists such as Matisse, Renoir, Cezanne, Sisley, and Picasso.

At this point it was getting close to 3pm, and we had been on our feet for most of the day. So when we exited the Orangerie museum, we found a few of the green chairs and had a rest at a spot overlooking the Champs-Elysees and the Place de la Concorde. Why anyone would willingly drive around the Place de la Concorde is beyond me, but it was really interesting to watch the traffic making its way through the insanity of that intersection. We soon would briefly join that insanity as we crossed the Rue de Rivoli nearby and walked to Place Vendome. Alas, the entire square- and the iconic column- was completely under construction. Oh well, next time! We just kept walking until we reached the Palais Royal Courtyard. This was a really pleasant and quiet park filled with people enjoying the mid afternoon by lounging in benches and chairs around perfectly manicured lawns and a beautiful fountain. We stopped to join them all (and to rest our aching feet) for a short time before continuing on.

We were walking east towards Chatelet-Les Halles when we came across the Bourse du Commerce- the Paris chamber of commerce. I’m not sure if we were allowed to go in there, but we took a look around for fun anyway.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: We originally thought this building was the Stock Exchange- and I had even written that statement here on this blog, but it is NOT. It used to be the Commodities Market, but now is just the home of the Chamber of Commerce. The real stock exchange- “La Bourse” is actually in a different building and is no longer used for stock trading. Thanks to kerouac2 of TripAdvisor for this clarification!

We exited the building and turned the corner to see a very beautiful park, an impressive church, and a huge construction zone. After some later research, we found that Paris is completely redeveloping this area to become the new “Heart of Paris”.

We followed Rue Rambuteau until we reached the Pompidou Center. We did not go inside, but we were treated to a…shall we say interesting duet concert of diggerydoo and saxophone. I had read that this area of town was a bit sketchier than others, and that was a fairly accurate assessment. We had a few individuals and groups try to get our attention as we walked back towards the river on Rue Saint Denis, but nothing came of it. I had read that Rue Saint Denis was worth seeing (at least in the day time), but I was not really that impressed. It felt a bit “cheap.” However, once we crossed the Rue de Rivoli again, things were just fine.

Our next destination was actually on Rue Saint Denis near the Fontaine du Chatelet. I had looked for a few places to grab a beer while in the city, and Au Trappiste seemed like a good centrally-located spot. We sat down at a table outside and ordered a few Belgian beers with fries. As a side note, I really wish we had the sweet ketchup that is found in Europe- it is waaay better than the bland stuff we have in the US.

The whole “meal” was meant to tide us over until our late dinner, but it was also nice to sit down and rest before taking on our next challenge- the Louvre. The Louvre was open that evening until 9, so we planned to spend 3 hours or so there. We used our museum pass once again, but at this point, there was not much of a line to skip with it. Entering through the Pyramid was really neat, but it was also really hot! Once we went down a level, it cooled down to a comfortable temperature.

We were a bit overwhelmed at this point. We knew that the Louvre was massive and nobody could hope to cover it all in a few short hours, but luckily we had a plan for everything we wanted to see!……But unfortunately, we did not look up these locations on a map beforehand. So, we were just going to wing it. Don’t do this. Bad idea. We managed to view some but not all of our chosen pieces of art. We found particularly interesting artifacts in the Egyptian wing, magnificent sculptures on the ground floor of the Richelieu Wing, and masterpiece paintings on the first floor Denon Wing. The Mona Lisa was of course on our list. There were still a lot of people swarming around it, but we managed to get fairly close. The most beautiful pieces in the entire museum (for me at least) were Winged Victory and Venus de Milo, with Venus winning the prize for #1. As we marched towards the Napoleon III Apartments, we felt our tiredness start to really catch up on us. But time was also running out, and if we were to make our next engagement, we would need to move quickly. So, at 8:00, we ventured back out into the rapidly-failing daylight.

We hurried back towards Notre Dame. We were there only a few hours earlier, but that now seemed like a few days to our tired feet. We found the line for the entrance to the Notre Dame towers on the north side of the building. We waited for 15 agonizing minutes as we realized we were probably too late for the sunset. However, we were not going to be deterred by a little wait. When it was our turn, we first climbed about 75 stairs or so to the ticket office/gift shop. They let everyone up in groups, so we had to wait another 5 minutes or so for everyone to get tickets (we only needed our trusty museum passes). Once we were allowed through, we began the dizzying climb up 200+ more steps to reach the tower belfry level. As we stepped out onto the belfry overlook, we caught the final glimpses of the daylight. The view of Paris in this light was breathtaking. As the clock struck 9, the Eiffel Tower’s dazzling hourly light display began in brilliant fashion. The lights of the city cast a golden glow on the streets below while off to the north, the spotlights reflected off of the white stones of the Sacre-Coeur. Paris was really in fine form that night. We inched our way around the belfry overlook to the south tower stairs where we climbed even higher along an ever-narrowing staircase. The unhindered view from the very top was even better than the belfry overlook. I could have stayed up there all night, but we had dinner plans to make. It was a long way down the 387 steps to the bottom, but we finally made it.

We made a quick journey north across the Pont d’Arcole and followed the Rue de Renard past the Hotel de Ville until we reached Rue Geoffroy d’Angevin across from the Pompidou Center. Near the end of the block was Pain Vin Fromages- the restaurant in which we would have one of our very best meals. We stepped in the doorway exactly on time at 9:30, and saw that despite the wait outside, our table was ready for us. The restaurant was very small, but quite cozy. We ordered a carafe d’eau and a bottle of wine that was recommended to us by our waiter (who I think was also the proprietor). The name of the restaurant says it all- Bread, Wine, Cheeses- and that is exactly what we had. The focus is on fondue here. We ordered the Camembert + Goat cheese fondue, and it was incredible! We dipped potatoes and bread, and we left barely enough room for an amazing piece of cheesecake. Our waiter was a pro, and he was a lot of fun to talk to in both English and French! I found that the more wine I drank, the better my french became (or perhaps the less self-conscious I became- ha!). At the very least, I think nailed the “L’addition, s’il vous plait.” at the end of the meal.  We did not leave the restaurant until after 11:45. We knew that we were enjoying one of the best meals of our lives, and we wanted it to last as long as possible.

We walked to the Rambuteau metro station to catch line 11 to Chatelet and then Line 14 back to Gare Saint Lazare. We had “only” walked 17 km (10.5 miles) that day, but this number did not include our museum/church wanderings. We were exhausted, but in great spirits. It was late when we arrived back at the hotel, but luckily we had plans to sleep in a bit the next morning. We had spent most of our time in Paris so far on the Right Bank, but the next day, we would be giving our attention to the Left Bank instead.