Sunday, August 30, 2015

Paris 2015

Day one:
Our lovely VRBO apartment in Saint Germain des Pres at 22 rue Bonaparte 

Fireplace works but we were happy to open the windows and use a fan in August.

Second queen bed unrolls from under this bookcase in living room. Tres chic!

Our apt is a 4th floor walk up which is really the 5th floor.

77 steps to be exact!

Monoprix grocery store a few blocks from our apt. Note: closed on Sundays.


Day two:
View from the Louvre on a very rainy day in the city of light.

The Louvre. Gail and the queen.
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Day Three
Enjoying Rodin at the Musee D'Orsay

Dale wants this statue for the Keystone ranch!

We are putting our 3 day museum pass to good use.

View of Sacre Couer from the Musee D'Orsay

Day four:
We were too early to hear the organ that Ceasar Franck designed at Ste Clotilde but enjoyed visiting this beautiful neo Gothic church with the twin spires.

Excited for the Saturday evening organ concert at Notre Dame. Program was Camille Saint Saens and a Franz Liszt piece of enormous scale which really showed off the scope of the organ. Fabulous!

Day Five:
The Picasso museum in the Marais district was worth the long walk and has recently reopened.

500 works are on display.

Sunday evening organ concert at St Eustache Cathedral 

I had a front row seat and the console was on the main floor. Program was Handel and Bach

St Eustache is a late Gothic church located in the 1st arr. near the ancient Les Halles marketplace

Au Pied de Cochon restaurant was directly across the street from St Eustache

Delicious duck and sea bream fish entrees served at Au Pied de Cochon. Translation: The Pig's Foot 

Panna cotta dessert was topped with a meringue piggy, what else? Had to laugh...mighty tasty too! 

Our walk home in the City of Light. It was a good day.

Day five:
Foodies. First course at Ze Kitchen Galerie
1er Cru Chardonnay. Need I say more?

Cod and sea bream entrees at Ze Kitchen Galerie

Dessert. This popular Zagat and one star Michelin rated restaurant was a bit of a splurge. We went for a late lunch when they offer a three course tasting menu. Very special meal. Popular and crowded.

Day six:
Walking is one of the delights of spending time in this great city!

Musee Carnavalet

Museum includes hundreds of paintings and treasures that represent the history of Paris housed in two old mansions in the Marais neighborhood. 

More stairs? Time out!

The Place des Vosges is a beautiful old "planned square" located in the Marais district.

A classic french bistro lunch well earned. Onion soup, mussels and french fries.