Regular readers will know that I have the great fortune to actually live in the Palais Royal overlooking the fountain. I shall never tire of taking photos. Here are some taken on a sunny afternoon at the beginning of September. This time next year, we will be in the throes of moving permanently to Blois to live in our beautiful Renaissance home, Closerie Falaiseau which is currently a holiday rental.
Restaurant du Palais RoyalYou can just see the time canon on the rightI snapped this while the photographer was still getting readyJust relaxing!Our appartment is directly opposite the fountainGalérie VivienneOysters on Sunday on our balconyLooking down towards rue de BeaujolaisTaken looking left from my balcony
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Another all-Australian bloggers round-up this Wednesday, with advice from the ever-practical Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel on safe travel for solo women travellers; a report from Carolyn from Holidays to Europe on her recent cycling tour in a different part of Austria from us; and tips on transferring from Orly airport to various train stations in Paris from A House in France, written by an Aussie couple living in the south of France. Enjoy!
Travelling safely – A guide for solo woman travellers
by Jo Karnaghan from Frugal First Class Travel, an Australian who loves to travel – especially in Europe – and who has gradually learned how to have a First Class trip on an economy budget, without missing out on anything!
One of my lovely readers, Linda, recently contacted me about hotels in Paris that would be safe for her as a solo traveller. Now, most of the time I travel in Europe I also travel alone. It therefore got me thinking about the things I do to make sure I keep myself safe when I’m travelling solo. Travelling safely is an important travel skill to master, so here are my top tips for safe and confident solo travel:
1. Pack light
I know, I say this all the time, but packing light is travelling safe. If you pack lightly you have less stuff to worry about. On the train, it is easier to keep track of your luggage. Read more
Scenery, sunshine and saddle bags: My Austrian Lakes cycling tour
by Carolyn from Holidays to Europe, an Australian based business passionate about sharing their European travel expertise and helping travellers to experience the holiday in Europe they have always dreamed of
There are some countries that hold a special place in a traveller’s heart and to me, Austria is one of those places. So what better way to get a closer look at a part of Austria I hadn’t visited before than on a cycling tour? I spent nine fantastic days in July doing just that, discovering some wonderful scenery and an appreciation for ‘slow travel’ along the way.
After comparing a few different itineraries offered by various companies I selected the 9 day Austrian Lakes Hike and Bike tour sold through UTracks in Australia. One of the big sellers for me was the fact that this tour spends two nights at Hallstatt, a town I had long wanted to visit. As the itinerary featured both walking days and cycling days, it also gave me the opportunity to have a ‘rest’ day on the walking days should I decide to. Read more
Paris-Orly train transfer tips
by A House in France – 2 Aussies living part-time in France who share their experiences
We had always flown in and out of Paris from Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport until recently.
Our regional train down to our house in central France departs from Gare d’Austerlitz, and on one of our many jaunts through that train station we noticed that there were signs indicating the way to catch a train to Orly airport.
So when we found some cheap flights departing from Orly we thought it would be a good chance to check it out and compare it with the ease of getting to and from CDG. Read more
When Kathy from Femmes Francophiles suggests we have lunch together today, I ask if she can find something close by so I don’t take too much time off work. The downside of being my own boss is that the work doesn’t get done when I’m not there.
Fine and sunny in the Palais Royal gardens
She suggests Le Comptoir des Petits Champs, just down the road from me. All I have to do is walk through the Palais Royal gardens, up rue Vivienne and left into Rue des Petits Champs. I’ve never heard of it, despite the fact that I must have walked past it hundreds of times over the past 7 years! I arrive a little ahead of Kathy around 12.30 and am pleased to see that only a couple of tables are taken. That’s because it’s still August and half of Paris is still off at the beach somewhere.
Le Grand Véfour seen through the window
The friendly waiter takes me to the last of three window tables. I’m amazed to see I can see right through to the Palais Royal. How come I’ve never noticed this restaurant? I later learn that it is voluntarily discreet, to encourage a neighbourhood clientele. I probably shouldn’t even be writing this post …
The interior of Le Comptoir des Petits Champs
I’m given some “reading material” but instead of studying the menu, I look out the window and discover that I have a balcony view of the Gardens and the Grand Véfour, one of the oldest and most prestigious restaurants in the area.
Kathy soon arrives so we look at the menu. At lunchtime, it’s 14 euro for a main course only, 20 for entrée + main or main + dessert and 26 for all three. An entrée or main is 10 euro. At night, it’s 19 euro for a main, 27 for entrée + main or main + dessert and 35 for all three.
Kathy’s salmon
I choose sword fish tartare served with sucrine lettuce, croutons and capsicum while Kathy has fresh salmon on a bed of cooked vegetables. We choose a glass of white from the south of France to go with it. It’s not a wine I know so the waitress immediately offers to let me taste first.
Café gourmand
We follow with a café gourmand consisting of a mini-financier, a slice of one of the best moelleux au chocolat I’ve had for a long time, a small cream tart and a lemon mousse for me and strawberry mousse for Kathy, because I’m not a strawberry fan. The service throughout is discreet and friendly.
The discreet exterior of Le Comptoir des Petits Champs, with its old TV (and our reflections!)
When we leave, I take a photo of the outside and marvel that I have never noticed it. Kathy did because she was intrigued by the old television set in the window!
Despite the fact that Paris is full of restaurants and there are a lot in our area (1st and 2nd arrondissements), we don’t often find a new one that we consider it’s worth going back to. Either it’s too expensive or the food isn’t wonderful or the service is not up to scratch. As a result, we have a little handful we return to regularly depending on what we want that particular day.
Le Comptoir des Petits Champs will be joining the list.
Le Comptoir des Petits Champs, 17 Rue des Petits Champs, 75001 Paris, 01 42 96 47 54. Open 7 days a week.
I often take photos that simply don’t fit into a post but that I want to share so I thought I might alternate Wednesday’s Bloggers Round-up with Photo of the Week. Those who follow me on Facebook or Instagram may have already seen them.
The photo was taken in the Tuileries Gardens. The same man has been renting boats to children here for many years.
After our recent and most enjoyable wander along the Berges de la Seine between the Orsay Museum and Pont Alexandre III, we decide to go in search of the much-vaunted floating gardens on the other side of the bridge at Port du Gros Caillou. It’s a cloudy night and I realise too late that I should have taken the Lumix and not my iPhone which explains the poor quality of the photos.
The Eiffel Tower at sunset seen from Debilly footbridge
We take our favourite n° 72 bus on rue de Rivoli opposite the Louvre and get out at Passerelle Debilly footbridge with its wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower. We walk across towards Quai Branly Museum but there are no signs of any gardens and we can’t even get down to the edge of the river from where we are.
Raised footbridge across to the floating gardens
I try to find some indication of where to go and finally consult Mary Kay’s post on Out and About in Paris, written when the islands were still in the project stage. We’ve come too far. We need to go back to Pont de l’Alma bridge. I was beginning to think we’d come on a wild-goose chase.
Rather sad looking floating gardens
The handful of barges containing the gardens look very sad and sorry. As it’s after 6 pm, we can’t access them and the footbridge is raised. Obviously the wonderful weather this summer which has made the other parts of the Berges popular has not helped the gardens. Adequate watering, it seems, has not been scheduled.
Practically deserted area on Berges de la Seine
You can’t eat, drink or take animals onto the gardens. Also there seems to be no shade in the daytime. I wonder exactly what they are for and if anyone uses them between the opening hours of 10 and 6. I’m also not convinced that the view of the Bateaux Mouches opposite is particularly attractive.
An intimate alcove
We keep walking towards Alexandre III bridge. Initially there isn’t much activity but after a while, we come to a more popular picnic area with vegetation forming a partial screen and little alcoves for the people sitting along the river.
The climbing wall along Berges de la Seine
A climbing wall with a few stray children comes into sight as we get closer to the bridge.
Opposite Faust’s near Alexandre III bridge
I’m surprised that at 9.15 pm on a Friday night, there isn’t more activity. There are no tables left at Faust’s but fewer people sitting in front. We debate about why. I wonder whether it was the after-work crowd that we saw mid-week. Jean Michel thinks they’ve all gone to the country.
View of Berges de la Seine from the right bank
We walk across the bridge and can see crowds on the opposite bank where the restaurants are. We decide to walk home along the right bank but it’s very dark and not very interesting. We see a few people sitting in the shadows on their barges but that’s about all. Next time we’ll stay on the left bank!
We’re back in Paris with our heads to the grindstone but it promises to be a lovely evening so we have an early dinner at home (very light – it’s a fast day) and set off through the Palais Royal gardens for the new Berges de la Seine area which Jean Michel hasn’t seen yet.
People in the Palais Royal Gardens playing an unknown game
Berge, which has the same origin as “verge” in English, actually means a natural river bank in areas where there are no embankments, but has come to be used in Paris to mean the embankment along the Seine. Up until recently, the berges on both sides of the river were used as an expressway but on 19th June this year, 2.3 km along the left bank between the Orsay Museum and Alma Bridge were officially closed to traffic.
Photo exhibition along the Seine
Les Berges de la Seine are now dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists, with various sporting and cultural installations, river boats and barges, picnic areas, restaurants, bars and gardens along the promenade. And they are packed with people of every age.
Orsay Museum from Solferino footbridge
Our first stop, after walking across the Solferino footbridge between the Tuileries Gardens and the Orsay Museum, is an enormous green world map. The first time I came, I had Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris take a photo of me standing in Australia.
An Aussie in Australia
This time, I want to be an Aussie in France. Jean Michel has to take fourteen photos before I’m satisfied. I may have difficulty making my final choice.
An Aussie in France
I love the way they’ve used salvaged beams and containers for the installations. Jean Michel is disappointed though. He says it looks cheapskate. But the people using them as picnic tables and seating obviously don’t care. It’s so much more comfortable than sitting on the ground and they can accommodate far more people than a few picnic tables would.
Beams provide seating and picnic tables
The grey containers can be reserved, free of charge, by the hour, as a place to relax or work in. Quite a few have an Occupé sign but we can’t see anyone inside.
A container that you can book to relax or work in
I note that there are public toilets, but I don’t check them out. No one seems to be queuing though so perhaps there are enough for once. I don’t understand the lack of toilets in this country. Often in a restaurant you find yourself standing in line because there is only one and it has to be shared by men and women.
The “sound shower” under Pont de la Concorde
Further along, under Pont de la Concorde, there is a “sound shower” to connect your mp3 or smart phone via Bluetooth and fill the vault with your own music. It doesn’t seem to have caught on though because the only sound is the humming of human voices and the lapping of the waves as the tourist boats go by.
En attendant Rosa
We walk past the main eating area where containers have been converted into kitchens and bars and see there’s a long queue in front of En attendant Rosa (While Waiting for Rosa). There’s no distinction in the seating between people buying from the stalls and those who have brought their own picnic.
Deck chairs on the Berges
I like the covered deck chair area but it’s chockablock as well.
Having a drink at Faust’s with a view of the Alexandre III bridge
We come out on the other side of the beautiful Alexandre III bridge and spy the last table at Faust’s. We sip our Coca Zero (remember, it’s a fast day) and watch the sun set peacefully over the Seine.
Full moon over the Seine on the way home
“I’m going to buy one of those flat-bottomed boats so we can glide along the Loire after dinner”, says Jean Michel as we’re walking home with an enormous full moon in front of us. “I’ll make sure it’s big enough for you to have a deck chair so you’ll be comfortable.” I love my husband.
Three very different posts have caught my eye this week for Wednesday’s Blogger Round-up. Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris informs us that the recently restored 500-year-old Tour Saint-Jacques in Paris, the starting place of the San Diego de Compostela pilgrimage, is open temporarily to visitors. Phoebe from Lou Messugo takes us through the stunning lavender fields of Haute Provence. And to finish off, the inimitable Bread is Pain talks about the question of changing personalities when you speak another language. I couldn’t agree more! Enjoy.
After 500 Years, Tour Saint-Jacques Temporarily Opens to the Public
by Mary Kay from Out and About in Paris, an American by birth, Swiss by marriage, resident of Paris with a Navigo Pass for the metro that she feels compelled to use
While Stéphane and I were sipping glasses of Perrier menthe and rosé on the terrace of Café Nemours on Friday evening, my ears perked up when I overheard an American couple at the table behind us talking about the 360-degree panoramic view of Paris from “that tower”. When the woman added that the vista of all the famous Parisian monuments was well worth the climb even though it had been hard on her knees, I nudged Stéphane in the ribs and whispered, “They’re talking about the Tour Saint-Jacques, the one I want to visit this weekend. We’re going to have to get up really early on Sunday morning to make reservations.”
After being closed to the public for most of its 500 year history, the Tour Saint-Jacques received permission to temporarily open its doors to visitors from July 5 until September 15, 2013.Read more
Lavender fields of Haut Provence: a photo essay
by Phoebe from Lou Messugo, a traveller, francophile, expat, mum and foodie now living in Roquefort les Pins where she runs a gîte after many years of travelling and living in Asia, Eastern Europe and Australia
Last weekend we went to see the lavender fields in Haut Provence, something that’s been on my bucket list for a while now and I wasn’t disappointed. That was a typically British understatement; I LOVED it! It was absolutely gorgeous. The views, the smells, the colours, the bees, everything was just sublime. It was so great that I now want to go back and stay over night to be able to photograph the fields in the early morning and evening light. Read more
Schizofrenchia
by Bread is Pain, a 30-something American living in the Rhone-Alps, getting her master’s degree, learning French and slowly eating and drinking herself through the country
From the corner of my eye I see my Mother watching me with a wry expression on her face. I give her a look as if to say “quoi?!” and return to my conversation. I am discussing, in French, the various differences between French culture and American culture with MB’s family; nothing out of the ordinary is being said so I am perplexed by my Mother’s seeming amusement. Finally the conversation comes to an end and I stalk over to her in the corner.
“What was that, Mom?” I ask, while mimicking the face she was giving me during the conversation. Read more
At the Sainte Eustache market on Sunday, there were only two regular stalls – fruit & vegetables and fish and certainly no oysters! There were a couple of other people selling jewellery and scarves. When we arrived, there was absolutely no one at the fruit & vegetable stall and the three vendors were looking very glum. They expect next Sunday to be even more deserted and probably won’t be there.
Free parking spaces in our street in the middle of Paris
As we walked down our street on the way back, I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were not only free parking spaces but that the cars weren’t bumper to bumper as they usually are. Sometimes we can hardly get the trolley through the spaces in between.
Rue Viledo (Telescope coffee shop on the left) looking completely deserted
I can imagine that visitors must be very disappointed to find half the restaurants and shops closed, except in the very touristy areas, and the markets more than half empty.
Back of the Decorative Arts museum next to the Louvre on a hot August day
The first half of August, up until the public holiday of the Assumption on 15th August, is traditionally the quietest part of the year in Paris, particularly if 15th is a Thursday and makes a very long weekend. It’s all due to the weather of course. This year, we had an exceptionally hot July but most people prefer to go to the coast or country in August when they’re more likely to get some sun and decent temperatures.
Closed until 19th August – the music box shop in the Palais Royal
There’s a saying that after 15th August, le temps se gâte – the weather deteriorates. Last year was not the case; we were painting the front gate and cycling in Blois in a heat wave. But with the rentrée not far away at the beginning of September, most people prefer to be back home getting ready for the new school year during the last week or so of August.
Under the shady trees in the Tuileries with Orsay Museum in the distance
For the people who live here permanently though, it’s nice to have some peace and quiet. Life goes at a different pace. It’s warm (most of the time) so you can wander down to the river or eat in Tuileries Gardens and feel you’re still on holiday.
Deck chairs in the Palais Royal Gardens
You can even take your deck chairs down and enjoy a picnic near the fountain in the Palais Royal gardens and stay there for the rest of the afternoon!
The Marne river near Pont de Bry
You can visit your friends in the suburbs or drive to the Marne to go cycling without having to spend hours in the car. We could hardly believe it last Sunday when we drove along the quays. There was not a soul. We wondered for a minute whether the road had been cordoned off and we had somehow got onto it by mistake!
Café next to the bakery on Place des Petits Pères that’s closed in August
Fortunately, the fact that about 90% of the city’s bakeries are closed is not a problem for us, because we make our own bread. But if you’re really desperate, you can consult the list on the Paris City Hall’s website (scroll down to find the pdf file). However, I’ve had to wait for two weeks to get a new pair of contact lenses !
Resting in our little wood during our lightening visit to Blois two weeks ago
So how are we coping with an empty city? Tomorrow, we’re off to Blois for week to make the most of the rest of the summer. Let’s hope the weather is fine enough to go cycling every day. And if it’s too hot, we’ll take our deck chairs up into our own little private wood.
Knowing where to choose accommodation in Paris often poses a problem for first time visitors. If you’ve never been to the City of Light, it’s difficult to imagine exactly what it’s like and what area to choose. I’m always surprised when I learn that travel agencies have recommended hotels near the Eiffel Tower or Montmartre, for example, because they’re so far from anything else.
Ile de la Cité, the historical centre of Paris, in the middle of the Seine
The main artery in Paris is the Seine. The city “intra muros” as the French say (within the walls) is in the shape of a rough oval with the Louvre more or less in the centre. The historical centre, with Ile de la Cité, the main island in the Seine and home to Notre Dame Cathedral, is slightly to the east. South of the Seine is the artistic Left bank, while the more shopping-oriented Right Bank is north. The oval is divided into twenty districts called arrondissements, forming a spiral starting in the middle.
First-time visitors often only come for a few days and want to see a maximum number of sights so it’s important not to spend half the time on the metro, efficient though it may be. Also, the best way to soak up the atmosphere of Paris is on foot. You may need to downscale your sightseeing list. You’ll enjoy the City of Light much more if you leave plenty of time for just wandering around the smaller streets, enjoying the sidewalk cafés and watching the sunset.
The 20 arrondissements in Paris forming a spiral
To decide where to stay, you should first make a short list of the places you want to see. The Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame and Sainte Chapelle, the Louvre, Orsay and Orangerie Museums, the Latin Quarter, the Sacré Cœur, Montmartre and perhaps the Moulin Rouge, the Marais and the Champs Elysées will probably be high on your list. If you’re only staying three or four days, two museums will probably be enough and even then, you’ll have to select the main works or you’ll soon suffer from museum fatigue. If you want to go to Versailles, you’ll need to set aside an entire day.
Once you’ve drawn up your list, take a look at a map and see where they are. You’ll find that Notre Dame, the Louvre, Orangerie and Orsay Museums and the Latin Quarter are all more or less clustered around the same central area with the Marais slightly to the east. The Moulin Rouge, Sacré Coeur and Montmartre are up in the north on a hill called Butte Montmartre and the Eiffel Tower is off to the west.
The Eiffel Tower from Bir Hakeim bridge
One important thing to remember in Paris is that, unlike large US and Australian cities, a block on the map is only a couple of hundred metres. The walking distance between two metro stops is quite short, often only ten minutes. I can powerwalk from the Louvre to Concorde in ten minutes, yet there is a metro stop inbetween.
If the Moulin Rouge is on your list, it will no doubt be at night so you can visit Montmartre and the Sacré Cœur before the show. If you stay in that area on your first visit to Paris, you’ll be spending quite a lot of time on the metro, often at peak hour, if you want to see the other sights. The same applies to staying near the Eiffel Tower. You certainly won’t be able to walk everywhere.
Paris metro map
Now look at the metro map. You’ll see there is a yellow line (n° 1) running west from Nation, through Bastille and along the Seine to Concorde, with Notre Dame, the Louvre, the Tuileries and Orsay museums along the way. It then goes underneath the Champs Elysées to the Arc of Triumph (Charles de Gaulle-Etoile). From line n° 1, you can get to most other places in Paris with a single metro connection.
There is a second red line (RER express line) that also runs from Nation to Charles de Gaulle via Opéra where the big department stores are (Galéries Lafayette, Printemps) that you can use to go quickly from one point to another when your destinations are further apart. Several buses run along the Seine, in particular bus 72 from Hôtel de Ville down to the Eiffel Tower. Bir Hakeim bridge probably affords the best view of the tower which is at its most attractive when it’s scintillating at night.
The Louvre Pyramid in winter
My personal experience from living in Paris for many years is that staying in the 1st or the 4th arrondissements, on the right bank, within a 10 minute walk of metro line n°1 is the most convenient solution as you will be able to walk to most places and take a quick trip on the metro to others. The 1st is more central and the 4th is more atmospheric.
You may have to pay a little more for your hotel, but you may find that it’s worth it in the long run particularly at night as you will have so many restaurant choices within walking distance, on both sides of the Seine, and you can stroll along the river afterwards.
Notre Dame Cathedral
If it’s typical French ambiance you’re looking for, rather than sightseeing, you may prefer the 5th or 6th on the Left Bank, which are touristy but lively. If you want to be off the beaten track but still get the feel of Paris, go for the 10th, 11th, 17th or 20th. And if you’re on a tighter budget, add the 18th and 19th, with access to a park like Buttes-Chaumont or around the Canal St Martinfor instance, which is more ‘normal residential’ and very popular with trendy Parisians at night. You are still only a few stops from the centre and won’t spend too much time on the metro.
And while you’re in Paris, why not take a side trip to the beautiful Loire Valley with its many châteaux. You can even do it easily without a car by staying in Blois. Click here for more information.
Enjoy your trip and do let me know if you think this post is useful by liking it on facebook. Also, don’t forget to read the comments as well as they contain some very useful suggestions.
When kids start to learn a foreign language, the first thing they do is to find out how to say all the four (or five) letter words they know. They’re called gros mots or coarse words in French.
I never say “shit” in English but I do occasionally say merde because for some unknown reason it isn’t nearly as vulgar in French as it is in English. I guess that explains the English expression “excuse/pardon my French”.
The equivalent of “sugar” is mercredi (Wednesday) and a softer variant is merdum with the emphasis on the last syllable.
Buren columns with the temporary Comédie Française theatre on the left
But that isn’t actually the subject of this post. Merde is what you say to an actor or singer before a performance pour conjurer le sort, just as we say “break a leg” because wishing someone good luck might bring exactly the opposite.
It seems that the use of merde in French comes from the time when people drew up in front of the theatre in horse-drawn carriages, thus littering the pavement with horse dung. Since the amount deposited was directly proportional to the number of people attending the play, it was the done thing to wish the actors beaucoup de merdes.
And while we’re on the subject of superstition and actors, you can give an actress roses but never carnations. It seems that when actors were employed permanently, the director used to give a bouquet of roses to the actresses whose contracts were renewed but only cheaper carnations to the others.
You’re not supposed to whistle on stage or in the wings either as it could bring bad luck. There are two possible explanations for this. Back in the old days, stage hands used to whistle instructions to each other when changing scenery which meant that if the actors started whistling too, it could create confusion. Or it could come from the time when gas lighting was used in the theatre. If the pilot light went out when the lights were dimmed, gas could escape causing an explosion. The escaping gas made a characteristic whistling sound which could be overridden by any other kind of whistling.
Another word you can’t use is corde (rope) which is replaced by guinde. Depending on the time and place, saying corde was considered “fatal” and could lead to death while in others, you had to buy drinks for everyone within hearing distance. It seems it’s a navy superstition where a rope is considered to be an instrument of torture. The only corde present in a theatre is a corde à piano which has nothing to do with music but is made of steel and used to open and close the curtain.
Which brings me to rideau which is the normal term for curtain and is prohibited in the theatre because it’s supposed to bring bad luck. Pendrillon is used instead or the more recent term taps. I don’t know why.
The colour green is considered bad luck too, except for clowns. There are several explanations here: green was not an attractive colour under 19th century lighting; the copper or cyanide oxide used to dye clothing is poisonous; and Molière, one of France’s most famous actors/playwrights, was wearing green at his last performance at the Comédie Française before he died.
Thank you, French Wikipedia, for all these little tidbits.
