We were fortunate enough to get to spend a few days in Paris in March, this time without kids (see earlier post for trip with kids last summer). I love going back to a city for the second (or more) time; you have a feel for the city and have hit the must-see but often touristy sights, and feel more free to explore whatever sounds fun. (I know some people do that their first time to a city, but that’s not me…)
My first outing was a pastry making class at L’Atelier Des Sens. It was a hands-on class and we made four different pastries. We sampled our creations and then got to take a box with us when we left. They were delicious! Who knows, maybe some day I will attempt to make them again at home.
We spent the afternoon in Montmartre, a neighborhood overlooking the city. We took the funicular up the hill to the Sacré Couer and wandered through the church. There are great views of Paris from in front of the church (even better from the dome, but we did not make the climb).
We stopped in the famous (but yes, touristy) Place du Tertre, the square where artists set up for the day and sell their work. While our friends bought some overpriced caricatures, we picked up some small sketches of Paris scenes.
Our final stop in Montmartre was the Clos Montmartre, a small vineyard tucked among the streets of Montmartre, which is the oldest working vineyard in Paris. They produce a small amount of wine per year, most of which is auctioned to support local charities. The vineyard is open to the public during their fall harvest festival and also by group tour arranged through the Montmartre tourist office. Our guide shared the history of the winery with us, and then we got to taste a recent vintage.
The next day we took a guided tour of the Palais Garnier. Wandering through this opulent opera house you could imagine high society strutting their stuff here 100 years ago. Phantom of the Opera was set there, and we saw Box #5 which was his box in the story.
Next we headed over to Le Marais, first for a leisurely lunch before visiting the Picasso Museum. After Picasso’s death in 1973, many of his works went to the French state, which formed a museum with the collection. The museum is housed in a 17th century hotel which has been beautifully renovated. While we were there the main exhibit focused on Picasso’s sculptures (not as many paintings).
The following day started with a visit to the Musée des Arts décoratifs in a wing of the Louvre to see the special Barbie exhibit which is running from March 10 to September 18, 2016. This was so fun! To see how Barbie evolved over the years and how that reflected changes in society was interesting. There were outfits that various fashion designers (DVF, Burberry, Karl Lagerfeld, etc.) have made for Barbie, a display of Barbie’s family members (who knew Barbie had a brother named Scott??), and a wall of accessories sorted by color. If you ever loved Barbie you will love this exhibit.
Next up was a visit to the Catacombs, a place we missed on our last trip to Paris because the line was 3 hours long. This time we bought tickets in advance and bypassed the line, which was still at least an hour even on a winter day. The Catacombs are an underground burial site for over 6 million Parisians whose remains were moved there in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s when cemeteries ran out of space.
You can wander through the underground tunnels and into the galleries that house walls of stacked bones and skulls. It is chilly down there and there’s no bathroom, so be prepared.
No wine, burgers, or touching the skeletons. Got it.
I have no idea what the lower sign means. You are walking over bodies? Beware of bowling balls?
After that macabre experience we headed back into the daylight and headed to the Salon de Chocolat of Un Dimanche à Paris for some delicious hot chocolate and souvenirs for our family at home. This shop/restaurant is in the St. Germain des Pres neighborhood – we had been there on our prior trip and had to go back. I could happily sip that hot chocolate daily.
Our final night in Paris we visited the Eiffel Tower at sunset. We bought tickets in advance, and went up before it was dark and watched the sunset from the top while sipping a glass of champagne (which they sell from a counter on the top floor). This is a great time to visit because you get to see the expansive views in the light and lit up in the dark, as well as the sunset in between.
After descending we enjoyed the tower from the ground, a golden glow in the night sky.
Once again the City of Light charmed us and we look forward to visiting her again.
After seeing the main palace, we rented a golf cart and visited the gardens, the Trianon Palaces, and Marie-Antoinette’s Estate.
Trips and Tips 