David had put his Cabot fields away for the year and come to France, so how could we not join him for a weekend in early November? We booked late afternoon passage on the EuroStar -- the fast train that goes under the English channel, and were eating mussels and drinking a fair burgundy in Paris by 9 PM! Marjorie lives in La Rochelle, has visited Vermont several times, and joined us as well. 
We stayed in a fourth-floor walkup on the back courtyard at Villa Fenelon: a small and blessedly quiet hotel. Marjorie had lived in Paris for years, and was a very patient tourguide -- basically we took detailed street maps in hand and WALKED for two days. We had cool weather, but fair enough for walking the major avenues, seeing the "big" sights. It was too nice to devote daylight to indoor attractions, though we did go see paintings of Renoir in the 20th Century at the Galeries nationales in the Grand Palais on the Champs-Elysées (at 9PM!) Sorry, but neither of us will offer the kind of emotional reaction that Ellie communicated so well after we saw Van Gogh's work close up in Amsterdam last spring. Renoir moved away from his impressionism later in life, and the subjects and techniques he chose were less thrilling to us.
We went to markets and antique bazarres, fortified with strong coffee and cafe delicacies. The exhibition of historic VOGUE covers down the avenue was of great interest to those with backgrounds in haut couture. And did I say that we walked -- a lot?
We took the Paris Metro to Place de la Nation. Near there is the École Boulle, a center for study of European carving and textile techniques. (Maybe we'll be back sometime!) And of course: we shopped; rather, the two clueless men marked time while the two stylish women disappeared into countless shoe bazaars.
It seems as though the markets are open both day and night in Paris. We browsed a nearly endless gauntlet of stalls with fresh fish, fowl, produce and crafts of every description on Saturday morning. And well into the evening and night, the street vendors are there to supply the neighborhood restaurants or tempt the tourist.
The Eiffel Tower turns 120 years old this fall; David assured us that the view from the Trocadero would be worth it. He was right, and the full moon obliged as well.
Tres bien! Liked your fotos, esp. of the crabs and la Tour Eiffel. Your hotel sounds swell - I will have to keep a note of it for future reference.
ReplyDeleteYou may have been there at the same time as B. Cook - a close encounter I don't suppose you would relish. She was there to collect fotos and inspiration for her paintings. She worked there one summer as an au pair.
Love, Bot