La rentrée - My first day back in Paris!
The Eiffel Tower this morning. The sky is a bit grey, but it's a beautiful day in Paris! |
La rentrée (the return)
Even though the beginning of September is when most Parisians return to the city after the long August vacation, my life only resumed a bit of normalcy when I arrived in Paris late last night after my unexpected trip to Geneva. After a good night's sleep in my own bed (ahhh!), I made my habitual check of the Eiffel Tower early this morning. For some inexplicable reason, I've gotten in the habit of reporting, "It's still there!" to anyone who happens to be nearby. Perhaps it's my way of reassuring myself that living in Paris isn't part of a dream.
So, now that I know that I'm truly here, what should I do today? To celebrate la rentrée, I've decided to give myself the day off from all of the mundane household tasks that require my attention. (Even in Paris, the shirts still have to be ironed and the bills paid!) Since it's a bit chilly, I may have some of the delicious hot chocolate that I've been hearing about at Angelinas or I may go to Ladurée for one of their famous macarons. Or I may do something completely different. Any ideas? What would you do on your first day in Paris?
Street cafe people watching--always my favorite first activity in Paris. While I sit with a glass (or Bottle) of Champagne and watch the world go by, I plan the rest of the day, or night, accordingly. Then it's a long walk along a favorite street or the river, to see the sites I've already seen dozens of times, but to see them again to confirm, like you, that they are still there. And that I'm not dreaming. At some point I'll have a crepe from the street. And I'll have to buy flowers for the room. And water. Yep, a little grocery shopping makes me feel like I'm living there--where's the nearest Monoprix?
ReplyDeleteGet ice cream!! Arthur recommends:
ReplyDeleteBerthillon, 31 Rue Saint-Louis en l'Île
dans le IVeme, Île St Louis.
Ha! I love that you report on the Eiffel Tower. That's so something I would do. Down to 15 days! I actually did have a couple questions that I thought of. You have such great pictures. Is there any place specifically that you'd reccomend for shooting (or neighborhoods to explore)? I've been told that all of Paris is visually stunning, but if you have any specific "musts", I'd love to hear about them. Also, if you have any good, yet inexpensive eating reccomendations, that would be helpful. The guidebooks are full of restraunts, but 30+ euros every night for dinner adds up so quickly! Thank you again for your great blog. It's so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about your question about a place to take pictures and I can't really recommend just one spot. My camera is always hanging about my neck because I never know when I'm going to see something interesting. The Seine and the bridges is always great, the parks (Luxembourg, Palais Royale, Tuileries), Montmartre, people, cafes, the list goes on and on. One place that is kind of under the radar of many tourists are the galeries, like the Galerie Vivienne. I like taking photos there on a sunny day, plus there are a couple of good places to eat there, too. You can search the blog for posts about it.
ReplyDeleteCheap eats - for lunch go to the Marche des Enfants Rouge. It's also a good spot for photos. Don't go there if it's cold because it's a covered market. I wrote a post about it a couple of weeks ago and there are some good comments with more suggestions for cheap eats. Most cafes in Paris serve a daily menu for lunch that isn't too expensive. Just try not to eat in the really touristy areas. Grazie has reasonably priced pizza and is an "edgy/trendy" restaurant. Google it for more info.
Thank you so much, Mary Kay! We really appreciate it.
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