Paris with First Timers

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Earlier this month we had the opportunity to share an apartment for a week in Paris with our daughter, Tracy and her husband, Randy. It was their first time to France so we re-did a lot of the things that you do on your first time to Paris, which was really fun. We visited sites that Sandra and I hadn't been to in years. The weather wasn't fabulous but we had some nice days, and it didn't stop us from doing anything.

Paris is a very walkable city and we walked, walked, walked. One day we left our apartment in the fourth arrondissement, we toured Ile Saint Louis, Ile de la Citie, walked along the Seine, through the Tuileries, to Arc de Triomphe, shopped the length of Champs Eysees, and took the Metro back home. Tracy and Randy were able to keep up pretty well and I don't think we tired them out too much.

We saw Paris from the top of a double-decker Red Bus and cruised the Seine in one of the sight-seeing boats. We visited Notre Dame, visited Montmartre and Sacre Coeur including the crypts, walked the Marais, walked under the Eiffel Tower, wandered BHV, strolled the passages, walked the Latin Quarter, strolled Pigalle, and shopped the Mouffetard Sunday market. Randy and Tracy visited the Louvre and went up the Effel Tower by themselves. It was a full week.

Of course eating is a part of Paris, too. We introduced them to their first Paris crepes, foie gras, raclette, vin chaud, pastis, Armagnac, Champagne, onion soup, pasteries and viennoise and sampled many French wines. We had mussels at Leons de Bruxelles, quiche at Deux Maggots, falafels and schwarmas at L'As de Fallafel, tartins at Henri IV Taverne, steak tartare at Le Petit Bofinger, seafood at Weplers, charcuterie and a wonderful meal at Le Vieux Chene, and dinner at Moissonier, our little restaurant in the fifth.

Paris is my favourite city, partly because it seems to be made up of little communities or neighbourhoods where you can get to know a special cafe, bakery, butcher, cheese shop, wine store, bistro, green grocer and charcuterie. When you stay in an apartment they all become yours - at least for a week. It was great being able to share Paris with Tracy and Randy.

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