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Published: March 4th 2012
We had nothing planed for the morning in Versailles except sleeping in, breakfast in the room and backing. We left the hotel around 11:30. The concierge at Trianon Palace called us a different cab company that what we use to get there. It seems that the hotel never uses that company because of their attitudes. We waited in front of the hotel for the taxi to arrive; he was much more pleasant to the first. It took about 8 minutes to get to the RER station and the train left 5 minutes after we got there, our timing was perfect. We took the RER line C all the way to Gare d’Austerlitz and transferred to the 10 metro to Cardinal Lemonie. We exited the metro and lugged our luggage up the stairs. Our hotel in the Latin Quarter was only 2 blocks from the Metro and down hill (of course that means it is up hill when we leave) the room was ready when we arrived so we went straight up to our room. Now keep in mind that in Versailles we were in a 4 star, this was a 2 star, and the difference in stars makes a big difference.
Notre Dame
I bet you thought I wouldn't post a picture.The room is very small and the bathroom is a fraction of our bathroom in Versailles. The hotel we first stayed at on Champ De Mars was a three star, which meant bigger and more comfortable. However, the price is right and it is in the heart of the Latin Quarter.
The Latin Quarter The Latin Quarter is very popular for the younger crowed and is probably the most know quarter of the city. Many confuse it for that part of the left bank where Hemmingway, Gertrude Stein and others hung out but that is really more in the St. Germaine des pres and Montparnasse areas. The Latin Quarter is full of book stores, cheaper shopping, inexpensive hotels and several museums. In boarders the il d’cite, where Notre Dame is and the Pantheon and Sorbonne are in this quarter. It is a little hillier than the rest of City with the exception of Montmartre.
After we settled in we headed out for lunch, our goal was to find the place we had dinner in the Latin Quarter when we were here in 2006. We did find it quite easily as it was across the street for Saint
Severin Church. The name of the place is Le Saint Severin. Here we had our Croque Madame and Croque Monsieur. They were tasty tasty, how could they not be bread, ham and cheese all melted together. The difference between a Monsieur and a Madame is a Madame has a fried egg on the top.
During lunch I texted Bruce and made arrangements to meet him at his place for dinner. He wanted to go back to the same place he had eaten the night before. We opted out of cooking as it would have been too much work, with shopping, cleaning etc. This did free up our afternoon so after lunch we headed for the Pantheon (PP). The Pantheon was ordered constructed by Louis the XV to honor the Patron St. of Paris, St. Genevieve. It was a church until the after then Revolutionary war when it was deconsecrated and turned in to a burial place of Frenchmen (their word not mine) of national importance. Victor Hugo, Rousseau, Madame Currie, and many others are buried there. The structure is quite large and very cold. The crypt runs under the entire structure.
After our brief tour, how many tombs
A lite lunch
Top - Croque Madame
Bottom Campagne Monsieur can you really look at, we headed back to our hotel for blogging and to relax.
Dinner We met Bruce at 8 in front of his apartment at 101 Rue De Bac. We then walked another 10 blocks to the restaurant. Where Bruce was staying was about 5 metro stops for us, so not near as close as the first time. The name of the restaurant was Le Ferronnerie, it was definitely a place where the locals ate. It was recommended to Bruce by the woman that he rented the apartment from. It was very small and the owner stood guard at the bar. There was a waitress and a cook that was the entire staff. They had a nice menu and she latterly brought the chalk board with the specialties of the day on them to the table. Several older locals walked in while we were there. This is not a tourist spot, it is a place to eat exactly like the French do.
Jerry started with Ravioles Ciboulette, cheese stuffed ravioli with a very nice cream sauce, Bruce had Avocat stuffed with cheese and I had roquet with parmesan (arugula). We had an inexpensive but
good bottle of Bordeaux, there were only 4 different wines to choose from. For the main course Jerry had Poulet Fermier, a very good leg/thigh combination cooked in white wine vinegar. I had Carre d’Agneau, yes lamb again, I didn’t want trip or veal kidneys. Bruce had tripe sausage and you don’t want to know what that is. The meal ended with Clafoutis for Jerry, it is like a fruit tart but the crust is lighter. Bruce had lemon sorbet and I had Tarte Tatin with vanilla ice cream.
After dinner we walked back to Bruce’s apartment and checked it out, it was in the basement kind of dank and musty, but I guess it would work. When I saw the 2 burner stove and tiny kitchen I was even happier we opted out of the cooking. Bruce gave me a very nice cork screw for my Birthday that he had picked up earlier in the day. We said our goodbyes and wished Bruce a safe flight home.
Out original plan for our last Saturday night was to go to either a Jazz club or a Drag show, however we were just too tired so we went back
to our hotel and crashed.
Tomorrow St. Martins Canal and the Bastille.
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