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Published: July 10th 2015
Luxembourg Palace
Built by Marie de Medici, this palace houses the Senat now. Beautiful gardens...This week we decided to do a little sightseeing, a couple of places that figure in Parisian history for me. I had wanted to go to Luxembourg Palace, built by Marie de Medici (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxembourg_Palace). So we had a walk out Monday night after dinner, and went there and through the gardens. We stopped, because it was still SO HOT!, for an ice cream and I had coconut sorbet. I think I might have to try this, as it could be a winner with chocolate sorbet (see last year's travel blog...) There is also an exhibit on about the Tudors, which I think we might have to return to see.
Kevin had been to the Palais Royale with Harrison five years ago, but I was not really in tune to the place until the last couple of years in my reading. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palais-Royal) The palace was the residence of "Philippe Egalite", and was a cousin of Louis XVI, and first in line if anything happened to the Bourbon branch of the family...Perhaps this is why he voted "Guilty" at Louis' trial, which led to the guillotine. It seems he was always short of money and it was during his time living in
Medici Fountain
Just a really pretty fountain, and one of the cooler spots that evening in the gardens. the palace, pre-revolution, that he subdivided it into apartments, shops and restaurants, some of which are still there. Le Gran Vefour is one of them. (http://www.grand-vefour.com/en/legrandvefour/thehistory.html) Actually, I had investigated this restaurant online prior to the trip and chose not to go. We walked past it and, even though they only had one Michelin Star, they were just a little too precious. It was a good call on my part, I think.
Kevin and I walked around the neighborhood, which actually is across the street from the Louvre and found another restaurant which he had passed with Harrison, called Le Grand Colbert (http://www.legrandcolbert.fr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29:historiqueuk&catid=11:categorieuk&Itemid=156). We were asked if we had reservations and when we said "no", instead of being ushered to the back of house, we were put in the front window. No pretense here! We had the carte du jour, which was Beef Carpaccio with a salad and pommes frites, and dessert was a peach fuillette, a type of tart. Coffee followed, and it was perfect for a small lunch, since we had a Groupon meal that night.
Now, back to your history lesson. Philippe allowed the rabble to use the palace grounds to give speeches and the
Trompe l'oiel
Not sure if this is being kept up during La Fete (Bastille Day) but it is replicating the buildings in the Place de la Concorde. Very clever... like, during the months leading up to the revolution, probably thinking this would help him. However, he managed to also get the chop, as Kevin refers to the guillotine. His son was put on the throne as Louis XVIII after Napoleon.
Since we were so close, we decided to go to the Conciergerie, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conciergerie), where Marie Antoinette was imprisoned and tried, after Louis XVI was killed. It had originally been part of the original chateau built in Paris, on Ile de la Cite, but was turned into a prison after the monarchy moved to the Louvre. We got the double ticket which also gained entry into Saint Chapelle, which Louis IX (St Louis to some...) built to store his religious relics from the Passion. After the Conciergerie, we went around the corner and found the lines way too long so decided to give it a miss, knowing we could come back tomorrow.
That night we went to a restaurant called Le Terrasse Mirabeau (http://www.terrasse-mirabeau.com/en/). It was easy to get to, which is important when you are travelling only by foot or Metro. There were a few problems with the reservation which I won't go into, but the meals
Poleman
An art exhibit in the center of the Palais Royale. It was on grating that had flowing water underneath...I passed... were very nice. We were only allowed an entree and main each (what??? no dessert? Who planned that one???), which was procuitto and melon, and veal with mashed potatoes. The veal was lovely, and the mashed potatoes were heavenly...so smooth and creamy...But I needed dessert. Looking at the menu, I saw they had a Paris-Brest, which is choux pastry with almond creme in the center and topped with slivered almonds. I wanted to try this, as I had made one a couple months ago and wanted to see the difference. Kevin decided to join, and opted for the Caramel souffle with Salted caramel sauce. All I can say about that it is on a blog page I have started this trip called "Restaurant Desserts to Die For" and will be posted at the end. I do enclose a picture of it though. The meal, all in all, was very nice, and if you can wade through the bad attitude, go and have the souffle!
The next day I said it was time for me to go back to the Louvre, since I hadn't been there in over 40 years. And now I know why...there were WAY too many people,
Carpaccio and Pommes Frites
Our lunch at Le Grand Colbert, white tablecloths and all. It was good, and I highly recommend this one. even at 9:00 AM when it opened. I had a couple of items on my agenda that I wanted to see...the medieval walls which had been discovered when they were building the pyramid, and the apartments of Louis Philippe, son of the aforementioned Philippe Egalite. We tried to avoid the Moaning Lisa, and Venus de Milo, but got sucked in to the Winged Victory as it is a threshold for getting to other areas of the museum. We did see one of Kevin's favorites, "The Raft of the Medusa" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raft_of_the_Medusa), based on a true event. There is also a good article submitted by the Louvre (http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/raft-medusa). In the same room was the Coronation of Josephine by Napoleon (http://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/consecration-emperor-napoleon-and-coronation-empress-josephine-december-2-1804). I did not take any pictures of this painting, because I knew they would never show the textures you could see and feel in the painting of the velvets and the brocades. I was in awe. Awe. We slowly meandered our way around, and realized it was time for lunch, but we wanted to leave because of the crowds and the prices. The Euro hasn't fallen that much YET! We found out we could come back in, but once we had "escaped",
The Killer Souffle
And look at the beautiful presentation! Cooked in the copper. I have to say it DID NOT FALL! we realized there was no going back...After lunch we decided to have another go at Saint Chapelle, which was small, but beautful. I posted a couple of pictures on my Facebook page, if you want to see them...Home for a nap and a quiet dinner of salad, chicken and yogurt and fruit for dessert.
Thursday was Marche Day for us, so we lined up a couple of markets to go to. It's a good thing we have the Paris NAVIGO monthly Metro Pass, as we are on and off all the lines. It is SUCH a good deal, as good as the train pass we had in Hong Kong. Plus, it is renewable for ten years, so next time we come in we can just load it for week or month, as long as we are here. I digressed...So, we were all over the place, going to three markets. I bought myself a hat, "Nouveau chapeau" as Kevin calls it, as I am so sick of Last Year's model! I also got a new pair of shoes. But didn't find much else, as we were going out to dinner that night (another Groupon), and any food wouldn't get eaten...
Le Grand Vefour
The exterior...as close as I wanted to get. Thursday night we were off on another Groupon adventure, this time to a restaurant called Lili et Riton on Rue Du Montparnasse. (http://www.tripadvisor.fr/ShowUserReviews-g187147-d7610847-r256665822-Lili_ET_Riton-Paris_Ile_de_France.html). Although the reviews don't look all that hot, it really wasn't too bad. We had starters, and main courses, and desserts. It was a lot of food, but my dessert, Pain Perdu (or French toast.....seriously....made with brioche) was my favourite, served with syrup and vanilla bean ice cream.. It really tastes nicer sometimes as a dessert....try it! I won't bore you with pictures, or descriptions of what we ate, because sometimes it does get a bit much.....suffice it to know it was nice. Another dessert for the separate page....
Today, Friday, we took it easy, in preparation for Wendy and Ed arriving tomorrow. Today we went to a special exhibit called Lascaux 3, which is going around the world. It is a wonderful display of a couple of the cave chambers that haven't been duplicated before, with interpretations of the site. For those unfamiliar with Lascaux (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascaux), it is a huge cave discovered in 1940, with exquisite cave art dating back 20,000 years. I have been to another cave, Font de Gaume, a couple of
Louvre Entrance
These were the stairs in to the Palace. Very reminiscent of Fontainbleu, actually. times but I understand this is the grand-daddy of all the art caves.. Anyway, if the exhibit comes near you, I recommend your visiting it.. Tonight wasn't about eating out....when we moved to New Zealand I knew I was going to be giving up a couple of my favourite things, Hamburger Helper (Carl is turning over in his urn right about now....), Ben and Jerry's ice creams, and, my favourite, artichokes. I have seen them ONCE in a New Zealand supermarket, last year, and they were very expensive. France has beautiful artichokes, that aren't genetically engineered, and actually taste like an artichoke, so we had that for dinner tonight, among other things. And dessert....
So, bring on the Ackmans! I am up to the challenge of five days of touring, spending, eating,and laughing!
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