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Geo: 48.8566, 2.35097
Bonsoir, friends and family:
Deferring to blog reader interest and pressure, we are finally going to talk about the food we've eaten in Paris. Specifically, tonight's dinner.
Recommendations from Rick Steves and the front desk clerk at our hotel led us to make a quick, impromptu, no-reservations-made-yet stop by neighborhood eatery Le Florimond. The head waiter asked if we had reservations, but since we'd had no idea when we'd arrive back at our hotel after a long day (see that narrative below), we had not made them. The place was packed (Parisians dine late), but he told us to come back in ten minutes and he'd squeeze us in.
So after a quick traveler's shower (washcloth to the armpits) and a change of clothes back at the hotel, we'd freshened up enough to make ourselves presentable for a nice dinner out.
We couldn't read anything in French on the specials board (which was all of it), so the waiter took the time to explain them in heavily-accented English. We heard and liked enough that we ordered a colorful beet salad to split, two fish dishes as our main dishes (Sharon's had some prawns and saffron cous cous, mine was turbot with mushrooms and
smoked potato puree), and an inexpensive Bordeaux. We'll post visuals with this blog.
It was wonderful. Absolutely amazing. By far the best meal we've had in Paris since arriving Tuesday. We topped it with the special dessert that had some kind of hazelnut paste in it. Sensory overload! We ended our dinner out at 12 midnight.
Earlier in the day, we took a local train out to Versailles, 10 miles southwest of Paris, for a visit to the chateau/palace of French monarchs for about 100 years up to the French Revolution of 1789, including Kings Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. It is said to be the finest chateau in all of Europe, the one to visit if you only can visit one. To us, opulent, over-the-top, and self-indulgent came to mind. No wonder there was a revolution.
After returning to Paris from aristocratic la-la land, we headed to the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysees. We climbed the 284 spiral staircase steps to the top of the Arc for a sunset view over the entire Paris landscape. A stroll down the Champs-Elysees and a Metro subway ride home finished working up quite an appetite, and that's what led us to Le Florimond.
Tomorrow, we
try to gather our senses, catch our breath, walk through Parisian neighborhoods with no agenda or itinerary, and prepare for our Sunday morning train ride to Avignon in Provence in southern France.
Au revoir!
Mike and Sharon
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Jack and Paula
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All's well with family in Ca and Or (as far as we know) and the rains have decreased fire danger in Or, while wind has whipped up several fires near Napa. All we can say about your trip is WOW!!! Wish we were there...