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Published: June 11th 2023
The weather in Paris has gradually become warmer during our stay, with the high temperature climbing to 87 degrees Fahrenheit today. We definitely felt the difference as we walked around in the afternoon, but it was tolerable in the shade with the help of some cool breezes. We decided to take a river cruise on the Seine, an experience we have enjoyed on several occasions in the past (most recently with our granddaughter Ashley back in 2017).
In order to save some wear and tear on Dee, we opted for a taxi ride from our cottage in Malakoff to the Pont Neuf, a bridge that spans the river Seine, at the western end of the Île de la Cité, in the center of Paris. The Vedettes du Pont Neuf, a company that offers one-hour river cruises, operates a fleet of boats that are moored (and depart from) underneath this bridge. We had ordered the taxi for 9:00 AM, and arrived at the Pont Neuf by 9:30, so we had quite a long wait for the first cruise of the day at 10:45.
After buying our tickets, and while waiting in a lounge area until it was time to board,
Popping the question
Ashley and Sarah, on the Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise boat, near the Eiffel Tower.we began chatting with a lovely young British couple who were also waiting to board the boat for the 10:45 cruise. We soon learned that they (Sarah and Ashley, both in their 30s) are from Bournemouth, a resort town on the south coast of Dorset, England, who were visiting Paris (for the first time) on a short holiday.
While we were chatting with them, when Sarah had gone to use the restroom, Ashley shared with us the big surprise he had in store for her on the cruise today. He pulled out a small jewelry box, opened it, and showed us an engagement ring. He then explained that he was going to "pop" the question to Sarah as the boat passed by the Eiffel Tower! Wow, what a romantic gesture on his part, and Dee and I were delighted that we would be witnesses to this surprise ceremony.
When the boat left the dock, we began our scenic cruise along the Seine, passing many of Paris's iconic landmarks (see today's photos) as we headed in a westerly direction from the tip of the Île de la Cité. We were all seated in the very first row, at the
bow of the boat, so we had an unobstructed view of the river traffic, as well as the landmarks when they appeared on both sides of the boat.
About halfway through the cruise we reached the Eiffel Tour, which appeared on our port side. As we expected, Ashley "popped" the question to Sarah, and we soon joined in a congratulatory toast to the happy couple with wine spritzers Ashley had purchased for this special occasion at the boat dock prior to our departure.
When the boat finished its loop around the islands, we returned to the dock and disembarked. We said our good-byes to Ashley and Sarah, who were off to do some sightseeing, and then ascended the many steps up to street level on our way to reach the Place Dauphine across the street.
The Place Dauphine is a small public square located near the western end of the Île de la Cité, initiated by Henry IV in 1607, that is sometimes referred to colloquially as the "Vagina of Paris" because of its triangular shape. We have always enjoyed this quiet, very intimate setting, and over the years have eaten at several of the restaurants whose
terraces line the edges of the square. Today we decided to have lunch at the Caveau du Palais, and it would turn out to be a memorable experience, in more ways than one.
Shortly after we sat down at a table for two, under a shade tree, and ordered our meals, a married French couple (in their 50s) sat down at the table next to ours. Almost immediately, this vivacious woman (Colette) began speaking to us (in flawless English, no less) as if we were long lost friends! Over the course of the next 90-minutes, both of them would prove to be among the most fascinating and charming people we have ever encountered in more than 20-years of travel overseas.
Colette's equally congenial husband (whose name we neglected to learn) has worked for many years in the high-end hotel and resort industry, so they have both traveled to such far-flung places as Dubai, the Maldives, Singapore, and Miami Beach, among many others. While eating our lunch, we soon discovered that Colette has a natural exuberance that is quite remarkable, while her repartee covered a wide range of interesting topics and personal experiences. All in all, their company added
Colette and her husband
The charming French couple we met during lunch at Caveau du Palais, in the Place Dauphine. a real zest to our meals, which were delicious.
We began by sharing 6 escargots; then Dee chose a
buratta salad with mixed greens, while I ordered sea bream with eggplant and pureed potatoes, along with two glasses of Bordeaux. After we all posed for a group selfie, and our French companions had zoomed away on their motorized skateboards, we finished our lunches with some vanilla crème brûlée (and my usual cup of espresso).
After lunch, we exited the Place Dauphine and began walking on the Left Bank side of the Seine until we reached the Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge that connects the Insitut de France with the Cour Carrée of the Louvre on the opposite (Right Bank) side of the river.
One side of this iconic footbridge, where thousands of padlocks placed by "lovers" once festooned the railings (a practice now prohibited), is closed for replacement of the rotten wooden decking. The side that remains open, where we walked gingerly today, is in a very sad state of disrepair also, and will no doubt be replaced once the other side of the bridge is complete.
We walked through the impressive Cour Carrée of
the Louvre, then into the courtyard with its iconic glass pyramid, where we rested a few minutes while watching the serpentine line of tourists waiting to enter the museum through the pyramid. We have paid many visits to the Louvre over the years, so it was not on our agenda this day.
Next we walked to the nearby bus top, where after a short wait we boarded a #95 bus that would deliver us to the Porte de Vanves stop. It was a sweltering ride, as buses and metros in Paris have no air conditioning, but 30 minutes later we arrived at the bus stop we had used before; and 15 minutes later we were back in our garden cottage. It was a tiring day, but a very memorable one!
Dee's Comments: Now that we must soon say farewell, we enjoyed one of our best days today. We set out to see some places in Paris that have a special meaning to us. It started out with a boat ride on the Seine, something we have done several times in the past, and it brought back many memories. We met two younger people from Britain, and hit
The rejuvenated Samaritaine building
Founded by Ernest and Marie-Louie Cognacq-Jaÿ in 1870, what started as a small boutique on rue de Pont-Neuf became much more than just a department store. After being empty and condemned for many years, the building was acquired by the Louis Vuitton group, and In 2021 it reopened to unveil this revived iconic Art Nouveau building. it off right away. When the young lady went to use the bathroom, her boyfriend told us he was going to propose to her under the Eiffel Tower, and showed us the ring!
He seemed pretty nervous at this point. While we were waiting to board, he went to the snack bar and came back with a bottle of rosé and four plastic glasses. When we approached the tower, he told me he wanted to give her the ring now, rather than wait until they visited the tower later. So I warned Mitchell to be ready to capture the moment on camera, which he did, and afterward we all shared in a toast. We also exchanged email contacts, and then teased them we expected to be invited to the wedding!
After we said our good-byes, we were ready for lunch. During lunch we met two wonderful French people who began a conversation with us that lasted 1-1/2 hours! We exchanged email addresses before they left.
All I can say is that it was a perfect day, and we met many new people. I had to climb about 90 stair steps today, and the rubber tire on my
cane is about shot. LOL! It has many miles on it at this point. Looking forward to the final few days before it's time to return home.
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Danielle
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A Proposal
What an amazing day! A proposal in Paris no less great to be a part of..beautiful weather and sights. Love all the pictures and the blog.