Day three of our #honeymoon.

We took the Métro to the Eiffel Tower. However we were slightly disappointed to find the top level was closed. We may go back later next week and try again.

The view from the second level was decent enough. Had a spy on some places we’ll go over the coming days. Then we had a super expensive donut on the first floor café. Sophie won the Donut Game™.

We took the bus next, tourists definitely take the Métro over the bus! Saw a more real side of Paris though. After a short walk we arrived at lunch.

Restaurant Hélène Darozze. Michelin starred food. Magnifique. Starting with a glass of champagne from Monsieur le Sommèlier and a selection of tasty treats; freshly sliced (at the table) Parma ham, fennel seed focaccia, spiced butter and petites gougères. What a treat. We then ordered our meal; foie gras with white peach, hake with clams and cauliflower, chocolate with coconut for Sophie; fresh almonds with mackerel and wild garlic, pigeon with beetroot and wild strawberry, and Hélène’s signature baba for Jonny. Monsieur le Sommèlier returned and selected a lovely 2015 Sauvignon Blanc for our meal - which went down far tooo easy and required a second glass.

Now, here comes the part where greed takes over. Outside of our original plan and encouraged by the beautiful cheese trolley wheeled to our table between mains and desserts. Between us we chose four cheeses to enjoy with the fresh small loaf placed at our table when we arrived; a gooey Camembert-like goats’ log, a nutty cheese similar to a Gouda or Emmental, a simple goats’ cheese and an ash-ripened sheeps Brie. We decided to steer clear of the two cheeses protected by glass cloches as our waitress warned they were very pungent!

The theatrics of each course were fantastic, with sauces poured at the table, foams served on the dishes and, in the case of Jonny’s baba, a selection of Armagnac to choose from before the dessert was plated at the table from little bowls of tasty treats; spiced Chantilly with edible blossoms and confiture-filled raspberries.

To finish, a little stand of petit fours. A very intense, lip-tingling black currant pâte-a-fruits and a little tiny butter choux tart filled with a whole morello cherry, lime Chantilly and a white chocolate tuile.

An Uber back to the hotel, nap-time.

The gourmet cheeses may have slightly disagreed with Sophie, who decided she wanted a night in. So I went out for a little stroll in the area surrounding the hotel. I went past the Jardin du Luxembourg. Just next to it are two little public gardens that gave a fascinating insight into Parisian life. I saw a couple practicing tight-rope walking between two trees. And a group of men working out in some kind of outside gym.

Sophie seemed much better on my return.