Day five of our #honeymoon.
Sunday was definitely a day of walking.
Our plan for Sunday and Monday is to get through all the things we wanted to do that were on the Paris Museum Paris before it runs out.
We first set out on the Mètro to north east Paris and went to the Philarmonie de Paris. A quaint little music museum. Unfortunately it wasn’t all open, but we still had a nice wander round two floors of exhibits of instruments and artifices from the 16-18th centuries. The audio guides were great, allowing you to listen to each instrument or instrumental style as we went through the museum.
Outside the museum was an unusual community project where volunteers were building giant buildings or structures out of cardboard boxes. We saw a ship, a rocket, a globe...and a big pile of squashed cardboard that was clearly a failed attempt!
We then walked through a region called La Villette. It was a wonderfully calm region with lots of families enjoying the park and it’s amenities. The other end of the park was the science museum and “la Gèode” - a spherical cinema building devoted to VR exhibits and IMAX documentaries.
After realising we’d missed the next IMAX doc by about four minutes, we wandered across the bridge to the science museum (the museum is surrounded by a moat). We had lunch at the Burger King, then spent some time in the science museum in the mathematics and sound exhibits. These were very interactive and contained a lot of puzzles.
We then got the Mètro back into central Paris and headed to the Jewish Museum. Fascinating, one takeaway I had is how Jewish culture has kept its essence through the centuries but still been influenced by host cultures. The museum was in a very unsuspecting road, though set back through a courtyard. On the way out we saw a sign to an exhibit...there are no words. It was a room of clashingly bright colours and children’s toys that had been deformed or modified (giant teddy bear with four bodies and one head?). On that note, we left.
We crossed the road to what looked like a cute little ice cream shop - total rip-off! Overpriced and mediocre, with pixie-sized portions.
A short stroll through the hot streets and we were at the Centre-Pompidou. Thankful of our museum passes that let us in the shorter line and gave us a queue-jump to the galleries. Sophie preferred the Modern Art level (1905–1965), I loved the contemporary art level. So that’s 1965–present day. The sheer size and diversity of the artworks was just insane!
After weighing up the pros and cons of eating out (again) and jumping the Mètro back to near our hotel, we decided to walk to a little supermarket and get some bits for a cheapy picnic dinner in the hotel.
Day four of our #honeymoon.
The main thing we did on Saturday was the Louvre. We’re planning on going again later next week, it’s that big!
We spent the morning in the European paintings wing. Of course we went past the Mona Lisa. For such a famous painting it’s quite small, especially compared to some of the other paintings we saw. I swear one was as big as my bedroom wall.
We then got lunch at the Louvre’s restaurant. In a word, don’t. Just get a baguette from the mezzanine kiosk. The restaurant food was mediocre at best; cold, bland and extremely overpriced.
We headed back into the Louvre, this time heading into the Greco-Roman wing. We loved the marble statues, including the lovely Venus di Milo. I took lots of photos.
We finished off in the Egyptian section. Some of that stuff is seriously old! Sophie continued taking photos of ‘little weirdos’ she found. Unusual carvings of maybe gremlins or little old women or a set of blue people...
We then went on a little stroll through what appeared to be the antique shop and gallery area of Paris. When unable to find a cafe (I know) we got an Uber back to the hotel.
After a rest we attempted to get a bus to dinner. It terminated just before the river though, so we got another Uber to the final destination, Cafe des Abattoirs.
Oh my god, for a “set menu” that appeared very simple, it was delish! We started with a cold sweetcorn velouté with basque pepper and a black bread and heirloom tomato salad with mozzarella, I also had an amuse-bouche of green apple, raw mackerel and aubergine purée (I ate Sophie’s too - her and apples aren’t friends). These were the “appètisers du jour” - decided by the chef. Then we got a steak to share, and this was a beast of a steak. A prime rib cooked on the bone in a charcoal Josper (indoor barbecue grill) basted in butter and finished with fleur-de-sel. Served with triple-cooked fries and a selection of homemade condiments. Ace. Pudding for me was a flourless chocolate torte - Sophie had a creamy chocolate pot with a little banana muffin.
After we’d eaten our weight in steak we waddled for the bus back to the stop by the hotel. We sat in a cafe in the warm Parisian evening having a drink and planning out the rest of the week. Then a quick mooch in the petit Marché (seriously, that place NEVER closes) for breakfast groceries to stock up our little hotel fridge and then it was most definitely bedtime!
I found out where #GameofThrones got it’s inspiration for Temple of the Faceless Men from. #Louvre
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.
Mona Lisa 🤳
How busy does The Louvre get? This isn’t even peak time
Day 2 of the #honeymoon was great.
We headed into Paris and had a French-style breakfast in the shadow of the Notre-Dame. That is a 🥐 and pain-au-chocolat, with 🍊 juice and hot chocolate.
Then we walked around the cathedral, but not the bell-towers, that needs to be booked in advance, so maybe later in the week we’ll go back.
We then went to Saint-Chapelle, a beautiful little chapel located near Palais du Justice, the glass work was stunning.
We had a simple homemade baguette for dinner at the hotel and a little rest before heading out again in the evening to the Musée d’Orsay.
What a museum! Loved the bronze and stone statues, also some great Van Gogh paintings to boot.
All in all a good day. ❤️
The top was closed 😲
2nd floor Eiffel Tower 🤳
