2024 Paris Preparing for the Olympics

Brief explanation: On every fifth wedding anniversary we spend a month in Paris, renting an apartment and just living there. This year we found a place a half block from the Luxembourg Gardens and a block from Saint Sulpice Church that has lots of concerts. We always celebrate the "day" at our favorite restaurant, La Bonne Excuse. We decided to forego Air France and try French Bee Airlines this time . . . big mistake but that story comes later. The big story was all the preparation for the Olympic Games in July.

May 17, 2024 — Day 1 (Friday

Up at our usual six o’clock. Fed Mimi our beloved kitty, ate breakfast and finished packing. I did finally get the boarding passes from French Bee Airlines and printed them. They did not include the flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles so we have no idea what will happen there. Jean took the day off work to drive us to San Francisco so we packed everything into the car and left.

Long drive but joyfully uneventful and Jean dropped us at Alaska Airlines to start our journey. We took our things inside, found the automated check-in machines and couldn’t use them because all our codes are from French Bee where we booked our flight. There was a man helping people who couldn’t get the automatic machines to work so I asked him what we should do. He pulled out his Air Alaska notebook and immediately found our reservation and proceeded to print our boarding passes and then checked our luggage through to Paris. Bless his heart! Kudos to Alaska Airlines.

Security was a breeze since we’re both over 75. We didn’t have to take off shoes or jackets but did have to empty pockets and take out the computer. Quick passport check and we were through. We found a restaurant in the boarding area and got a sandwich to split. Then we waited. Flight was on time and we arrived at LAX on time.

Then the fun began. I hate LAX. I thought we exited the terminal, had a 5 or 6-minute walk to the Bradley International Terminal, encore Security and then check in. Of course not . . . They have fixed it so you don’t have to go through Security to connect. What you do have to do is walk miles through cement tunnels with no moving sidewalks to help. If there is air conditioning, it wasn’t working because after hiking through tunnel after tunnel, I arrived at the gate dripping with sweat. Naturally the air conditioning was on there so I was freezing. French Bee sorted us into three extremely long lines and we stood forever waiting to board. We were near the front so the last boarding group. We had no trouble stowing luggage but the seats were unbelievably tiny. The lady next to me was a normal sized woman and was on my shoulder all night. Eating was nearly impossible because there was no place to put your elbows. The meal was okay but all we got to drink was water. The attendants were nice enough and the plane was new and very clean but by the end of the trip in those tiny seats, I decided no more French Bee. Not worth the pain.

May 18, 2024 — Day 2 (Saturday)
There was a screaming child (“I want to go home!”) who literally screamed at the top of his/her lungs all night. I gave up on sleeping and simply read a book that I finished on the plane. French Bee Airlines turned on the lights and offered us a breakfast if we would pay for it. We wouldn’t so didn’t eat but got more free water. Landed in Paris and discovered LAX may not have moving walkways but Orly in Paris does.

We waited for our luggage which took a while, zipped through Customs and went out to the taxi stand. The man in charge started to send us over to a cab and as he pointed to it, a man got in so he found another one, a van. We had the whole van with a very pleasant driver all to ourselves and got a ride to our doorstep in the center of Paris for 36 euros. That’s a bargain.

On the way into town, I called Elvira, our concierge, to let her know we were coming. We arrived, had the door code so got into the courtyard. Then I had to call Elvira again to tell her we were there. She soon showed up and took us through the apartment which is very nice and in a perfect location. She speaks absolutely no English so with our French and Google translate, we stumbled through the orientation.

Elvira left and we went in search of something to eat. At 5:30 on a Saturday evening that was also Nuit Blanche in Paris, that was not easy. Streets were very crowded and most restaurants don’t even open until 7:00 PM. After a bit of walking, we found Le Petit Vatel on rue Lobineau and they were magically open. Ed got magret de canard and I got the dorade. It was all very good but the tomatoes on my plate were outstanding. I wish I new what they did with them. I could have eaten nothing but those tomatoes. They were roasted but spiced with something I couldn’t identify and utterly delicious.

Walked back home past St. Sulpice and there was a man playing ball with a cute fluffy little dog. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a dog move that fast. I started snapping pictures and several have him floating in midair. He just tore after his little green ball and obviously loved it.

Arrived back at the apartment and I managed to fall on my face walking into the bedroom. It was dark and there is a step up that I forgot. I landed on my knees but fortunately lost very little skin and a band aid took care of it. I probably won’t forget that step again . . .

May 19, 2024 — Day 3 (Sunday)
Slept until 7 this morning which was lovely. We’re all unpacked so we went out planning to do our grocery shopping. Got to the market and it doesn’t open until 9:00. Looked for a boulangerie but for some reason Ed wasn’t interested so we went home and left shopping bags. We walked back to the church for the 9:00 Gregorian Mass which was beautiful. They hold it in the back of the choir but it was full.

Delacroix mural in Saint Sulpice Church - Paris

The gnomon in Saint-Sulpice Church

Main Altar in Saint-Sulpice Church - Paris

The gnomon in Saint Sulpice Church with its brass line

Eglise Saint-Sulpice - Paris

The Cavaillé-Coll Organ in Saint Sulpice Church - Paris

Fontaine des Quatre Évêques (Four Bishops Fountain) or Fontaine Saint-Sulpice or Fountain of the Orators

We walked back to the apartment and got our grocery bags again. This time the market was open so we did our daily shopping. We found a baguette, clementine juice, milk, cereal, a couple nice cheeses and some wine. That should take care of us until at least Tuesday when stores open again after the holiday. (VE Day) We went to a boulangerie looking for breakfast but nothing appealed to Ed so we went home to have cereal.

Getting breakfast we discovered all the glassware is locked in a cupboard and we don’t have a key so I texted our substitute concierge to see if she could help. I’ll be surprised if she can and the regular lady is going to Montreal to visit her son. We do have a couple glasses that were in a cupboard so it’s not a total loss.

That done, we went back to Saint Sulpice to hear the organ recital after the 11 AM Mass. Unfortunately, they no longer do that. There will be a free organ recital next Sunday at 4 PM and I guess there was one today at 10 AM that we missed.

Since we didn’t have a recital to attend, we decided to explore our neighborhood. We walked nearly to Montparnasse and found lots of shops and did some people watching, then headed home to get all my photos on the computer and start this journal.

Later:
Got the journal up to date and decided to explore the Luxembourg Gardens a block from our apartment. We walked up and entered by Angelina’s and walked around to the Senat. We cut across to see if there was a Sunday afternoon concert and the kiosk was empty so either we missed it or they didn’t have one today. It was supposed to rain but turned into a beautiful day. So we walked on watching kids playing with their boats in the pond and then taking pictures of statues of the various queens and “illustrious females” in the history of France. We checked menus at two restaurants and two snack stands but didn’t buy anything. We spent time marveling at the kids on the swings and then found a couple chairs in the shade and sat and watched people and little ones on tiny ponies going by.

The Luxembourg Gardens with the Eiffel Tower in the distance and lots of kids sailing boats

One of the Illustrious Ladies of France statues in the Luxembourg Gardens

The Senat Building in the Luxembourg Gardens

Children taking pony rides in the Luxembourg Gardens

Children taking pony rides in the Luxembourg Gardens

The pond in the Luxembourg Gardens with one of many statues

Senat Building in the Luxembourg Gardens with Ed

As dinner time approached, we decided to return to the house and have some of the bread and cheese we bought this morning. In the process of getting ready for our supper, Ed found the glassware on a shelf in the living room so we had wine glasses with our biologique wine which we loved. We have a lovely Cantal and a dry mediocre Brie. The bread was not up to French standards either but it was adequate.

That took us to cleaning up, finding one ant in the kitchen and hoping it’s not a harbinger. I’m finishing the journal du jour and have already moved photos to the computer. Perhaps a little extra sleep tonight . . .

May 20, 2024 — Day 4 (Monday and VE Day)
Up at 7:00 and enjoying the extra hour of sleep. No leg cramps last night so had a great night of sleep and woke up feeling ready for the world . . . at least my fortunate part of it. We had our nice British cereal with French milk and French clementine juice then decided to do two of Ed’s Paris Walks, one this morning and another this afternoon.

I wanted to see the star Jean gave me at Église St-Germain-des-Prés so we started our first Paris walk there. We walked over to the church and it is glorious. The first time we saw it many years ago I was struck by how dark and dirty it looked. Today it was sparkling clean with the walls and pillars repainted. It is truly inspiring. We walked all over taking lots of pictures. After a while I realized something was missing . . . Saint Germain. His beautiful carved wood statue by Muriel Pulitzer stood in the church in years past and he was nowhere to be found. There were still a few places cordoned off for restoration so perhaps he is back there.

The L'embacle Fountain across from Les Deux Magots

Eglise Saint-Germain-Des-Prés

Eglise Saint-Germain-Des-Prés

Eglise Saint-Germain-Des-Prés - ceiling with my star

Eglise Saint-Germain-Des-Prés

Eglise Saint-Germain-Des-Prés - the organ

We left Église St-Germain-des-Prés and started our Paris Walk which took us first to rue de Buci, familiar ground as Paul’s Patisserie is on the corner of rue de Buci and rue de Seine. We walked up Buci until it became rue Saint-André-des-Arts and peeked into the passageway between 59 and 61 rue Saint-André-des-Arts that holds an entrance to Le Procope, the oldest restaurant in Paris. We didn’t go in because we’ve walked it a few times and wanted to keep to our walk. We continued on rue Saint-André-des-Arts and turned left at rue Mazarine until we came to another Passage that we entered and followed back to rue Saint-André-des-Arts. Then we walked along and generally just looked until we started coming to restaurants and decided it would be a good idea to start checking them for lunch ideas. This finally took us to Fontaine Saint-Michel on Place Saint-Michel. Unfortunately, you could hardly see the fountain because the square was entirely filled with white tents of merchants selling souvenirs. It was a pretty awful sight, the beautiful fountain completely surrounded. We couldn’t take a picture nor could anyone else. I feel sorry for people who are visiting Paris right now. There is construction all over the place getting ready for the Olympics and hawking Paris souvenirs that are mostly trash. You can’t sell Paris by covering up the most beautiful parts.

Square Laurent-Prache beside Saint-Germain-des-Prés - a Picasso statue in homage to Apollinaire (with face of Dora Maar)

Wallace Fountain in Place St. Germain - There are 109 Wallace Fountains, all different.

Notre Dame de Paris - being renovated and due to open December 2024

We had spotted several restaurants with acceptable menus and prices; however, all but one had music playing inside. This was a big problem. Paris restaurants never used to play music and you could enjoy a quiet conversation during your meal. Now they all play music and everyone tries to talk loud enough to be heard which results in a terrible din and really kills conversation. Anyway, we went back to the one quiet restaurant and entered Bistro Saint André. It was early so we were immediately ushered to a lovely window table for three, our umbrellas and hats hung for us and given a menu. We both opted for the bar (sea bass) which we love and can’t get at home. We got a Sauvignon to go with it. For dessert we both got the lemon tart which was a surprise because it was so large. The two of us could easily have shared one tart but it was so good that we both finished ours. All of this lovely lunch was eaten in a nice quiet restaurant. Life is good.

Bistrot St Andre

Bistrot St Andre

Bistrot St Andre at 36 Rue Saint-André des Arts where we had a lovely quiet lunch

The walk we had chosen for the afternoon started at the Odéon Metro station so we started towards it taking a short cut on rue de l'Éperon. We were a bit surprised to find ourselves at the Odéon Metro station nearly instantly. We wanted to stop at the apartment before starting the afternoon walk so headed for the Place de l’Odéon down rue Dupuytren to rue Monsieur le Prince where we happened upon San Francisco Books, an English book store. Naturally, we had to go in and explore. I immediately found a biography of Isak Dinesen / Karen Blixen that I really would have enjoyed. Unfortunately, it was a very heavy hard cover that would be difficult to pack home so I disciplined myself and returned it to the shelf. It’s a small book store but very fun. When we came to rue Casimir Delavigne, we could see the Odéon Theater at the far end so turned and walked that way. It was a short hop up rue Corneille to rue de Vaugirard and from there to our street, rue Férou.

We stopped at the apartment, divested ourselves of now very unnecessary coats, drank lots of water and decided to rest inside for a while, then go over to the Luxembourg Gardens with our books instead of trying another long walk. My feet appreciated the idea! Around 3 o’clock we went over to the gardens, claimed a couple chairs and read until Ed remembered we needed to get our daily baguette. We packed up, walked home and then to the boulangerie and purchased a baguette for dinner. I transferred my pictures when we got home and Ed checked the accounts. Then we had dinner with yet another mediocre baguette. We have two more very local boulangeries and I hope one of them has good bread.

Chess games in the Luxembourg Gardens

On our way to our spot in the Luxembourg Gardens

The promised rain has not yet arrived and I just read the paper and transport strikes are promised tomorrow. Not sure if that will impact us. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow.

May 21, 2024 — Day 5 (Tuesday)

I’m enjoying sleeping until 7:00. Nothing here seems to open until 11 anyway so it gives us plenty of time to get ready for the day. We had our cereal and clementine juice, cleaned up and were ready to leave way too early to do our shopping so decided to just head for our Paris Walk of the day.

We cut across the square in front of Saint Sulpice and headed toward the Seine on rue Bonaparte. Passed Fontaine L'embacle the under-the-sidewalk fountain at Place Saint Germain and resisted taking more photos of it. On past Eglise Saint-Germain-des-Prés and on to the Seine. At this point we weren’t quite sure how to get to the start of our Paris walk but knew we needed to get across the river so we headed for the first bridge which happened to be Pont des Arts. The minute we stepped on the bridge, a man holding a “petition” walked over to us. We utterly ignored him and he didn’t bother us. Another petitioner tried it later and we ignored her too. I would think they could come up with some new scam ideas.

Peeking into courtyards in Paris

Les Beaux-Arts - Paris

Institut de France on the Seine - home of the French language police

Crossing the Seine on the Pont des Arts

We walked around the Louvre and past Eglise Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois that I couldn’t photograph because a bunch of tour buses were parked in front of it. Continued north on rue du Louvre and turned left on rue de Rivoli. There is a lot of construction so we wound around it and suffered through multiple police loudly escorting ambulances through the horrible traffic. We saw Galerie Vero-Dodat and went in. You can’t resist a galerie in Paris. This had a lot of interesting things including a lot of high-end shoe stores and a luthier that I photographed to send to Peg. You come out the other end at the Ministère de la Culture which is enveloped in a metal sculpture that makes it look wrapped in wire to hold it together. It’s an entire city block so not easy to miss.

Galerie Vero-Dodat in Paris

Galerie Véro-Dodat - a shop in the galerie with a lovely spiral staircase

Galerie Véro-Dodat - a Luthier's shop, and he was there working

Ministère de la Culture just outside Galerie Véro-Dodat

We exited and walked to the beautiful circular Place des Victoires with its impressive equestrien statue of Louis XIV in the center. We turned down tiny rue Vide Gousset and then left past the Basilique Notre-Dame-des-Victoires that we’ve visited in the past. At this point we were looking for lunch. We continued on to Galerie Vivienne and through it looking for a suitable place to eat. Somehow we wound around and ended up exiting from Galerie Colbert on rue Vivienne and immediately spotted Le Grand Colbert. We had a wonderful dining experience there many years ago so decided to try it again.

Place des Victoires - Statue of Louis XIV

Galerie Vivienne - Paris

Good choice. Le Grand Colbert was just as beautiful as before, the wait staff were not only excellent, they seemed to genuinely enjoy their jobs and helping their customers. We were seated and ordered from Frederic, a marvelous black gentleman who was cheerful, helpful and efficient. We both had the roast chicken. Ed got a baba au rhum for dessert and it was accompanied by the entire bottle of rum in addition to the little glass of rum that comes with it. He didn’t need it but the thought was generous. I got the moelleux au chocolat. We ordered one coffee because Ed doesn’t drink coffee. When I gave my chocolate to Ed as is our custom, Frederic immediately came running over with two more chocolates so I could have my chocolate too. Later when we left the restaurant and were walking down the street, one of the waiters came running after us and handed us Ed’s forgotten umbrella. This was what I call great service! [Le Grand Colbert, 2 Rue Vivienne; tel: +33 (0)1 4286-8788; https://www.legrandcolbert.fr/]

We then noticed an ad for a Renaissance Exhibit across the street at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu and decided to see what that was about. We walked in and asked a lady behind a desk who gave us a brochure and described the exhibits and process. We immediately lined up for tickets. There were rooms full of medieval illuminated manuscripts or copies made in the 14th and 15th centuries. The best part is photography was allowed. One of the themes was Francesco Petrarch (1304 - 1374) and Humanism. Since we both have humanities degrees and had visited Fontaine de Vaucluse with its Petrarch Museum of Poetry while in Provence this was very engaging. Also, in one exhibit I noticed two women taking photos through a glass door and curiosity got the better of me. I walked over and asked Ed what they were looking at. He said it was a gorgeous view of the inside of the building. When I looked through the window, I saw the rotunda of the main library with four open floors of floor-to-ceiling books and a center floor of table after table full of people reading, researching and studying. This was surrounded by easy chairs filled with more people reading for pleasure. It was where you go when you die if you’ve been very very good all your life. [Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu, 5 Rue Vivienne; tel: +33 01 53 79 49 49; https://www.bnf.fr/fr/le-musee-de-la-bnf]

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - exhibit

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - Ed at the Petrarch exhibit

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - Exhibit featuring Petrarch

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - illuminated manuscript

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - main reading room

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - carved ivory exhibit

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - Louis XV Salon

Bibliothèque Nationale de France - Richelieu - spiral staircase

All good things come to an end so we exited and started the long walk home. We didn’t make too many detours on the way home but we had to pass through the Palais Royal Gardens and past the Pei Pyramid at the Louvre so we were tired and did stop at Place Saint Germain to rest a bit for the remainder of the walk. Ed blessedly left me at the apartment while he went out for bread for dinner. He returned very quickly with bread, wine and jam for breakfast. I marveled at his speed and he said it was raining . . . besides he was going at his speed, not mine so it took half as long. Hmmmm . . .

Storm approaching the Palais Royal Gardens in Paris

Buren Columns at the Palais Royal Gardens - always fun

Place Colette with the magical Metro stop - Kiosk des Noctambules

The Pei Pyramid at the Louvre - the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays so the crowds have disappeared for a day