Blogus interuptus...

Did you think I had hopped a plane back to Europe?

I considered it.   

Everything here is fine... well, all except for the part about everybody thinking that it's time I get back to work.  Orders?  Trips to the printer for new pattern covers and patterns?  Fall Market?  Bummer, huh?

Can you believe it is August 1st?  Just a little over four weeks ago, I was here...

And loving every minute of it, thank you.  But more about that in a moment...

Have you seen all the Georges?  Sherri and Sinta have done it again, they've assembled a gaggle of gorgeous Georges.  A Quilting Life and Pink Pincushion.  A big box of "stuff" just arrived back from the folks at That Patchwork Place... the "props" used for the pictures of Layer Cakes and Charm Packs.  I think I might be able to find something in there for the prizes that Sherri and Sinta will announce in... whenever they announce it.  More on that later.

The last time I was here, I wrote that I left on Sunday for a train trip from Gare Matabiau in Toulouse to Gare Montparnasse in Paris.  Except that we had a communication malfunction and folks mistakenly thought I was leaving from Montalban, about 15 minutes from the Chateau.  Uh, not exactly.  Toulouse is about an hour away.  After some re-arranging of vans, plans and departure from the chateau times, we got everything straightened out and the fun began.  The van was going to the Airport in Toulouse... about 15 minutes or so from the train station.  If everything went perfectly, we would arrive at the airport at 8:30... plenty of time for me to make my train at 9:18.  

I was a little nervous too.  

We got to the airport at 8:30 and since my bags had been put on last for just this reason, I said a quick goodbye to all and took off down the sidewalk to the terminal.  I went in, immediately got an elevator to the lower level where the buses and taxis are, and went rushing out to find a taxi.  Except I turned the wrong direction, heading for the buses.  Not a taxi in sight.  A nice gentleman who spoke just a smattering of English pointed me in the correct direction and set off to find -- the only taxi driver in Toulouse who didn't speak a word of English.  I found him right away.  Fortunately, my French did cover, "Gare Matabiau, tres rapide, s'il vous plait."  

We pulled up at about 5 minutes to 9:00... all good, right?  I've still got more than 20 minutes!

I walked in the front door of the train station to see a couple hundred people lined up waiting for ???

Me?  Nervous?  Uh, yes.  

As I am trying to move around and see how to get in line... and maybe even impress upon someone that I might possibly be running really late... the clock chimes 9:00 am, the doors to the platforms open and everybody streams through.  Including me.  How cool is that?  It took me about two minutes to find the proper car... okay, be pointed in that direction by a very nice porter who obviously sensed my complete and total cluelessness about where to go.  By 9:10, I was seated in my assigned seat with luggage stowed.  I had even had time to buy a couple of bottles of water and lunch.   

This is French fast food.  I couldn't decide which one I wanted and since time was a little "tight", I just pointed to two of the sandwiches, figuring this just might wind up being lunch, dinner and breakfast.  I had no idea what to expect at my hotel in Paris.  

I shouldn't have worried.  A car from the hotel met me at the train station and took me to the Hotel Verneuil in the 6th Arrondissment, the Saint-Germain neighborhood.  It is on the left bank of Paris, about five minutes from the Seine.  It was right across the river from the Louvre, less than ten minutes from the Musee d'Orsay, and less than fifteen minutes walk from Ile de la Cite and Notre Dame.  

The hotel is a little bed-and-breakfast sort of place with about 20 rooms.  The rooms are small but very nice, and seriously, who comes to Paris to stay in their hotel room?  I had everything I needed -- a beautiful bathroom, a comfortable bed and air conditioning.  I was a happy girl.  

As soon as I arrived on Sunday afternoon, I dropped my bags in my room, took all my travel stuff out of my bag and headed out the door.  It was a glorious sunny, Sunday afternoon and I wanted to see... well, everything.  

In hindsight, I think one of my favorite things in Paris was walking along the quais.  Whether they were crowded or deserted, at street-level or the walkways a few feet above water-level, I really liked walking along the river.  At street level, there were vendors with stalls selling souvenirs, post-cards, used books and art prints ~ original and prints.  There were bicyclists, tourists, people trying to get to work and yes, gypsies trying to get you to make donations to "whatever".  

As soon as I walked out of my hotel, I walked up to the river and crossed the Pont des Arts, a walking bridge that is known for having couples put padlocks on the bridge with their names on it.  As you can guess, the padlocks are left for a little while and then removed.  I saw the workers doing that every time I crossed the bridge.  One of the first things I saw was the Musee d'Orsay.  

I was able to see the Musee later in the week.  In addition to the many beautiful Impressionist paintings on regular display, there was a special exhibit by Edouard Manet.  I'm sorry to say "no photos allowed" inside.  

I took a few pictures but mostly I walked.  It was a beautiful, warm, sunny afternoon so I walked along the river down to the Place de la Concorde.  From there I walked down the Avenue des Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, and then over the the Rue de Faubourg Saint-Honore.  I confess that it was a lot of fun to walk down that street and see all the shops but no, I wasn't even tempted to do any shopping.  Really... do I look like a Jimmy Choo kind of girl to you?

I walked down the Rue Saint-Honore and then cut over to the Louvre, where I crossed back over the river at the Pont des Arts.  Using my trusty tourist map ~ which I later replaced with a terrific mini Plan de Paris ~ I walked down the Rue de l'Universite.  Past the Assemblee Nationale and the very serious looking young man standing guard to the Invalides... okay, I was finally tired.  And while I could see my ultimate destination, I wasn't sure how far I had to go to walk there... so I decided to try the Metro.  My first station -- Invalides.

After figuring out the ticket machine and purchasing a carnet of tickets -- I knew that it was a savings to buy the 10-pack of tickets, especially if you knew you would be riding the Metro again... which I was -- I rode the Metro all of two stations to the Ecole Militaire stop.  If I had figured out the map a little sooner, I could have caught a different train right to the Champ de Mars.  Next time, right?

But if I had gotten off at that station, this wouldn't have been my first up-closer view of the Tour Eiffel.  

Just as it is with any city with an iconic landmark, seeing the Eiffel Tower gave me goosebumps.  It meant that I really was in Paris.  Paris, France.  Not Paris, Texas, and not at the Paris Casino in Las Vegas -- though that is kind of fun.  

Call me odd but this is my favorite sort of Eiffel Tower picture so humor me.  

I have to tell you that the best advice I got was to buy my ticket for the Eiffel Tower ahead of time.  Pick a day and time and get the ticket online.  I optimistically picked 6:30 pm on Sunday afternoon, and then didn't get there until 7:00 pm.  I thought it likely that they wouldn't let me use the ticket since I was quite late but it wasn't a problem.  I think it might have been a problem for the hundreds of people waiting in line when I was able to just walk right up and bypass everybody.  Seriously.  There were hundreds of people waiting in line at the three "pillars" that were open, but I was led to a different entry, one that took me right to the front of the line waiting for the elevator to go up.   

I will tell you that while I don't have a problem with heights, I wasn't a huge fan of that elevator ride.  As long as I was looking at the floor or the ceiling, I was fine.  Looking straight out as we rushed upward... not so much.

Looking east toward Paris, the direction I had come from.  This picture and the next few are from the 2nd Level.

Sadly, the advance purchase ticket doesn't keep you from having to wait in line for the elevator ride to the Summit.  Though again, it was a beautiful, sunny Sunday in Paris and I was at the Eiffel Tower.  I would have waited for hours.  

 

I'm sorry.  I couldn't resist.  I held my camera out through the grating on the top floor of the Summit level for a "looking down" view.  

And no, this sort of view doesn't bother me.  Just glass elevators... I could never have ridden the Wonka-vator.    

After the Eiffel Tower, I took a bus to Notre Dame for no other reason than I didn't want to go back to the hotel just yet... even though it was almost 9:00 pm.

From there, I thought I was walking back to my hotel but I think I thought I was further down the river than I was because I walked past my hotel and found myself outside the Musee d'Orsay.   

Okay.  I admit it.  I got a little lost.  

Probably on purpose.  

I'll tell you more about Paris tomorrow but I did want to share some pictures of the inside, especially of the breakfast room.  

This is looking down the stairs from the 4th floor where my room was located.

This is the view from the 1st floor landing down to the lobby.  The hotel has five floors of rooms and a funny little elevator that holds either two people or one person with luggage.  Except that there are more than five floors... this is the downstairs Salon de Petit Desjuner... or rather the way there.

 

Each morning, the hotel served a lovely "continental" style breakfast buffet.  Fresh fruit, two kinds of fresh-squeezed juice, yogurt, sliced ham, two kinds of French cheese and a choice of cereals with fruit compote and/or milk.  There were also baguettes, various nut and fruit breads, fresh hot croissants and some kind of sweet roll.  If you wanted coffee, tea or espresso, that was brought to your table by the attendant.  

And not to worry... I plan on doing a post just about some of the food in France and Paris.  

I went to this patisserie... a couple of them, actually.

I must have at least 50 pictures of pastries.

Until tomorrow.  

 

Comments

[Deb]

OMG Carrie, I am so jealous, my jimmy jams are turning green with envy as I read this propped up on my pillow in bed. The bed and breakfast you stayed in looks so idyllic, so sweet and inviting. So French..... I love looking at all of your photos, you made me feel like I was there with you, thank you so much for sharing, can't wait to see food pictures as long as you don't intend for me to put on 10lbs just by looking at them - lol. xox Love from NZ

[sewprimitive karen]

Wonderful pictures. Could we see pictures of your hotel room?

[Laurie]

Wow!! How wonderful for you. I'm a bit jealous and enthused to schedule the same trip for myself.

[Mary ann]

Totally green with envy! Thank you for sharing it all!

[Pat]

You are killing me. One photo at a time.

Pat

[Nicole]

How I miss France! Paris is so magical. I was there with my parents back in the 90's and we drove across the countryside in a rental car. It was such a perfect way to experience the country. At one point we stopped for baguettes. I snacked on mine in the back seat and when I got out I looked like I had been coated in panko crumbs. I had bread crust bits embedded in my legs from sitting on them for hours. What a way to go.

[Sinta Renee]

I am just letting you know that I hate you... jk! I loved every minute of your adventure... now I am going to go read your post again, and maybe once more after that!

[Mary]

Carrie! Merci Beaucoup!! Je t'aime vous voyages de Paris. There! take me along next time (I'll pay my way) and I promise to refresh my French in the meantime! Really, I'm enjoying your travelogue so very much and it has given me incentive to perhaps plan a similar trip. I will look forward to Schnibbles and Miss Rosie patterns inspired by your Chateau and Parisian visits.

[Lisa D.]

Wow - what an amazing time you had in France. I can hardly wait to hear about the pastries - what's the hold up? lol

[Sandie ~call me crazy]

Wow! What a great trip!! I love your photo's! :-)

[Elizabeth E.]

Terrific. I really have to stop reading now and get some work done, but "armchair traveling" with you is so much fun. I've left a comment on every one of your posts but forgot to do the little box at the end of some, so just know that I tried.

Fabulous, fabulous. I'm running out of words--thanks for writing this up!

E.