Travel - Snapshot Chronicles

Paris: Panoramas, Gardens and … Catacombs?

05.05.2024 by Susan Getgood //

No trip to Paris is complete without a panoramic view from somewhere. Luckily you have lots of choices.

Paris from On High

The Eiffel Tower is the very symbol of the city, and it is worth going up to the top at least once in your life. On our last trip, we did a private tour to the top in the evening and it was spectacular.

That said, I equally like going up Tour Montparnasse and getting the birds eye view of the Eiffel Tower. The Tour Montparnasse as a building is ugly AF but the views from it on a sunny day are spectacular.

The Arc de Triomphe is not as high as the towers of course, but it offers a great perspective down les Champs-Elysées to the Place de la Concorde to the east and the La Defense complex to the west.

For yet another perspective on Paris, visit Montmartre and the Basilique de Sacre-Coeur. Montmartre itself is charming, and the views of Paris from the steps of the basilica are phenomenal.

Paris en plein air

If the weather is fine, experience the Seine with a boat ride on the Bateaux-Mouches and take a promenade through the Jardin des Tuileries or the Jardin du Luxembourg. Traveling with kids? Both gardens offer play areas.

As of this writing, Notre Dame is still closed to visitors as it rebuilds after the fire in April 2019, but is scheduled to reopen in December 2024. If you go before the reopening, you can still enjoy and be inspired by the building itself. Once it is re-opened, it is a must-see.

Underground: Les Catacombes de Paris

Arrête ! C’est ici l’empire de la mort”

Les Catacombes were created out of former quarries in the late 1700s to eliminate the impact of the city’s overflowing cemetaries. More than 6 million people are buried in the Catacombes, with remains moved from cemetaries all over Paris. The ossuary was opened to public visitation in the early 1800s.

You can ONLY buy your timed tickets online, and entries are limited to a certain number of people at any one time. We purchased a small group tour which gave us access to a few areas that are not on the regular public itinerary. I definitely recommend this approach. The tour guide added a great deal of value to our experience, and I never mind skipping the line!

Shopping

I’ve got three recommendations for you.

Agatha Paris – lovely reasonably priced jewelry including, from time to time, items with its scottie dog emblem. They also nearly always have some sort of scottie emblem barrette or hair clip. Locations throughout Paris and online.

Mariage Frères – the best tea. Visit a tea counter where they will help you pick a tea that will tantalize your tastebuds. Just remember that to bring your tea back to the USA, it must be in a factory-sealed container. My favorites are the spicy Alexandra David-Néel® and the sweetly fragrant Esprit De Noël®. Locations throughout Paris and online.

Finally, I’ve been collecting French crèche figures – “santons” – since I was in high school. On on my last trip to Paris, I found a store near Saint-Sulpice that has an excellent variety: Georges Thuillier, 10 Place Saint-Sulpice. No online option I’m afraid but I can recommend Santons de France, a US online shop that I have purchased from for more than 20 years if you’d like to start your collection.

Five Must See Museums in Paris

05.04.2024 by Susan Getgood //

Do not miss

The Musée d’Orsay and the Musée Rodin. Both museums are compact and easily visited in a single afternoon.

#1

The Musée Rodin in the 7th Arrondissement was established by Rodin’s will:

I bequeath to the state all my works in plaster, marble, bronze and stone, together with my drawings and the collection of antiquities that I had such pleasure in assembling for the education and training of artists and workers. And I ask the state to keep all these collections in the Hôtel Biron, which will be the Musée Rodin, reserving the right to reside there for the rest of my life.” – Auguste Rodin, 1909.

Outside, you’ll enjoy a lovely sculpture garden with many of Rodin’s most famous works, including The Thinker, the Burghers of Calais, The Gates of Hell and Monument to Balzac. Inside, the galleries show the evolution of his work. There is also a gallery devoted to the works of Camille Claudel. Fun fact: the museum is the only national museum in France that is fully self-funding thanks to Rodin’s donation of his original molds and models. The museum can make and sell original bronzes from these molds, which contributes about 30% of its annual budget.

#2

Les Invalides and the Musée de l’Armée
Right next door to the Musée Rodin is Les Invalides. There’s a lot to see within this complex of buildings including the Musée de l’Armée, the national cathedral of the French military, and the golden Dome des Invalides and tomb of Napoleon. Métro : Varenne (ligne 13) ou Invalides (ligne 13, ligne 8)

#3

The Musée d’Orsay
On the Left Bank / Rive Gauche, the Musée d’Orsay is one of the best collections of Impressionism in the world, with a regular rotation of special exhibits that help you connect with works you have seen a dozen times in brand new ways. On our last visit, we enjoyed an exhibit that delved into Degas à l’Opéra. Currently, the museum is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the first Impressionist exhibition in Paris.

The museum is housed in the former Gare d’Orsay. The retrofit of the train station to a museum was nothing less than inspired. Lines to get in can be long, so plan accordingly. I’d recommend a weekday over a weekend if you can manage it, and go early. Closed Mondays. Metro: Solférino (12) or the Musée d’Orsay station on RER Line C.

#4

The Louvre
On the Rive Droite, the Louvre. If your time is limited, you may choose to skip it. If you do decide to go, pick a few areas that you really want to see. Don’t try to see “everything.” It’s simply not possible. My favorite exhibit is the Napoleon III Apartments, which sadly is currently closed for renovation. The Mona Lisa is always very crowded. Take the time to view the other paintings in the same hall. Don’t miss the the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

Even if you don’t go inside, there is plenty to see outside, including the I.M. Pei Pyramid, the impressive courtyard, the Jardin des Tuileries and the Arc du Carrousel.

Palais-Royal / Musée du Louvre (lines 1 and 7)
Pyramides (line 14)

#5

Centre Pompidou
If you like modern art, a visit to the Centre Pompidou (known colloquially as le Beauborg) is a must. An impressive building, the architecture outside is as modern as the art housed inside.

Paris: When to go, where to stay, what to eat

04.28.2024 by Susan Getgood //

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast. — Ernest Hemingway

The first time I saw Paris, I was 16 years old, and it was love at first sight. Nothing could spoil the magic – not even that my wallet was stolen. [Fun fact: it arrived via mail to my address at prep school about a year later.]

I’ve visited many times since then, including a semester in college, and fell a little bit more in love each time. On my most recent trip in December 2019, my travelling companion was my then 19-year old kid, and I loved sharing my favorite places as well as discovering new ones with them. In my next series of posts, I will share some of my favorite things about the City of Light, starting with when to go, where to stay and what to eat.

WHEN TO GO:

Notwithstanding the song, April is not the best month to visit Paris. May is a much better month. The composer of the song agreed: “Ah, well,” explained the composer (Vernon Duke) apologetically. “We really meant May, but the rhythm required two syllables.” My favorite times though are September and late December. Paris is beautiful in the fall, although the city will be more crowded than in the winter. The weather in the early winter is much better than you’d expect, and there are far fewer tourists than at other times of the year.

WHERE TO STAY:

The 6th Arrondissement is centrally located and you can find reasonably priced options. On this last visit, we stayed at Hôtel du Dragon. Family owned, rooms are a decent size, with ensuite bathrooms. A nice continental breakfast is available.

WHERE TO EAT:

We had a number of good meals, and I don’t think I’ve ever had a truly bad meal in Paris, but two were outstanding. I would return on my next visit to Paris without hesitation.

A recommendation from a friend, Chez Fernand is worth going out of your way for. The boeuf bourguignon is outstanding, and my starter, a delightful pâté, hit all the right notes. In the 6th Arr. metro Mabillon (ligne 10) or St German des prés or Saint-Sulpice (ligne 4)

Breizh Café was a nostalgic choice. I spent my junior year in high school on a study abroad program in Rennes, the capital of Brittany, and developed a taste for the regional specialty, galettes au sarrasin, a savory crêpe made from buckwheat flour.We went to the one in le Marais but there are locations throughout Paris.

Instead of lunch one day during your visit, I highly recommend a food tour with Original Food Tours. We did the Taste of Saint Germain and I’ve had first-hand reports that the Marais tour is also superb. We lucked out and were the only 2 on our tour, so had a very personalized experience. If you go, I hope you are lucky enough to get our guide, Nicolas Ferrand.

Pâtisseries and boulangeries are on every corner. For the best bread and chausson-aux-pommes (apple turnovers), visit Poilâne. Original location 8 rue du cherche midi, Saint Germain des Prés. Other locations throughout Paris. With regard to fancy pastries, you are bound to find something to your taste. My favorites are Gateau Paris-Brest (pictured) and Millefeuille (but with powdered sugar on top, not icing).

NIGHTLIFE:

To be honest, I prefer a late, leisurely dinner and then back to the hotel so I can get an early start in the morning, but when in Paris, you should experience one of the cabarets. Le Crazy Horse is more centrally located but if you are staying in Montmartre, the obvious choice is Le Moulin Rouge. Adults only. No need to speak French to enjoy le spectacle at either.

GETTING AROUND:

We did the hop on/off bus on our last visit because the métro was on strike; it came with our Paris Visite pass and it saved us a couple Ubers. If the métro is NOT on strike when you go, don’t bother. You can get pretty much everywhere you need to go on public transportation, and a métro/train pass is also included with Paris Visite. You of course can buy your tickets as you need them, but I find it more convenient to have a multi-day pass.

In my next post, I’ll share the 5 museums you shouldn’t miss.