OK, I%26#39;m finally recovered from jetlag and the holiday weekend, so here goes! Our semi-annual trip to Europe started off with 5 days in Paris. This was our 5th trip, so we had already seen many of the major sights. We were there ostensibly to look for a place to buy, but there was so much to do that this never happened (although I met with an agent friend of mine for dinner to discuss the market). (Sorry, Truffaut :))
Upon our arrival, we checked into Hotel Les Grandes Ecoles, a fabulous *** just steps from Place Contrescarpe and rue Mouffetard in the 5th, and across the street from Hemingway%26#39;s 1st home in Paris. It is unusual in that the hotel sits back off the street, with a center courtyard and garden, from which the rooms overlook. Thus it is very quiet and peaceful. It had been recommended by our Parisien friends, and they were right on.
As is our tradition, my wife and I then walked to the Eiffel Tower, which is a pretty fair distance. But it felt good to be in Paris again!! We meandered down rue St. Dominque to the Champs de Mars, then strolled down the Esplanade directly under the Grand Lady of Towers. After soaking in the fact that we were back to our favorite city, we walked across the street to the Seine, caught the Batobus, and rode down the Seine to its furthest point (one stop past Notre Dame). This gave us a chance to see Paris from the Seine and to relax and just take it all in.
We walked back to our hotel, then explored the surrounding are, including rue Mouffetard, which I highly recommend. It is a long downhill narrow street filled with wonderful shops, fruit vendors, clothing stores and cafes, leading onto an expansive square at the bottom. Once we reached the square, there was a live musette band with lots of people dancing and clapping to the music. It was too magical!!
We ended the evening with a dinner at a little restaurant Le Jardin d%26#39;Artemis on the Mouffe as the locals say. Reasonably priced with honest family style cooking. Of course, I had duck...my favorite dish! Details:
le Jardin d%26#39;Artemis
34 rue Mouffetard
75005 Paris
01 45 35 17 47
It was a 3 minute walk back to the hotel, where we finally crashed for the night.
Days 2-3 in another post.
Thanks for listening!
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Well i might have seen you, i live five minutes from rue Mouffetard, it is my favourite street in Paris!!
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Raphy,
We have been to Rue Cler, yet this street seemed not so antiseptic..more real, with more diverse cultural influences. I couldn%26#39;t keep my wife out of the shops lol. I will write more about this in my followng posts.
You may have seen me: I was the tourist that screamed %26quot;American%26quot;. HAHA (just kidding of course- TA joke)...I made sure I was dressed head to toe in black so I fit in. The %26quot;funeral%26quot; look isn%26#39;t so bad once one gets used to it! :)
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Ha, that was you!! Oh no :) Anyway i don%26#39;t know the big deal about rue Cler, before this forum i had never ever heard about it. I don%26#39;t think it can be nicer that rue Mouffetard anyway.
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Rue Cler, IMHO, was once an authentic street market. It was made (in)famous by American travel writer, Rick Steves, back in the late 80%26#39;s and early 90%26#39;s. Unfortunately, I think it has become a victim of it%26#39;s own popularity, and the tourists, particularly American tourists, outnumber the locals 4 to 1 on any given day. I think one can find the same experience, without the hoopla, in numerous other street markets throughout Paris that are relatively unknown.
Don%26#39;t get me wrong, I espouse Rick Steves travel philosophy 100%. Just think Rue Cler has become a %26quot;front door%26quot; experience.
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Snavaro - We stayed on a tiny street called Passage des Postes which is on a corner of Rue Mouffetard. We rented a cute little apartment right on the corner. I loved the street and night life there. We ate at a little crepe place just down the block at midnight after a trip to the Tower! I love that neighborhood, there were always musicians playing.
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