A Return to Versailles.

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Sunday March 13, 2011

It was a fun and busy day, though tinged with a bit of sadness knowing that it was our last full day in France. We began with a walk to a patisserie near the Moulin Rouge, where we all picked out some delightful treats for breakfast. We then walked across the street to a Starbucks (a rare treat for Desmond) and we sat outside enjoying our petit dejeuner and our view of the street. It was already busy with tourists and locals scurrying about. 

Not a bad view at breakfast.

A view of Boulevard de Clichy from Starbucks.

We boarded the Metro at a stop nearby, and were soon on our way to Versailles. Jennifer got a kick out her first-ever subway ride. The double-decker train we switched to at the end of the Metro line gave us some interesting views during the 45 - minute ride to Versailles. We were treated to an impromptu accordion serenade on the way, and dropped a few coins into the musician's cup in thanks. 

                                                                                                                                                      

                                            

Once off the train, we simply followed the crowd to Versailles, but were dismayed at the enormously long line for admission. We turned back toward town, where we found a wonderful cafe in which we had a delicious lunch. Des ordered the lamb chops, Jennifer and I each had the braised chicken, while Craig enjoyed his veal which was smothered in a mushroom-cream sauce. Jennifer experienced another first - a Kir Royale, which she found to be delightful. 

Returning to the Chateau, we found the lines to be much shorter, and soon we were wandering around the opulent palace. The stunning Hall of Mirrors, the Music Hall, and the other amazing rooms we visited were a feast for the eyes.  It was very crowded, and at times we feared becoming separated in the throng. It was a relief when we finally went outside onto the grounds. By that time, we all had tired feet, so we willingly shelled out the extra cash for a tram ride around the magnificently landscaped parc and down toward Marie Antoinette's little palace. We were too tired even to peek inside. We left Versailles soon after and made it back to the center of Paris by dinnertime. We had planned to walk around a bit to scout out a good restaurant, but settled instead on the nearby Flunch. It was fun and interesting, especially for Jennifer, who had never before eaten there. 

It was hard to believe our visit had come to an end! Jennifer would stay on for a while, and accompany her brother to Orléans, where she would enjoy her time spent in getting to know the town. I have no idea when my next visit will occur, but I am already thinking of the future.

There is so much to see beyond the golden gates of Versailles.

Tired tourist feet.

TRAVEL TIP: When visiting a museum or other large space, first designate an area where you can all meet if anyone becomes separated from the group.

A Visitor Arrives!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Saturday, March 12, 2011

What a busy day this was! We awoke at 5:00 AM so that we could make it to CDG in plenty of time to meet Jennifer's plane. This would be her first trip to France, and she was very happy to be able to see her brother and enjoy a memorable vacation. It was so good to see Jennifer's smiling face when she arrived. She looked so fresh and pretty and awake! It was hard to believe that she had been traveling for almost 20 hours. 

We headed back to the hotel right away, so Jennifer could drop off her cases. We then began to walk in the direction of the Seine, though first stopping to introduce Jennifer to real French pastries. She happily enjoyed the pain au chocolat while I nibbled on three flavors of mini-macarons. Craig chose an eclair, but Des wasn't really hungry. Leaving the patisserie, we soon found the river, and Jennifer was thrilled at her first sight of the Seine and the Eiffel Tower! We boarded a Batobus for a tour on the Seine, and I enjoyed watching the expression on Jennifer's face as she gazed, enthralled, at the fabulous architecture.

Such a lovely view. 

We hopped off the boat at the Eiffel Tower, where we purchased crepes at a little stand. They were actually pretty good, and of course Jennifer got a kick out of it. Just sitting on a bench as we ate, looking at our surroundings, was a thrill. 

Then, it was back on the boat to head toward our next stop - Notre Dame.  It was magnificent - especially those glorious stained glass windows.

 

Notre dame as seen from the boat.

Jennifer and Craig in front of Notre Dame.

Our next stop was the Louvre. The line at the entrance was horribly long. We couldn't even get down to the basement gift shop, so we turned away, disappointed. All of us were beginning to feel a bit tired, anyway so we hailed a taxi to return to the hotel for a brief rest.  

After our batteries were recharged, we set out to explore, visiting a few shops before deciding on a cafe for dinner. We had a very pleasant meal at the Cafe de Luna where we were seated next to a window overlooking the busy street. Our meals were tasty, and we all enjoyed the mousse au chocolat and the creme brulee for dessert. The following day would be our last full day in France, and Craig and I were feeling a bit sad.

Mousse au chocolat and creme brulee - who could resist?

Au Revoir, Orléans; Bonjour, Paris!

The holidays are over, Desmond has returned to France, and all of us are getting back into the routine of everyday life. The following story is from March 2011, as I continue to chronicle my past journal entries into this blog. 

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: March 11, 2011

Our time here in France was speeding by. We checked out of the Jackotel, stowed our luggage in Desmond's apartment, and went shopping. Des was at work, so Craig and I were on our own. We wandered in and out of the quaint shops in Orléans, purchasing treasures to take home. At midday, we found a little place for lunch on a backstreet near Halles Chatelet. It turned out to be a sports bar, complete with numerous screens showing sports events and with many spectators/bettors; all men. I was the only woman in the place, excluding the waitresses. There was no menu board, and we struggled a bit to explain that we simply wanted a sandwich and a soft drink. A man came over to help us, saying "I speak English", but honestly, I think those WERE the only English words he knew. He somehow managed to convey that he thought I was beautiful and that Craig's mustache was crooked. To our great relief, he was soon led away by another customer.

We returned to Desmond's place and found that he had not yet eaten. We accompanied him to a sandwich shop, where Craig and I enjoyed pastries while the our son had lunch. I tried my first macaron, which was crazy good, and Craig had a luscious strawberries and cream tart.

It's time to leave Orleans again.

Then it was time for Desmond to pack. We made it to the train station with twenty minutes to spare, and even though the train was a long one, we were unable to find any empty seats. We stood for quite a while, until at last someone disembarked at Etampe. Upon arriving in Paris, we soon located our hotel, the Ibis Montmartre. The room is good-sized and has a bathroom that we can actually move around in. We look forward to sightseeing tomorrow. 

Oops!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Thursday, March 10, 2011

Craig and I had planned to arise early for a day trip to Chambord, since Desmond would be at work all day, but I had forgotten to set the alarm. With the shutters closed, our room was quite dark and we didn't wake until 11:00! We were very disappointed, but set out to make the most of our extra day in Orléans. 

We decided to do a bit of shopping and took the tram across town to Auchan. There, we ate lunch at Flunch, which is next door to the mega-market. We managed to order without holding up the line too badly. I like the way you can choose your salad, main course, and dessert and then have as many side dishes as you wish. No one ever goes away hungry! 

In Auchan, we wandered the aisles, looking for items to take back to the U.S. I found some wonderful scented soaps and a fabulous tea that was soon to become my favorite. We also put together a tool box for Des. He didn't own even the most basic of household tools and was badly in need of those things. 

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped in at the wonderful little bakery at Halles Chatelet and picked up some pastries to enjoy with our afternoon coffee. The caramel eclair I chose was one of the best pastries I have ever tasted! Craig liked it, too, and he also ate a bouchon, which was like a baba au rhum without the custard. Why can't we find such delights back home? 

What to choose?

After Desmond was finished with work for the day, his friend Mathieu picked us up. We crowded into Matt's little car for the two-hour drive to Bitry, where we would have dinner with his family. This was something we were very much looking forward to, as we had dined with them in the past and had a wonderful time. 

It was twilight when we arrived. We were immediately greeted by two very enthusiastic Boxer dogs. We had met Roxy on our previous visit, and were now being introduced to her half-grown pup, Rouky. Mathieu's parents, Muriel and Thierry, and younger brother Gregoire were soon welcoming us back into their home. After greetings and kisses all around, we were ushered into the dining room, where the table was set with a beautiful floral arrangement surrounded by charming accents of wooden mushrooms and nuts. The meal began with champagne which was mixed with a green apple liqueur. This was something I had never tried before and I really liked it. We nibbled from small dishes of cashews, olives, crackers, and some hot, delicious little puff pastry appetizers which were filled with a variety of flavors from tomato to salmon. 

Thierry pours the wine as we begin our delightful meal.

We had begun a lively discussion of the days events as we moved on to the next course. A large tureen of Pot au Feu was brought to the table. Muriel ladled up servings of vegetables in a rich, beef broth fragrant with herbs. As before, a different wine was served with almost every course. We slowly savored our soup as we talked and told them of our misfortune of having overslept and missed our trip to the castle.

Next, Thierry brought out from the kitchen a large platter of the tender beef which had been cooked with the vegetables. This was served with a flavorful, dark rustic bread, honey mustard, and fresh butter from Brittany. It was scrumptious! I really didn't feel that I could eat another bite when the cheese course was served. Since I am supposed to limit my intake of dairy products, I only nibbled a tiny bit of the cheese, but Craig certainly enjoyed it. 

It's cheese feast!

Last, but certainly not least, Mathieu came walking into the room with a lovely raspberry-cream cake which had a candle stuck in the center! Everyone began to sing "Happy Birthday" to Craig, much to his surprise. Our travel day had been his birthday, so we had not had a chance to celebrate it, and he was touched by their thoughtful gesture. They had gifts for both of us - a bottle of Muscat, a cute pizza serving set, and a huge bag of walnuts from their own tree; a tree which they had brought from Brittany years ago. Those were the best-tasting walnuts ever!

It was as delicious as it was beautiful!

It was such a wonderful evening, and we will never forget the warmth and hospitality shown to us. I am grateful that Desmond and Mathieu translated so well and so rapidly for all of us. Our conversation had flowed very smoothly, and it seemed as if we were all speaking the same language. 

RECIPE: Here is a version of Pot au Feu made in a crock pot.
  

A Lazy Day

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Wednesday, March 9, 2011

We had a great day, though we didn't really do all that much in the way of "touristy" stuff. Desmond had to work that morning, so Craig and I slept late, had breakfast of - what else - pastries and coffee, and then walked over to Carrefour to do some shopping. We meandered around the mall until it was time for lunch, and just grabbed a couple of sandwiches at a little place there. 

Rue de la Republique, across from Carrefour in Orleans, France.

Des met us at the hotel in early afternoon and we accompanied him back to Carrefour so that he could shop for the dinner that he was preparing for us that evening. returning to the apartment, the three of chatted for a while over snacks and drinks. Des and Craig then left for an excursion to a cat shelter across town. I remained behind so that I could make some phone calls home and check my email. At the rescue shelter, a very beautiful, blue-eyed cat named Azur chose Desmond, climbing into his lap as if to say "I'm yours!"  How could he resist?  I was sorry that I would not get to meet Azur, as he had to remain at the shelter for a few more days. Craig had taped a video of the cat and the shelter, so at least I got to see what he looks like.

Yes, I photograph doors.

Dinner was an enjoyable meal. It was a raclettes party! Antoine joined us and we really had fun. The raclettes machine is a table-top oven into which small skillets heaped with cheese are placed. The top of the oven is used to warm the cooked potatoes. The bubbly, melted cheese is then poured over a plate of potatoes and charcuterie, or deli meat, with a side of cornichons, which are tangy little pickles. Some people like to also add a cooked egg to their dish. It's a casual and very social way to dine, somewhat like a fondue party, and is popular in France, Switzerland, and Belgium. 

The raclettes oven. Try it if you get the chance!

We played Pit after dinner, which is a very noisy card-trading game. The French are somewhat reserved, and I was afraid that this rowdy game might be a bit much for Antoine. He enjoyed it, and thanks to the thick stone walls of the apartment, we didn't upset any neighbors! 

We're Back!

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Tuesday March 8, 2011

We arrived in Orléans from Bretagne on Tuesday. It had been a long travel day, but we soon felt very much at home. It was good to see familiar places. Not much had changed in the two years since our first visit. Our train trip today was beautiful. It was another gorgeous, sunny day. Craig and I felt awake and alert. Jet-lag gone! 

We had begun our morning the usual way - with delightful pastries. Craig chose a baba au rhum topped with fruit, Desmond enjoyed another beignet, while I tried something new. It was called a paille, which means "straw", and it did resemble straw a bit, with its light, crisp, almost hollow layers. Sandwiched in the middle was a layer of raspberry jam. It was very tasty!

Our petit déjeuner.

Craig and Desmond in the square 
outside the hotel in Carnac, France.

After breakfast, we checked out of the hotel and shopped a bit for some little souvenirs before calling a taxi to take us to the train depot in Auray. I enjoyed the incredibly scenic views of the French countryside as the train sped to Paris. We passed many quaint villages and farms, and cattle-studded fields intersected by lively streams. We saw at least three small chateaux, which were very picturesque. We had stored some of our luggage at Gare Montparnasse, the train depot in Paris, so we picked it up, and then hailed another taxi to Gare d'Austerlitz, and boarded the train which would take us to Orléans. A quick taxi ride later, we were at the hotel. Whew!

Our hotel of choice this time was the Jackotel, which was located a mere three-minute walk from Desmond's apartment in the ancient part of town near the Loire. The hotel had a rustic charm and the staff were friendly, though not one of them spoke English. We were certain we could muddle through.

Our cozy room at Hôtel Jackotel.

The ancient church of St. Aignan, is just across from the hotel.

That night we ate kebab sandwiches and hot, crisp fries at Le Grec Gourmand. The food was plentiful and inexpensive. We were a bit worn out from traveling and were soon ready to return to our cozy hotel.

The Mysterious Alignments of Carnac

Pages from Jan's Travel Journal: Monday, March 7, 2011

No fair! I awoke with a migraine. What a rough start to the day. I was very glad to have some decent medication. While I waited for the meds to kick in, Craig and Desmond walked over to a nearby bakery and returned with wonderful pastries for breakfast. Des and I shared a couple of beignets - one chocolate, one raspberry - and they were a delight. Craig had his usual apple pastry, which he said was exceptionally good. We took our time getting ready for the day, and it was mid-morning before we finally left the hotel.

We set out on the nearly two-mile walk to the site of the Alignments of Carnac. It was another gorgeous, sunny day, though a bit brisk at first. The standing stones were simply astonishing. Even after thousands of years, they are still shrouded in mystery. Thousands of the megaliths stood in rows, as if they were marching down to the sea. There is a legend that these are Roman soldiers turned to stone by Merlin. Since it was early in the season, we understood that we could actually have entry into the fenced area which encircles the menhirs. All we needed to do was locate the gates marked with small flags. We were never able to find those special entrances, but that did not stop us from enjoying the spectacular views of the ancient stones. They are definitely awe-inspiring.

The Alignments of Carnac, Brittany, France. Definitely worth a visit.

Many of the boulders are over 10 feet tall.

We found the visitors center to be very interesting. There we learned the theory of how the enormous boulders that make up the Alignments might have been put into place. There was also a large map that detailed the layout of the megaliths, which are a prominent feature of the landscape for miles. We witnessed a strange sight as we were coming out of the gift shop. It was a long column of fuzzy caterpillars, crawling nose-to-tail across the parking lot. It must have been at least 15 feet long where it disappeared into the grass. I later learned that this type of caterpillar can cause a burning rash if handled. Oh, and I just love the French word for caterpillar. It's chenille!

A long line of chenilles.

After a time, we were becoming hungry and a bit tired. We had seen signs for a creperie up ahead, but were disappointed to find that it was closed. We walked back into town and purchased some sandwiches made with fresh baguettes from the bakery across the square. They were wonderful. And so was my dessert of a delightful coffee eclair! We played cards in our hotel room for a while after lunch. We had brought "Pit" from home, which Desmond was unfamiliar with, and he really enjoyed it, so we gave him the game to keep.

For dinner that evening, we had planned to go out for pizza. We arrived at the restaurant only to discover that it was closed. We had seen another pizzeria around the corner, but soon found that it was closed as well. We began to walk the picturesque, cobblestone streets in search of any open restaurant, and finally found a tiny brasserie that looked promising. It was a charming little place, very narrow, with just a few small tables and a little bar. There was jazz playing softly. The menu was small, but we made our selections of grilled duck breast for Desmond and filet from Normandy for Craig and myself, which the waiter assured us, with a kiss of his fingers, was sublime. The beef was served with a tasty green-peppercorn sauce, fried potatoes, and an interesting salad with a horseradish dressing. We also enjoyed some wine with our meal. It was indeed a delicious and memorable feast. Tuesday, we would leave Carnac, but it had been a treat to visit this delightful seaside village.

A farm cart in a field near Carnac, France.

Travel Tip: Keep a travel journal, even if all you have time for is a brief outline of what you have seen and done. It will help jog your memory later. Jet lag can steal those memories if you don't have a record of them, and photos aren't enough.