Birthday weekend in Paris

I have quoted it many a time, but once more – ‘Paris is always a good idea’!  We visited in 2009 in September when the city was sultry and busy and ever since we have both wanted to return for a slower mooch around, with less need to see the sites and so to just follow our noses and enjoy what takes our fancy!  What better time to visit than to celebrate my birthday – and to be the 3rd of our #Take12Trips challenge!  A collection of un-used Virgin airmiles decided it – as they more than covered the Eurostar return trip from St Pancras!  By the time we got off the train in London a few days later we had been on no less than 25 trains!  Travelling by train to and around Paris definitely makes for an easy and enjoyable trip!

Having allowed for South West Trains delays which are all too common, we were in luck with none and so arrived at St Pancras with time to spare.  As all holidays should, we started our mini-break with a glass of bubbles at Searcy’s Champagne Bar – expensive yes, but very enjoyable also!

We then had lunch in their restaurant as there was a little tapas board which looked tasty and would be prepared quick enough for us to eat before our train departed.  It was indeed tasty, but I wouldn’t go back – the restaurant is not able to cater for dietary requirements.  My smogasboard of meats, hummus, pickles and breads came without bread or hummus as they had dairy in them.  No replacements were offered, the waitress was terribly embarrassed and went to see if anything could be done, but chef didn’t have any ideas how to bulk out the meal… Not ideal.  Tasty but not filling.  No tip! The fizz was nice however!

The train ride over to Paris was the first time I have used Eurostar and it was good fun.  The trains and carriages are definitely in need of some love, it is incredible to think how long the service has now been running – it seems like only yesterday it was new!  In our carriage we had many a Welsh rugby fan.  There were a group of 4 gentlemen sat behind us and they kept us amused for the journey.  Their appointed trip sommelier apologised to his friends profusely as the most expensive wine he had been able to pick up at the station was only £10 and so he was worried about its taste. The appointed catering manager then had to apologise to his chums after he served the sandwiches before the canapés!  Fortunately their weekend improved as Wales won the rugby!  It is noticeable how much faster the train goes on the French side of the tunnel – hardly surprising, but just goes to show how bad our tracks our over here!

Home for the weekend was at a cute and luxury B&B near to Gare du Nord – ELIEL!  The full review can be found over on Boutique Travel Blog.  I’m very glad we stumbled across Sabine’s gorgeous home as it made a real change from staying in a city hotel in the tourist centre of town.

We arrived on the Friday evening but the hour’s time difference with London meant we still had plenty of daylight and sunshine, so we hopped on the Metro up to Montmartre which is a place we visited on our last trip to Paris and wanted to see again!  We didn’t take the funicular on this occasion instead charging up the many steps to the Sacre-Coeur.  We enjoyed an evening tipple sat outside under a rug in the main square watching the portrait artists at work.  Even in winter the place was buzzing and dusk is a lovely time to see it as it quietens down.

For dinner I wanted to return to Le Trobador restaurant but unfortunately it was shut.  Happily however we stumbled across another little place hidden away from the main drag called Chez Plumeau.  We had a tasty meal – Mr P particularly enjoyed his fondue!  We had a funny moment – we thought we had ordered 2 little carafes of wine, what actually appeared was 2 large ones… We took our time over the meal before heading home!

On the Saturday it was a gorgeous sunny day – chilly but sunny.  We made the most of this and after getting the Metro in to near Notre Dame we whiled away the morning with a lot of walking around, seeing sites and generally enjoying being out and about in the city.  There are an incredible amount of armed soldiers and police all across the city, not surprising of course.  As we had seen the main sites before we went to some different places – we found Point Zero (the centre of the city), Dali’s sundial in St Germain and the Shakespeare and Company quirky bookshop.  

I had wanted to enjoy a glass of fizz in Dilettantes – a famous champagne ‘cave’ however they were not very receptive to walk in trade and so we opted for a mooch around the dining streets of St Germain to find somewhere relaxing for lunch instead.  We found a lovely place and enjoyed being sat outside by the heaters – looking like tourists as a result but enjoying a clarinet and trombone recital down the way! All rather relaxing!After lunch we had to head to Hermes!  We really did ‘have’ to as I needed a new watch strap and I bravely swapped from brown to blue.  I particularly liked the little bag that they put my old worn out strap in – I always love a bag!  Not many people in the shop actually shop, it is more of a tourist attraction – it is stunning so it isn’t surprising!

After a power nap mid afternoon we put our walking shoes and winter woollies back on and hit the tarmac again – this time heading up from the Louvre, along the Champs Elysees and across to the Eiffel Tower.  We had never seen these locations in the dark and so it was well worth the evening stroll.  Mr P captured some lovely car scenes stood in the middle of the Champs Elysees – had to be done!  We thought about maybe getting some Laduree macaroons but if the Hermes store was busy with tourists then this place was totally overrun! The Eiffel Tower at night is stunning!  For its size it hides very well until you are very close indeed to it and then it sparkles – extra sparkles on the hour as well!  We dodged all the traders and took a few photos before heading back towards our accommodation and a lovely Thai restaurant just along the way from where we were staying.  What is particularly good about staying a little out of town, or at least away from the tourist spots, is that it is possible to have a delicious dinner for a portion of the price and enjoy having to speak French to order the meal! On the Sunday morning we were up early and headed south on the regional Metro line to the Catacombs.  These were quite incredible – the scale was beyond anything I could have expected.  I hadn’t thought this would be a popular ‘tourist’ attraction but at 10am on a Sunday morning we had to queue (in the sunshine thankfully) for an hour to get in!  The ossuaries hold the remains of 6 million people and fill the tunnels of former stone mines. It is quite an incredible sight.  

We then found ourselves with time on our side having seen and done everything we’d really wanted to do.  So we headed to the Trocadero and enjoyed crepes (lactase has its place occasionally…) before heading into the Maritime Museum which is a fascinating place.  We were surprised to see the Jules Verne trophy in the museum and more surprised on how many acquaintances of ours have won it over the years! The trophy is quite magnificent – the boat shape floats in a magnetic field and is hence suspended mid air in a glass box! Our final little treat of the afternoon was at the Shangri La hotel.  This hotel group is one of my favourite for service and so we chose their lounge to enjoy some champagne and rest our legs!  As expected the service was exemplary and friendly (although we did nearly get taken to the spa rather than the bar) and the lounge was very comfortable and relaxing. Although for £20 a glass one would rather hope so! It rounded off our trip nicely!Mr P planned ahead for our train ride home – a bottle of fizz and a picnic tea!  Thinking quickly as the train pulled out of the station he was on his feet and headed to the buffet car seeking ice cubes and nicer glasses!  We weren’t the only ones to bring our own fizz, the couple in the seat in front of us had also thought ahead, although they were one step ahead on the ice and glass front!

A lovely weekend away – a city-break in Europe is a great thing to do over a winter weekend.  It did get us thinking though, it would be very easy to get to Epernay on the Channel Tunnel with our car… Perhaps it is about time we planned that!

I have linked this post to the #AllAboutFrance travel link up hosted by Lou Messugo.