June 14, 2014 - Paris - Miami - Ft Lauderdale - Day 45

Up at 5:30. 

Taxi pickup at 6:30. 

Arrival at CDG before 7:30. 

Checked in with American by 7:30. 

Thru immigration and security before 8:00. 

In American Airlines Lounge for a coffee and yogurt. 

Onto the plane at 9:00 am. 

Heading back home to Ft Lauderdale before 10:00 am - we left early!

And we arrived back in MIA at 1:30 pm after napping, watching several movies and listening to music.  Tim isn't eating and has already started his indepth diet!  Immigration was so quick - they have new machines for US citizens that make the process so easy.

Our 45 Days in France adventure comes to a close.  What a time we've had:

• 45 days in a country we love
• We both have learned a lot more French and feel more comfortable communicating in French
• Over 7,000 km driven
• Visits to 7 key areas in France:Paris, Borgogne, Provence, Dordogne, Lot, Bordeaux, and Loire
• 1 hotel (2 visits) and 8 B&B's
• A hot-air balloon ride that was a new experience for both of us
• A luminere show in an abandoned cave that was spectacular and unexpected
• A stay in an old castle that was a real highlight of our trip
• A diverse array of tours that were arranged for us - so very informative and educational
• Several pounds gained - neither of us wants to know how much (but Tim has already informed me that we are going on a diet for a month as soon as we get home!)
• Many bottles of wine consumed - and we visited many wineries and tasted many new wines - we feel much more knowledgeable about French wines now

I guess we passed the "Bill Murray" test - we travelled for 45 days together, didn't kill each other, and want to do it again!  (Bill Murray is a US comedian and he told a couple who were planning to get married that they should travel together out of the country for 30 days first and if they still liked each other at the end, then, and only then, should they get married.  We passed his test!)

So now to plan the next adventure - France (Brittany, Normandy, Champagne, Alsace, Lorraine), Italy, and Switzerland are places we are discussing.

THANKS again to Emilie at "France Just For You" for planning such a grand adventure for us.  Each day was different and new and she hit on so many things that we adored.  A memorable trip for both of us.

Life is so Great!

FIN

June 13, 2014 - Paris - Reims - Day 44

I woke up early to check my email.  Emilie confirmed that the trains are cancelled as they are still having many strikes in France.  I don't want to risk getting there and not being able to get back.  So Emilie found us a car with Sixt Car Rental - not inexpensive, but at least we'll get to go to Reims.

We went to Starbucks for coffee and then to Gare de Lyon.  We easily found Sixt and got our car and were on our way.  We had an integrated GPS in the car but it took us north to Charles de Gaulle Airport - I thought this was way out of the way to Reims but little do I know about the roads.  This became evident later.

It took us over 2 hours to get to Reims and there was a good bit of traffic.  I couldn't believe that there wasn't a big highway from Paris to Reims (more on this later).  Tim drove - thank goodness.  We found a parking garage at the Cathedral and spent time walking around and looking at it.  All but 2 of the Kings of France were crowned at this cathedral.  It has a rich history as it was bombed in the World Wars - but it is stunning and beautiful.  Restoration work is still underway on the outside, but we enjoyed the visit.

The front of the Reims Cathedral

Beautiful carved statues around the entry way

Beautiful stained glass

An awesome sight - the Reims Cathedral

Stained glass - the middle panel tells the story of the champagne making process in Champagne

The Chagall windows in the Reims Cathedral

Replica of the Reims Cathedral on display

Awesome sights inside throughout

The small organ in the Reims Cathedral

Outside on the side - in many ways I like this cathedral more than Notre Dame in Paris

The museum next to the Reims Cathedral

The back of the Reims Cathedral with the Chagall windows

 

We walked around Reims for a while and then had a light snack for lunch.  Big dinner planned for tonight.

We retrieved the car and went to Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin for our tour at 2 pm.  Our guide was excellent and told us a lot about Madame Clicquot.  Veuve means "widow" as her husband who took over the winery from his father had died and she took over the business and improved it.  There is quite a "branding" approach to Madame Clicquot.  The tour was excellent - and lasted 1 1/2 hours.  Then we got to sample of glass of the Grand Dame champagne.  It was so good.

The winery garden at Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

Our guide was excellent - he made Madame Clicquot into quite a character

There are almost domed 500 crayeres where the chalk had been mined - now all connected and turned into the caves for the vintners.  People lived here during the wars.

All bottles of Veuve Clicquot are stored in these caves for years before labeling and shipping

After 40 years of service, employees are allowed to chose a "crayere" and their name is mounted on the wall. This employee, Albert Leriche, was an employee for 52 years and he had Crayere #5.

They had the "best years" for champagne on a walkway.  1947 was highlighted as one of the "best of the best"!

Our guide at the wine tasting.  He explained the kinds of glasses to use and how to open champagne - different that what I've been doing.  Also, it should "whisper" not pop (even though he admitted that popping is a lot more fun!).

A map of the "champagne region" - we actually didn't see ANY vineyards in Reims!

Tim was anxious to get back to Paris so we got in the car and turned on "Samantha" - the new GPS.  She started taking us a different way and that's when I saw that there was a peage to Paris.  I discovered that the GPS had been set to 'avoid toll roads' so this morning it took us the 'back way'.  Tim was pissed.  But I corrected the GPS and off we went on the peage back to Paris.  It cut the trip in half to the city and that made him happy!

Traffic was heavier leaving Paris than going into Paris.  I had thought we should get petrol on the peage where it is easy but Tim wanted to get it when we were back in Paris.  That turned out to be a big mistake.  We made it into the city and had trouble finding a petrol station.  It took over an hour and a half to fill up the car.  The first station wouldn't take my credit card - debit cards with chips only.  The second didn't sell diesel.  The third said his pump wasn't working (Tim didn't believe him and was furious!).  And we started out to find a fourth, but I decided it would be best to find the Total Station from the other day.  Samantha failed us!  Where is that lawyer with the GPS when we need him????Tim swore the Total station was on the right bank but I knew it was on the Left Bank and I directed us right there.  Whew!  

We filled up and then the nightmare to get to Gare de Lyon at 5:30 pm on a Friday afternoon with strikes began.  The traffic was awful.  It took a while but we got there.  I thought we were going to take out a couple of motorcycles and bikes on the way but we actually never moved that fast!  All a creep to the station.  We also ran into 2 diversions - what else could have gone wrong?

We got into the garage to drop off the car.  The agent couldn't pull up our contract on his computer so he wrote things down on a piece of paper and we had to take it to the office to complete the contract.  The LINE at the Sixt counter was out of the door with people trying to rent cars due to the strike.  Tim went and had a coffee while I waiting in line.  Took about 30 minutes but I got it all done and then we were on our way back to the hotel.  At least having the car allowed us to see Reims, the cathedral, and Veuve Clicquot.

After the grueling traffic, we stopped to get another bottle of wine for happy hour today as we needed it.  We enjoyed that in our room today as it was air conditioned and it was almost 90 in Paris today, so we stayed cool.

About 8 we left for Chez Omar, a Moroccan restaurant that Al Stewart had recommended.  We got there before the rush hour for dinner and got a prime table on the street.  It was very good and tasty.  Chicken and Lamb with couscous.  Chez Omar is in the Haut-Marais - an upcoming neighborhood.  It was packed and we enjoyed it a lot.  We both ate too much though - but what's new.

About 10:30 we walked back to the Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais and finished packing.  Things are really tight in the bags since we are each taking 2 bottles of wine back.  I'm just hopeful that Tim's 1965 bottle of wine will make it home.

Off to bed - up very early for a 6:30 taxi pickup to go to Charles de Gaulle Airport.  Our last day of this adventure.

June 12, 2014 - Paris - St Germain des Pres - Day 43

We slept until after 9.  My ankles were not as swollen as last night but I decided to go on the Rx I had purchased in Loches as my feet are not recovering as they should.  Uh oh - there are no instructions in the box on when to take the medicine.  And everything is in French, but I'm sure it doesn't say WHEN to take it.

We had coffee at Starbucks as Tim needed his triple shot "fix".  Then we went to a pharmacy.  I explained my problem to her in French and she shook her head that she understood.  She started looking up the medication on the internet (geez - I could have done this).  And then she spoke to me in perfect English.  She told me that I could take 9 at a time!!!!  I don't think so.  I'll do what I did in the US, thank you very much.

We followed the tour that Emilie had planned for us - In Hemingway's Footsteps.  We left the Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais and walked across the Seine.  One of the bridges has the locks put there by lovers to show ever-lasting love.  The railings were completely full now.

The "lover's locks" on a bridge near Notre Dame.  The bridge railings are completely full and now there is no room for any other locks - they are adding bike locks to put on new locks!

 

We followed Emilie's map and walked not far from the Sorbonne to a place where Hemingway and his wife lived.  Then we stopped in a small park where we are sure he walked - it was beautiful and we stopped to enjoy the site.

 

 

Then to the Pantheon which is under construction (again) - we decided not to tour it today.  We understand that Victor Hugo is buried here.  I though the dome looked like a big thermos!

The Pantheon with the dome covered for renovations - amazing how much is under construction in Paris

Then to the Luxembourg Gardens where again we stopped to people watch and enjoy the flowers and gardens.

The beautiful Luxembourg Gardens

Luxembourg Palace

A replica of the Statue of Liberty in Luxembourg Gardens

My feet were hurting again so we stopped frequently for a rest.  We walked to where Gertrude Stein lived and where Hemingway visited she and Alice B. Toklas.  Took pictures of Tim checking it out . . .

Tim checking out Gertrude Stein's former home in St Germain des Pres

Plaque commemorating the residence of Gertrude Stein, and American writer

Then to St Germain des Pres and lunch at sidewalk café.  On the way, we passed a huge number of gendarme in riot gear holding back a crowd of protesters.    I took a picture discretely as we passed the "barricade" . . .

Police in riot gear blocking an entry road onto St Germain des Pres - we walked right thru the barricade!

We stopped for lunch on the Blvd St Germain des Pres and it was good.  As we were finishing up, the protest arrived with police in riot gear, smoke going everywhere, chanting, and singing.  I looked at Tim when he started singing out loud - "Red, the color of Desire, Black, the color of Despair", and then "the Barricade" song from Les Miserables.  I broke out in laugher with such a scene - a real protest by the people of France in front of us and he's singing Les Miserables!!!!  Is this for real?

The protestors with riot police surrounding them . . .

The long procession with flags, chants, singing, lots of police . . .

and more protestors . . .

and then the flares and smoke that completely filled Blvd St Germain des Pres - and we are in the middle of it all - exciting!  Oh how the French love to strike and protest!

After all of the excitement, we paid our bill and headed to the Metro and went to Concorde.  I thought Tim walked to walk in the Tuileries, but he had other plans.  We had to find an Apple store so he could get an adapter for his iPhone to charge using French electrical plugs.  There is an Apple store in the mall under the Louvre plaza!  I asked the receptionist where it was and she directed us right to it.  Mission accomplished - he got his adaptor.  We then stopped for a coffee and to rest my feet and then went back to the hotel by the beautiful Hotel de Ville. 

The Paris Hotel de Ville

Unfortunately, I decided that we should go to the restaurant where we want to eat tonight to get a reservation.  No one was there.  So we called and I made a reservation using French - very proud of myself.  It worked.  And when we arrived there later this night, we actually had a reservation.  But I'm going to start doing Monsieur Laurent instead of Monsieur Burnette - they just don't get Burnette and it is difficult for me to spell it in French!

We rested at the hotel and then took a bottle of wine over to the Seine for happy hour.  We went to the Quai de Bourbon and joined hundreds of "twenty-somethings" having happy hour there too.  We enjoyed our wine and watching the boats going up and down the Seine.  A memorable time.  This was really fun for us!

Our view during "bonne heure" at the Quai de Bourbon on the Seine

Another view from our happy hour spot on the Seine

A selfie for happy hour wine and nuts!

Many people go to this Quai for drinks or dinner - a beautiful spot and memorable for us!

We stopped by the hotel to drop off the back pack with our happy hour supplies - and then we walked around Le Marais for a while and then went to the restaurant Des Gar et La Cuisine - it was really good, although a little warm (no French word for warm), so it was really hot!  We enjoyed talking to an Australian couple at the next table.

We finished about 10:30 and went back to the hotel.  Emilie sent me a note - our trains are cancelled for tomorrow - so instead of trying to reschedule and get there and maybe not get back, we are going to try to rent a car and drive ourselves there and back.  James, we have been missing you!!!  Emilie will let us know if this is possible tomorrow morning early.

I took my medication for my feet and off to bed.  One last busy day - in Reims hopefully - tomorrow.

 

 

 

June 11, 2014 - Loches - Blois - Paris - Day 42

It was finally a comfortable night's sleep - it cooled off outside.  The B&B has no AC so we rely on breezes through our rooms for cooling.

We had a small "petit dejeuner" with Jerome - he wanted us to have a GRAND one for our last day with fresh goat cheese, but we resisted.  Guignon (not sure of the spelling) joined us at breakfast - he is a curious dog as he loves to hold his head over the fire in the fire place.

Guignon enjoying the fire in the fireplace during our last breakfast in Loches

We packed the car and walked through Loches one last time to the marche.  I was surprised Tim wanted to go but this time he didn't have to maneuver through traffic since we were already parked.

We headed to Blois, easily found a park at the Chateau parking and took the tour.  We loved the tour and the displays in the chateau.

The back side of the Chateau Blois

Entry side of the Chateau Blois

Beautiful carved stone at the entry to Chateau Blois

The inner courtyard at Chateau Blois

Tim acting very "kingish" at Chateau Blois

I had to try my hand at being King (for a minute) too!

Beautiful fireplaces and painted ceilings

Fabulous hall with tile floors, beautiful walls and ceilings and portraits (a la Beauregard!)

A wonderful wood paneled study with hand carved wooden panels

The Kings bed - or was it the Queen's?  I think this is the room where Catherine deMedici died

The chapel as seen from the Chateau Blois

A strange sight - this was the Magic Musee - and they had dragons coming out of the windows.

We decided not to do the tour there and opted for lunch instead!

We walked around the city a bit - there is a huge pedestrian walking area with lots of shopping.  We stopped and had a great lunch outside - pizza, pasta, and salad with some wine.  We then walked to the large cathedral.

The cathedral in Blois

Front of the Blois cathedral

We got our car and headed the final 2 hours to Paris.  We had planned to arrive about 3 to beat the rush-hour traffic.  James (the GPS) got us through the traffic and I think I had only 3 or 4 heart attacks - I was glad Tim was driving.  We only almost took out 2 or 3 old ladies and a few bicycles and motor scooters!!!!  Death defying!  But we made it.

James took us to the Caron de Beaumarchais in the Marais and fortunately the loading zone out front was open so we unloaded all of the luggage and left it in the lobby while we returned the car.  But we needed to gas the car up first.  That was an adventure of its own.  We set James to find us a gas station and most were in the opposite direction. We set one for Total (they have always accepted our credit card) that was about 1 km away.  Oh my - it was Mr. Toad's Wild Ride all over again.  I just knew that we had hit this old lady that stepped out in front of the car but Tim screeched it to stop just in time and she didn't even look.  Whew.  Well, the gas station was exactly where we had just arrived into Paris but the petrol station was INSIDE a parking garage.  We did a U-Turn (I still don't know how he did that) and got to the pump and filled up.

Then to Gare de Lyon.  Well, Tim missed a turn on the GPS, but it was actually good that he did.  The detour showed us where the ONE entrance to the Enterprise Rental Car return was.  And it was on Level -5 - with little teeny, weeny turns for our car - I just knew we were going to scrape the sides but we didn't.  We got to Level -5. parked the car, put James in his carrying case, got the km reading, recorded the parking space and went upstairs to turn in the keys.  We were glad that no one was in the garage to see how dirty the car was.  The attendant took the contract, the keys, and James.   I showed him where the car was and the km reading and the petrol was full - and we left.  I couldn't believe it.  No checking the car together or nothing.  So long James - it was a grand time!

We left and walked into Gare de Lyon - and it was chaos.  The trains are on strike and there were people everywhere.  We found the Metro station and took a train back to St Paul and walked to our hotel - about 2-3 blocks.  We checked in and I took a much needed nap to rest my nerves after Mr. Toad's Wild Ride!

Al Stewart came to our hotel at 6:30 and we had 2 bottles of wine in the little café downstairs.  The woman at the hotel had been so nice to set out 3 wine glasses for us and we had a good time enjoying the French wine and catching up.

At 8 pm we headed to the restaurant that was just around the corner and it was delicious.  Tim had another fois gras burger and I had fish. 

Al walked us around Le Marais and made several restaurant recommendations for the next 2 nights.  My feet were killing me by the time we got back to Al's place.  We bid him good night and headed one block to the Hotel Caron de Beaumarchais and went straight to bed.  Tim commented on my feet and ankles being so swollen so we propped them up for the night.  Tomorrow, I'm going back on the good medicines to knock this foot and ankle problem out so I can enjoy Paris and Reims.  We both went straight to sleep.