Final Days in Paris

On the dawn of my last Monday in Paris, I realized I had not done much shopping and I had a wish list from home! I had wine to find, some foodstuffs, and something strictly Paris! So after a quick stop at a café, I went to the BHV store nearby. I’ve walked by the place several times, but hadn’t really stopped in yet. The place is pretty neat, you can find everything there! There is an amazing section of art supplies, so I picked up a few things for my younger sister. They had many types of oils and pastels, it would have been a paradise for her! I glanced through the racks of clothes, but no one on my list really wanted clothes. It was still interesting to see the fashions there, and the prices seemed pretty reasonable. A few levels up I explored their kitchen section and had found so many fun gadgets that I’ve never seen at home! The few things I saw that my sister would like (she’s picky), weren’t made in France or weren’t very packable! So I moved on to yet another level and found the toys! There are some really neat toys in Europe, I had already picked some things up in a toy store in Tours, but with three nieces it would never be enough! I love wooden toys and they aren’t as easy to find in the US, or as affordable. I found a block set for the youngest niece, and a cute wooden train for the tomboy. I explored the rest of store, even the hardware level. The entire store has pretty much everything that you may need for your home, and it was pretty neat to explore!

Before heading pack to drop off my purchases, I stopped at a vendor near the Pompidou to pick up a few more inexpensive scarves for friends back home. I still had to find something for my sister, so I consulted my friends at OurParis and was directed to the Pylones store, which happened to be down the street. The shop is so adorable!! There are so many household things formed into fanciful and cute items. I had a hard time choosing anything, so I decided to hold off on making a purchase. Instead I went down to the Pantheon and St.Etienne. Unfortunately, I had not consulted my schedule or spreadsheet because I failed to realize that the church would be closed that day! I still had fun exploring the area and looking into some of the shops. I actually found a wine store, Nicolas, and stopped in to pick up some wine to bring home. The salesperson was extremely helpful, especially since I know virtually nothing about wine! All I knew was I needed a nice burgundy wine and a white wine. He helped me pick out something that he thought my family would like, and I could afford! He gave me some tips as to how to pack it before I left,, and wished me a happy remainder of my stay.

I was extremely pleased and happy after my purchases, so I stopped back to drop off the wine and decided to consult my restaurant list for a nice dinner that night. I had decided that I did not want to take my final meal the next night since I had an early flight Wednesday, so my final dinner would be Monday. After checking my list, I decided on the Coude Fou , also right down the street from home. By this time I had realized how amazing my apartment location was, so close to so many great restaurants, stores, and within reach of everything I needed!

I took a short nap since I had time before dinner, and then made the obligatory calls home. I still had time before dinner, so I wandered the neighborhood soaking it all in. I eventually made my way back to Coude Fou and went in for my dinner. It wasn’t very crowded yet, so I was seated immediately and had a great waiter serve me. He helped me pick out a good wine for dinner. I can’t remember what my entrée was, but my plat was absolutely delicious like nothing else! Terrines de canard aux figues….mmmm. It was so tender and pretty much converted this chicken eater, to become strictly duck!

For dessert I head a great crème brulee, with a blueberry topping! To top it all off, I had a nice café noir. The whole dinner lasted awhile, but it was so good that it did not seem slow. It was a very affordable dinner, and very much worth the price. The décor was great too, the walls had murals painted of various scenes, the one I was seated next to was a nautical scene. I was so full that I could barely walk home, but I was so pleased!

The next day, I headed to Pylones to pick up my last gifts, having decided on a doggie cake server and a sugar pourer shaped like a round lady. With my shopping done, I went pack to St.Etienne and the Pantheon. St.Etienne is a beautiful church, a bit of the late gothic style with very intricate stonework one on the choir screen. It was very quiet when I visited, with only a few other people, so it felt like I had the place to myself. The remains of St. Genevieve are said to be held at the church and there is an altar dedicated to her, where even the previous pope had visited.

I went next door, to the Pantheon next, and it is a remarkable difference in styles!! I did enjoy the Pantheon, especially the murals. They were very beautiful and so vibrant! The architecture of the Pantheon is very interesting as well, and the carving on the dome is beautiful. In the crypts, I saw the tombs of several authors and famous people. I made sure to take a picture of Marie Curie’s tomb, because as I told my parents, she is proof that a Polish woman need only marry a French man to be successful!

After visiting the crypts, I decided that I still had time to visit the Jardin des Plantes. Being used to walking by now, I headed over to the garden by foot. I took a path that led me by the river. It was a sunny day, so the walk was very enjoyable so I bought a savory crepe for a quick late lunch. The gardens are very pretty, and done in a different style then some of the others I visited. I first had to see the Menagerie since I always visit zoos wherever I may be. The zoo was only open for a little while more, but I had to see what there was. They had so many neat looking birds, and some exhibits I never saw before. Like the guinea pig and rabbit exhibit! I never saw guinea pigs in a group running around and chasing each other! It was a lot of fun, and I got my cuddly furry creature fix for the day.

Afterwards, I explored the various gardens that were still in bloom. I found some plants I recognized from my parents garden and then others I had never seen! My feet were starting to ache a bit, so I decided to go back home. I hopped on the Metro and was home shortly. I took a nap before trying to pack. I had an extra duffel packed in my main suitcase, so it was not too difficult to pack everything, though I was really worried about my wine.

I made myself dinner with leftover food while I finished packing, and even polished off the wine, I couldn’t let it go to waste! I decided to go to the Eiffel tower for the last time to see it sparkle. One metro ride later, I was back where the adventure had started. I thought about all I had done and all I had seen in my short stay. My first trip to Paris was amazing and I could not have asked for anything better. My planning paid off, and though I worried about being to stiff, it worked out for the best because I was still flexible. I stayed there for two twinkles, and then made my way home for the last time.

The next morning I was supposed to wake up early to make it to the airport two and half hours before my flight, but this time my plans failed me. I was running a little late already when I called my cab. I used the number where they send a nearby cab to your location, and I brought my things down all five flights of stairs!! Unfortunately, after 20 minutes, it still hadn’t shown! I had already locked my apartment and dropped off my key in the mailbox, so I couldn’t get back in. So I resorted to using my cell phone and called another cab, this time using the service that had English operators. This time the cab came quickly, and I was off to the Opera stop for the Roissy Bus. Traffic was horrible though, and I was running REALLY late. Even the bus was really slow, so I was having a major major panic attack. My flight was at 10:00 AM, and I was still stuck in traffic at 8 AM!! I finally made it to the airport at 8:30, and rushed to the terminal. The Swiss Air employee was happy to see me, because he mentioned that very few passengers had arrived and the last chance to check in was 9:20, and by then it was already 9AM! I was just relieved that I wasn’t going to miss my flight! The security line was a bit longer, but no more than 20 minutes. So despite my worrying I had made it to the gate in less than an hour! I wouldn’t recommend anyone trying it, but I was glad to have made it!