A Brief Stay In Paris: The Journey Begins
If like me you’re a lover of train travel, a trip on Eurostar always feels special. Maybe it’s something to do with us Brits being islanders, but the very thought of boarding a train in one country and leaving it in another is one which is full of excitement and possibly even romance. However we’re just a little bit gutted to find we’ve been allocated the only seats in the carriage which aren’t next to a window – somewhat bizarrely, this is the THIRD successive Eurostar trip where this has happened. Given that there’s 90-odd seats in a carriage we are either seriously unlucky or we’re missing the clues when we book on the website.
An outdated video plays on a loop on the carriage screens, informing us rather belatedly that there is a pandemic on the loose, including the fact that it is compulsory to wear masks on board (it isn’t), that social distancing is enforced during boarding (it’s not), that there is hand sanitiser provided in the carriage (there’s none) and that a specialist cleaning service is ongoing during the journey (there isn’t one). We can’t help but think that somebody somewhere needs to update the video content.
No matter: Paris is its wonderful self from the moment we step out on to the streets of the Bastille neighbourhood which is our base for this brief visit. There’s just something unique about Paris, an almost tangible set of characteristics which combine to make it welcoming, engaging and instantly recognisable.
It’s all here straight away: corner cafes with tables and chairs facing out into the street, maroon coloured awnings above inviting bistros, wicker chairs saying “sit here and drink beer”, white aproned waiters jinking between tables while balancing impossibly loaded trays. Traffic hums, sirens wail, an ageing busker entertains the crowds with tunes on his squeezebox. It takes just a matter of minutes, literally, for us to feel the full joy of the Paris vibe. We love it here, we always will.
Paris this time is really only our launch pad for the trip ahead of us: we are here for less than 48 hours with only one full day to reacquaint ourselves with this enchanting, enthralling city. We’ve heard so many people say they don’t like Paris and yet we ourselves cannot fathom why that would be so, what’s not to love about it, guys?
With limited time here, we opt not to seek out any new experiences but rather to simply revisit a handful of Paris’s major attractions, starting with a walk from our Bastille base up to the Seine and along the Rive Gauche to Saint Michel, bracing ourselves as we approach the damaged Notre Dame for the first time since the dreadful fire.
Gratifyingly there is an obstinate pride about the ravaged building, its iconic towers surrounded by tower cranes, its new timbers exposed and its skeletal shape protected by temporary roofing. Hoarding around the site is an open air museum telling the story of the rebuilding project, a step by step guide to everything from clearance of debris to heavy construction to painstaking restoration of artworks and statues, every step faithful to the original design. Each word tells us that the project is being completed in the right way: let’s hope so.
From Notre Dame we make our way, almost inevitably, to the Sacre Coeur and to Montmartre. The splendour of the former can never be compromised, with its towering interior, magnificent mosaics and stained glass windows, and its whole sense of hilltop majesty, but Montmartre has seen changes and has become a slightly different place. The seating of canopy covered restaurants has expanded to cover most of the central square where traditionally a multitude of artists were absorbed in creativity.
Now, their numbers lessened and their pitch pushed to the periphery, the remaining artists sketch the faces of willing tourists rather than create images of landscapes and cottages. One way and another the commercial tourist dollar has won its battle against artistic talent: Montmartre is still lovely but not quite the bohemian enclave which it once was.
If the intention is to fill our brief time here with the most iconic sites then of course we have to take in the Eiffel Tower. To our surprise, the entire park in which the tower sits is now fenced off and visitors must pass through security gates to gain entry, a hardcore sign of the changing times in which we live. The Tour Eiffel is as popular as ever though, the thronging crowds eager to snap their obligatory photographs before the looming dark clouds turn to rain.
In these first 48 hours we’ve managed to consume croissant, quiche, brie, a crepe suzette complete with Grand Marnier, steak-frites and, naturally, a few glasses of Bordeaux – stereotypical French hallmarks coming in by the bucketload.
Being in the Bastille/Gare de Lyon neighbourhood is pretty damned splendid – cafes and restaurants abound and everything which is typically Parisian is on the doorstep. We start our second evening here with drinks at “La Fée Verte”, (The Green Fairy), a quirky little bar which specialises in serving absinthe – a drink which is illegal in numerous countries but thrives in this entertaining corner of the world. We don’t “do” absinthe this time, having indulged on a previous visit, but watching the clientele go through the ritual performance of preparing the drink in these throwback surroundings is a fascination in itself.
Tuesday evening brings the first thunderstorm of the trip, rain pouring from the awnings and pounding the streets, leaving them awash in minutes. Hurried souls dash between doorways holding anything from brief cases to plastic bags over their heads, feet splashing in the gathering puddles. By morning all is gone and the sky is blue as we prepare to make our way to the train station and say goodbye to this magical city, the sunshine hopefully a foretaste of our Mediterranean summer.
The journey begins.
28 Comments
Toonsarah
Everything here epitomises why I too love Paris! The pavement cafes, the iconic sights, the buzz on its boulevards 😀 But yes, it is possible to see on the Eurostar website whether seats are next to a window or not, but you need to look carefully at the edges of the carriage, if that makes sense?
Phil & Michaela
Aha! We’ll remember that for next time! Paris loses none of its charm, Sarah. Great city.
Toonsarah
Indeed it is 😀 Looking forward to visiting again in September
grandmisadventures
What a delight to follow along with you to Paris and to revisit some of the places that we loved when we were there a couple of months ago. For the life of me I just can’t understand why some people don’t love this beautiful city. I sent your post to my hubby and a few minutes later he sent me a list of possible flights to get us back to Paris 🙂
Phil & Michaela
It’s a lovers’ city, it’s a city for romantics, it’s full of the love of life. Love it! Book that flight!
wetanddustyroads
I’m glad to hear Paris is what you hoped it would be. Thank you for allowing me to walk with you and see all the beautiful places … although my mouth is watering for that crepe suzette. I’m looking forward to joining you for another adventure (which will hopefully be filled with lots of sunshine)!
Phil & Michaela
Cheers Corna…man, they don’t skrimp on the alcohol in those crepes!
Mike and Kellye Hefner
It’s amazing how much you were able to accomplish in less than 48 hours! I now know where I want to stay if we ever get to Paris. The Bastille neighborhood is what I envision as “Paris”. What a great start to your trip and a wonderful post! Happy, safe travels.
Phil & Michaela
Well we can thoroughly recommend the Bastille district, that’s for sure.
Christie
Although other parts of France might be more appealing than Paris, you can definitely find great opportunities in Paris, not only the iconic sites, but the croissants for sure. 48 hours sounds like a perfect stay! Safe travels!
Phil & Michaela
We love Paris, it’s such a wonderful city
Andrew Petcher
Now, where did I leave my passport?
I like Paris but it is not my favourite. Hope you didn’t get caught up in the riots.
Phil & Michaela
Paris was perfectly Paris, you would never know there’d been a hint of trouble.
Laura
Paris holds such a special place in my heart, and always will. I’ve visited several times and have to agree that I cannot fathom how its charm escapes some people. I once rented an apartment there for 3 months, and seeing underneath the gleaming surface of the city only made me love it more. Your photos brought many treasured travel memories flying back to me. I do particularly love the shot of the rain pouring on the boulevard- romantic, indeed!
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Laura. We adore Paris, it’s hard to put into words that unique feeling that runs through just from being there and walking its streets. Few cities have quite the same extreme effect.
HeyJude
Paris is indeed a very special city. I only wish we lived closer to London sometimes so we could get on that Eurostar. Dare I say that I prefer it to London?
Phil & Michaela
They are certainly two wonderful cities, Jude. Paris still wows us after so many visits. Love it.
Lookoom
I liked your description of Paris, the way you could feel the vibe there, which tends to become too ordinary for me after living there for two years.
Phil & Michaela
For us it’s lost none of its charm and appeal. Great to be back there.
Alison
Still looks magical despite the rain and riots, so things can’t be as bad as they say. Seems like you’ve had a great start to your trip, where to next I wonder?
Phil & Michaela
The trouble was confined to certain districts and there was absolutely no hint of anything during our stay
Alison
The news always makes things look worse
leightontravels
Indeed, I must take that Eurostar trip one of these years and revisit this marvellous city. It’s been too long since my first and only visit which focused solely on the highlights. The Bastille district looks like a perfect place to base oneself. Paris certainly provided an excellent start to your new trip!
WanderingCanadians
I completely agree about how the train is the best mode of transportation. Sorry to hear that you didn’t have window seats, which is one of the main perks of travelling by train. Paris is the first international destination that I travelled to as an adult so I have such fond memories of it. Plus it’s where my husband proposed to me (on the top of Notre Dame actually). Glad you got a chance to revisit some of your favourite sights before heading off to the next part of your journey.
Phil & Michaela
Oh wow that is one seriously impressive wedding proposal! Respect and kudos 😊☺️
Annie Berger
Great recap of Paris’ iconic sights, Phil and Michaela! Thanks for the whistlestop tour. Jinking, as in the waiters moving among tables, was a new word to me BTW!
Phil & Michaela
Ah, glad to add a new one!
Latitude Adjustment: A Tale of Two Wanderers
Great colorful post. And we are so with you…love Paris!