Paris: Road Trip Part 1

People in the know told me that if I were to leave Paris for one excursion, it should be to Versailles.  I love history so it seemed a good choice to me. Also, the Irish Redhead really loves history and there was no way I could come within an hour of Versailles and not have a visit to report upon my return.

I toyed with the idea of taking the train out to Versailles and making the excursion solo, but I finally opted for a small group guided tour where the guide picked me up at my hotel and delivered me home at the end of the day.  It turned out a saving choice. Also, there was the strong likelihood that if I found myself in a large train station with my passport I would wind up in Barcelona or Vienna or some such place.  Better to avoid the temptation.

My guide, Chloe, was at the hotel exactly on time, a tres chic woman in her forties driving a Mercedes minivan.  It is one of my life principles that one should never refuse a ride in a Mercedes minivan when a tres chic woman named Chloe appears in Paris and offers one.  So off we went.

After collecting the other four members of our group, we headed out of the metropolitan Paris area for Versailles.  The weather was the worst of the entire trip.  What we call "hurricane rain" where I come from.  Horizontal precipitation.  Fortunately, I was equipped with my [now] tested L.L. Bean weatherproof jacket and very good shoes that stayed dry.

This shot is taken facing away from the main gates of the Nobles' Courtyard.  The buildings in the background are stables.  The person recommending this trip was spot on.  There is really nothing like Versailles in my experience.  The gate to the Nobles' Courtyard...

You have to hand it to the Sun King.  He came up with the idea of making all his nobles reside at court with him where he could keep them closely watched.  And where he could charge massive fees for everything.  And where they would be required to engage in huge wagers on a daily basis.  Thus keeping the most dangerous people in his kingdom on a short leash and financially tenuous.  And ever more dependent.  Sounds like a good kingly business plan to me.

Once you get inside the building, the Palace is one wonder after another.  Grander to me than The Louvre because of its preserved residential status.  A random ceiling...

 

 

The hall you have always heard about...

 

"The King Rules On His Own"...

 

The Royal Bed...

The royal silver service...

Marie Antoinette's jewel cabinet...

The weather outside was frightful...

But the gardens were delightful...

The rear of the palace...

The long walk through the gardens of Versailles, toward the Venetian canals...

Our lovely guide Chloe said that she was not walking through the gardens in this horrible rain.  She would take the Mercedes and drive to meet us at the restaurant where we were to have a wonderful lunch.  We were welcome to ride along.  It was never really a choice.  I had come way too far, in too many ways, to miss the gardens of Versailles.  Even in a downpour.  I zipped up my L.L. Bean jacket, tucked in my scarf, and trudged off into the wind.  The gardens were magnificent but I admit I did not dawdle in my inspection of them.  The thought of carafes of wine and roasted chicken were pulling me onward...

I admit, I was getting pretty cold at this point and my face was wet and freezing.  I was very happy to see the entrance to Le Petite Venise restaurant and to meet up with Chloe and the rest of the group...

A very welcome respite from the rain and cold.  Wine on the table, wonderful roasted chicken with potatoes, chocolate cake, hot coffee.  We all wanted to linger at this very nice restaurant but we had to go to the rest of Versailles.  Fully recharged and happy our little group headed off to the Grand Trianon, the Petite Trianon, and the German Village.  The rain continued unabated but inside our van, camaraderie and spirits were high.

From The Epic Cellar: Coppola Votre Sante Pino Noir

I am a huge fan of Francis Ford Coppola wines.  At all price points FFC seems to be deeply committed to making a wonderful product.  This $14 Pino Noir is no exception.  I found it very satisfying with flavors of raspberry, violets and maybe a hint of sandalwood.  Actually, I lifted that from the company web site.  Anyhow, I loved the flavor and aroma of this inexpensive wine and it was really good after an hour or so of breathing.  Ten months in French oak barrels, why say more?  Highly recommended.

Fuzzy Photos From Great Bars

Helga's Biergarten, Niceville, Florida. Octoberfest. September 2012.

Paris: The Coolest Mini

Oh yes, my friends. When my fourteen year old Lexus finally falls out from under me the time may be proper for a move to a mini.  Not an exciting thought for an American of over half a century in age, but still...if I do go Mini, this Bentley is the one.  I don't care what the import taxes are. Inside it, I would feel like James Bond. Seen on the Quai aux Fleurs.

Fuzzy Photos From Great Bars

La Dolce Vita.  Beverly Hills, California. August 2012.  A classic in every way.

Paris: River and Boulevard 2

The rain was beating down on me as I passed the Trocadero and headed uphill through the swanky Rue de Magdebourg neighborhood.  There was nobody else silly enough to continue to tromp through the torrential rain that I could see.  Finally, I decided to shelter under a chestnut tree which blocked out at least some of the water.  A few moments later, a nice older lady [walking a dog] stopped and asked me if I were lost and if I needed any help.  I told her I was engaged in my premier voyage a' Paris and that it was a wonderful day.  She gave me a sad smile and nodded, heading off down hill.  Or down stream, as it were.

I made the Avenue Kleber and turned northeast toward the Arc de Triomphe.  I planned to stroll down the Champs Elysees from there to a long lunch at Fouquet's but I was too cold, too damp and too hungry.  I stopped at the Fleurus, a small cafe on the Avenue Kleber where I could sit outside under an awning and have a classic Croque Monsieur and a Kronenbourg draft beer...

It was a very nice break and a lovely lunch, even with the continuing rain.  The Fleurus is a great cafe run by a cute young couple and the food and service are very good.  A video about the Fleurus Cafe can be seen here.  The next time I visit Paris I plan to return to the Fleurus on a sunny day to enjoy a nice leisurely cafe meal.  Feeling fully restored, and with a momentary letup in the rain, I pressed on toward the Place Charles de Gaulle.  Passing by banks, embassies, and other addresses of note, I was almost to my destination when an Italian man stopped his car and asked me if I wanted to buy some designer suits.  I told him that I was certainly too big to wear designer Italian suits sold from a car and he drove off looking disappointed.

Then, I was at the top of the Champs Elysees...

the Arc de Trionphe is a striking and moving monument.  The rain began again in earnest...I did my best to stroll, not slog, down the Champs, fortified by my fine lunch...just like that fellow in the Joni Mitchell song...

I was tempted to slide into Fouquet's and have a second luncheon......but I just didn't feel dressed well enough and I looked a bit like a wet rat.  I put it on my "another day" list and stroll/slogged on...

Almost got killed to bring you that last shot of Les Invalides.  Not a good idea to stand in the middle of a boulevard.  Those little cars can close on your location very rapidly.  I entered the Place de la Concorde where the Obelisk of Luxor is counter posed with the Tour Eiffel...

A fountain where the guillotine used to be...

The glorious Hotel Crillon...

...and an unexpected historical marker that made me proud to be a Yank...

..finally I found myself in the Tuleries as the weather began to clear and a very lovely evening approached...

I love a garden where a section is devoted to statues of naked nymphs...

 

At this point, the light was failing and it occurred to me that a cup of hot chocolate would be proper.  I decided to make my third [and final] run at Cafe Angelina, not far from The Louvre on the Rue de Rivoli.  The return reader may recall that my previous attempts to have the renowned hot chocolate at Cafe Angelina had ended in frustration and disaster.  I was on a quest imposed upon me by a pal who insisted that I go to Cafe Angelina for hot chocolate on my first Paris trip.  I gave it another run...

...and I actually got in and got a table!!! Although the cafe looks small when you come in it is actually pretty cavernous and rather dark inside.  It was full of happy looking diners, however, and I counted myself lucky to be among them.  I ordered the famous hot chocolate and a raspberry pastry.  They were both astounding.  The bring the chocolate in a silver pot with a separate pot of heavy creme and you stir the creme into the chocolate or pour them both together...just the aroma of the chocolate and the creme are enough to make you weak.  If you like such things...

oh, and the raspberry pastry was pretty and a towering achievement of the patissier's art...

...you find it so pretty you don't want to eat it.  But you do anyhow.  The macaron cake was flavored with roses and strawberry, the raspberries were fresh and perfectly sweet/tart and inside there was a tiny layer of lavender cream.  It was like eating a Monet painting of a field of flowers.  With raspberries.  And chocolate and creme.  There aren't many places that I will say were worth three attempts to visit, but Cafe Angelina is one of them. 

After this lovely break in the soaking day, I found that the rain had stopped again and I walked home to the Isl Saint-Louis for a nap, a bath, and a change of clothes.  Of course, I woke up hungry but not interested in doing much exploring after my day of wandering.  I recalled a great article by Herbert Gold which mentioned the Brasserie de St. Louis en L'Isl.  He told of its fine Alsatian food and fair prices.  It was about a block from my hotel so I decided to give it a try.  As I was walking in the door I heard a British voice behind me saying to his companions "I used to come here almost every day when I was living here during school".  A good omen.  Plus, it just looked like a great place...

I ordered a bottle of Bordeaux and scanned the menu.  This was a very reasonably priced bottle which was outstanding...

As you can tell, the menu is classic and diverse.  I began with an onion tart which was quite good.  Then, I thought I would branch out a bit.  I asked the waiter what "Jarret de porc" was.  He leaned over and made a cutting motion with his hand over his lower calf.  Hm.  Shin?  Then it dawned on me. Where I live, they call it a "ham hock".  I had to have it, in Paris.  But first a little Welsh Rarebit...

Marvelous tangy cheese fondue poured over crusty baguette.  Just perfect with the Chateau Greysac and a shield against the cold, rainy night.  Then the Jarret arrived.  Broiled with house made apple sauce.  This simple Alsatian dish was a triumph.  The pork was tender and flavorful with a wood-fire cooked taste that went perfectly with the slightly tart apples.  The Medoc rose to new heights as a companion to this hearty fare...

I do not know why I fail to take so many photos of dishes I love until I have consumed them!  Probably because the great food distracts me.  This was just a marvelous meal.  I thought for some minutes of dessert but they were out of Baba Au Rhum [one of my list of Paris "must haves"] and I was still basking in the glow of my sweets from Angelina so I paid my [very modest] tab and slipped out into the near frigid night.  Off to see my new friends at the Pledge Bar for a Calvados or two before bed.  The barman at The Pledge saw me enter, waved, and reached for the Calvados bottle. The close of another perfect day of adventure.