France and Paris, these two words I already learnt by heart when I was a little kid. Both of my parents used to speak a perfect French, when they were not in peace, my mom argued with my dad in French, not to let us understand.
And then my turn - I also studied in French school but...as my destiny turned into anther way so all of my university's years and later the long years of my career - nothing related to this country, to this language! My French was deeply sleeping in my mind, but I never forgot those images of Paris from my old school books, those names of provinces or cities, or small towns or rivers that our teachers forced us to remember by heart!
Until the end of 1999, one of my client-friends suggested to go to Paris to celebrate the New Millenium, and it was my very first trip to Paris. There were good memories and mixed feelings at that time: from my first hot, crispy panini that I ate in a morning cold of the winter day in Quartier Latin...to my stolen money while walking along Montmartre, near Moulin Rouge or the typical bad smell in Paris Metro (oops sorry only in old stations!), or my first ride on the Ferris wheel near to Tour Eiffel on Champs Élysées (it has been removed now to another place!).
After that first trip, I did come back to Paris few times, but for very short stay. And I didn't expect that took me 15 years to be back here! But this time I have a whole month to explore France by train!
In my first visit in Paris, I was strangely impressed by this huge, heavy "castle" and never knew it was a former prison. During the French Revolution hundred of prisoners were taken from here and executed on guillotine in Paris and now - Palais de Justice! It has been first built in 13th century!
Talking about Metro in Paris - I have to say about its smell in the old stations - not a pleasant at all! And this smell by somehow stayed with me for quite long, every time I go down to Metro in Paris I'm always obsessed by this smell! That's why the Metro carnet of 10 tickets that I bought, 7 tickets are still with me.
I also missed Musée d'Orsay, I was sitting right outside the Musée but it was a time to see my friend in St Germain des Prés. Never been to this museum and I also skipped a trip to Giverny to see Claude Monet's garden due to my "stupid preparation" for this trip!
Pont des Arts - a famous bridge with all love padlocks but now it became a nightmare for the authorities, I was told nearly 800,000 padlocks on this bridge and it threatens the safety. The authorities tried to find the alternatives for these love locks, but not only the locks, the keys that tourists throw to Seine also become a big issue.
One of images that I never forgot from my childhood's study book - the booksellers along the bank of Seine. In every French study book at my time we always found these famous bouquinistes, but life is not easy for them, being out there in any weather and with the traffic noise, to survive they have to sell not only rare books, posters but also those souvenirs of small values. And do you know when the first book stands was opened here? The first book stands opened in Paris was in 1600s, but then in 1802 Napoléon Bonaparte placed them along the bank of Seine to start the business until now.
I got friends living in Paris for long, I don't know why every time I visit them, they always take me here - Tour Eiffel, but this time they did a right thing as I learnt how to take a night photo, it took me a while to get this shot! Not the best but really appreciated my friend's patience, sleepily waiting for me in their car.
La Durée could be one of the most famous patisseries in Paris, a friend who know I love the sweets waiting in the hotel when I just arrived after a long flight, and he took me straight away to meet his another friend who is the patisserie expert in Paris. Just to introduce me to this La Durée. We didn't try anything, just got inside, took some photos and left. I was surely still in my stupid "in flight" condition! But later on during my trip to Sarlat la Canéda, I got some fabulous cakes that I will share in my next post.
As I travel by train so my hotel choice for this time - near to Gare de St Lazare, just across a street. Very convenient! The view to Gare de St Lazare from my hotel's room window. Early September but the sign of the Autumn is already visible.
One of my early dinners near to my hotel - the onion soup, love the hot dish in a cold day, but to be honest it was not cold at all in Paris, even thought it was early September, it was even quite hot in the afternoon.
This is my first post about my trip around France by train, my next destination will be Rouen - an old town with amazing cathedral! See you in Rouen!
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