Woke up at 4 am again this morning. We’re still battling jet lag. It’s so much harder coming back. We adjusted fairly quickly once we arrived in Paris. Yesterday afternoon, I fell asleep in the chair for an hour – a deep, almost drug-like sleep. Last night, I was falling asleep on the sofa at 9 pm.
Anyway, we’re struggling, but we know it will eventually go away.
We’ve had very high winds over the past 12 hours or so and they will continue throughout the day. It was too warm and humid yesterday. By the end of the day today, the temps will drop below freezing, so I’ll be saying goodbye to my porch plants. Sigh.
On to Paris.
We flew out of JFK on an overnight flight. This was taken as the sun started rising over Ireland and the Irish Sea.
We took a cab to the hotel and dropped off our luggage. Had some lunch at a café across the street and, after we finally got to check in, took a walk down to the Seine. We had been awake for over 24 hours, so we were really tired, but we kept going until we could finally go to bed around 9:30 pm Paris time.
This is Rue Bonaparte, a narrow road that we walk down to reach the Seine. It’s utterly charming. Ladurée is there. Many boutique-like shops line the street; art galleries and designer decor, that kind of thing.
Yours truly looking in the window at Fortuny. What I wouldn’t give for one of those signature hanging lamps made from their beautiful silk.
Crossing the Quay to the Seine.
The Seine. We walked along the cobblestones for quite a distance. Too far, when you consider how tired we were, but what can you do? We love the Seine.
A favorite sign on the banks of the Seine:
Don’t pee on the steps!
After a lot of walking, we headed back to the hotel (which involved even more walking.) The thing that is one of the most charming things about Paris – all the old cobblestones – is also the hardest on my legs and knees. And Don’s. So we were ready to grab some dinner and head back to the room for the night.
The next day we found ourselves back in the charming breakfast room of the hotel. It looks like an old wine cellar and is in the basement.
Everyone should have lighting like this in their lives. If I had my druthers, every photo of me would be taken here in this room! I should mention that you’re looking at two relaxed people who have left stress and worry behind. I had no anxiety the whole time I was there. (It’s back today.)
We have a favorite table that we gravitate to and, like last year, it was available every morning during our stay. Coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, a basket of rolls and fresh croissants, jam, butter, and coffee. Cheese and yogurt are also available. We chatted with a woman who stays there for a few days every week as she lives full-time in the country – in Burgundy. She’s an American who was raised in Westchester County (where we lived when we first moved out East) and has been living in France for 30 years.
I don’t mind saying I was jealous. We spoke to her a few times while we were there and I now have her business card. She wants us to call her when we return. Her parting words on the day we left? VOTE. She still votes in all American elections.
We decided to walk to Shakespeare and Company but we took a different route via Rue de Vaugirard. We had walked so much the day before, so we wanted to eliminate some of the touristy streets (and cobblestones!) Such a lovely route, running along walls of the Jardin du Luxembourg and the rear of the Sénat, with armed guards protecting the entrance.
And here we are. I love this bookshop. Don loves this bookshop. This time, we wanted to visit every nook and cranny inside the shop, and we did. We spent a long time there. No photos are allowed inside the shop, so I can only supply photos of the exterior. It’s always crowded, but it’s so worth it.
This is one of the fountains found throughout Paris, called Wallace Fountains, that provide clean drinking water to the citizens of Paris. This one is right in front of Shakespeare and Company and we took advantage of the opportunity to fill our water bottles.
We noticed that everyone in Paris was bundled up as if it was winter, whereas we had our jackets open and, at times, took them off. It was in the high fifties, just as it was back home. Is it because Paris/France is in a more temperate climate, so the weather change seems more extreme to them? To us, living in cold upstate New York, it was mild.
Shakespeare and Company is an English language bookshop. There are a few books in French and Spanish, but the vast majority of the stock is in English. I was so happy that I had read the history of Shakespeare and Company earlier this year. I felt as if I really knew the space and was able to share little details with Don.
Of course, we both bought books. I tried to find books I hadn’t seen here.
A beautiful edition of short stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey Investigtates.
A Penguin Classics Edition of A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf.
The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford. I’ve been looking for it around here to no avail.
Furious Hours by Casey Cep, an American writer. Its subtitle is: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee. Based on a real-life trial of a serial killer that Harper Lee was very interested in, so much so that she spent hours at the trial, thinking she might write about it. As far as I know it’s available only in hardcover here, but they had it in paperback, so I bought it.
Middle England is a book I’ve read about and very much want to read, but it’s not available in America yet. So I snapped it up. I got it on a return trip to Shakespeare and Company.
And I requested their iconic stamp inside each book.
Heaven. On that return trip, I also purchased a book bag with their logo.
After this, we sat in an adjoining park and took pictures of Notre Dame. That will be for tomorrow.
Happy Friday.
As your other reader’s I’m sure, I wondered every day what wonderful adventures you and Don were enjoying. Thank you for sharing your trip with us. I’m so glad you both enjoyed it so much. XOXO
Thank you, Janie!
Thank you for sharing beautiful Paris, you do it so well! Interesting fact I found out from the last book I read, women in France did not get the vote until 1946. I was sort of shocked by this fact.
Take care and I cannot wait until your next post.
Kaye
Very shocking! Thanks, Kaye.
Oh Claudia, how splendid! I adore Shakespeare and Company and it’s so good to “see” it again! Your photos are wonderful and really tell what it’s like (to the best one can without being inside; when I was there in 2009, you could photograph inside and I’m glad I did, though it wasn’t a great camera.)
I’d be curious to know a bit more about your hotel for future reference!
Yes, please, every detail. (Oh, and those photos of the two of you at breakfast? Spot on!)
Thank you, Jeanie!
I like the picture with your reflection in the shop window. Did you use your cell phone camera for all of your photos? The one of the Seine with the clouds is just beautiful.
I did use my cell phone camera. Last year, I took my big girl camera, but it was too heavy to lug around all of the time.
The breakfast pictures were perfect. And that water fountain — beautiful! I so enjoy all of your posts, but your posts about Paris are special!
Thank you so much, Dottie!
I love The Pursuit of Love! Have you already read it Claudia, and were just looking for a copy?
If not, luck you to be reading it for the first time.
Your photos brought back our trip. Thank you.
No, for some reason I have never read it!
Thank you, Cara!
Just beautiful pictures!! Love reading about your journey. And gaining that extra hour this weekend will be nice for you!
If those Parisans were cold there, they would be frozen, here. We haven’t been above 32* for several days and we have had 7 inches of snow this week. 4 inches on Halloween. I am quite concerned that this is going to be a horrid winter. No temps above 42* in the next 10 days. Our “normal” is 52*. Not a fan & I am ready for spring!
We already went through the time change last weekend in Paris. Their clocks were set back then. So we have to go through it twice!
I’m so sorry you have to deal with the cold and so much snow this early, Chris. That’s too depressing!
I love your Paris posts and I would enjoy them all year. I hope I can get there some day soon.
I hope you can, too! Thanks, Kay.
Thanks for the photos, Claudia. It looks to me as if you were staying not too far from where I stayed on my last visit which was on Rue du Bac. The morning we arrived we had breakfast at Cafe des Flores which I think might have been a haunt of Ernest Hemingway. It was wonderfully old fashioned but not expensive for a simple breakfast, very near to Rue Bonaparte.
My good friend and work colleague Christine is French, she came to England forty years ago as an au pair. She went back to Paris last month to celebrate her 60th birthday with her sisters as her English husband is unable to travel due to health issues. She was born in the Latin Quarter and spent her first few years living in Paris before her family moved to Tours which is another great city. I had a nice surprise on my desk this morning as she left me some French women’s magazines ( I read much better than I speak!)
Happy Friday
We ate lunch at Cafe Flore last year. That cafe and Cafe Deux Magots are known for their literary associations. Both of them were hangouts for writers. de Beauvoir and Sartre hung out at Deux Magots.
Thanks so much, Dee Dee.
What lovely photos. The Shakespeare book shop looks so inviting. Enjoy your books you bought. Every time you read them you can think of Paris.
Marilyn
Thank you, Marilyn!
I was hoping you would go to see Notre Dame, can’t wait for the pictures!
Thank you, Nancy!
Love hearing about your trip! You are right- everyone there looks as bundled up as I was today here and it was only 30 degrees, lol. If it were in the high 50’s, I’d have on a jacket or hoodie and that’s it. Brian’s read Furious Hours and enjoyed it.
Might be too late now, but have you been taking melatonin? I’ve heard it works well for resetting your body clock when you have jet lag.
I’m finally readjusting, Melanie. But I’ll make a note of that for next time. Thank you!
Beautiful! I reading this and dreaming of a return trip. I will say when I lived in Hawaii the slightest temperature change brought out the sweaters unless you were a tourist! Your blood gets very thin when you live in a warm climate I’m told. The books are beautiful!
Same in California. My blood thinned while I was living there. xo
all lovely and i am so happy that you and don could go back to some favorite places in your favorite city!
kathy in iowa
Thank you, Kathy!
Just magical!
Thank you, Grace!
You two looked soooo relaxed. Great pictures…sounds like a great trip. Nice and relaxing. More tomorrow…terrific! ;)
Thank you, Donnamae!
Love it all. Thank you!
Thank you, Martha!
Jealous, Jealous, Jealous ! No more to be said.
Thank you, Megan!
Your pictures are wonderful and I love what you have to say about your adventures. Thank you for posting!
You’re very welcome! It’s my pleasure, Lin.
The latitude of Paris is 48.85341. Actually, it’s up north compaired to New York, 40.71427, quite like Rome (41.89193). But you are right, the climate of Paris in winter is mild and agreable in summer with not too many hot days.
Les parisiens may love their winter coats ….
My advice is, stop reading and listening to the news. It might help against the anxiety. All the best. Regula
Yes, I know it’s north, which makes it even more interesting that it’s a more temperate climate. Maybe a chance to wear their winter coats?
I stopped reading and listening to the news long ago. It isn’t helping, unfortunately. Thanks, Regula!