A Perfect Weekend in Paris

Our first weekend in Paris and we were spoilt for choice.  Where to start?

Samedi/Saturday:
First up, we headed over to Marriage Fréres www.mariagefreres.com to get some of my favourite tea......on the way bumped right into a fab department store called the BHV (not too expensive and loads of choice).

Pierre and I wanted to get a few essentials.......but I also made a quick detour to the Dior cosmetics counter.  The trés chic assistant kindly responded with a 'bravo' when I attempted to speak mon francais!  Trés, trés  gentil/very, very kind I thought....what a boost to the ego!

We eventually arrived at Marriage Fréres (Maison de Thé å Paris depuis 1854), along with many others lining up for tea and gateaux!.....so made a quick dash to the counter to buy their exquisite teas.....and au revoir Marriage Fréres!

Then back to le Metro and over to rue Montorgueil for fresh ingredients for dinner.   I'll definitely need mon chariot/my trolley soon.....lugging those bags around was not much fun!  Mon chariot must be a priority purchase for next week I think.

Back to le Metro....and then, before we knew it...voila! we were back at Montmartre.

Business and chess combined on rue Montorgueil.

Easter Saturday...and les gens/the people on rue Montorgueil were in the mood to party.

Les poissons frais/fresh fish on rue Montorgueil

Orange tulips pour moi/for me.

Heaps of yummy fruits et legumes.

Spring white asparagus.....c'est fantastique!

Spring berries - redcurrants, cherries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries

A fab Italian deli on rue Montorgueil.

Of course, gateaux and chocolate Easter eggs were everywhere on Easter Saturday.

Didn't see a lot of chocolate bunnies this Easter.....mainly chocolate fish, bells and chickens in Paris.

And, of course, lots and lots of macarrons.

Dimanche/Sunday:
Easter Sunday calls for a special breakfast...non?

After breakfast, we decided to dodge the Easter crowds and just take a leisurely snorkel around the flea market at Porte de Vanves....there's lots of interesting bric a brac, vintage buttons, postcards, books, fifties furniture/lighting, fur coats and chapeaux/hats at this flea market.

Fab stamps...lucky I brought mine from home.

Some of the framed vintage etchings and prints were charming.

What a fab vase...non?

Little bébés were everywhere.

I can't begin to tell you how frustrating French keys are!!!!!!!!!  

Cute Algernon really wanted to go home with someone!

Alan.....you would have loved it here!  More silver cutlery than you could poke a stick at!  And the horn and silver salad servers were trés chic.

Elegant chapeaux were everywhere....but these models were not quite right for Pierre.

Ooohh...how I wanted this for the apartment...but it would have meant divorce.....so decided to pass!

Voila...it was a perfect weekend in Paris.  And week 1 is over....already!  A bientot.

You may also like my post on:
http://parisallons-y.blogspot.fr/2012/01/fleas-bugs-and-other-treasures.html

Montmartre in Paris is Perfect

Bonjour!!  We arrived safely on Sunday morning and although it was a very long flight we were both too excited to worry about catching up on lost sleep.

So.....our adventure began immédiatemont/immediately.

We hit the streets of Montmartre........it is absolutely perfect.

When we arrived the sun was shining...the sky was cobalt blue...and it was a crisp 2 degrees C.  

Spring was everywhere....chestnut trees were sprouting, cherry blossoms were flowering and families were out and about doing their thing.....sitting in cafes, enjoying the sunshine and just...being.  It was perfect.

If you haven't ventured to Montmartre I would recommend that you come and have a look...it has a lovely village atmosphere, lots of bistros, cafes, boulangeries and there is a quaint Montmartrobus that takes you around those hilly streets.  And yes.....there are lots and lots of stairs.....but then you have a really good excuse to indulge in those delicious chocolat pains!

Here's how we spent the first few days in Montmartre.

The sun was shining and Parisians were out and about.

Those iconic green Morris advertising columns are an easy way to keep up with all the new shows and exhibitions. 

Cherry blossoms are in flower all over Montmartre.

Families, with their very well behaved children were enjoying a Sunday arvo in Montmartre.

Madame (centre top balcony) was tending her garden box on Sunday.   I thought this was a wonderful idea....and went searching for the nearest fleuriste.

This is the view from our kitchen window.......can't wait to see those well pruned trees in flower.

Following Madam's lead, this is my pot of hydrangeas for the window box.

Lots of shade at this window...so they should do really well.

This is the fleuriste just across the road from our apartment...what a temptation!

Pierre thought that these electric cars on rue Caulaincourt were shocking?  Such a comedian!

On the way to Le Moulin de la Galette...a man who could walk through walls!

It's a long way up...but at the top there is the best patisseriere in Montmartre!

Still navigating the Metro.....will tell you more about it in a later post.

Pierre doing his thing on rue Caulaincourt!

The lovely mural at the entrance to Le Moulin de la Galette

Le Moulin de la Galette...one of two remaining moulins in Montmartre and the subject of wonderful paintings by Renoir and Van Gogh http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moulin_de_la_Galette.

Just had to see Sacre Coeur without all the tourists....so we headed off at 7am one morning.......oh no, those dreaded steps!

You can see the basilica in the distance....wonderfully lit.

Obviously someone loved visiting Sacre Coeur.

You can see how beautiful it is.....and not a soul about.  

The view of the whole is Paris is amazing from Sacre Coeur.

Here comes the sun (7.30am)

Beautiful little parks and fountains are everywhere in Montmartre.

Montmartre is gorgeous.....a little bit away from the madding crowd.....but, if you want the madding crowd, then the Metro will take you there in about 15 minutes.  


We did this yesterday and were slap bang in the middle of it (at Tuileries) in no time at all.  Wanted to check out that gorgeous little artisan shop, Astier de Villatte http://www.astierdevillatte.com/......Wow!!!  You could see the artists' hands at work on all their gorgeous pieces.  I think this shop is going to be one of my favourites.

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter......Pierre and I plan to go Easter egg hunting on Saturday!!

A bientôt.

You may also like my post on:
http://parisallons-y.blogspot.fr/2012/02/parisian-arrondissements.html

Paris......We're On Our Way To You

Paris, City of Light....
we're on our way to you!

From Brisbane to Sydney, then Sydney to Abu Dhabi, and then on to Paris...
just 23 hours away!  Mon Dieu!

1.  Finalement/finally it's time to jet off to Paris.....la liste of jobbies is fini!

2.  Les boîtes Fedex/ Fedex boxes are packed and enroute to Paris.

3.  Mes valaises/my suitcases are tagged, packed and ready to go.

4.  Mes documents/my documents are safely packed in my hand luggage.

5.  Notre maison/our home at Albany Creek will soon be rented.

6.  Le voiture/the car has gone to a lovely new owner.

7.  Mon portable/my mobile phone is ready for international coverage.

8.  L'ordinateur/the laptop is downloaded with all our reservations etc.

9.  Le taxi is organised for when we land in Paris at 7.20 am dimanche/Sunday morning (after 23 hours travel).  Mon Dieu!

10.Le diner réservation is set for 7pm dimanche evening at Le Moulin de la Galette www.lemoulindelagalette.eu/.

Au revoir et merci beaucoup mes amis in Brisbane and beyond.......hope you keep following my adventures........and I promise to send you posts from Paris et al.

To Daniel from Alter Ego www.alter-ego.com.au/ - I'll be the best dressed Aussi in Paris, merci beaucoup Daniel.

To Vivian at Soul Hair Design www.soulhairdesign.com.au - merci beaucoup pour mon coupe!

Oooh-la-la...Vivian...la styliste exceptionale!

To Shan and the girls at Camargue www.camarguefashion.com.au/ - I know I'll burn out the leather on those shoes!  Look forward to seeing you in September.

To the fab team Optical Edge theopticaledge.com.au/ - merci beaucoup, my sunnies and frames are parfait!

To Judy and her team at Delross www.delross.com.au/ - merci for the beautiful fashioning of my remembrance lariat.

Merci beaucoup Judy

Adieu Brisbane, Australia....et

Bonjour PARIS!

YIPPPPEEEEEE!

You might also like my posts on:

http://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/difficult-decision.html

http://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/just-beginning.html

http://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/going-too-far.html

I Love Paris in the Spring Time....

No....this isn't Paris in the spring time (yet)...but now that all my packing jobbies have been done I'm just hangin' around in Brisbane singin' this:

Doesn't get much better than Frank...does it?

Earlier in the week, Pierre and I went to see the gorgeous Jane Birkin in concert..... remember that little song she did with Serge all those years ago?  Je t'aime......who could forget it!

Paris in the spring time....I'll be there in just over a week........je t'aime!  

You may also like my posts on:

http://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/au-revoir-australie-et-bonjour-paris.html

ttp://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/03/paris-and-lheure-bleue.html

Flying Away to Paris

It's almost time to fly away to Paris.....and begin our life there.

I can hardly believe that it's finally here.

It will be so lovely getting to know Paris slowly.  No rushing around as we have done in the past.

We'd really like to develop friendships with our Parisian neighbours too.  I know it will take time....but....where's there's a will there's a way!

All the planning and discussions we've had to get to this point.

At first there was some initial hesitation....should Pierre and I actually do this.....such a big leap into the unknown.....what if this.....what if that.....we don't speak fluent French....would we be able to manage in Paris?

There was so much to consider........living in Paris.......is this the right thing to do?

Finally, certainly, absolutely....life is short.....allons-y å Paris......let's go to Paris!

Mes amis...we are not here for a long time, but we are most definitely here for a GOOD TIME!

Paris...we'll see you on 1 April!

You may also like my post on:

http://parisallons-y.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/parisian-havens.html