Part 1: Enjoying Paris & The Notre Dame Cathedral
Largely based upon our wonderful adventures last year exploring the Venice Lagoon via a rented houseboat, we decided to expand our trials of this mode of relaxing and exploring Europe with friends and rented two Locaboat Houseboats for exploring the Saone River in western France. We chartered two boats of 3-bedrooms each, (one with two heads – bathrooms – and one with three heads), and planned our travel with 4 other couples and another great friend. We had previously sailed with all of these people, and were confident that the trip would be wonderful and adventurous!
For us, our adventure began back in the USA, when, on Wednesday, the day before our international flight, Delta notified us that our Air France operated flight to France was cancelled with no rebooking! After frantic calls to Delta, we were able to get rescheduled for a flight later in the day but with no seat assignments, as the flight was “full.” The next day, at airport check-in, we were assured we were on the flight, but again, no seats could be assigned until just before boarding would commence. We waited patiently in our Priority Lounge until boarding commenced. In Atlanta, when we inquired at the gate before the flight, we were asked why we “changed flights,” as the original flight we were on was, in fact, NOT cancelled. Confusion ensued between Delta and Air France, but we were finally assigned the last two seats together on the plane and began our journey.
After arriving on Friday, our bad luck continued with the French Immigration computers all being down, and our passports needing to be validated manually. We finally collected luggage and proceeded to take the train and metro to the Hotel Balmoral, arriving at 3:30pm. We had stayed here before and the hotel warmly greeted us with a room upgrade and a free bottle of French wine. After settling in, we walked to a local grocery and grabbed a quick snack at a MacDonalds nearby the Arc de Triumph. That evening, we relaxed for Happy Hour drinks sitting at an outdoor cafe (beer and Apéral spritz) and followed up with a dinner of Chicken Caesar Salad and Leek Quiche at Cafe Mahon.
The next morning was Saturday and we were up early for cheese & bacon toasties. We then caught the metro to the very recently opened Notre Dame Cathedral. Our entry tickets were for 9:30am and we were early, so we stopped at a little café table along the river for a cappuccino and people watching. There were already long lines for those with no reservations. However, there was no wait if you had reservations which could only be made a couple of days in advance. After coffees, we returned to the cathedral where crowds had now doubled, but there was still no line for those with free ticket reservations. Inside the cathedral, the crowds spread out and traveled in a one-way track clockwise throughout. The restoration has truly brighten the interior everywhere; tapestries, sculptures, walls, woodwork, and stained glass. A really magnificent tour. Afterwards we walked through the nearby Gardens of Luxembourg which are massive. There was a free concert going on under the trees, yoga happening in another section, Renaissance fighting in another, a playground, and a huge lake full of sailboats that the children pushed from shore with sticks as the wind blows them along. It was great weather to spend the day in the park. We then walked to the Latin Quarter of Paris before heading back to the metro. Once near our hotel we found an outdoor cafe for drinks and a light lunch. We then did a stroll down Avenue des Champs Élysées looking for gifts for friends and relatives. While out and about shopping, the rain started pouring, and then it hailed as we window-shopped inside! After shopping and the storm passed, we returned to the hotel for a hot tea before enjoying afternoon cocktails consisting of our complimentary bottle of red wine. Dinner was on the Champs Élysées with mussels and pepper steak. The food was great and the people watching was even better as we sat just across from the Louis Vuitton building, which is designed as a huge piece of LV luggage!
Sunday began with breakfast at McDonald’s, setting a relaxed tone for the morning. After enjoying a leisurely start, we hopped on a train headed towards Notre Dame for some additional shopping. The bustling streets offered a perfect blend of modern stores and historic charm. By afternoon, we were on another train, this time to Saint Maur, to visit friends who had previously lived in Washington, DC, but now called France their home. Their child’s laughter filled the air, adding warmth to the gathering, and offering plenty of opportunity to play like a kid. We shared stories over delicious food before we made our way back to Paris. Before retiring for the night, we grabbed some groceries to prepare for the next day’s journey.
