We were in good hands with author Jamie Cat Callan and Art historian Elyse Rivin guiding us along the way...they had arranged everything in advance and all our metro, bus and museum passes were ready when we checked into our hotel.
We walked, explored, shopped, and dined and covered a lot of territory from the Luxembourg Gardens to Versailles.
The Luxembourg Gardens on a rainy day walk...
We enjoyed the museums and found the food in the cafeterias particularly tasty.
The Musee D'Orsay, with their wonderful collection of Impressionist art was my favourite and there was a Bonnard exhibit on display which was an unexpected bonus.
One evening before sunset we took a bateau cruise on the Seine River and took photos of the Eiffel Tower as it lit up.
Some special features of the tour included a wine tasting, a visit to The Fragonard museum, The Cluny museum, chocolate tasting at Chez Richart, Opera Garnier Tour, a visit to Madame Cadolle Lingerie (Madame's grandmother invented the bra!), Palais Royale, Kate Kemp-Griffin told us all about the sensual art of lingerie at the Bon Marche and told us what to look for when buying a well fitting bra, we brunched with the chic and savvy (adorable) Alois Guinut in The Marais
who shared her secrets for Dressing like a Parisian...
So much was packed into our week and it was an amazing experience...
With a group of like minded passionate and energetic women who all came together to thoroughly savour their time in Paris it was a recipe for success.
(we laughed, we cried and we bonded)
The Cluny Museum
(formerly a Roman Bath)
inside hang the famous tapestries of the Lady and the Unicorn.
(no photos of the delicate tapestries were permitted)
I fell in love with the architecture and the ornamentation.
just look at the door details...
Can you imagine how many hours or years it would take to create these buildings?
(and they are still standing today!)
A scene from Woody Allen's movie, Midnight in Paris was filmed here at The Polidor.
I wore the same few clothes over and over during my 3 weeks away
I relied heavily on accessories to make them look different.
I hand washed my tops and lingerie in shampoo and hung them to dry in my bathroom.
Most of them dried overnight.
The black cowl necked sweater by Wooden Ships transitioned easily from casual to dressy when I paired it with my black pants or my black skirt.
We dined at Les Editeurs one evening for dinner and this book somehow managed to pop off the shelf behind where we were seated and fell into my hands...
(Jamie Cat Callan snapped this photo)
The view from the restaurant...
love the mauve blossoms on the Jacaranda tree.
A wonderful shot of our group as we depart...
au revoir.
I've got a few more Paris posts in the works and there's more ahead from the beautiful and enchanting Village of Auvillar
and my adventures in the South of France.
27 comments:
Oh it looks like such a wonderful trip! We enjoyed the Cluny very much. It was full of school children the day we were there and we enjoyed their reactions as much as the displays.
I'm enjoying rwading about your trip!
I saw so much in my first trip to Paris, but wish to visit the Rodin and Cluny museums next time.
Love the photo of you with the book!
I'm soaking up all the details of Paris in your photos and words. What a wonderful trip you enjoyed! We enjoyed the Musée d'Orsay very much, too. The Cluny is on my list for next time, whenever that may be.
Love the photo of you with the naughty book!
Delightful...makes me really want to plan a return trip, there is so much to do there!
If it was half as much fun as it looks, you had a wonderful time!
May I ask after Pepper's health? I hope she is back to herself now.
oh my gosh i'm loving your photos! isn't it the most beautiful city?! was it colder than you thought it'd be? i'm glad your brought your puffer jacket! x
You take great photos! The d'Orsay is my favourite of the larger museums. Paris offers so much beauty that it is impossible to see it all or describe it all. You look very French with your black jacket. Handwashing is the answer. I survived 10 weeks with only the basin for laundering. A women's tour to Paris could be like a charm school field trip!
The Rodin is currently under restoration but the gardens are open...The exterior of The Louvre is under wraps as well. I wanted to go to The Crillion but it was closed for renovations...it's good to see the old buildings getting some TLC, being constantly upgraded and maintained must be very costly. The church at Saint Germain de Pres is in dire need of restoration and I overheard someone say they estimate it will cost 9 million euros!
There was a silly side of my personality that surfaced in Paris...I chalk it up to giddy-ness and the excitement of actually being there!
It's true that one cannot see everything in one visit...I was told that even if one went to the Louvre every day for a year that there would still be exhibits left to peruse...
I'm not sure I'll ever get back to Paris but if I do like you plan to...I'll be sure that there will be lots to see....
Pepper is in fine health...both cats are happy that I have returned and are following me around the house like puppy dogs as I go through my domestic routines!
Paris was not too cold but I wore my Barbour quilted jacket and scarves...it rained quite a bit but that did not dampen our spirits....it is a fabulous place to visit! J'adore Paris!
I like your comment "charm school field trip!"
Paris just oozes charm...the art, the architecture, the fashions, the energy and I am craving espresso's and French bread every day since my return!
I think you could go back every year and still have lots to see...perhaps it is time for you to return.
You are, if I may say so, an extremely cute person! I bet you were a great traveling companion. And I'm so happy you got to hear from Alois - I kept meaning to send you the URL to her blog, because I absolutely love her style, but so glad my lapse was made up by the wise Jamie Cat Callan.
Thank you so much for sharing your trip with us! I love the name of the tour. It reminds me of when I took my then 5-year-old niece shopping one day and we had to say "ooh la la" whenever we saw something beautiful.
This just may be as close to Paris as I get in my lifetime, so I took a long time looking at every photo! You had me at that old door.....and I love your wardrobe strategy!
Your enjoyment is infectious. I think we're all getting the same pleasure that you experienced. The reason there is so much detail in the buildings is that they didn't have the internet nor television.
Enjoying my armchair travels with you! I'm so happy to hear that you had a magical time! You look radiant in these photos....the pre-planning, the co-travelers, Paris, France...all an elixir for you!
Hi, I'm afraid you misunderstood my question previously. I didn't ask what the value of your trip was, just how much it costs in monetary terms. Lol! One can't be philosophical all the time! Barbara x
Love the photos
More wonderful photos.. I can feel your excitement and pleasant memories of a wonderful trip! You are so kind to share these with us!
I'm so glad your trip was wonderful and exceeded your expectations. The photos are really marvelous.
Bunch of women off the leash in Paris! No wonder you had so much fun!
The tour guide sounds like great fun! I often think about going to Paris on my own, as I used to do before I was married many, many years ago, but my husband adores Paris so much that it would be cruel and unusual punishment to leave him behind. Besides, all my friends in Paris would wonder where he is.
Superb photos. I'm ready to pack my bags for a return trip.
Cheers, M-T
More lovely photos! Great shots of the Eiffel tower as it lit up. :) I'm so happy that you were able to soak in so much during your tour. I just love that you were connected with a wonderful group of women to share these experiences with.
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