[Idyllchat] 5 days in Paris

[Bill Kover]

  Nina:
  Now you've got me thinking.  It would be nice to overnight in Giverny.  Can you give me the details of the Marne trip?

  Bill
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: GRAYGOOSE at aol.com 
    To: ShutterbugBill at verizon.net 
    Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 5:56 PM
    Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] 5 days in Paris


    Bill,

    We were on a two week Untour in Paris a few years ago in May and took in as much as physically possible (this had been our 3rd tour--the first two on our own) and we still haven't seen it all.

    If time permits I suggest an overnight trip to Giverny to view Monet's home and gardens. You train to Vernon and meet a waiting bus that takes you to Giverny, a short ride away. Trains leave frequently and take about an hour.  As I recall, we got there in the early afternoon afternoon, found our B&B for which I had made reservations online, and then spent the rest of the day visiting The American Museum where we saw an exhibit of Edward Hopper's works as well as having a late lunch in their restaurant. The next day we started out early for the home and garden to beat the tour bus crowd, returning to Paris that afternoon.

    That being said it may be a bit tough on Eleanor as the home has narrow steps here and there and if you get caught up in the crowd you'd have to be extra careful. However, I do recall seeing someone on crutches while there. The garden would be no problem. 

    Giverny, as we know it, consists of one long street about a mile or so long with a few short sides streets radiating off of it. There is no taxi/bus service there. I made the error of booking at the B&B that was the last home on the street. It was an extremely warm May day and my husband was not a happy camper having to lug our overnight bag down that stretch. For that reason, thinking of Eleanor, I would try to book closer to the museums. There are 2 of them (hotels) and if you are interested you can "google" Giverny and get all the info. This can be done as a day trip but we were glad we had stayed overnight as we didn't feel rushed.

    Also, on a lovely, warm Sunday afternoon we took an all day boat trip up the Marne where we had lunch and then came back the same way. It was such a lovely day the team rowers and nude sunbathers were out en masse! 

    I envy you your trip and hope we will have the chance to go back again. It is truly a lovely city.

    Fondly,

    Nina Snyder

    In a message dated 2/18/2008 2:05:56 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, ShutterbugBill at verizon.net writes:

        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Bill Kover 
        To: alan rudolph 
        Sent: Monday, February 18, 2008 4:59 PM
        Subject: Re: [Idyllchat] 5 days in Paris



          The last time my wife and I were in Paris was 1973.  It was part of a two week freelance tour (London, Vienna, Rome and Paris).  Once you got there, you were on your own to see the sights.  We had only three days for Paris at the end of the trip.  Needless to say those three days were rush, rush, rush to see the major sites.  We were in our mid twenties at the time.  On the last day in Paris, Eleanor was so tired she just wanted to stay at our hotel and rest.  I pushed her into seeing the Eiffel Tower and Napoleon's Tomb.  At the time, I told her that this may be the one and only time we ever see Paris.  

          This Spring we are returning to Paris on an Untour.  I had planned for two weeks.  But it soon became evident that two weeks isn't enough.  We squeezed every penny we had to make a one month stay a possibility.  I have been studying Paris now for over a year, and have been trying to learn some French phrases.  Now we can look forward to spending time in Paris at an easy-going slow pace.  If we get tired, we will spend the rest of the day sipping wine at a cafe watching people go by.  Instead of rushing to the Louvre to see the most famous works of art, we can return again and again and truly enjoy the experience.  We learned from our one month Swiss Heartland Untour that staying in one place for long periods with day trips to some outlying sites is much less stressful.

          My advice:  Spend the 5 days in Paris. 

          Bill Kover
          Piscataway, New Jersey

          ---- Original Message ----- 
            From: alan rudolph 
            To: Untours 
            Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 4:29 PM
            Subject: [Idyllchat] 5 days in Paris


            My friends and I are planning a trip to Provence this Sept.  We are going to start off with 5 days in Paris first.  We don't want to miss a thing but we don't want to overplan either.  We are thinking of staying on the Left Bank.  A day for the Louvre and a day at Versailles and a day for shopping I think are givens.  Would a side trip to Normandy be possible?  How about a trip to the champagne country?  Anyone know of a "not so expensive'' hotel on the Left Bank?

            Donna
            MI


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