Passing Through Paris on Our Way Home

Since we spend a few days in Paris at the beginning of our journey, we fly Air France nonstop to Paris and schedule our return flight to the US from Paris, giving us another night in the city at the end of our trip.  We catch an early train from Monterosso al Mare to Milan and an afternoon flight from Milan to Paris, with our flight home scheduled for the next day.  It is a clear day and we have beautiful views of the Alps as we travel from Milan to Paris.

Leaving Monterosso al Mare as the sun rises

Crossing the Alps

We stay near the Île Saint-Louis in Paris and walk across the Seine to explore the Left Bank, crossing at Pont de Sully on the end of the island.

Crossing Pont de Sully

Walking along the Seine, we pass Notre Dame, just across the river on  Île de la Cité and also stroll past the famous restaurant La Tour d'Argent (which we'll have to experience some day) and the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company.

Notre Dame

La Tour d'Argent

Shakespeare and Company

As evening arrives, we wander through the network of streets in the Latin Quarter, one of the oldest districts in Paris, just off Place Saint-Michel.

Latin Quarter at sunset

We stroll back to our hotel to arise and return the next morning to visit local shops and explore some more before our flight.

Returning along the Seine at night

After breakfast, we cross the Seine to the Left Bank again and wander over to the market Marché Maubert with a cheese shop (Fromager) recommended by a blog we enjoy: The Real Emily in Paris, written by an Australian author and chef who is currently living in Paris.

Crossing the Seine (again)

Marché Maubert

The cheese shop

We purchase several interesting-looking cheeses to take back to the US with us later today and wander back to the hotel to start our journey toward the airport and home.  But, on the way to the hotel, we stop at the small park (Square Barye) at the tip of  Île Saint-Louis for a last view of gardens, the Seine, and of Paris.

Barges on the Seine

Square Barye

We're heading home again, after a fabulous two weeks, and planning our next journeys to Europe and elsewhere.

Dining in Paris

We always look forward to our dinners in Paris (who wouldn't) and this trip we return to some old favorites for our evening meals.  Our first dinner (no pictures) is at Pizza Vesuvio in its new location just off the Champs Élysées.  We're tired and hungry and rapidly consume our pizzas before the thought "pictures for the blog" even arises.

Our next dinner is at an old favorite on Rue du Fauburg Saint-Honeré, La Mascotte.  We start with six escargot and an onion soup, followed by confit de canard (with mashed potatoes) and salad with ham, olives, tomatoes, and camembert cheese.

Table setting

Starters

Mains

The next evening, we return to another old favorite several blocks from the Louvre:  Le Passage Saint Honeré.  We have our regular starter, the hanging charcuterie platter,and that fills us up (our last trip, we asked the server if anyone ever orders another dish after this and he replied, "Only very large people").

Hanging charcuterie

One lunch, we have another favorite, croque monsieur, a classic hot sandwich made with ham and gruyère cheese, then baked or broiled until golden.

Croque monsieur

One evening at Le President, we have French onion soup and escargot, followed by chicken all around.

Soup, escargot

Chicken

Our final dinner in Paris brings us back to the dining district near Place Saint-Michele, where, at Le Latin, we have French onion soup and two fondues: savoyarde (several cheeses from the French Alps with bread for dipping) and Latin (with a platter of meats for cooking in boiling oil).

Soup

Preparing for Fondue Latin

Two foudues

It's great to be back in Paris, enjoying the dining (and everything else).