At Last, A Cooler Paris Graces Our Day
Bonjour mes amis,
Yesterday was a glorious day, weather-wise for us after a rain during the night. Cool, breezy, clear skies, just perfect for getting around.
Our day began with a visit to a relatively new museum about the Liberation of Paris in WWII. It is free and without reservation. Located across from the catacombs on the Left Bank, it is superbly designed and well worth a visit. We had seen it last year and thought the Tysons would enjoy it which they did. Unfortunately, we didn’t allow enough time because of a 12:30 lunch reservation at Le Procope. There is a virtual reality tour with special headsets where you follow a guide named John through various settings related to the Resistance. We’ll do our best to return so the Tysons can have this experience. It’s the premiere portion of the museum.
We rushed off to lunch at Le Procope because it’s known for its onion soup. Johnny is looking for the best onion soup in Paris to match the one that he prepares. He believes he may have found it yesterday and also had some lamb which he’s been looking for. I did a lousy job in taking absolutely no food pictures. Sorry! Sharon got the onion soup so I’ll use her photo. She and I had the sole which is a speciality for 44 euros each!! We forgot to ask the price. Delicious!
Le Procope is an iconic French brasserie in Paris established in 1686 which makes it the oldest café in Paris. (The original closed and reopened much later so some debate about the claim.) It sits on a cobble-stoned alley, rue de l’Ancienne Comédie in the 6th arrondissement and serves only traditional French cuisine. It became a hub of the Parisian artistic and literary community in the 18th and 19th centuries. Famous guests are claimed to have eaten here like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Marie Antoinette and Napoleon. Also Voltaire and Rousseau. If you don’t feel the breath of history over your shoulder here, you won’t feel it anywhere in Paris. I did get some exterior shots.
After our lunch we simply strolled for hours stopping to rest and drink(!) along the way. I believe Sharon hit every souvenir shop on the Left Bank and found herself some shirts and other gifts for friends. Lots of opportunities for cafe chairs and one little doggie. Last stop was Le Bouquet St. Paul which is closing tomorrow for two weeks for a total re-do. It will now be Italian! The Tysons are sorry because they’ve established an identity there. It’s always been our “little hole in the wall” and we also hold it in much fondness as our beloved apartment was right upstairs.
It is 57 degrees in the early morning here in Paris. How divine! We are thankful and joyous at the cooler temps. How funny that today we will be inside for almost the entire day getting lost in Le Louvre. Literally! Lunch is reserved at Café Marly, and I promise we’ll get some pics of food!
Have a great Saturday,
L & B
August 6, 2022 @ 8:42 am
The military museum sounds absolutely fascinating Linda. Have you watched the film Sarah’s Keys? Most harrowing account of the treatment of the Jews in occupied Paris.
Enjoy the cooler temperatures xx
August 6, 2022 @ 3:39 pm
Antonia, I’ve read the book and seen the movie and both were fabulous. We have even found the apartment in the Marais where her brother hid and later died. Such a tragic story! Hoping still to see you on 25 August. Keep us posted.
August 6, 2022 @ 11:45 am
So glad you got a cool day! And found a new museum. I must go there next time. Now, after all your years in Paris and the different weather conditions, what do you think would be the best two months to go?
Love your shirt, Linda!
August 6, 2022 @ 3:37 pm
Katie,
That’s a tough question to answer because weather is the forever trickster in Paris. Last July/August, it was very cool and rainy. This year, just the opposite. Late April to late June might be good but I’ve also been here in June with my son’s family when it was 95 degrees. September/October can be quite nice but also hot and dry and so many of the fun things in the summer are over. But in the fall, you have fashion week and the wine festival at Montmartre. It really is anyone’s guess.
August 6, 2022 @ 2:04 pm
So terribly envy the cool temps. You deserve it! Enjoyed the stroll immensely. How well I remember our lunch at Cafe Marly.
August 6, 2022 @ 2:14 pm
Cooler weather and a leisurely pace seems to be just the right combination. The museum sounds very interesting. I can see why you plan to make a return trip.
August 6, 2022 @ 2:47 pm
Hurrah for some cooler air! Love the cafe chairs with arms. Love your blue striped shirt. You and Bernie are looking great! Paris agrees with you.
August 6, 2022 @ 3:34 pm
Merci, mon ami!
August 6, 2022 @ 3:09 pm
What a wonderful day for you all! Good to hear that le Procope had such excellent food. It has been more atmosphere than food worthy for us in the past. Maybe we will try it again. You did manage to cover a lot of territory on foot. That is our favorite way to spend time in Paris. Can’t believe we will be there in just over a week! A bientôt!
August 6, 2022 @ 3:34 pm
Yes, see you soon!
August 6, 2022 @ 4:24 pm
Yes, love your blue stripped shirt. Is that a Paris find? You fit right in with the current fashion of blue and white. When in Paris in June, we went to the Liberation Museum too. At the time they had an exhibit of female war correspondents with pictures they’d taken. The museum is out of the usual tourist circuit but worth a visit. If you do go back, look for Rue Daguerre and then for the restaurant Daguerre Maree – Bar a Huitres. The best oysters ever!! It is also a wonderful strolling street.
Nice it isn’t rainy, but Paris certainly needs rain, as does the rest of France. Tough times for all concerned.
August 6, 2022 @ 7:05 pm
We discovered rue Daguerre last year. Great area!
August 6, 2022 @ 8:15 pm
What an interesting museum. I think I would really enjoy spending time there. Lovely chairs today as well! And you all look well rested and relaxed. The wysteria and lavender are lovely. I can almost smell the lavender!
August 7, 2022 @ 6:36 pm
Sharon will need to buy another (or 2 more) suitcases, if she continues to shop!!! 🙂
August 7, 2022 @ 6:55 pm
They bought a bunch of new artwork today at Montmartre. The larger painting is being shipped! And they surprised us with a piece we thought they had gotten for themselves!