Bienvenue à Paris
Bonjour for 2022,
It would be an understatement to say that we’ve had better first days for our annual Paris visit! Travel is tough right now, but we’re trying to be positive and grateful for the experience. And we’re doubly grateful for those of you who have followed us for many years. Here’s hoping that all will settle down and feel like home very shortly.
I had worked diligently to find us a new apartment in the area around rue St. Paul which is so familiar and beloved. And I had accomplished that after many hours of searching with an apartment that was basically across the street from where we have been for 15 years. I booked it last November with a substantial deposit which the agency (Square Reservations out of London) has held for seven months. Four days prior to our departure, they notified us that “due to unforeseen circumstances,” the apartment would not be available. They offered us a much nicer, larger apartment but which is almost a mile away… a brisk walking distance of about 16 minutes. What choice did we have but to take it at that late date? I think it’s part of their game so would discourage you away from them if you’re looking at a VRBO. To add insult to injury, we were promised a check-in time of 10:30 via a Saturday communication. We arrived Monday morning by taxi about 9:15 and thankfully sneaked our way into the courtyard as someone was leaving and found the concierge who agreed to watch our luggage. We ran quickly to get our subway passes updated and then to a pharmacy to get our booster shots loaded onto the French COVID phone app. After a new round of communication from Square giving a new arrival time of 3pm, Bernie and I went for several rounds of coffee (and restroom!) and a very small bite of lunch. Finally, a nice young man met us and went through the particulars of the apartment with us only to tell me that I still owed the remainder of our balance to the tune of about $4000 plus insurance! By this time, I’m not a nice person, and I directed him to my Capitol One account on line and showed him the payment that was charged on July 8th. That took him by surprise and he said he would work it out. He was an innocent third party so in a word, it was a mess! Maybe you’ve had good luck with VRBO’s but I never do!!!
Anyway, our picture-taking has been minimal, but we’ll share the interior look of our airline, La Compagnie, which we highly recommend
as well as some interior shots of our new apartment.
The photo theme for this year will be a fresh look at café chairs, especially ones with dogs when we can find them.
The weather is supposed to be SUPER HOT for this week. My daughter will arrive tomorrow with her friend Lisa. Unlike last year when it was cold and rainy much of the time, we will all be in a toaster oven (!) with a dinner cruise on the Seine planned for Bastille Day and the fireworks.
Send good thoughts and we’ll pull together for a great 10 weeks in Paris.
À bientôt
L & B
July 12, 2022 @ 4:25 am
Ahh, the adventure of travel! But your plane seats look better than ours and that apartment is lovely! It’s all a trade-off. I hope things look rosier tomorrow.
July 12, 2022 @ 4:36 am
Thank you Linda! I wish for you a cool breeze!
July 12, 2022 @ 4:53 am
So sorry you had such a wild arrival. But that was yesterday and today, you have all of Paris to savor and enjoy!
July 12, 2022 @ 10:48 am
We were thinking of you! You are fearless travelers and we look forward to your 2022 adventures. The apartment looks lovely!
July 12, 2022 @ 10:50 am
Welcome back to Paris! I’m so sorry for your rough start but look forward to another summer of vicarious Parisan livng with you and Bernie!
July 12, 2022 @ 10:56 am
Oh joyful day! Energiser bunnies Linda and Bernie are back in Paris, Linda’s blogging, Bernie’s photographing and all is right with the world.
WELL DONE you two, on what sounds an absolutely horrendous and totally UNIMPRESSIVE apartment fiasco. Seriously just POOR. You are superstars to keep your positive attitude (and your payment confirmation evidence!). GRRRRRRR. Poor last-minute notification, poor communication, poor re-location — well, hope the larger place works out (more to clean, is one thought! but maybe you’ll like the extra space). And you’ll find new places in the ‘hood and your global fans shall, as always, eagerly be awaiting all the L&B Paris discoveries and experiences.
Not sure we’ll meet up in person this year, but you know we’ll be cheering you on from this side of the Channel.
Stay cool mes amis, enjoy your daughter’s visit and thank you so much for your beautiful writing and photos, which always make my day. xxxx from C and C
July 12, 2022 @ 11:03 am
I must say that your new apartment is beautiful! I’m happy you are settled in. We have used VRBO for 15 plus years and rarely have been disappointed, but we have never rented abroad. Can’t wait to see pictures of your dinner cruise. Hope today begins the best part of your trip!
July 12, 2022 @ 11:40 am
So happy you are back!
Looking forward to my coffee with you each morning reading of your delightful Parisian experiences!
July 12, 2022 @ 11:41 am
Wow! No words. But what a gorgeous, spacious apartment. Hopefully with what they put you through, you’re not having to pay more. Enjoy the time with the gals.
July 12, 2022 @ 11:51 am
Glad you arrived safely despite all the hurdles! The apartment looks very nice. As the trip unfolds that there will be a silver lining to all the headaches with the new location.
July 12, 2022 @ 11:57 am
Hahahahaha! I feel so sorry for you having to put up with those accommodations in Paris! Surely you must be tempted to just chuck it all and head back to Good ole Alabama.
I do hope you do not experience the stifling heat so common worldwide now and want to encourage you two to take it especially easy getting through jet lag. Bernie looks pretty chipper in the pic and Linda, you look like you could take a deep breath. To further encourage you to relax, I want to reassure you that absolutely nothing has changed here since you left. Nothing.
So c’est le temps du le quatorze juillet. Enjoy! and bon voyage.
sos
July 12, 2022 @ 12:09 pm
Love the apartment, even if a little far from where you really want to be. You’re experience with VRBO has me worried as our reservation this fall in Vermont is through them. We’ll see. Hope the heat this week doesn’t set you back.
July 12, 2022 @ 12:19 pm
Well thatIS a nice looking bigger apartment! Great to hear from you. Onward and upward!
July 12, 2022 @ 12:30 pm
But you’re there. As Scarlett O’Hara said – Tomorrow is another day.
Apt looks lovely.
July 12, 2022 @ 12:55 pm
The new “digs” look lovely!!!!Am sure you will enjoy the extra space..
Look forward to seeing you and Bernie at the end of the month
July 12, 2022 @ 1:06 pm
I agree that was a bait and switch. It looks very nice but maybe not the charm the old place has. It’s been updated. Good luck with the weather. It’s also sweltering (relatively) down in the Alps where Rachel is…
July 12, 2022 @ 1:20 pm
Good to see you made it once again. I had been wondering if you would be making it to Paris this year with all else going on in the world today. I look forward to the new photo theme.
July 12, 2022 @ 2:22 pm
So glad to hear from you……what an experience , but glad it at least ended in a beautiful apt. As you know hot here also.!can’t wait to hear……Kathryn
July 12, 2022 @ 2:25 pm
Sorry for your experience🥴🥴but glad it ended in a beautiful apt..Thanks for update…..KM
July 12, 2022 @ 2:29 pm
Mom, you look rough lol. Excited to be there soon!!
July 12, 2022 @ 2:33 pm
I’m glad everything finally worked out on the apartment fir you two. Have an awesome time there.
July 12, 2022 @ 2:35 pm
The plane and the apartment look real fancy – you’re moving on up. You, not so much, but I’m sure that will improve after a little rest. The dollar is buying more Euros, is that going to help out? Have a good trip.
July 12, 2022 @ 2:50 pm
Bon jour! May your adventures on this first day be the only troubles you encounter. I look forward to sharing your daily life in Paris vicariously.
July 12, 2022 @ 3:08 pm
Sorry to hear of delay issues, but flat does look lovely!!! On what street are you now located? And plane looks very nice too. Have a good trip once Paris cools off…..
July 12, 2022 @ 3:22 pm
So happy y’all arrived safely albeit a bit frustrated!
Lovely apartment 😉
July 12, 2022 @ 4:29 pm
I hate that day one didn’t go as planned but hopefully everything goes smoothly from here on out. The new apartment looks very nice and definitely gonna check out La Compagnie the next time we fly to Paris. Looking forward to living vicariously through your blog and photos! Have a great time. Hugs, Charla and Darren
July 12, 2022 @ 5:22 pm
Linda,
I see you are out of the country for 10 weeks but your name was given to me by a fellow OLLI @ UAH member. I do a class in the fall at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute @ UAH called “Fireside Chat with Authors”. I try to incorporate local and not so local authors to enhance the learning experience we at OLLI strive to achieve. Would you be interested in one of the two class availabilities I have for either September 14 or 21? I see this is right at your 10 week stay in Paris. We would love to hear of your adventures and hear you speak about your books.
Please let me know as soon as possible.
July 12, 2022 @ 6:20 pm
So happy you’re back in Paris for the summer! Looking forward to your daily post and pictures!
July 13, 2022 @ 9:00 am
Right now, they do not but just in case, we wanted all our info easily accessible.
July 12, 2022 @ 9:05 pm
Do the French require proof of vax/booster? I thought they had dropped the requirements.
July 12, 2022 @ 10:59 pm
I hope you have weathered the worst of the travel woes and that you have no more obstacles. The flat looks large and wonderful! That kitchen! I hope the distance doesn’t prove a problem. I am sure you will love exploring your new neighborhood and tell us all about it! We have reservations for two weeks at Christmas in a flat on I’le Saint Louis and are so looking forward to Christmas in Paris once again!
July 12, 2022 @ 11:27 pm
Linda and Bernard!! I’m thrilled to see you in Paris, even you had such a bumpy beginning. What a gorgeous place you are in. I so wish I was dropping in this time. And the plane looks SO MUCH BETTER than Delta One which I flew a few weeks back on a trip to a writing workshop Greece (more on that off this wall). I know you will bounce back and have an amazing time. Is 10 weeks long enough!? Much love to you both! Jeanie
July 13, 2022 @ 1:19 am
Your blog is SO enjoyable! Thank you for sharing.
July 13, 2022 @ 6:26 am
This is a test to make sure comments are working
July 13, 2022 @ 9:12 am
Betty Koval,
I’m afraid to commit to these two September dates as we will have company and I don’t want to interfere with any of our schedule. Thank you for the opportunity, however, and perhaps we can set something up on a later date!
July 13, 2022 @ 12:51 pm
Thanks for taking the time to answer me so soon. I would love for you to contact me once you are settled back at home. OLLI members would so enjoy hearing about your writing and travel. We do bonuses on Friday’s at 11:00 am – you would be great for one of those.
Betty
July 13, 2022 @ 1:25 pm
Amazing what a day can make🤗great to hear of activities and beautiful pictures
July 14, 2022 @ 4:05 pm
Nice apartment…with shower! 😉
Rough start but end result…Paris!! 😊
Re: Betty Koval…I too have been invited to speak at OLLI this fall.
Heat or not, you still get Paris in your backyard. It will be great. Best wishes for a lovely stay! 🥰
July 19, 2022 @ 6:45 pm
The new apartment is lovely, very comfortable looking. Hope there are no more related surprises.
I’ve only used VRBO once, domestically, and all went fine. Must be different overseas.
August 16, 2022 @ 1:29 pm
Hello L & B, We are heading to Paris in June 2023 and got an apartment for 10 days across Hotel De Ville. Which Metro Pass do you have? I read that you are unable to purchase the 10 tickets booklet anymore? Thanks for all the adventures and hope the rest this trip gets cooler. Martin
August 16, 2022 @ 1:58 pm
Martin, I read the same thing but it’s not true, at least not right now. They still sell a carnet of 10 tickets. We have a Navigo card which we update the first day of every month and can use it an unlimited number of times. We bought 5-day tickets for Sharon and Johnny. It’s one little ticket good an unlimited number of times over 5 consecutive days. Wait to purchase it in the early morning because it you buy it late in the day, that counts as Day 1!
August 16, 2022 @ 1:59 pm
I’d love to know from whom you bought your apartment? Air B&B, VRBO, etc??