We finished Sunday night in Paris at a restaurant called Chez Fernand, 9 Rue Christine. I mention the address that some day you may go and some day we may return.
We had cheese and wine about 5 PM and took naps. We assume that supper on Sunday is as late as Saturday. We have no reservations. So Caroline and Angela google YELP ( you realize that 15 years ago that verb and objective would have made no sense to anyone).
Down the street is Chez (House) Fernand, at 10:30 we are dressed in our travel clothes and walking about 400 yards to Chez. In the middle of a side street off Rue De Dauphin, the restaurant's sign proclaims it is open.
With no reservations, we enter slowly. There are tables. More importantly, there are people at tables eating and drinking. Not crowded, the guests seem content and enjoying themselves.
There is a table for five and the waitress sits us promptly with friendliness. Eating is a good time and the staff seem to enjoy a good time. There are two staff - a waitress and waiter. The waiter is the showman and the waitress is the straight man. "Sit, Enjoy" "English, American" "Fantastic".
"Menus!" Of course, here is the French for you "Monsieur". The table with 12 people has the English menus. Mademoiselle, your French is excellent." "Madame, you must speak French."
The banter is quick and jovial. It is inclusive.
The wine list arrives. The prices are not bad. The wine is practical and the vintages newer. Most wines are made to be drunk within five years of vintage even French wines. Betty's wants a glass of white. She orders a Sauvignon Blanc. Caroline joins her. I order two glasses of 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape ( I know name dropping - but, honestly, I want to try a southern Rhone to compare to Paso Robles Rhones).
What a friendly atmosphere! We order. Caroline, Angela and John order the Beef Bourguignon. Betty orders the Bass. I order the appetizer of pate foie gras for my supper. I am confident that Caroline will share her Beef with me later.
I order the Pate because it is now difficult to order in the states. I get a whole slice which is a lot of pate for one person. The slice of toast quickly is used up transfer to bread. I had expected to share. Pate is not a favorite among the family members. I enjoy it. It is too much.
The Beef Bourguignon is an all time favorite - it will never be better.
More wine is ordered. This time a chafe of the red and two glasses of the white.
The servers continue to interact and the service is excellent. The kitchen is efficient. There are two other tables - one with fourteen people and another with six. Food comes just when you are ready for it - after a few sips of wine, the appetizers of pate and onion soup (yes, Virginia there is French Onion soup in France).
We have coffee and share a desert of cherries and ice cream. We are so content and so happy. For all this happiness, the bill is extremely reasonable.
Now the beginning the beginning of the day.
The Eiffel Tower is a short metro ride from our apartment. We are in District 6 with the residence where Pablo Picasso painted and Balzac wrote just down the street. We are within walking distance of St Michel, Norte Dame and the Left Bank. The Sorbonne and Pantheon are within blocks.
We have reservations for 2 PM. We arrive early - way too early - my fault. I have tales of the long lines and I am very unsure of the process. The weather is blustery and in the 50's. The sun appears irregular and provides light but no warmth. We are not dressed for the chill. We relied on the damn Yahoo weather forecast and false sunshine.
We wait at the bottom. I check boldly and am told that 14:00 means 14:00(2 PM). In any language, politely we have told to "wait". Nothing to do but be cold. Caroline mentions that when she was here last - high school junior year - that the area under the tower was full. It is Sunday, but it is also early April. The majority of tourist are French. We discover that the English, Americans and Asian tours arrive later in the week.The reservations do work. It is always nervous ordering on line the first time. I ordered the tickets about 2 months ago and have only pieces of paper to confirm my expenditure. Fear is constant. Did I get the date right? Hell, did I get the year right? Did I ? A lot? A little?
Answers are "YES". The reservations are worth the price. The line for tickets is long. We allowed in quickly to the elevator to the second level. The view is spectacular. Photos are panoramic. We wait in line for the summit. I had to buy tickets to the summit to have tickets to the second level.
It is cold and uncomfortable. The Tower was built by businessman and engineer, Mr. Eiffel. The structure was to be torn down after the World Fair of 1900. It was then and is now an attraction to all tourists. Judging from the number of French tourists and school children, it is the place to visit on a Sunday.
The views at both levels are fantastic. I am surprised that we all go to the summit. The line is efficient and moves quickly. But, it still takes about 25 minutes to get to one of the six elevators that take you to the summit. It is a Disney type line, you think you are making progress when the progress is not as great as you think. It is good on the morale. It is the wind that chills you. The tower is 1,031 feet high so the wind is an issue even on a less blustery day.Coming down, Caroline and Betty take the tram elevator. John, Angela and I walk down to the first level and then take the tram elevator to the ground.
We walk to the REF station. On our last trip to Paris, Betty and I used the Metro system. The Varin station was just around the corner. We learnt this time is that the Paris Metro system is very integrated. Since we are closest to St. Michel and are traveling most of the time parallel to the Seine River, it is the REF (more of a regional type train - think, the Metro train from Chicago to Mt. Prospect).
Same ticket. Suggestion. If staying more than 3 days, buy the passes. It most likely is "break even" on cost, but the convenience makes it a good idea.
Monday - rain and Luxembourg Park.
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