As the Thalys train started to slow, I cannot help but to
sing Edith Piaf’s La vie en Rose in
my head, the slow, jazzy tune of the trumpets singing of a past classical
romance. And so I have come to rekindle my
past romance. Not with my dearest husband sitting next to me, quizzically
trying to figure out the answer to a crossword puzzle, but with Paris, the
place I call my heart’s home.
Upon arrival at Gare du Nord we are greeted with the
familiar Parisian dialect; not the Belgium Flemish and “ch’tis” French I’ve
grown so accustomed to. We quickly catch a metro and find our way to our
beautiful room in our hotel next to the lush Jardins du Luxembourg. The
building, like so many old French buildings, has the most elaborate stucco on
the ceiling and greets your ears with soft creaks of footsteps on wooden
floors. After settling down we immediately set out in the direction of the
Notre Dame. This weekend, I am the navigator as Paris feels to me like my old
familiar home. We decided that this weekend we are going to spend time in the
old familiar places and just wander around, enjoying the Parisian atmosphere.
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| The Pantheon |
First stop, the Pantheon, situated (close to the Jardins du
Luxembourg) in the Latin Quarter. The Pantheon’s facade is modeled on the
Pantheon in Rome and today it is used as mausoleum. It was originally built as
a church for the patron saint of Paris, St. Genevieve. The Pantheon is one of
those buildings that just, once again, emphasizes our minuscule size in the
world but reminds us how we have the ability to make a big impact on it, none
the less. Many notable people are interred and buried here, including Voltaire,
Emile Zola, Louis Brailles and Victor Hugo. Foucault, the French physicist’s
famous swinging spherical pendulum was first demonstrated here and a copy of which
can still be seen inside. Strangely enough, after rummaging through my old
photos from my first visit to the city, I found that I took a very similar
photo back then and then during this visit. (The first photo is from my visit
in 2007, where a friend and I “accidentally” discovered the Pantheon from below
the hill. The second photo is from my visit in 2012 where we passed through
this street to get to the Notre Dame.)
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| My first sighting of the Pantheon (2007) |
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| Leaving the Pantheon to go to the Notre Dame (2012) |
From the Pantheon it is best to walk through the city to go
to the Ile de la Cite, which hosts the beautiful Notre Dame de Paris, simply known as the Notre
Dame. I truly believe that the best way to see a city is on foot, for it allows
you to see and experience so much more. One can smell the different scents, and
hear the different sounds of the city. A quick and easy way to travel is, of
course, the Paris Metro. A carnet (consisting of 10 tickets) can be bought at a
slightly reduced rate and can be used for 10 single trips. The metro stops
nearby most of the famous Parisian attractions. If you are staying for 5 days
or more, the Passe Navigo can be bought at all RATP/SNCF ticket windows at the
metro stations. This pass can be used to travel as much as you like on all the
Paris Metro lines and the RER network, however it can only be activated on
weekdays, which would be problematic if you arrive on a weekend.
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| The Notre Dame (front entrance and entrance to the treasury) |
The Notre Dame was built in a French Gothic style and
construction began in 1160. Gothic elements creep from every crevice of the
cathedral, most notably the gargoyles looming over the spires, maliciously
spitting streams of rainwater onto the ground. It is possible to view the
cathedral’s gargoyles up close when taking a tour of the towers, which includes
climbing about 400 steps, for a fee of € 8,50 for adults. (Note: the cathedral
is currently undergoing some renovation and not all the towers will be
accessible. The monument itself will be closed from 19 February 2013 to 10
March 2013, except on weekends.) From the tower a beautiful view of Paris
awaits. The cathedral’s treasury is also worth visiting for its various
religious relics, most notably the crown of thorns, a piece of the cross and a
nail from the cross. The entrance fee to the treasury is €3,00
(the entrance to the treasury is in front of the cathedral, and not in the
cathedral itself.). Entrance to the Cathedral is free and it is worth the
visit. It boasts with beautiful sculptures, stained glass windows and artworks.
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| Notre Dame |
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| Beautiful Windows |
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| The Cathedral's famous windows |
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| Arch above one of the front entries |
The cold and fog came creeping up from the Seine and nudged
us to the Left Bank, where we visited the famous Shakespeare and Company
bookstore, which is worth a visit for any literary lover. Here you can find
English books lined on wooden bookshelves, hidden away in narrow passages. You
can get the famous Shakespeare and Co stamp in your book upon purchase. The
shop next to the English bookshop sells collectors books, such as signed copies
and first prints. The store is named after the original Shakespeare and
Company, famous for being the hangout place for writers such as Ezra Pound, James
Joyce and Ernest Hemmingway, which unfortunately closed during the German
occupation of France during World War II.
Paris has so many famous monuments which we were eager to
visit again, but our bed was beckoning us to get a good night’s sleep before
embarking on our second day’s “monument hopping tour”. We enjoyed a hearty
dinner in the comfort of our bed and soon drifted away, the lights of the
Eiffel Tower swaying across the orange clouds cast across the horizon.
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| The famous Shakespeare and Company |
Below I share a recipe inspired by one of the most delicious
baguettes I’ve had in Paris.
Portobello
mushroom, Roquefort and caramelized onion baguette
(Serve with a warm soup of your choice, such as French Onion
Soup or Vegetable soup)
Ingredients:
Two large Portobello Mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Butter
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried sage
(or substitute the above herbs with an Italian Herb mix)
¼ teaspoon dried garlic flakes
Slices of Roquefort (or any blue cheese of your choice)
2 Onions
Brown Sugar
Baby Spinach leaves
Salt
1.
Place the mushrooms in a deep bowl. Cover with
olive oil and add about 4 table spoons of Balsamic Vinegar. Add the Basil,
Oregano and Sage (or the Italian Herb mix) and the garlic. Rub the mushrooms in the mixture and set
aside.
2.
Meanwhile, prepare the caramelized onions by
peeling the onions. Halve the onions and slice them lengthwise. Melt some
butter in a thick bottomed pan. Lower the heat and add the onions, add some
salt and sauté. Once the onions are
becoming transparent, add some brown sugar and a little bit of Balsamic vinegar
(one table spoon of vinegar for every two table spoons of sugar). Allow the
onions to caramelize over low heat, stirring frequently until the sugar has
dissolved. Allow to cool.
3.
In a separate pan, heat some olive oil and add the
marinated mushrooms and the rest of the marinade. Cook the mushrooms on medium
heat, while frequently stirring, for about five minutes. Allow to cool.
4.
Prepare the baguette by slicing it lengthwise,
adding some butter. Add the baby spinach leaves. Top the leaves with the
Portobello mushrooms and add the caramelized onions. Drizzle the mushrooms with
some of the caramel residue of the onions. Top with the slices of Roquefort and
serve with a warm soup.
Have you tried this recipe? Do you like french sandwiches or baguettes? And have you ever been to Paris?
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