Apparently your 20th wedding anniversary is China. Well a 2 day break in Beijing was out of the question, so Lucy and I went to Paris on our own (first foreign holiday without the girls since we had them) from 17th - 19th July. I'd booked a break with lastminute.com and we went with FlyBe direct from Edinburgh to Paris on board an Embraer 145 small jet (so you could say went Embraer to Paris, in local patois).
Only 6 minutes to check in and clear security, so a good start at Edinburgh airport!
Arrived at Paris CDG on time only to discover a bomb scare meant we couldn't access RER or the metro, so we ended up getting a taxi for 70€. Charles de Gaulle makes Edinburgh look like a thoroughly modern airport (which it is), we can only hope they were in the middle of redeveloping.
The Hôtel Louvre Saint Honoré was clean and in a good location although due to a poor shower, the room was slightly musty. Found local café (Coup d'Etat) about 4p.m. and watched life go by the Louvre over a couple of beers. Too early to eat but as we'd missed lunch we had savoury crepes on the way to Nôtre Dame.
Back to the hotel for a shower then out to dinner at L'auberge de Louvre, I had saffron salmon and Lucy had beef bourgignon. OK meal then early night.
Wednesday
Breakfast at the hotel - croissants, cheese, coffee then off to Les Halles for a morning shopping. Well, Lucy did most of the shopping (presents for the girls), I sat in a café soaking up some coffee and sun most of the time.
Plenty of shopping at Les Halles then sat in Café Clovis outside St Eustache.
Back to the hotel for shower and feet up before more walking.
Went to the Tuileries, went on the big wheel (like the London Eye), with great views (Flickr) from Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower. Walked down to the Rodin Museum, still hadn't had lunch by 3 so had snacks at a nearby café with a very grumpy waiter whose favourite word was "Non".
Walked round garden of Rodin museum (Le Penseur), Lucy did the interior, I needed more Evian. Went back via Quay d'Orsay, Lucy found japanese artist doing graphics of children's names. Back to hotel to rescue feet and consume cold beer.
Hobbled out to our anniversary dinner at Au Chien qui Fume (recommended by Rough Guide), near Les Halles, great starters (Lucy had soupe oignon, I had herring and warm potato salad) mains less so (Lucy had fricassée volaille, I had cod fillet with fresh aioli sauce), back to hotel by 10.30 for bed. Must be all the walking, or perhaps it's just age...
Thursday
Leisurely breakfast at hotel, checked out at 10 but managed to leave the luggage there all day! Walked down to Pont Neuf and went on a Bateaux Mouche for the first time. Very relaxing.
Then back to the Musée d'Orsay, had citron pressée while waiting for queues to subside from the morning tours. Went for lunch first in the restaurant, salads uninspiring for the cost. Looked round old daguerrotypes, then did 1.5hr guided tour on impressionism (brought back memories of university), then back to the hotel for luggage.
Ghastly, sweaty walk to Chatelet to catch RER to Paris CDG during rush hour, but the fare was 16€ compared to our taxi drive on arrival! Plenty of time to check-in, CDG failed on the food front - we had a better French snack at Edinburgh airport on the way over. They did typical UK service station overpriced sandwiches - no sign of croissant, baguettes, brie or vin rouge...
Flight left on time in the French sunshine, but as we taxied out to the runway, the Captain told us the good news about Edinburgh - cloudy, showery, 12 degrees. Welcome back to the great British summer.
