Paris

We were up early to get to St. Pancreas Station for the Eurostar Train to Paris!  We arrived at 2pm, after an incredibly smooth train ride.  We took the Metro from Gare du Nord to the 11e where we have a rented a stylish loft apartment.  

We settled in briefly and then headed to the Orangerie.  The Orangerie was not open the last time I was in Paris (in 2006), it houses Monet’s Water lilly materpieces in oval rooms with filtered natural light. Monet donated these to the French state and these rooms were purpose built for the paintings.  There was an exhibit of Renoir, Picasso and others on the lower level.

We checked out the local Pause Café for dinner, a spot frequented by students who mostly spent their time smoking in the covered, heated outdoor patio area.  Smoking has been banned from inside restaurants and bars in France, although apparently not patio areas even if they are enclosed and the door between the patio and inside is left open, basically defeating the smoking ban. There was plenty of baguette and wine and delicious food though.

At the Tuileries Garden