After a coffee in Au Gamin, it was along to Chateau Rouge metro to buy a carnet and a metro plan before going along to Jules Joffrin metro and the Hotel de Ville for Le Bon Plan. This is a wee map with the piste cyclable (cycle paths) of Paris. Before leaving Scotland I had bought a day ticket to use the Velib system of bicycle hire in Paris. I intend to use this tomorrow to see how it works and explore a wee bit of Paris by bike. Well that is the plan!
Getting that organised was followed by the steep walk up to Montmartre and the Sacre Coeur. I was in need of oxygen by the time I arrived and the beautiful day was getting warmer and warmer.
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| The courtyard of the Montmartre Museum |
A leisurely stroll followed through the streets of this very popular part of the city and its many beautiful sights. It is a place where tourists are ripped off left, right and centre - 5.60€ for a coffee - and it is virtually impossible to avoid these traps. Be Warned!!
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| The vineyard in the Montmartre |
I started off walking down past the Museum of Montmartre to Le Lapin Agile and the vineyard of Clos Montmartre. Unfortunately the Fête des Vendanges is not until October but the vines themselves were showing good early growth even to my untutored eye.
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| Le Lapin Agile |
Le Lapin Agile is a cabaret and was immortalized by Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso and Utrillo among others and is still a favourite with many artists today - talented or otherwise - who sit across the road with open sketch books and busy pencils.
Next stop was Place du Tertre the bustling heart of the Montmartre. Avoid the touts offering to sketch you or cut your silhouhette in card. Have a wander and take in the atmosphere, and if you can afford a coffee, sit and watch the fascinating scene.
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| One of countless stalls in Place du Tertre |
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| Artist touting for business |
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| A captive poser |
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| The original bistro |
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| Maurice Utrillo did better using a different media |
With Montmartre getting busier and busier and the day getting hotter and hotter, I walked back down to Chateau Rouge metro through the throngs of tourists visiting the Sacre Coeur. Having visited many times before, I continued on my way - only stopping to take some photographs.
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| The clear blue sky cloaks the dome of the Sacre Coeur |
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| Looking back to the Sacre Coeur from the top of Rue Maurice Utrillo |
It was about lunch time and I was looking to find a recommended restaurant called L'Astier at 44, Rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud over in the 11th arrondissement. I took the metro to Goncourt and walked to what had been described as a good value budget restaurant. Not my budget I am afraid and a short walk along Ave de la République brought me to Cave Les Babines - an epicerie and wine merchants. I took a table out in the sun and I decided on une assiette mix (cheeses and charcuterie) plus a glass of red wine for 8€ and it was lovely. So lovely in fact that, I decided on another two glasses of wine.
It was really warm by now and to finish off a lovely day I jumped on the metro at Place de la République and made my way to Les Jardin des Tuileries between Place de la Concorde and Le Louvre. I chose a spot by the fountains away from the river. Grabbing two chairs - one a recliner and the other an upright, I settled back for an hour or so on the former while propping my feet up on the latter, and was content to watch the world go by.
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| Looking over to the posh apartments on Rue de Rivoli |
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| A view along the Grande Allée in the direction of the Louvre |
A short metro ride and I was in Etienne Marcel and having a half pint of Caledonian 80/- (4€) in The Thistle on Rue St Denis. Needless to say that was all I had and soon returned to rue Doudeauville and Au Gamin de Paris for a wee pression or two in the sun before bed.
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