Uncategorized
Fontaine Saint-Michel
11 Place Saint-Michel
6th arrondissement
Pantheon (5e)
The Story Behind The Saint Michel Fountain Paris By Foot
Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel
St. Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
thrust into hell Satan,
and all the evil spirits,
who prowl about the world
seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen
Passy Cemetery
Lefuel
Fernandel
Claude Debussy
Jacques Ibert
Édouard Manet
Berthe Morisot (Eugène Manet)
Marcel Renault
Pearl White
Statue List (Paris)
Le marchand de masques (Luxenborg Gardens)
Thomas Jefferson
King on Pont Neuf
The Sun King
King (in Louvre Court Yard)
La Défense de Paris (Versailles)
Grand Palais
Winston Churchill
Georges Clémenceau
Charles de Gaulle
La Défense de Paris
St. Dennis (Notre Dame)
Saint Louis
Eau de Paris
We have never sampled Eau de Paris,
when recently there during COVID we received mixed-messages as to whether the fountains were closed during the pandemic
Paris Public Drinking Fountains
Did you know about the high quality of water from the Public Fountains in Paris?
It is free (although empty bottles can be purchased out of vending machines)
A Sparkling Water Version is even available at several locations
https://www.treehugger.com/paris-sparkling-water-fountains-4866461
http://www.eaudeparis.fr/
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.eaudeparis.fr/&prev=search&pto=aue (translation)
Click to access brochureOExpoAnglais.pdf
We watched Down to Earth with Zac Efron: Netflix travel show
Very informative segment about how the Publicly Owned Water Utility in the City of Paris treats the water through filtration, oxygen aeration and light treatment, then disperses it free through public drinking fountains
Download the app to find the nearest public fountain in Paris
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/les-fontaines-de-paris/id1434185242
Joan
Joan of Arc
Sainte Jeanne d’Arc (Patron Saint of France)
Jehanne la Pucelle (she called herself “Joan the Maiden”
https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=joan+of+arc
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3cszjvg
Burned at the Stake.
Her remains were burned twice more, to prevent collection of relics
Her ashes were cast into the Seine River
Top 5 Hotels
We often stay in the same places, year after year
so we experience the ebb and flow of hotels
which are either getting better, or getting worse
ONE: Primo (The Best) le meilleur
Hôtel Le Louis, Versailles Château – McGallery By Sofitel
Even though this hotel requires a train ride through the France country-side
This is a mythic location, just down the road from “the Palace” le château
Provides the opportunity for one of our favorite mornings in Paris:
Entering the Gates of Versaillles when it opens at 8:00 and running through this vacant albiet epic space
The Best Breakfast Buffet
The Best Desk Service
The most luxurious rooms (at a reasonable price)
TWO
Le Pullman Paris Centre
Another Remote Venue in Bercy
Very accessible to Paris along the Seine by Velib, Running Path or Metro
Spectacular Suite (and wonderful facility)
Impressive Desk Staff (although it is all show and no go)
Very posh and professional, until you have a substantial problem
Great Breakfast Buffet
So Popular that it is a Crowd Scene (Greed and Gluttony on Full Display)
(this is one of our venues which is so good that it is almost a disturbing problem)
THREE
Sofitel Paris La Defense Puteaux
We really appreciate the quality of Sofitel
La Defense, is another remote venue, worth the travel
this facility has ebbed and flowed, but is on the rise
We stayed in a remodeled room and love the Sofitel Breakfast Buffet
There are also great running opportunities
FOUR
Mercure Paris Montmartre Sacre Coeur, Paris
Our Favorite Neighborhood of Paris
And this is the most solid, respectable and consistent hotel in this arrondisemont
This is the best hotel that we have found in Montmartre
We could easily give you 25 reasons that we love 18e (the eighteenth arrondisement)
FIVE
Novotel Paris Est, Bagnolet
This is five, because it is “not-as-good-as-last-year” (which happens with every hotel)
I like this place, it is cheap, but good and fun
I liked the very affordable single rooms
When we stayed in a suite, we flipped out
(spaciousness and bathtub big-enough-for-a-whale)
We like the proximity to Père Lachaise Cemetery
But then the bad experience last year
(worn-out and basic furnishings, separate dingy bedroom, with small television)
Disappointed by the “ordinary” Breakfast Buffet
I suspect that most Breakfast Buffets are this way, but we don’t go to Paris for an “ordinary” breakfast buffet
With what appears to be a collection of flight crews – It doesn’t feel special, it just feels crowded
septième
Seventh (7th)
We now stay 10 nights in Paris
usually split-up between 5 hotels
But in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, airfares are unpredictable
And instead of a reasonable Mid-Day return flight, we depart much earlier
Perhaps, staying near the airport one night
So maybe we stay at 7 different hotels
What will be the septième Hôtel?
We like the Sofitel:
Latin Quarter:
One Nighter, Saturday Run, Last Day in Paris
Montparnasse:
Niepce Paris Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
Roissy-en-France
If you have an EARLY flight out of CDG
Maybe you could stay near the airport
So, we are wondering if Roissy-en-France is a place to visit
Lots of Airport Hotels
But Anything Else?
Although I do miss more reasonable mid-morning flights when you can
-Get out on an early run
-Stop by the Breakfast Buffet
-Take the Red Line into Paris (one New Years Day morning
-Take the Airport Train out to CDG (always stressful for some reason)
-Big Delays at CDG
And Airport Hotels are always much cheaper
Paris for the Holidays 