Last Day in Paris

Statue on the bridge of Pont Alexandre III

Breakfast of Champions

Cheryl, Zoe and Kimberly

Breakfast with cheese, pate, pastries and champagne My stomach feels funny when I wake up. I am not used to eating much meat and that was a huge portion of steak tartare that I consumed last night. Oh well, live and learn.

Zoe comes to our apartment at 9am and we have a Parisian breakfast of champions; fresh pain au chocolat, baguette, cheeses, pate and champagne.

Coffee at Place de l’Estapade

Zoe and Kimberly in front of Emily in Paris apartment
Cheryl and Zoe having coffee at Boulangerie Moderne Fully nourished, we set out for Luxembourg Gardens, stopping at the Emily in Paris area (Place de l’Estrapade) to look at the the restaurants, her apartment and her favourite patisserie. The patisserie is open so we join the short line for coffee, tea and pastries.

Luxembourg Gardens

Cheryl and Zoe on chairs in front of Luxembourg Palace

Zoe and Kimberly on Chairs in front of Luxembourg Palace
Kimberly Selfie in front of Luxembourg Gardens pond Luxembourg Gardens is quite close by. We relax on the chairs, chatting and enjoying the beautiful surroundings. No one is floating boats in the pond, I guess the kids are all in school.

It is the beginning of fashion week and we keep seeing photographers and models.

Fashion Shoot at Luxembourg Gardens

Saint Sulpice

Meridian at Saint Sulpice

Exterior of Saint Sulpice Saint Sulpice is next on our stops. There has been a church here since the thirteenth century. The church has two towers but one is 5 metres shorter than the other. There are beautiful frescos in the church including one by Eugene Delacroix. It also has gnomon (meridian) which was prominently featured in the Divinci Code.

Interior of Saint Sulpice

Cafe de Flore and Les Deux Magots

Exterior of the Cafe de Flore

Exterior of Les Deux Magots Our next walk is to Fragonard, a well known French perfumery. My sister buys her favourite scent.

Nearby are the very famous “Cafe de Flore”. The cafe was founded in 1885 and was frequented by literary stars and painters (such as Picasso), philosophers and many others. Recently it was the Model in Saint Germain de Pres cafe where Emily met her snobby boyfriend Thomas. The cafe is quite pricey because of its popularity.

Nearby is another equally famous cafe, “Les Deux Maggots”. This brasserie was frequented by the likes of Hemingway and other artistic greats. Once again, because of its popularity, it is also expensive.

We stop at a different cafe in Saint Germain for some waters and pastry. Nearby there is another fashion shoot in progress.

I also have to stop into the store Cote a Cote because yesterday when I purchased my shoes, they forgot to take the security tag off of one of them. Thank goodness I noticed it before we left.

Lunch

Cheryl and Kimberly in Paris
Our Mediterranean Vegetable Tarte We have a delicious Mediterranean Vegetable Tarte for lunch. Yum. I am going to have to learn to make that.

It starts to rain while we are eating so out comes the tacky (but effective) bright yellow plastic rain poncho and my umbrella.

Too soon, it is time for Zoe to head to the airport. We say goodbye at the Sainte Michel Metro where she grabs the RER (train) to the airport.

Out and About On My Own

Selfie at Place de Valois Emily in Paris Ad Agency location
Kimberly in the Paris Rain Cheryl’s ankle is bothering her so she heads back to the apartment and I brave the off and on showers to do some more touring.

I head across the bridge and through one of the the Louvre courtyards to ‘Place de Valois” which incidentally is the location of Savoir Agency where Emily works in Emily in Paris.

Nearby is the Palais-Royal National Estate. At this point it is pouring down but I still find a fellow tourist to take my photo.
Back of the Opera House
Wanting to see the beautiful Opera House, Opera Garnier, I continue my walk; only once getting side tracked and going into a Mephisto store.

Unfortunately the whole front of the opera house has a large L’Oreal backdrop over it and it is all fenced off as many, many Exterior of the Galleries Lafayette workers furiously prepare for a big fashion event. I am able to get some pictures from its back.

I make my way to Galleries Lafayette (High end French department store) before heading into the Metro to return to our apartment.

Ponte Alexandre III

Model on the bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower at night

Alexander III Bridge with Les Invalides in the background After doing some packing and having some supper, Cheryl and I grab the Metro and head to Pont Alexander III which is arguably the prettiest bridge in Paris. Coincidentally, it is also another location in Emily in Paris.

The bridge with its gorgeous statues and lights.
We got there just at the time when the Eiffel Tower started sparkling like diamonds. Click here for a short video of the bridge.
The Eiffel Tower Twinkling at Night One of the Entrance Pillars for the Alexander III Bridge
We can see the lit up Les Invalides down the street.
Lamp Post with sculptures at the Pont Alexandre III
Exterior of the Petit Palace Models and photographers are on and around the bridge and an area at the base of the bridge is fenced off for another fashion week event.

Cheryl and I check out the lit up Petit Palace before crossing the bridge one more time. We say our final goodbyes to Paris.

Statue of Winston Churchill