Macarons and Goodbyes

Thursday, August 19

Last day in Paris

After checking out the huge outlet area in Troyes and discovering it wouldn't open till 10 a.m we looked for a place to have our morning coffee. Troyes seemed a very quiet town without many open cafes or restaurants. At the Rue des Marques (Label Avenue) there was a cafe with the owner outside chatting to some early arriving workers of the area. We asked if he was open as it certainly didn't seem that he was but he said no problem come on in, and locked the door behind us. You want coffee? All the chairs were still piled up and he told us to sit wherever we wished so I took down a chair while he took down another. We had both asked for a café au lait and he asked "à la crème?" I guess he meant with cream rather than milk. I didn't really want too creamy a coffee so I said I would have a cappucino instead, which would have just the milk foam on top. He told the woman behind the counter to warm up the machine and off he went to prepare the two coffees. Couldn't believe my eyes when he brought the tray, this wasn't morning coffee, this was dessert! Ross had a foamy coffee with an extra pitcher of warmed cream to add while mine was topped by a huge and I mean huge, mountain of whipped cream, swirled just so and sprinkled with chocolate. I hadn't wanted a rich coffee but there were enough calories in that whipped cream top to suffice me for two days, but, I must admit it was very good. The owner unlocked the door and saw us off and asked where we were from etc. and after chatting a few minutes and wishing us a bon retour au Canada, we were off to Paris.

Took the Route Nationale 6 all the way back to Paris and the Péripherique, the ring road around the city. The closer you get the crazier the traffic got. Good thing Ross knows the streets so well and we made it to the hotel to leave our bags and then off again to drop off the car at the Gare de Montparnasse. The train station is an incredible complex of buildings and we went down to the fourth level below and dropped off the keys. Then off to explore wander the streets awhile. We subwayed it over to the Tuileries Gardens which was packed with people. When we were here at the beginning of the trip there weren't as many tourists as today. We found a stone bench in the shade and did as several others nearby were doing, we had a picnic lunch. Some people bring their own food and some people buy sandwiches from one of the many take out casse croute on the boulevard at the entrance. Spread out my tablecloth, cut up our fresh bread and sliced up the goat cheese as well as an extra sandwich we picked up when we bought cold water as it looked interesting. I mean how can you resist Jambon de Paris and Brie? It was so pleasant sitting in the shade and watching people from all over the world go by that we didn't want to move, but we did.

We were on a mission. Ladurée, the upscale pastry shop and tea room whose multi flavoured macarons are being featured in all the magazines lately. They have been making them for decades, since 1862, but their popularity has just hit the world wide foodie media. Aveline said that it was the only thing she wanted from Paris so we made the sacrifice of waiting in line to get them. Yes there was a line you had to stand in and the macaroon Nazi at the door, in her pressed black shirt and skirt asked us "boutique ou salon?" It felt like a Seinfeld episode again, the Sandwich Grec shop repeated on a fancier scale. We said boutique and she showed us to the end of the line. There was a sign listing all the flavours and the sizes of boxes so you had to be ready to order when you reached the counter. There were three young people behind the counter, all dressed in black with a printed silk vests and wearing gloves. The people who handle the food do not handle the cash. The young man asked me what I wanted and I stated, the green and gold mini box of six. And.....said he, with his hand poised to pick up my flavour choices and fit them neatly in the box. Vanilla, chocolate, raspberry, caramel and okay just make the other two chocolate, can't go wrong with that. He gave me a slip of paper with my order number and told me to move on to the caisse without giving me another look. He had already moved on to the next person in line. I paid and not only will Aveline have her macarons and box but also a lovely light green Ladurée paper shopping bag and the bill that says Ladurée.

Off again on the subway to Notre Dame Cathedral. Last time I was here part of it was covered as they were doing renovations. As we walked towards it I could see it in its full awesome Gothic splendour without any scaffolding. The sunshine on its cleaned limestone walls was warm and light. We lined up to go in and the line moved pretty fast and as we waited the bells rang the hour. I love the sound of church bells. Each time I go in I seem to forget about the difference between the interior and exterior --light stone outside and in so dark, except for the stunning stained glass rosettes. I like that they are now playing music inside, probably to remind people to keep their voices down, but I like the effect it gives of giving you a glimpse of what people back in the 1200's would have experienced.

More walking, down to the banks of the Seine and sat for a while on one of the quais. It was so quiet down there away from all the traffic and thousands of visitors to Notre Dame. Watched the bateaux mouche go by and then walked along the quai to the next bridge and then up to St. Germain des Prés strolling along the little streets filled with restaurants. We stopped at Le Procope, a restaurant that has been around since 1686, and among the patrons over the years were Voltaire, Robespierre, Benjamin Franklin and many more names from the history books. We had a look at the menu to decide whether we wanted to come back to dinner. The inside looks so elegant with dark wood and velvet and their menu is a mix of old and new. They still serve tête de veau, calf's head, just as they did way back when and a prix fixe menu with modern salade composée for today's tourists. It is located in a little covered gallery area with other restaurants and shops along cobbled streets. I'm sure they must have fixed the cobbles since Voltaire's time but they are so uneven and well worn that you can believe you are stepping in his footsteps.

Back to the hotel to rest and change before dinner. At this point I didn't think I would be able to go out again as I had done a lot of walking but you don't know how you will feel after a hot shower and rest. Before the rest though we stopped at Monoprix, a department store that has been around for a few decades and offers great selection at lower prices than some of the other stores, but we weren't looking for deals. Monoprix has a food floor that looks almost like a small supermarket and we needed mini sauscisse to take back for Marc. I don't know if you are allowed to bring them back but they are cured mini sausages all vacuum packed so I am going to try. They taste so good but I can't take a chance of buying too many and having them confiscated.

I could not make it across town back to Le Procope so we decided to go to a bistro around the corner from the restaurant. Although the hotel restaurant is good we can't have our last dinner in Paris inside. We sat at an outdoor table at the Royal Cambronne and each ordered the same salade, La Gersoise: a bed of greens; frisée, endive and green leaf lettuce, haricot verts, hard boiled egg, mini toasts with foie gras, sliced duck sauscisson, magret of duck (a bacon type meat of smoked duck breast). All this had a lovely drizzle of french vinaigrette made with white wine vinegar. Ross had a glass of red Chinon and I had a glass of Beaujolais Rose.

Ross convinced me that as it was our last Parisian meal we had to have dessert. He had a rich dark chocolate mousse and I had a creme caramel. The only thing we didn't like is that they tried to improve the classic and sprinkled both desserts with rainbow coloured sprinkles. Soooo touristy, I just pushed my aside and ate the good stuff.

Back to pack up our last bits and pieces and rest for our flight tomorrow. We need to leave the hotel at 6 a.m. I feel tired but great and despite eating and drinking so much and don't feel any heavier but I will definitely need to hit the boardwalk. I don't often weigh myself but I will just to see what happens when you eat like a French person.