24 Hours: Paris (Terri and Finn’s European Adventure Day 7)
After the previous day of navigational challenges, we wanted to make sure we had a good lunch before heading to the Grand Mosquee. (See Day 6)
For dessert, we ordered a cafe gourmand, a delicious sampling of desserts with an espresso. Typically you can also get one with tea or hot chocolate.
We walked back to the apartment with the groceries from the Monoprix across the street from the restaurant. We ordered a Bolt (Estonian Uber competitor that I’d used while in Estonia in 2018) to get us to the mosque. We didn’t want any more navigational challenges given it was in the high 90s.
We were delighted to drive by the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. The 17th arr. where were staying is an easy metro ride from the 7th arr. (Eiffel Tower) and the 1er. where the Louvre and Jardin de Tuileries are. The mosque is in the 5th.
The mosque covers a city block and we had trouble finding the front door. It turned out the driver dropped us right across the street from the door but we still walked around the corner to the cafe, walked through it thinking we needed to enter through the cafe, and then back out of the cafe, out of the building and back around the corner. Not our finest moment but in our defense, it wasn’t well marked.
Finn was wearing shorts that day and had to use one of the covers available for visitors and wrap it around their legs. At 5 euros for the gardens for the two of us, this was a very reasonably priced place to visit.
Because of the fountains and pools inside the mosque walls, it was at least 10–15 degrees cooler than out on the street.
Kids were playing in the fountains as we strolled around the grounds. I know I was not alone in being envious of this particular kid splashing around in bare feet.
It didn’t take long to see all of what was available to us before we walked out and back around the corner to the cafe. We walked through the first part of the cafe, through the center where pastries were for sale, and up to the second tier of tables. We sat next to a rotating air conditoner that provided some relief from the heat.
We both ordered sweet, mint tea but were told that we had to order pastries at the counter we walked by on our way in. There was a line so we drank our hot tea and checked the time. We had plans to meet Finn’s friend Somerset at Jardin du Luxembourg not far from where we were.
Somerset’s data plan had run out and since she was leaving at the end of the week (it was Wednesday), she was using wifi available at various places throughout the city. This meant that getting ahold of each other was a challenge given the size of the gardens.
I found some chairs in the shade, propped my feet up, and rested while Finn went to Somerset’s last known (to us) location.
Somerset found me before Finn found Somerset and eventually we were reunited and decided to find a cafe for refreshments. We found a corner cafe where I ordered a glass of wine and Finn and Somerset got some juice.
Reluctantly we left the cafe and walked toward the Seine looking for shops for Somerset to get some last minute gifts for people back home. I thought the shops in L’isle de la Cite would have the perfect thing for one of her younger cousins. I’ve gotten some cute things at one of the stores (Pylones) that we ended up shopping at in Lyon later in our trip.
We stopped at a few stores including Vans and Nespresso where I picked up some socks and coffee pods for Finn’s brother Adam after Facetiming with Adam to make sure we got the correct ones for his Nespresso machine.
We also stopped in a beautiful and very large bookstore that I knew I was going to lose Finn and Somerset in if I didn’t usher them along. They were rewarded with a stop at Shakespeare & Co where they both got new tote bags. Both of them refilled their water bottles at this delightful public water fountain near the shop.
Finn purchased some prints from one of the vendors along the Seine. Finn planned to hang them in the dorm but, sadly, they got lost somewhere between Paris, San Francisco, Redwood City, and Burlington, VT.
We got the store on Isle de la Cite too late and decided to get some dinner, hoping for a restaurant that wasn’t too touristy. We decided to try Anysetiers du Roy — Aux Anysetiers du Roy and totally lucked out. Not only was the food delicious (the wife was the chef and the husband handled the front of the house), but we sat near some Americans (John, Sharon, and Beth) who struck up a conversation with us.
John (from Boston) was on sabbatical and had been traveling for 3 months. Sharon and Beth were from Maine and had joined him for the last week of his trip. Beth’s grandson goes to UC Berkeley so I offered up my contact info just in case he ever needs anything. They offered up their contact info for Finn who is now at University of Vermont just in case Finn needs anything since we are all the way across the country. We are now connected on Facebook.
We walked along the Seine toward Jardin des Tuileries. Many people were out enjoying the lovely evening weather. It was super lively and it was fun listening to the conversations, mostly in French, and witness local life of picnics along the Seine.
Earlier that day I’d read about L’art urbain en bord de Seine that was held in the tunnel under the Jardin des Tuileries. I’ve been to Paris a number of times and did not know this tunnel existed. I didn’t plan to go see this so it was serendipity that we stumbled into it.
Graffiti art covered the inside of the tunnel and the images and the experience were absolutely fascinating.
At the same time it was super creepy. I was not comfortable walking through the tunnel even though there were three of us. It was at least a mile long even. There were very few people in the tunnel which raised my female antennae. I was so relieved once we made it to the other side.
We crossed the Seine and found a metro stop that had trains that were still running and that would take all of us in the same direction before we split up. Finn and I got off at Saint-Lazare to change trains while Somerset kept going to her hostel.
Finn was tired and beginning to get a bit cranky so I was happy when we got back to the apartment without getting lost.
We got some sleep and felt much better in the morning. I think we were both tired. Finn went out and got us some croissants (yum!) which I enjoyed with an espresso. While I was emptying the Nespresso machine, I managed to spill coffee all over. That was not a great way to start the morning.
The day was going to get much better because we had reservations at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon in Saint-Germain. This used to be my favorite restaurant. It’s also right across the street from my favorite place to buy eyeglass frames, Bonot Opticiens.
More details in tomorrow’s post, Day 8: Paris.
Terri Hanson Mead is the multi-award winning author of Piloting Your Life, Managing Partner of Solutions2Projects, LLC, and an advocate for women through all of her platforms including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and this blog. Terri is the mother of two college aged kids, is based in Redwood City, CA and in her spare time, loves to travel, cook, play tennis, and fly helicopters around the San Francisco Bay Area, especially under the Golden Gate Bridge.
