A Paris love affair

 

A Paris love affair

 

Fortune has allowed me to celebrate several significant occasions in Paris – among them my marriage, and my fortieth birthday. And then there were some visits in between, so I was more than delighted to get the chance to return to the City of Lights early in December. Bundled up with coat, boots, gloves and hat, I navigated the Metro and the walking streets, and immersed myself in the atmosphere that is unique to this city.

 

Apart from its beauty, the special thing about Paris is the ease with which one can get around. A good way to recce places of interest is to take a guided trip by boat on the Seine: It costs R100, the guide speaks five languages and for nearly two hours of sights and history, it is really worthwhile. Transport to many of the major museums can be done by boat, by Metro which is cheaper, by bus or by taxi if you really get lost. All in safety. A carnet of ten Metro tickets cost R110, which was cheaper than buying individual tickets. And for that price I travelled from the Eiffel Tower, over several days, to the Musée d'Orsay, the Orangerie, the Sorbonne and of course to visit the 'Grands Magasins' – the main department stores on Boulevard Haussmann behind the Opéra, to name but a few places.

 

The Christmas lights were spectacular. In the Galeries Lafayette main store, a five storey Christmas tree hung from the top of its historic glass cupola, so that the beauty counters on the ground floor would not be disturbed. The Champs Elysées was a vision in blue: every tree twinkled with tiny blue lights. From the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, with its huge illuminated Ferris wheel, the sight was truly stunning. The Eiffel tower, that global icon of the city, had its own light show that lasted for ten minutes every hour; sparkling stars ran up and down the delicate-looking structure that was built in 1889 as the entrance arch for the World Fair.

 

It was not expensive to visit many of the magnificent museums: the Orangerie with its fine Monet collection cost 6.5 Euros, about R65. One can spend an entire day in this glorious place. It was closed for refurbishment for many years; every time I was in Paris previously! There is quite the most exceptional collection of Impressionists at the Musée d'Orsay (R55 entrance fee) and I was especially thrilled to see Degas' bronze of La Petite Danseuse De Quatorze Ans (Little Dancer of Fourteen Years) as I spent two decades in ballet shoes in my early years. Did I mention the Louvre? What can one say about this enormous repository of famous and precious art? Spend three days there …. You may see half of the collection. Visiting exquisite Notre Dame was spiritual experience as mass was in progress, but people are able to pass quietly through the outer hallway and take in its magnificence during open times; there is no entrance fee.   

 

The city is not only about museums. To take in the mood I wandered through the cobbled streets off the Boulevard Saint Michel; rue St. Séverin was lined with restaurants, and led to a warren of walking streets. My very favourite was rue de Buci, off the Boulevard Saint Germain; on market days it is buzzing, and on ordinary days magnificent displays of seafood and other delights tempt the stroller. I can recommend the 'Prix Fixe' menus offered at many restaurants, which consist of two or three courses at a fixed price; escargot in the shell, a hearty Boeuf Bourguignon followed by Créme Brulée will keep the cold and drizzly weather at bay.

 

Don't let winter weather put you off visiting this splendid city; there are great advantages in being able to get into any museum or restaurant without crowds, and at this time of year the visitor is especially welcome. You can immerse yourself in Frenchness. On a previous visit it snowed; that made the hot chocolate even more delicious!

 

Gone are the stereotypes of rude French waiters smoking foul-smelling Gauloise. Smoking has been banned in public places, and that includes restaurants. The rudeness, real or imagined, has given way to people who are exceptionally helpful and willing to speak English. French people may have changed, but Paris remains as beautiful as ever. Once again, I'm in love with this city. Je reviendrai!