Bonjour Paris! My Fall Travels to Canada & France

There is nothing more satisfying than checking off a bucket list item and this past month I was able to check off a momentous one. Paris has been on the list for as long as I can remember, although for most of that time not specifically defined in those terms.  Initially, it was curiosity that led me to pursue this seemingly unobtainable destination.  Growing up I would often wonder about these far-off, glamorous places, and Paris, France was about as far removed from the life I was living as it could get. Later, when I finally got to New York City (the first time was in my forties) and fell in love with it, I guessed the City of Light would be equally appealing to me.

So, was it everything I had envisioned?  Sipping champagne at a charming little sidewalk cafe with the Eiffel Tower looming above?  Coming face to face with the Mona Lisa and Van Gogh’s self-portrait?  Strolling along the Seine River with the love of my life?  Well yes, that’s pretty much how it played out.

But let’s start at the beginning.  There was more to this excursion than Paris and it started with a visit to Montreal, Quebec in Canada where my son’s family was on an extended stay.  I have been to Canada on several occasions but this was the first to the french side.

Montreal is Canada’s second most populous city and the largest major French-speaking city in North America. It was the perfect gateway to visiting France.  Here, almost everyone speaks both French and English and it’s common upon entering a place of business to be greeted with both bonjour and hello. For me, it was good practice using the few French words and phrases I had recently memorized.  I have missed the beauty of the fall season since moving to Arizona so I couldn’t have timed my Montreal stay any better.  The foliage was gorgeous with the leaves changing to their brilliant golds, reds, and yellows.  Spending time with my year-old granddaughter took us to parks, an orchard, and walks around the neighborhood where we were able to take in the scenery.  We found some good food spots and I had my first taste of Poutine

Old Montreal is the most historic (and touristic) part of the city.  St-Paul Street is one of Montreal’s most attractive stretches. It’s the second oldest, with the earliest cobblestones dating back to 1672. 

After 5 amazing days, it was time to pack up again and cross the mighty Atlantic into France.

We arrived the next day in a grey, wet city.  Customs was a breeze and I found Charles de Gaulle Airport, although enormous, to be fairly easy to maneuver.  We took a taxi (fares are posted at the airport so there are no surprises) to our Airbnb in the 2nd Arrondissement. The city of Paris is divided into 20 Arrondissements which is really just a cool-sounding way to say neighborhoods.  For the remainder of this day, we familiarized ourselves with the area, stopping for food and drinks and locating a grocery store.

We would have three more full days in Paris and although we had some must-dos in our sights, we are not the sort of travelers who like to have a set schedule going into each day.  We like exploring on our own but if you prefer guided tours there are plenty to choose from. One of the two things I did book in advance was a dinner cruise on the Seine River. So on our next day, we set out for the Eiffel Tower which stands just along the river. I should mention that Paris has a metro system that will take you anywhere in the city.  However, we opted for Uber or taxis when it was out of walking range.  It rained again on this day but was intermittent, and with no wind, we stayed dry with our umbrellas.  In fact, holding our umbrellas in front of the Eiffel Tower made for some fun photographs.  If you want to go to the top of the tower, try and purchase tickets ahead of time online.  If possible up to 2 or 3 months prior to your visit.  Otherwise, you may be waiting in a very long line. 

I highly recommend the Bateaux Parisiens Dinner Cruise and strongly suggest you pay the extra money to get a table by the window.  There are differently priced options by meal courses and included drinks.  Regardless there seemed to be endless pours of wine throughout dinner.

It was daylight when we headed out but upon our return, the sun had set and the tower, as well as the rest of the city, had lit up resulting in a breathtaking scene.

The next couple of days were spent walking around different areas of Paris and taking in the sights.  There were two museums that I wanted to see.  The Lourve, which of course, houses the famous Mona Lisa and the Musee d’Orsay.  These are the most popular in the city and again it’s recommended to purchase the skip-the-line tickets in advance especially if you are visiting in the busy months which are May – September.  Being there in the low season allowed us to enjoy a shorter wait time without advanced tickets.  This also enabled us to view the Mona Lisa (which was smaller than I had envisioned) from the closest possible proximity and without others in front of us which I understand is rare.  Both of these museums were fascinating yet I feel the Musee d’Orsay had the more famous painters’ work by volume. 

Here you can see the likes of Van Gogh, Renoir, and Monet along with well-known pieces such as The Thinker.  Even if you are not an art lover, it’s pretty incredible to see these paintings and sculptures that have endured for so many years. 

We were disappointed that we unable to enter Notre Dame Cathedral due to the fire back in 2019.  They do not anticipate it opening again until 2024.  But even seeing the exterior was worth the jaunt over. This and the Palace of Versailles, located 15 miles outside of Paris, are not to be missed.

“There are only two places in the world where we can live happy—at home and in Paris.”

Ernest Hemingway

Spending time where Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote was of great interest to me as a lover of the written word. Sitting at the sidewalk cafes and observing the locals was entertainment within itself. Noting each neighborhood possesses a distinctly individual character. 

A few more thoughts on Paris before hopping the train down to Normandy:

• If you looking for an “American” cup of coffee in Paris, forget about it.   They will tell you they can make it, it may even be on the menu but they have their own idea about coffee and its espresso.  They add some water to it and tell you it’s “American” coffee but don’t be fooled, it’s not the same.
• The food.  With the exception of the pastries, I was unimpressed with French food. I ate an exceptional bowl of French onion soup and I tried escargot (snail) on the dinner cruise which, surprisingly, I liked.  But there wasn’t much more I enjoyed. I know many are lovers of French cuisine but I found it overrated and by the end of our time there, we were eating mostly salads. 
• Although we did have some rain on the first two days, I feel our timing (mid-October) was perfect.  Fewer crowds but not yet cold weather.  Mostly it was sunny with temperatures in the mid to upper 60s.  Nice jacket weather.
• Now for the biggest question on your mind.  Are the French as rude to Americans as we have been told?  My answer is no.  It’s not that they are falling all over themselves to please you, or even acknowledge you unless you are a patron of their business, but I never experienced outright rudeness and I found some to be friendly. They are likely annoyed by it, but I think Parisians have come to accept tourists in their city as a part of life.

One of the most anticipated parts of our travels was a private D-day Beach Tour.  We took the train from Paris to a quaint little town in the Normandy region called Bayeux. We stayed at the historic Hotel Le Lion d’Or (a favorite of  Dwight Eisenhower) where we were picked up the following morning by our tour guide Bertrand Saudrais of Executive D-day Tours.  I first learned of Bertrand from a fellow blogger and as I researched further I found those who had used him to be very satisfied and praised him highly.  I can say he did not disappoint. He was amazing and his knowledge of the area and its history made it all the more informative and interesting.

We first went to Sainte-Mère-Eglise, a small Norman village in the center of paratroopers’ battles (most hedgerows are still in place in the countryside) including the sites in relation to the HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers”. We next saw the two US landing sectors, Utah Beach and Omaha Beach. Then moved on to the Normandy American Cemetery where our tour would end.  Here we observed the American flag lowing ceremony.  Hearing “Taps” as the flag lowered seemed an appropriate ending to the day. A day that sometimes felt surreal as we stood on the beaches where all of those brave, young men had come ashore and lost their lives.  A truly unforgettable experience.

This was the last leg of our journey so we caught the train back to the city and said au revoir to Paris. We headed home to the desert with the knowledge that we had gained once-in-a-lifetime memories that are sure to last forever.