WEDNESDAY 11TH APRIL

After our usual breakfast of French pastries, we headed across the river for a stroll down Rue de Montorgueill. This is the cutest little street. We popped into Stohrer, the oldest bakery in Paris. I had to try the Rum Baba, and it was delicious. We bought our pastries and then found a place to sit and eat our goodies in the Jardin des Tuileries. We had tickets to the Musée de l’Orangerie to see Monet’s Waterlillies. They did not disappoint. The panoramic paintings occupy the curved walls of the elliptical rooms, so you are surrounded by the paintings.

Afterwards, we walked across to Angelina to get their famous hot chocolate. It was just as decadent as I had imagined. Then, we wandered back to the Tuileries to admire the gardens before our tour of the Louvre. S and G are not fans of museums, so I booked a tour for families with teenagers. As it turned out, G was not feeling well, so he headed back to the apartment, and it was just S and I.

Our guide met us just outside the Louvre so we could learn a bit about the building before we entered. We started in the ANE galleries, so I was in my happy place. Our guide did such a great job. He would go to a massive cabinet with many small items, pick one and tell us about it and then connect it to other things in the room or next gallery. I learnt heaps and it was fascinating seeing actual objects that tied into some of my OT subjects.

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THURSDAY 12th APRIL

G was feeling a bit better today and was able to come out to Versailles with us. We had booked the King’s Private Apartment Tour which meant we didn’t have to wait in line. I found this tour worthwhile and G much preferred this to dealing with the crowds in the main rooms. We did the tour first, then you are free to wander the other parts of the palace that are open, as well as ther grounds.

Back in Paris we showered and got ready for dinner at Madame Brasserie at the Eiffel Tower. The food was excellent and afterwards we took the life to the top floor to admire the view.

FRIDAY 13th APRIL

We began our day by moving to a hotel. The apartment above us leaked the first day we were in Paris, which must have got into the wiring because the power kept going off and off for the rest of the week. They tried to get it fixed but in the end couldn’t so we had to move. Luckily, it would only be one night because the three of us were squeezed into a tiny, ugly hotel room. Once moved G and S went off to have brunch and do some washing while I went to get my gallery fix—Musée d’Orsay first and then the Musée Rodin.

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning strolling through the galleries and garden at my own pace. Afterwards, I caught the metro to Montmartre to meet G and S. We strolled the charming streets and then went to Sacré-Cœur Basilica. Of course, we had to visit the dome because why not do all the high things? The view was phenomenal and getting an up-close look at the building is fascinating.

Once we had our fill of those views, it was time for our final Paris activity—a French Pâtisserie Class. We made chocolate souffle, lemon meringue tart, creme brulee, a raspberry and pistachio cake, and financiers. We even got to use the blow torch on the creme brulee and meringue, which I hadn’t done before. At the end of the class, we sat down with a glass of champagne and ate the chocolate souffle and creme brulee. The rest we took away to eat later.

We spent one uncomfortable night in our hotel room with paper-thin walls before returning home on Saturday morning.

Have you ever done a cooking class? Do you go up all the high things when you visit somewhere? Are you a fan of galleries?