Off Paris Seine Hotel - Paris, FR

 

Our very last day in France.  We took an extra day to see the progress that they are making on Notre Dame.  It is due to open in December and it is buzzing with activity.  The new spire is up and the scaffolding around has been removed.  There’s lots more scaffolding to go.  There are massive cranes bringing up supplies and steel beams.  There is a wall dedicated to all the artisans that are working in their respective fields to restore the building.  There is another wall that explains some of the detailed work that is being done. When they are done, they will have restored centuries of grime and completed some archeological findings as well as rebuilding after the fire.

A pool on our bateau 

As we stroll around Paris, we are planning our next trip to France, next fall for a canal trip.  We are thinking about setting up a hub and doing some other small trips before and after.  Paris seems like a logic place for a hub, but…nah…maybe Zurich.  

Off Paris Seine Hotel - Paris, FR

 Following our carefully laid out plan to escape Dinan with roller bags with a minimum number of cobblestones (our little wheels need to last at least two more days), we make our way to Paris.  It’s three trains with connect times less than ten minutes.  As our host explains, French trains always run on-time, unless they don’t.  At any rate, we make it to Paris with no issues, and hire a taxi to our next hotel.

We are staying in a 4 star barge on the Seine.  The rooms are more like what you would find on a ship, but a 4 star ship.  As an example, the shower stall is less than 2’x2’ but there is a control panel where you set the ambiance with a color wheel.  They had a Sunday brunch at €49/pp but we opted (apparently I opted) for a crème fraîche, mozzarella, pine nut and honey pizza with arugula on top at a local brasserie.  

There is a new film on Netflix, Under Paris.  I shouldn’t give any spoilers, but it’s about a huge Mako shark that accidentally ends up in the Seine.  As we look out our window to see if we see any fins, dinner cruises come right by the window, everyone waves at us.  Little do they know what lurks below them!

La Maison Pavie - Dinan, FR

 

It’s our last day in Brittany.  It’s really a great place to visit in France,  although it is more of a French vacation destination, mostly Parisians.  We are pretty much into the Brittany timetable, not being the only ones in the restaurant, etc; although the place we are staying offers a family style breakfast from 8 to 10 and Deb and I ate alone at 8:01.

After breakfast, we walked the ramparts which were built in the 1400’s, moved to make room for roads in the 1600’s, removed in the 1800’s, restored in the 2000’s.  The ramparts overlook the Rance river which has carved a 300 ft valley.  From Dinan, there is a rambling cobblestone path leading down to the port on the river.  Lots of little cafes line the banks with dozens of boats moored up. 

Looking up at the ramparts, we realize that they are a formidable defense against an invading army.  Looking at the cobblestone streets, we realize that they are formidable defense against rollerbag tourists.  For our afternoon walk, Deb and I plot out an exit strategy that minimizes the number of cobblestones.  We now have a plan!  Tomorrow we execute!

Our final conquest in Brittany is to climb the clock tower.  It’s only slightly slanted and mostly just at the top. There is a small landing at the top which used to be where one of the town’s people would look out for fires and invading armies.  The bells chiming are a little off putting, to say the least.   We can see all of Dinan from here…even our little hotel!

Tomorrow we return to Paris.

La Maison Pavie - Dinan, FR

 

It’s a pretty short trip from Saint Malo to Dinan, they are only a few miles apart.  Saint Malo was a fortification on the coast.  The Germans used it as part of the “Atlantic Wall” so it was heavily defended.  About 80% of Saint Malo was destroyed, but it was rebuilt to match what it looked like historically.  Dinan was not strategic, so it suffered no damage.  Our hotel was built in the 1400’s!  Although there have been some improvements to the interior, the bones of the building are original.  

Many of the old houses have a second floor that overhangs on the street.  Some of them look a little rickety which terrifies Deb.  I don’t know if the fact that they have been standing for 600 years is a good thing or a bad.  The reason that they built the houses this way is because the city taxed them based on the square footage at street level.  You’d think that the tax collectors

would have seen that coming!

There is a heat dome over New England with temperatures reaching near 100, so I’m a little apprehensive about mentioning that today was the first day that we were comfortable in short sleeves.  

The day we got to Saint Malo was the Festival of the Corsaires (pirates).  Pirate parades, face painting, street performances, etc.  So it was pretty crowded.  Well…in Dinan, it’s the Festival of Music with 50 bands performing on the streets and in the squares.  The place is packed!  Our host suggested that we make reservation for dinner, which was an excellent idea.  The other choice was to finish the half sandwich that Deb didn’t eat for lunch.

Tomorrow, we will roam the city and the port. Maybe eat lunch, take a nap, have a drink, eat dinner before retiring for the evening.  

La Hôtel Nouveau Monde - Saint Malo, FR

 Our last day in Saint Malo.  We are starting to feel like we know the place fairly well after being here for a few days,  we start with a nice walk on the beach.  At high tide there is no beach, at low tide you might be able to walk to England (just kidding).  Walking into the wind would lead us east to Normandy, walking west with the wind behind us leads us to an Indian restaurant (the choice is simple).   By now we pretty much have a routine(routine).  After lunch(déjeuner), I start to yawn(baille) and continue to yawn until we get back to the hotel(hôtel), where I take a short nap (siesta).

 After the nap a short walk(promenade), a quick drink(boisson), a long dinner(dinner) and return to the hotel for the evening(soirée).  It’s pretty much exactly what we do at home, but in France we get to do it all six hours(heures) earlier (en français).

Hôtel Nouveau Monde - Saint Malo, FR

 

One last walk on the ramparts of Mont Saint Michel before departing for Saint Malo.  There is an interesting hiking trail at Point de Grouin that leads to the very most northern tip of Brittany.  After a brisk walk, it’s lunch time and, of course, there is a brasserie right there.  While Deb plays it safe with a melon salad, I go all out with some raw Cancale oysters (harvested about 100 ft away) followed by a seafood salad of smoked salmon, shrimp (whole) and whelks (in the shell).  My stomach is not exactly sure what to make of what I have been eating recently.  

Rum Baba (so good)

Back to Saint Malo, drop off the car and hike to the hotel.  Our room overlooks the ocean and its high tide with the waves crashing into the sea wall.  While I am out getting some wine, Deb has discovered that she is about three days short on clothes.  I was wondering what we would do tomorrow.  A quick google check finds a laundromat nearby, so tomorrow is set!

Deb says it’s time for dinner, my stomach says way too early.  I have found the perfect place that serves pork and beef. Unfortunately, they are having a private party.  The Italian restaurant down the street is closed on Mercredi.  After some discussion, we decide that it is indeed Mercredi (Wednesday).  We settle on a restaurant that in English would be called “Mouth to Ear.”  The food is delicious, I opt for a non-seafood, non-crepe, non-omelette dish, I get the lamb while Deb has salmon.  

Les Terrasses Pollard - Mont Saint Michel, FR

 Today, we are off to Mont Saint Michel, one of the most iconic places in France.  Our special advantage is that we get to park in lot P3 because we have the secret code (I thought that the treat was free parking, but is apparently incorrect, so I have no idea what it is!). From the parking lot it’s a 35 minute walk or a 10 minute shuttle bus ride.  There is a new bridge, so you don’t have to wait for low tide anymore.  

Just like lemmings to the sea, humans need to climb to the highest point - and off we go.  Mont Saint Michel has a small town (population 29) with a narrow street that rises up to the entrance to the abbey. Once in the abbey, it’s one way traffic climbing to the church and then one way traffic back down through the cloisters back to the town. 

 Most interesting is human size squirrel wheel to raise food and supplies into the abbey. Once back in town it was time for lunch.  The specialty here is  omelettes.  Since the omelette was listed as an appetizer it couldn’t be that big, could it?  Deb and I debate sharing one, but instead she opts for the bolognaise from the kid’s menu.  I was brought up to clean my plate, especially if it’s the specialty.  This one was a struggle.

The rest of the day is dedicated to exploring the town’s 30 restaurants, finding our hotel, and watching the tide come in.  

Tomorrow, we head back to Saint Malo, but this time in one of the beach front hotels.