One thing I learned about my Mom on our recent trip is that she eats a lot of ice cream – she’d probably eat it for breakfast if she could. She is not addicted to cookies, cake or pastries like I am – she’s all ice cream.  I first learned of Magnum Ice Cream bars when I was staying in Gozo as my friend is a bit obsessed with them.   He is like Mom and would eat ice cream all day if he could as well.  So when Mom & I were done with our Versailles quick visit, I introduced her to this European treat to enjoy while we waited on the bus to arrive to return us to Paris. She quickly fell in love with the Belgium chocolate ice cream luxury treat so it was no surprise that this became her go to ice cream during our Paris visit.

After our day of Champagne in Epernay, we jumped in a taxi to go to dinner at Breakfast in America (Mom wanted a burger).  I forgot to mention the arrodissement I wanted so the driver took us to the nearest location in the Marais.  As he navigated the small streets turning here and there, Mom spied the Magnum Paris shop and asked if we could stop, I told her after dinner.  She said “ok, but we better go there so remember where it is”.  Seriously this woman has an ice cream problem.  As I’m lactose intolerant, there’s only so much leeway that my Lactaid pills can do so I was going to treat myself to a bar on our last night in Paris – why should Mom have all the fun?  So after dinner, I google mapped the location which was about two blocks from the diner.

Despite her recovering knee, Mom seemed to run down the street (never understimate a senior citizen and their affinity for ice cream) to the shop which looked like a very posh ice cream shop.

I had no clue that I could make my own Magnum Ice Cream bar, but this was a temporary pop-up store scheduled to close in a few days so we lucked out.  Now we had so much choice – too much choice!  Even Mom was a bit taken aback. The cost was €5 which is obviously a premium price but this is Paris and it’s a luxury treat.  The corner shop was decorated in popsicle stick art, cocoa beans and sparkling art Magnum bars in the window.  You might first mistake this for a boutique shop or art gallery from afar.

Make My Magnum Paris Ice Cream Bar

Choose your base 

Vanilla

Chocolate

Choose your hand dipped chocolate coating

White Chocolate

Milk Chocolate

Dark Chocolate

Choose your toppings

Here’s where the fun begins! There were close to twenty topping choices!

The staff spoke English which was helpful as Mom was eager to get her ice cream.  She ordered Vanilla, Milk Chocolate and was talked into adding a topping of caramel bits. She’s a purist so I was surprised she was so easily swayed into adding a topping. They topped off her bar with white chocolate drizzle and a white chocolate circle.

As for me, I went all out – Vanilla, Milk Chocolate with multiple toppings – biscuits (cookies) in vanilla and chocolate along with caramel bits. Once they added the drizzle and the chocolate Magnum circle – it was perfect! As the bars were just dipped and covered in goodies, they need a minute or two to harden so your bar is put onto a small box.

The shop had just one high top table and since we were unable to eat our mess and walk we decided to sit down to enjoy our chocolate treats. We shared the table with a couple and all marveled at each others creations – each had an ice cream masterpiece. But don’t worry after the required social media photos #MagnumParis we all quickly chomped into our ice cream art (lest you forget the video screen reminds you to post on Instagram and elsewhere).

Magnum Paris Verdict

I love the concept of make my own Magnum Ice Cream bar and the temporary Pop Up store in Paris – I did go overboard with the toppings as the chocolate was lost in all the goodies so next time, I’d go easy on the toppings despite the staff’s insistent I can add more.  I needed more ice cream and chocolate to goodies ratio.

This was Mom’s last Magnum Ice Cream bar in Paris and a perfectly indulgent way to end our visit to the city. The Magnum Pop Up Stores are a summer treat in various cities each year around the world so be prepared to find one this summer.

If you are going to Paris, I’m likely to give you the following direction “Go to the Chanel counter of Galleries Lafayette, stop and look up!” Your eyes will be richly rewarded.  As for your wallet, well that’s another story depending on your willpower for luxury clothes, accessories and macarons (there is a Pierre Hermes counter with a plethora of indulgent macarons).  The stunning stained glass domed ceiling is just one surprise in this department store.  The decor hanging from the ceiling changes a few times a year – the Christmas theme is fantastic! There are a few other surprises in store for you – you only need to board the escalators and continue up for one of my favorite views of the city on the Galleries Lafayette Rooftop, La Terrasse. It’s one of my secret spots in Paris and I’m sharing with you!

Galleries Lafayette Rooftop – La Terrasse

The Galleries Lafayette Rooftop, La Terrasse, has free views of Paris. Yes, free views of Paris – this is one of my secrets of the city.  You can access the roof by the escalator (by the café) or find the stairs (if you stuffed yourself, the stairs are good exercise).  The rooftop has lovely views of the Paris Opera across the street as well as the Eiffel Tower in the distance.  There is an ice cream cart, a sit down outdoor bar/café and a coffee kiosk.  As we walked around on the roof, we could see folks enjoying the sun and others eating their takeaway. Generally open from 9:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. (weather dependent) you can enjoy a peaceful getaway all day long.

Despite being in the middle of throngs of people shopping on the street and people crossing the busy streets at the Paris Opera, the rooftop seems worlds away from all of the frenzied pace of the area.  Seeing people sit in the sun with friends and families sharing baguettes, macarons and enjoying the day is a great sight that I often think only happens in Paris.   However, you momentarily forget you are in Paris until you hear French being spoken or see the selfies being taken with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

The secret is out as evidenced during a summer lunchtime visit when the rooftop was crowded but there was plenty of space to take a photo along the edges.  During the fall, the tourist crowds were minimal so we felt like we had the rooftop all to ourselves in the late afternoon.  There are guards to ensure it doesn’t get too crowded – during my many visits, there was no need for crowd control which was good.

Galleries Lafayette Rooftop Views

In Paris, you have a few options to see the Eiffel Tower from many parts of the city.  You can see it up close for free or pay to go inside to see the city views.  You can pay to enjoy the views from the Arc de Triomphe or go to Galleries Lafayette for a free view.  Your choice as all are lovely.  Plus you can see the unique Haussman buildings and their uniformity from this view.

Final Thoughts

You may not have thought of visiting the department store, Galleries Lafayette, on your Paris trip because you don’t want to go luxury shopping but you would miss out on the rooftop view of the city and Eiffel Tower.  So go indulge in Hermes macarons, Alain Ducasse chocolates and gorgeous interior and exterior views uniquely Parisian. The Galleries Lafayette Rooftop is my secret spot in Paris so I hope you go experience the free views now that you are in the know.

Springtime in Paris conjures up warm sunny days of a romantic city as you walk through the Tuileries to enjoy an evening at the Louvre. It’s easy to love a city at its peak – sunny days, temperature just right and the locals enjoy the cafes and parks.  It’s much harder for many to find the beauty in the same city. I’ve heard so many people say “it will rain”, “it’s cold, “its winter”.  For me, winter in Europe means “less people in line”, “lower airfare and hotel prices” and “amazing hot chocolate” – the weather might be the same as home (you might even see snow) but you get to change the background and enjoy the city that I have a long standing relationship with.

Visiting Paris in Winter

As many attractions in Paris are museums such as the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay or the Paris Opera, a winter day is perfect to visit inside attractions.  The boats on the Seine still pass by Notre Dame (not as frequently as summer), the Eiffel Tower will still have lines and city is still alive with visitors year round.  You can easily use the metro or book an Uber if you are too cold to walk and eat inside the cafe. You can even go for Valentine’s Day like I did, just don’t abandon your friend or partner!  This is where the free night in Paris comes in with the Starwood Luxury Privileges promotion which is good through April 30, 2017 stays (blackouts February 28, March 1-8).

Starwood Luxury Privileges is a program accessible only by travel agents (you can’t find this online) who are able to reward their clients with bonuses at select Starwood properties around the world. There are standard benefits provided (free breakfast, upgrade room, free in room Wi-Fi and property specific vouchers) all year long.  And then there is the promotion on top of the standard benefits.

Paris Starwood Luxury Privileges Promotion

For Paris, the current promotion through December is pay for two nights, you get the third night free. Even better?  You can stack this promotion and pay for four nights and get two nights free. Of course nothing is free, there is a catch, and actually there are two catches:

1. You need to stay in a five star luxury Starwood property – ouch! That’s cruel and unusual punishment just for a free night
2. You need to book through a Starwood Luxury Privilege travel advisor like me (shameless self-promotion)

Starwood Paris Hotels

• The Westin Paris Vendome in the 1^st arrondissement, a short walk to the Louvre, Tuileries and the Seine
• W Opera located across from Paris Opera in a historic Haussmann era building and a short walk to Galleries Lafayette.
• Prince de Galles, a Luxury Collection Hotel on Avenue George V near the Champs Elysees

Starwood Luxury Privileges Hotel Perks

In addition to the free night offered for a two night (or four night) paid stay at the SPG Luxury Privileges rate, the Paris promotion provides:

1. An upgraded room (if available) at the time of booking
2. A $100 voucher (will convert to Euro if you settle the bill in Euro) to use in the hotel on Food & Beverage
3. Breakfast buffet for two each day of the stay
4. Free in room Wi-Fi
5. Early Check In/Late Check Out request (confirmed if available for your dates)

The Free Night in Paris Rate(s)

The nightly rate for the Paris promo is higher than you will find on the internet, however, the overall cost is lower once the free nights are factored in.  The added hotel benefits are just special perks in comparison.

For a January stay, I booked a client (rates do vary)

• SPG Luxury Privileges Promotion Rate: Standard King Room (upgraded to Deluxe) for €331 a night

Vs.

• Online Lowest (Non-Refundable) Rate: Standard King Room €271 a night

Sure the promo rate is higher per night but you only pay for four nights and get the extra hotel perks for a total of €1,333.24  vs. the online non-refundable rate for six nights for €1,626 total without extra perks like breakfast, upgraded room, etc.

While many may still consider this too expensive, it’s a great opportunity to experience five star Parisian luxury centrally located to walk to so many class Paris attractions and enjoy the city when it’s in a moody winter phase.  You can still stroll the Seine, walk through the Tuileries and enjoy the wine bars in winter, the major difference vs. other times of the year is that it will feel like you have the city to yourself – your own slice of Paris to remember (book a Flytographer photo shoot to capture the winter memories).  The city of lights sparkles all year long so anytime you have a chance to visit Paris – just GO!

Interested in Promotions in other cities? Currently, there are special third, fourth and fifth night free promotions ongoing at select Starwood properties around the world. Contact me to see if the promotions are of value to you.

On a quick check there is the W New Orleans, the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, the US Grant in San Diego, the W Hong Kong, a few in Hawaii (Royal Hawaiian and St. Regis Princeville) and New York (The Chatwal, St. Regis and W New York).

The year my dad passed, my mom boycotted Thanksgiving – there would be no turkey, no football, no family gathering for dinner as our family was one man down and we all were trying to cope.  Mom was pretty steadfast to veto all turkey day options.  At the time I was planning my Australia RTW trip, Thanksgiving was a consideration until Mom boycotted it so I ended up with my Thanksgiving in Paris staying with a friend. While you can try to run away from grief, it is never that far behind no matter how magical a place may be.

Thanksgiving in Paris

Before I left, I researched all the Thanksgiving in Paris dinner options (there are a few for the American expats and friends like Breakfast in America) only to find that my friend had planned to host his first Thanksgiving to celebrate with his international friends, which was more exciting.

For Thanksgiving in Paris to work, you need:

• A Turkey, of course, and in France, that turkey might come with its head and feathers my friend told me which frankly scared me (he may have lied to freak me out and get a laugh).  Luckily, my friend got the requisite Butterball turkey (it pays to have friends in the Embassy!)
• The other American thanksgiving requirement – cranberry sauce in a can (my friend’s mom brought that a few weeks prior)
• A plethora of vegetables for side dishes (easy to shop for at the markets in Paris)
• French Requirement:  Visit the cheese shop for a very stinky cheese his friend loved (the refrigerator smelled every time I opened it).
• Bread: Usually Pillsbury crescent rolls or biscuits but we made do with fresh French baguettes (sorry Pillsbury Dough Boy, I love baguettes)
• Alcohol (the more family, the more alcohol needed to preserve sanity) – French Wine was definitely up for the task! Champagne is also a great option.
• To dine early (usually 5 o’clock) so you can have leftovers later at night.  In Paris, dinner started at 8ish so I had to pre-eat.
• Lots of pies, cakes, more pie and desserts – As I’m the dessert person, I ordered an indulgent chocolate torte from the (famous) Maison Dupuy patisserie on Rue Cadet.

My friend cooked all day while I joined a walking tour of Paris Street Art (lucky me!).  Returning back to the flat, I entered to smells of turkey from the kitchen and in that moment, I could have been home in the U.S. but the French television program quickly brought me back to Paris.  While we waited on our international guests to arrive – French, Ukrainian and Italian, I decided to FaceTime my mom at home (thankful for technology).  Past Thanksgivings abroad, I either did the collect call trick with dad (pre-internet, mobile phone) or texted.  Mom asked about my trip to Australia, I told her about Sydney raining on my birthday parade (she wasn’t surprised), the Paris Christmas Markets and how my flight home was affected by the strike. She seemed in good spirits as she told me all the invites she had declined and yet there was a ton of food deliveries from her friends.  She and the dog had enjoyed a relaxing day of football.

Later as our guests sat ready to experience Thanksgiving, we each said what we were thankful for.  I was thankful to have found Thanksgiving in Paris to help lessen the pit of sadness over my first Thanksgiving without my dad.  Had I stayed home with Mom’s boycott, I would have been alone in a sympathy boycott.  Thanksgiving was never going to be the same and I’m still getting used to that.

So whether you are sharing Thanksgiving with friends, family or are traveling alone to a new adventure, make sure you take time to be thankful for all the good things in your life.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Note: I originally posted this at Thanksgiving in 2014.  My Thanksgiving in Paris is still a powerful memory of a crappy year that really questioned what I could be thankful for after such a sudden loss. I’d like to make this an annual rememberance post to remind me to be thankful every day. 

On my last visit to Paris, I spent the day in the Loire Valley in the midst of wine & castles so this time I wanted to see the Avenue of Champagne in Epernay, more specifically, I wanted to visit for the Moet & Chandon Cellar Tour and experience the champagne.  There are two ways to visit Epernay from Paris – one is by guided day tour (expensive – over €200 pp), the other is my do it yourself (DIY) version for under €100 pp.

Moet & Chandon Cellar Tour – Reservations Required

If you want to visit the Moet & Chandon cellar tour in Epernay on your own, you need a reservation in advance.  Go to their website to request a date and time.  You will receive a reply in a few days (make sure to double-check the date/time as my first confirmation was wrong) with a reservation number.  When you arrive you need the reservation number and then you will be asked what type of tasting you want with the tour (each tasting type is a different cost).

The Avenue of Champagne in Epernay

The Moet & Chandon location is easy to find on the Avenue of Champagne across from the Tourism office.  From the train station walk straight, crossing the street into the park and then at the exit to the street, the tourism office is on your right while Moet & Chandon is across the road in front of you.

Lining the Avenue of Champagne are many champagne houses, some that you’ve heard of and many others that you haven’t.  A few offer tasting rooms or outdoor patio spaces while Perrier Jouet is not open to the public.

It can only be labeled “champagne” if it comes from this region of France.  They are quite strict with the name “champagne”.  In other countries, their sparkling wine is “Cava” in Spain and “Prosecco” in Italy.  All sparkling wines.

The Moet & Chandon Cellar Tour

Arriving at the main entrance there is a guard to check bags in front of the Moet & Chandon store (our last stop on the tour, lest anyone leave without a gift shop stop) and direct you to the reservations desk.  Walking up a few stairs into a new building, you are instantly surrounded by what looks and feels like a luxury hotel lobby in white.

Approaching the front desk in the corner to check in, I provided our reservation number and chose our tasting package.  The main tour with one tasting is €23, two tastings €28 and the vintage tasting €35.  Children under 17 (no sips allowed) are €10 for the tour. Mom isn’t  normally a drinker and her champagne exposure has been at a few weddings over the years (and that wasn’t the good stuff) so we picked the regular tasting for her while I chose the vintage option.

Our guide arrived and our small party of ten followed her in the house to see portraits of the men who would start Moet & Chandon, the monk who inspired Dom Perignon label and then led to a room to watch a video presentation (offered in many languages). Once the video ended we would descend the stairs to begin the cellar tour (bring a sweater/cardigan/scarf as it is a bit chilly underground – the guide wore a coat).

We would wander the stone halls (or streets with numbered caves) learning about the labor intensive process for the champagne to mature over many years and how the bottles are stores, stacked, moved and eventually become bottles of Moet & Chandon or Dom Perignon that is sold in stores around the world for people to enjoy and celebrate special occasions.

I’ve visited many wineries and cellars around the world including the Moet & Chandon location in the Yarra Valley of Australia but this cellar in Epernay was so unique because of its history (270 years young) and winding streets of nearly 17 miles of tunnels underground!

Moet & Chandon – Champagne Surprises

One surprising fact is that the bottles are moved by card and loaded by hand.  Many modern wineries will have forklifts or other machinery to turn the bottles as I saw in Spain at the Bertha Cava winery.  The Moet & Chandon process is quite labor intensive.

Another surprise was finding out that the champagne is made with a variety of grapes grown in the region from producers – M&C don’t own their vines or the grapes.  So each year the grapes arrive the folks need to try to replicate a taste that the consumer is familiar with.  Think how difficult that must be with the mix of grapes that through the season of nature’s sun and rain produce a different flavor each time.  The team at Moet & Chandon Epernay need to get the right blend and ingredients sorted to keep the product consistent.  They blend the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes to create their many varieties of Champagne – Imperial, Rose, Ice and others.

Vintage means it is uniquely original and the cellar maker’s interpretation of that year’s harvest.  The 2008 Rose that I would taste had been aged for 7 years.

There is a lot of recycling when making wine and champagne.  The final bottle you buy is not the same bottle that went through the aging process. So on the tour we walked through a room of glass bottles.

Luxury Champagne Dom Perignon

The monk that has a champagne after himself gets special treatment in the hallway of the cellar.  The caves are reserved for quantity of champagne and Dom is produced in small batches which is why it is so expensive.  The process to go from grape to Dom takes more than ten years! While most champagnes are ready to drink when purchased, a bottle of Dom Perignon can be stored and enjoyed years after purchase (if you have the willpower to wait).

Moet & Chandon Tasting Room

As dark as the prior room was with the recycled bottles and the tunnels were lowly lit, opening the tasting room door and you are awash in light – bright light – so much light that when your eyes adjust you see that champagne is being poured waiting for your group to taste Moet & Chandon.

The transition from dark to light alerts all of your senses so I think (but don’t scientifically know) it makes the tasting that much tastier.  Watching the pour, set the anticipation factor on high with no fanfare, we handed our tickets to exchange for our champagne glass(es).

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRRpXP1XGSE[/embedyt]

Our little group kept to themselves so Mom and I toasted our last day in Paris.  As Mom rarely drinks alcohol, the Imperial champagne took time to get used to for her (at first – see the Concorde Room Review for more on this).  I had no problem with my 2008 Vintage glasses, preferring the rose over the brut.  Mom tried both of mine and agreed that the rose was nicer.

Moet & Chandon Gift Shop

Of course, no tour is complete without the gift shop visit except this is Moet & Chandon so the gift shop is a luxury experience, one that almost guaranteed I would be making a purchase.  Filled with a variety of champagne in all types and sizes as well as clothing and accessories, temptation abounded.

Since we had to travel the next day on Eurostar to London, we didn’t want to carry large bottles so bought the cute little bottles of the rose champagne to give as gifts.  They cost €16 for each mini bottle.  We mentioned traveling so each bottle was bubble wrapped and then put into our bag.  This was good (easy to pack, safe from breakage) and bad (we couldn’t drink them now).

Final Tasting Notes – Moet & Chandon Cellar Tour

Even if you aren’t quite the champagne fan like Mom (I’d argue it’s because you haven’t been drinking champagne at all), the Moet & Chandon Cellar tour in Epernay is a fun day trip outside of Paris (one hour by train approx. €50 return per person) to experience the uniqueness of this town (which is easily walkable or you can take the little tourist train for a tour).  Mom enjoyed learning about the champagne process, seeing the history underground and trying her first glass of Moet & Chandon.  The Moet & Chandon cellar tour is a wonderful introduction to champagne and its storied history in France.

We had just arrived in Paris after the long journey from JFK to Heathrow to Charles de Gaulle and we were hungry.  After getting sorted in the charming small luxury boutique hotel, Hotel Therese, we started walking around the area – the 1^st arrondissement.  There are a plethora of cafes, restaurants and even the Pierre Hermes patisserie for macarons to choose from but I was I search of a classic restaurant for Mom’s first French dinner.  Then it started to rain and mom was getting hangry (hungry + angry) when I vetoed a bunch of place “too touristy” “no pizza, this is Paris”, “you won’t like it there” etc.  I would quickly learn to feed Mom (ice cream, slushee, ham/cheese baguette) at the first sign of hunger for the rest of the trip but for now….

She spied a café on the corner near the Paris Opera, one that screams classic Paris café but also TOURIST, EXPENSIVE, ENGLISH MENUS outside, etc.  So being the travel snob that I am, I tried to steer her away from it but then the wind started blowing the rain and our umbrellas were losing.  I looked at the menu (which had those oh so french foods hot dog and cheeseburger), saw a croquet monsieur (ham/cheese sandwich) and salads and knew that she would be able to eat something there.  As for me, after a two month gluten free stretch, I was about to go rogue (it was Paris and there were baguettes to be had).

Cafe de la Paix at The Intercontinental Paris

As we walked past the outdoor café seating which was full of people under cover but nonetheless a bit wind-swept and rainy, so we entered the restaurant lobby and had two menu and dining room choices.  The décor was quite Versailles meets corner café with a marble like statue plus gold touches around – the place screamed historic and upon research the cafe has been there since 1862! Not knowing at the time that the cafe was attached to the luxury Intercontinental Paris (I missed out on points!), I felt that in our jeans, sporting a bit of jet lag we wouldn’t fit in well in the posh dining room with white table linens so I chose the brasserie which was inside by the windows or outside along the street. Grumpy Mom = Inside & Dry.

We were shown to a window table so we could see others navigating the rains and wind outside.  When the French waiter (all men that I could see) came to the table, I ordered tap water (in my best French) and a glass of Bordeaux for €12 a glass (I earned it) and then Mom said something that cause my brain to stop and shout “NOOOOOOO” in that slow motion movie moment – Mom said “I’d like a Diet Coke”.  My face gave me away and Mom asked “What’s wrong?”, I replied “Mom the glass of soda costs €8, you should never order soda in a restaurant because it’s such a rip off”, then Mom says “I’m on vacation” – oh boy, this was the first of many interesting justifications on the trip (she had another diet coke at another cafe the next day and then a few days later when her Galleries Lafayette lunch cost  €8 that she said “that was an expensive soda”).

French Food for Picky Eaters (i.e. Mom)

Mom’s first French meal in Paris was……a club sandwich (€24), I chose the Croque Madame (€22) which is French ham, cheese with an egg on top with a side of frites.  Then the bread basket arrived (happily free of charge) and I reacquainted myself with gluten and French butter, a wonderful combination.  When the food arrived, it was plated nicely – I especially liked the egg cutout on my sandwich.

The service was good, the food lovely but a lesson for Mom in restaurants – look at the menu first, avoid places that take advantage by charging exorbitant amounts for soda (go to the market instead) and try to order a local special (the club sandwich isn’t quite local Mom).  Mom didn’t care as her next days would be filled with pasta, chicken and burgers.  I laughed when she said she was tired of ham/cheese baguettes – she wouldn’t try others because of the mayo or other odd thing she didn’t know or recognize (she’s 74 on her first trip out of the U.S.)  I would later manage to get her to try my duck (not a fan), the strawberry crepes (she ate the fruit) and the macarons (doesn’t have a sweet tooth).

Travel Lesson Learned – Mom will be Mom

Lesson learned for me – she was happy eating what she ate – she didn’t need to experience French food for the Paris trip to be successful.  Her comfort food zone for over 70 years has been American food so I had to go with it even if it meant €8 for a Diet Coke.  We did manage to find a classic French cafe, unfortunately it was in a five star hotel with five star prices but as Mom said “we’re on vacation!”. Our luxury trip started on an expensive note and would progress as Mom would develop a fondness for French champagne but that’s another story.

On my infamous trip to Paris when I was abandoned at Valentine’s Day, I had visited Angelina Paris because my friend HAD to try the famous hot chocolate as it was on the list of must do Paris activities she had printed from CNN and had to check each box.   At the time, 1994,  I was only a few years out of college, living at home with my parents and not eating at fancy places like this so spending what was then a lot of money for a croquet monsieur (ham/cheese sandwich) and a glass of Coca Cola seemed ridiculous.

So fast forward to Mom’s luxury trip to Paris & London. Our hotel, Hotel Therese, welcomed us with Angelina chocolate bars and I had flashbacks to the good parts of that doomed trip, namely the lovely Parisian experience of a cafe lunch.  Yes, it’s high on the tourist scale but most of Paris will be full of tourists so get over that.  The prices are high (it’s a tourist attraction in my opinion) but it’s an experience that I think you should try at least once. It’s been an institution in Paris since 1903!  Think of all the people who have enjoyed this tea room and indulged in the pastries and chocolate (each unique works of art).

While Mom really enjoyed cereal and coffee each day in the hotel, I was dying to escape to a French café or patisserie for breakfast.  Knowing that cereal wouldn’t be on the menu, I had to take a chance that Mom might eat eggs for breakfast on our last day in Paris as I explained “this is a classic Paris experience”.  I chose breakfast at Angelina because I knew it wouldn’t be crowded (you can reserve a table on OpenTable) at 8 a.m., since they open at 7:30 a.m.

The Takeaway Treats at Angelina Paris

When we entered I immediately noticed the pastries that I wanted to consume en masse – they were gorgeous works of art and I wondered how I missed those on this trip.  Oh right, Mom – she has no sweet tooth at all so we passed most of the patisseries this trip.   The small area has colorful macarons, delectable social media worthy #foodporn French pastries and a wall of chocolate options (bars, tins and bags of treats) as well as Angelina specialities.

The Angelina Paris Breakfast

There is a smaller upstairs dining room but as it wasn’t crowded this Friday morning, we were greeted and shown to a table for two in the main dining room.  Mom commented “this is a small table” and I laughed and said it was perfect café type size with a small side table to hold the larger items.  Looking around the walls and ceiling had décor that seemed to evoke an era gone by and that’s part of the charm.  You can imagine the elegant past of this famous room with its Belle Époque architecture and details.

I had already looked online at the breakfast options and prices so I wasn’t surprised, Mom was a bit taken aback but this was a lady who was ok with her €15 cereal/coffee combo and €8 diet coke so really should she have been surprised?

I ordered the Angelina breakfast (€29.50) with is a good mix of bread & pastries (croissant, pain au chocolate, raisin and baguette), coffee, orange juice, hot breakfast (eggs) – it’s cheaper to go with this instead of ala carte each item.  Mom ordered the ala carte Angelina croissant (€14) with ham since she was drinking my coffee (I don’t drink coffee) and sharing the pastries.

Of course, I inhaled the tray of carbs and told mom of the joys of French butter – she smothered her baguette with butter and understood quickly asking “can we take the butter with us?”  I said “there won’t be any left to take but we can take the jams and honey jars with us”. Happily full of French carbs, my eggs arrived simply plated while mom’s ham and egg croissant stole the show.  We were both surprised to see that it was a croissant sandwich stuffed with scrambled eggs and ham – she loved it!

The Angelina Paris Dining Room Conversation

The room was a mix of French people, Asian & American tourists.  The American ladies were seated at the table across from us (Yes, I was eavesdropping but frankly it was hard not to as the ladies were a bit loud arguing over what to do for the day and what to order).  At one point, one lady got up and stormed out leaving her friend alone.  Of course, knowing that scenario all too well, I leaned over to chat and tell her that she could mix/match the menu like Mom and I did to save money and not waste food.  She quickly shared that this was her dream trip with her mom who sadly passed a few years prior so she was with her friend.

While she was content to wander the streets of Paris to take in the sights, sounds and smells, her friend didn’t want to go to Versailles alone (this was a classic case of conflicting travel styles and why you need to quiz your friends).  When she went to find her friend outside thinking she was smoking to calm down, she returned to tell us that her friend left her without a text, call or email.  But the Southern Lady from Atlanta wasn’t about to let this get to her – she ordered her Angelina breakfast and wanted to enjoy this historic taste of Paris that was on her list (she thought it was too early for the famous hot chocolate, I said I didn’t think so – it’s chocolate after all!).

As we wished her a great stay in Paris, we again walked past the pastry counter and I vowed to return after our boat cruise to pick up treats for our Eurostar journey to London (alas, all good plans – traffic on the Seine prevented me from coming back in time).

Parisian Breakfast at Angelina Paris

Mom enjoyed this little slice of Paris – she loved her breakfast sandwich and was engrossed in all the drama of the American ladies next to us (classic café culture of the stories all around you).  I told her that’s what happens when you travel – you enjoy good food, meet interesting people, share stories and if you are lucky indulge in chocolate!

Angelina Paris is priced on par with many hotel breakfasts and in that case, I’d say leave the hotel buffet behind and splurge on a taste of historic Paris, on pretty patisserie and luxury chocolates at Angelina. This is a food memory of Paris that is a good one – at breakfast, at lunch, brunch, the ice cream cart or from the patisserie case – so indulge!

Angelina Paris Location

We at the original location across from the Tuileries Gardens (between the Louvre and Plaza Concorde), at 226 rue de Rivoli in the 1^st arr.  Rue Rivoli leads to the Champs Elysees and the Louvre so the main street is also easy to navigate and the Metro (Line 1 yellow) stops at Tuileries.  There are other locations throughout the city so go indulge your sweet tooth.

When planning Mom’s trip to Paris, I asked “Do you want to visit the Eiffel Tower” and she said “No, my friends said it wasn’t worth it.”  (who are these friends?). On our first day in Paris we met our Versailles tour at the Eiffel Tower and when we returned Mom said “I do want to visit the Eiffel Tower as it’s on my bucket list” – Seriously?  Now it’s a bucket list item” After three months of questions when planning our trip to Paris, when Mom replied on a loop “I’ll do what you tell me”.  So online I went in search of “Skip the Line” ticket to visit the Eiffel Tower for the next day (less than 24 hours!) on my Viator app. I was interested in the Evening tour with Champagne boat cruise on the Seine with City Wonders but it was sold out (plus it started late) so I had to go with a quick drive by kind of visit.

Eiffel Tower Tickets

If you are planning to visit the Eiffel Tower in advance (more than 16 hours notice I had) you can buy general admission tickets online at the official website but they sell out fast, like super-fast, so fast that I can never get them six months in advance fast!  Upside is the cost of €11, downside is the waiting in the regular “have tickets” line. So the rest of us rely on tour groups visiting the Eiffel Tower.  Upside is the skip the line using the group entrance, downside is the cost which is generally 3x higher than the normal tickets and a normal wait on the lifts.

The types of visits and ticket vary enormously so know what you want to do – you might get a guided tour of the 2^nd floor, you might just get a guy who takes the group through security and up to the 2^nd floor and provides no commentary – you’re on your own.  You could add in a lunch or dinner at the restaurant onsite or add in a cruise from the dock.  So many combinations, it gets confusing so make sure you are comparing tours and asking questions. In terms of tickets for me & Mom, I was in search of anything between 1 pm – 3 pm as I had planned our day out already and had to sneak this visit in before our Evening Louvre Tour.

Eiffel Tower Third Floor – I Paid to Go to the Top

Most likely someone in your group will say “but I paid to go to the top” and the guide will say what they say to every group, every day “the ticket is for the 2^nd floor, if you want to go to the top you need to buy your ticket once inside and then take the elevator to the top”.  There will be grumbling along the way.

In order to go to the top, which is small and has a champagne bar if you are so inclined, you need to queue up on the 2^nd floor and buy another ticket.  You then get on a separate elevator to the top.  When my niece and I visited, we lucked out that the protesters had caused the Eiffel Tower to be evacuated so that when it reopened we were on the first elevator up to the 2^nd floor.  Our guide told us to board on the top of the lift so that we would arrive on the 2^nd level of the 2^nd floor. We then ran to the line for tickets to the top and were one of the first few to experience the top floor practically empty.  This lasted only a few elevators before we were surrounded by the crowd.

The top has great views beyond the fencing however, the 2^nd floor is still amazing with views of Paris.

Visit the Eiffel Tower with a Group

We met the tour guide with the tickets in the park next to the Eiffel Tower.  Sadly due to increase security the lovely views from the park and the people who used to picnic are gone, replaced by perimeter fencing and layers of added security checks.

Our group was large, over forty people, divided into English and Spanish.  We walked together to the group security entrance. Stepping up into the security trailers, our bags were searched and we had an initial security screen.  Once done we exited and were under the Eiffel Tower looking up at the impressive structure.  The group then proceeded to walk to the group entrance (only two lifts were open on the Wednesday afternoon in September).  We had a further wait to go through airport style security (x-ray bags and metal detectors) before waiting in line for the lift to the 2^nd floor.

The time from group meet, security checks and waiting for the lift was just over an hour.

Eiffel Tower Second Floor

Most visitors start their Eiffel Tower visit on the 2^nd floor.  The observation area is over two floors and gives you a good sense of place and views of Paris.  I pointed out Sacre Coeur, La Defense, Arc de Triomphe and other highlights to Mom.  After fifteen minutes or so, Mom was ready to go!  All that stress finding tickets, taking the Uber from the hotel, waiting on the group and going through security for fifteen minutes of a visit.  Mom did get to enjoy a slushee from the café while we waited on the lift (this may have been a highlight for her at the time).  The second floor has a food stand, macaron stand, souvenir shop and a restroom.

Since we squeezed in the Eiffel Tower tour in between our Opera Tour and our Evening Highlights VIP Louvre tour we didn’t have time to visit and enjoy the 1^st Floor which has a see through floor for the brave  You can choose to walk inside the staircases from the 2^nd floor to the 1^st floor (Mom passed on that idea, I was considering it to work off the macarons).

As we bid adieu to the Eiffel Tower, we walked along the Seine to the metro station.

Visit the Eiffel Tower Final Thoughts

The Eiffel Tower is a dream for so many but while the structure hasn’t changed nor the views, it is a bit of work to arrange a visit that doesn’t take the fun out of it.  The levels of security are a way of life now (sadly) and you need to be prepared with patience. So make sure you plan your visit to the Eiffel Tower with enough time to wait and enjoy the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors.  Oh yeah, when your Mom (or traveling companion) says “I don’t want to visit the Eiffel Tower”, ignore them and buy the tickets now!

It’s really not a secret when it’s right in plain sight but like so many other Paris attractions, how often do you go inside?  Do you only have the top 5 on your list (Tour Eiffel, Mona Lisa at The Louve, Versailles, Seine Cruise and Arc de Triomphe)?  If you are like me, you’ve missed a few (many) things over the years.  So when researching tours to provide a flavor of Paris for Mom’s trip, I decided to add one tour that I had never done – The Paris Opera Tour (aka The Palais Garnier or the Paris Opera Garnier tour).

The Paris Opera Tour

While I’ve taken numerous photos of the Opera over the years as I walked by on my way to Galleries Lafayette, I hadn’t really considered going inside. It wasn’t until last year on my Musee D’Orsay tour that the guide provided such a rich history and I saw the stunning model of the Opera with all of its details and stories that I was keen to visit.  I tried to do the self-guided tour last year but the auditorium was dark due to technical work (need to check the schedule) so I said “another time” because what is the Paris Opera tour without seeing the stage and theatre?

If you just show up as an individual at the Paris Opera you have two options – a DIY tour €11 (add the audio headsets for €5) or join a guided tour in either English (2xs/day) or French (3xs/day) for €15.50.  The tours limit the number of guests, so to avoid missing the first English tour of the day that fit our schedule, I booked ahead on Viator.  The tour cost was about $17 per person.  I showed my mobile confirmation code and handed my photo ID to the box office person at “group tours”.  They take your ID as guarantee against the audio headsets (included) that the guide will give you (she returns it at the end of the tour).

The Guided Paris Opera Tour

We were instructed to wait in the back lobby until the tour started (note if you need to use the bathroom, there an unmarked door in the corner of an otherwise unused area). There are three small unisex bathrooms inside on the ground floor lobby area.

The guide corralled the group to hand out audio headsets and remind us photos were allowed but no flash.  Our group consisted of about twenty people from around the world – Netherlands, Australia, Italy, U.S., U.K., Spain and Canada.  We began the tour on the ground level at the costumes on display.  The Opera House makes all costumes in house (that’s amazing).

Paris Opera Garnier – The Grand Staircase

We then walked up the stairs and most of the group just stopped and stared up, around and over.  The grandeur of the staircase, the gold, the statues, the ceiling, the windows, the hidden nooks and everything else the eye could see was just stunning.  This was aptly named “the Grand Staircase” and the group spent a good chunk of time gawking, taking photos and listening to the guide explain the features.

Palais Garnier Opera Tour – Auditorium & Chagall Ceiling

The guide was able to take the group into the theatre’s orchestra seats despite the technical work (sound, lighting, blocking) being performed for the upcoming production. Self-guided tours that day only had access to an open box to peek inside.  We had to be quiet due to those working around us but the guide was still able to explain the history quite easily over the headsets.  I looked up and pointed for Mom to look and the guide said “yes, the Chagall ceiling, I don’t want to start with that, we’ll come back to it”.

Now the real story of the Opera started – the building of the Opera, Royalty, Napoleon, society norms at the time. It was at some points a live soap opera with drama and intrigue lead by the performers, dancers and men attending with their wives on one night, their girlfriends another night and cavorting with mistresses on other nights – sounds like a lot of work balancing being seen at the Opera (on the right night)!

The seats felt like separate chairs you’d have at home – large, comfy in red velvet (ok, you might not have the red velvet) with carved arm rests.  The views each had their own stories – the boxes, the curtains in the boxes and the behind the scenes dances the men did with the dancers in a separate reception room.  Ah the scandal of it all!  The U shaped multi-tiered auditorium seemed to have a great view from all vantage points.

After the stories we landed on the story of the Marc Chagall ceiling (wasn’t there when the Opera was built obviously, it was commissioned in 1964) which is quite interesting and you wonder what the patrons of the time would have thought about it.  I found it quite pretty but it didn’t seem to blend in well enough for me with the period features elsewhere.

We left the theatre to walk up one level to a surprising feature – the two level Opera library and corresponding museum area showcasing portraits and Opera history. But the biggest surprise was yet to come!

The Salon at Palais Garnier

Surprise!  Mom quipped “this is just like Versailles only smaller and prettier”, she left out “less crowded”.  It was simply gorgeous and with the sun streaming in, the gold, the chandeliers and the colors were all shining.  I’m not really sure how to put into words so watch the video of the Salon during the Paris Opera Tour.

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS7opXJu2-4[/embedyt]

I found it interesting that you can look out to the street, the street that leads to the Louvre that one time had horses carrying patrons to the Opera on the same road that the cars now navigate.

Like what you see – you can rent the place out for a price – a price close to $1 million dollars as a starting point. This is for the fashion show, magazine shoots and movie sets.

The tour ended here, our IDs returned and we were free to wander on our own.  Mom and I returned to the Grand Staircase, looked at a few ballerina costumes and walked into the open box to view the stage from different angle.  I liked the privacy and with the chair and curtain you had even more privacy to do what you wanted (what night was it?  Girlfriend or mistress night?).

Final Thoughts – The Paris Opera Tour (Opera Garnier Tour)

The Paris Opera Tour might be one of the most underrated tours/attractions in the city.  I don’t know anyone who has visited except for me & Mom now. Mom really loved this tour and it was a huge surprise for me.  The guide was funny and extremely knowledgeable and led the group at a good pace packing in a lot of information in just 90 minutes. The tour was steeped in history, architecture, art, drama and of course music and dance. Now what else have I missed out on in Paris?  Share your underrated Paris tours & attractions below.

Paris boutique hotels continue to impress me with their style, warmth and service levels.  Finding a new luxury gem to add to my Parisian collection has become my new obsession in Paris (it takes hours of research before I commit to try a new hotel).  Hotel Therese in Paris made my radar three years ago when I was researching small boutique Paris hotels.  The design was contemporary and the colors on the website seemed warm and welcoming. Sadly, on my last two visits to the city, I was unable to find a room, but for Mom’s Luxury trip to Paris, I wanted us to stay here.  It was the type of hotel that I knew I would like and hoped Mom would too.

Location – Rue Therese in the 1st (Right Bank)

Hotel Therese has a fantastic location on a quiet street, Rue Therese, on the Right Bank in the 1st arr., not far from the Louvre, the Seine, the stunning Paris Opera and Galleries Lafayette.  An added bonus is that the area is surrounded by restaurants, cafes, shops and if you are feeling wealthy, rue Saint Honore. Less than ten minutes walk you have the Metro Line 1 (yellow) which can easily take you up the Champs Elysses to La Defense with stops at Concorde and the Arc de Triomphe.

If you walk to the Seine and over the bridge then you arrive at Musee D’Orsay and have access to the RER C (yellow) line that can take you along the water up to Eiffel Tower (stop: Champ de Mars Tour Eiffel or Pont de l’Alma) or as far as Versailles, the last stop (if you want to DIY your visit instead of a tour from Paris)

Hotel Therese – Arrival

When we arrived, we entered and were instantly transported into a cute luxury boutique hotel.  After our long journey, we felt welcomed by both staff members at the front desk who said both “Bon Jour and Hello” covering all bases. As it was after 4 pm when we arrived, our rooms were ready (check in is at 3 p.m., check-out is noon)

While I took care of providing my passport, credit card and filling out the registration form, Mom was relaxing in the lounge and a staff member took our bags to our rooms and said he would come back for us as we all couldn’t fit in the lift.  The elevator is small holding two people or one person with the big luggage that Mom brought with her – he managed to squeeze himself and our two bags.

Our rooms were next to each other which made it easy for mom to knock on the door in her robe when she needed me for something.

I was handed our room keys in pure European style – they are massively large and unique (sheared leather ponytail).  Mom looked and said “I can’t fit that in my bag” and I explained that we give the keys to the front desk when we leave each day and of course this freaked her out a bit.  I said “hotels can get into your room at any time with or without your key to clean, fill minibars and fix broken items”  It was funny because so many first time travelers to Europe find the handing of keys odd and unsettling but really who wants to carry this with them?

The Lobby Lounges

The lobby has two side lounges – one before you reached the front desk and the other next to the front desk.  Each was private and comfortable with magazines and newspapers available to guests.  In the smaller room next to the front desk there is an honesty bar at night.  From 4pm – 6pm, there is a complimentary tea time set up which we unfortunately missed each day. If you are meeting friends or just want to relax outside of your room, these lounges are perfect.

Hotel Therese Room(s)

The hotel is a renovated 18^th century townhouse with 40 rooms all with different layouts in five room categories, including a ground floor room that is accessible (not that the lift to the breakfast room is up a few stairs though).

The smallest room is called “Tiny Classic”, you can’t fault them for being honest about 10m2/107 sq. ft.  For Mom, I reserved the “Small Tradition Double” (11-13m2/150sq ft.) and for me, the “Medium Tradition Twin” (15m2/182 sq. ft.). For context, most U.S. hotel rooms are about 250-300 sq. ft. so cozy is the right description for the Parisian rooms.

After exiting the elevator we had a few stairs to go up and the lights automatically went on (European hotel hallways are often dark unless used and go on with motion control).  Our hallway had just five rooms – the two rooms across from us was being used by one family. The key is electronic so you only need to tap the end to the metal on the door.  I showed Mom and she got it on the first try so it’s easy to use.

Small Tradition Double Room (Mom’s Room 56)

Given that my Mom hasn’t traveled much to have her own room, she loved her small space   When you enter the room the desk/tv/minibar are on the left with the double bed and bathroom on the right.  The design was contemporary luxury.  The windows opened for fresh air and the air conditioner was working very well to cool the room.  As the view looked into the courtyard, it was quiet and opening the windows to sleep would be an ok if that’s your preference.

The desk contained a hand written welcome note, bottle of water and a bar of Angelina chocolate (the kind of welcome I like!) Mom doesn’t like chocolate so more for me!

Mom’s bathroom was the only surprise for her and an oversight for me.  It had a tub to climb into which is typical European for me unless at a new or renovated property that has a shower only like a few of my past boutique Paris stays.  Now all I thought about was Mom falling in the tub (thanks Mom!) but I showed her how to hold the rack above to get in and out.  She opted to sit on the side of the tub and enter that way.  Here I thought I had thought of everything but missed this one piece (I did buy travel insurance!)

Medium Sized Tradition Twin Room (My Room 58)

Located at the end of the small hallway, I opened the door and was surprised to see a long hallway to the bedroom with two doors on the right for the closet and bathroom.  I instantly loved this room form the moment I opened the door and even more love for the welcome note, bottled water and chocolate (same as Mom’s).

I noticed the sloping ceiling by the windows and took note to duck a bit when I opened the double windows which were shorter than me.  I could see Mom’s window and had a similar view of the interior courtyard of buildings.

My room was larger than Mom’s (I had two single beds pushed together in this double room).  I had more space with an armoire filled with coffee maker, safe, minibar.   The desk had room to work and the television above was a good size if I wanted to watch TV (I didn’t). The bed was firm but that didn’t prevent me from soundly sleeping.  The wifi was included and required a password to use.

Here’s my video walk through of the room

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a560Tm1TaNU[/embedyt]

The Marble Bathroom

The bathroom felt a bit smaller in layout than Mom’s but was fine for me.  The toiletries were local and lovely with a nice scent – one annoyance is that they have the little foil seals that are hard to peel off especially, if like me, you are in the shower, your hands are wet and you lose patience so you squeeze really hard to pop it open.

Hotel Therese Breakfast Room

The basement breakfast room is adorable, original vaulted ceilings and brickwork and while we were usually the only ones there because Mom liked to sleep in, one day there were three full tables (the only time we saw other guests) the server asked for the room number and whether you wanted coffee or tea.  She got confused with Mom & me as we had two room numbers and did different breakfast each day (extra charges on my bill but the front desk sorted those easily). Mom enjoyed her cereal and coffee each day while I overlooked the fact that it cost €15

The breakfast choices are Full, Continental and Express costing €6-€15 per person.  Of course, Mom’s cereal was part of the full breakfast so that was €15 each day.  It was funny to see the face she made with the Yoplait yoghurt as it is so much different than the U.S. version. The breakfast included scrambled eggs, hard boiled eggs, cereal, fruit, cold cuts and a bread table, which included a basket of gluten free bread.

We ate in the hotel each day since it was the quickest coffee fix for Mom and on the last day treated ourselves to Angelina (known for their chocolate).

The Front Desk

The staff at the front desk were always pleasant and accommodating.  The older gentleman on the overnight shift got to know Mom as he called her each day for her wakeup call (there are no clocks in room).  When I inquired about taxi vs. Uber they were very frank to recommend Uber given the added costs that a taxi may charge from time of call to arrival (they could get stuck in traffic in the area causing your costs to be high before you get in).  I appreciated the honesty and noticed they also have the taxi notice posted at the desk to avoid meter shock if they order a cab for you.

Airport Pickup Arranged

The hotel arranged for a taxi pickup from the airport.  Our driver was waiting with a sign and escorted us to the airport parking lot to find the van.  The cost was slightly more at €75 than a taxi or Uber would have been but we took comfort in knowing that the driver was waiting and knew where we were going. The driver spoke a bit of English.  The only confusion was that I provided a credit card to the hotel thinking I paid in advance but that was only to hold the reservation, I needed to pay cash to the driver at the hotel (lucky for me I had Euro on me)  Next time, I would pre-pay to avoid the confusion. The cost to the airport is less (no waiting time) at €60.

Hotel Therese Rates

I booked via email because I had the two room query with a request to be near each other which is harder to do online with two separate reservations.  The hotel website is easy to use and the photos are a good representation of the property. During our visit in early September, the rooms were discounted online (always check their website for specials and sign up to receive emails).

Mom’s Room (Small Traditional Double Room) – Normal €250, Discount Rate €207

My Room (Medium Traditional Twin Room) – Normal €290, Discount Rate €243

Hotel Therese – Final Thoughts

I loved the Hotel Therese Paris as did Mom.  The location was fantastic for a first time visit as we were so close to everything Mom wanted to see and given her limited mobility (at the time) made for easy walking.  The staff was five star, the room quiet and comfortable, the free Wi-Fi fast and easy and the welcome note/chocolate a wonderful personal touch. For a luxury boutique hotel experience in Paris, the Hotel Therese is at the top of my list and should be on your list too!