DAY 1
Ooh La La - laissez les bons temps rouler (let the good time roll)! Travel Sister’s inaugural tour to the City of Lights was nothing short of spectacular. Blessed with unseasonably warm temps and glorious sunny skies, our bonnes femmes walked, shopped, sipped, ogled,, and tasted their way through the French capital eager for each new adventure. Check out some of our tour highlights.
La Belle Juliette,…...our tres chic hotel in the 6th arr, was a perfect home base for six whirlwind days of Parisian immersion. The hotel’s stunning modern and romantic decor pays homage to saloniste Juliette Recamier and her literary fetes of the 1800’s in every design detail. Everything from our exquisitely appointed rooms, the charming neighborhood setting, complimentary champagne, nightly chocolates, and attentive staff made us never want to say goodbye.
Bienvenue a Paris! Table-side tartare with a side of opera? Mais oui! Chef and owner, the impeccable yet incorrigible, Jean-Christian Dumonet was our host and entertainer for our first night in Paris. Settling into this cozy, luscious bistro for three hours of dining and revelry was just what we needed after a long day of travel and a hint of jet-lag. Josephine Chez Dumonet is bright and buzzing and oh so delicious. Hugely popular, frequented by locals and the lucky traveling epicures that have done their homework, this unassuming gem serves up grand portions of France’s most iconic dishes. Our group sampled beef borgongne, steak tartare, duck confit and finished with Dumonet’s signature grand marnier soufflé. Time flew and when we looked up, we were the last guests seated. Instead of ushering us out the door, chef Jean-Christian invited us to join him, his staff and bon amis pulling out bottles of homemade pear liqueur and filling our glasses to the brim. We laughed, drank, sang, and tried in our most basic French to exchange stories. What a way to begin our trip!
DAY 2
La Mode et Le Marais Our wonderful guide, Alois Guinut, led our insiders fashion history tour of Paris’ trendy Marais. Beginning with descriptions of garments from the middle ages and explaining the influence of religion and social strata on the evolution of clothing, Alois imparted her vast knowledge to us as we meandered the lovely streets of this formerly Jewish neighborhood whose ancestral influence has launched many current clothing lines and brands.
Lou Lou A well deserved rest and succulent lunch at the Lou Lou at the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs. Lunching al fresco in early October! Why, yes! The view of the gorgeous gardens and Le Louvre were icing on the cake.
2CV What better way to see the city than by zipping around in vintage Citroens from the 1950’s!
DAY 3
Sisters in The Kitchen Have you always wondered what it looks like inside one of Paris’ iconic Haussmannian apartment buildings? You know, the classic French architectural structure originally commissioned by Napoleon as part of Paris’ grand renovation back in the mid-1800’s? They usually boast scores of large windows, high
ceilings, and serpentine floors. How about what it would be like to cook a gourmet meal in the kitchen of such a wonderful place? Our Travel Sisters did just that hosted by charming home chef, Odile. We learned how to execute the perfect cheese souffle, prepare a delicate zucchini carpaccio, and bake the lightest madeleines you have ever tasted. Afterward, joined by Odile’s husband, we enjoyed a perfect lunch paired with a crisp rose and flowing conversation. Bonus: Odile’s apartment is across the street from the where Jackie Kennedy lived as a student at the Sorbonne. Magnifique!
