spring in paris / part III

Monday and Tuesday were spent exploring shops and bakeries around Paris, as well as several more exhibits. We started Monday with a wonderful breakfast at Angelina near the Louvre. Angelina is well known for delicious signature hot chocolate and the array of pastries, fruit, and eggs warmed us up for the day of exploration.

After breakfast we headed the Musee de l’Orangerie, the home of Monet’s waterlilies. Then we spent the afternoon walking the Rue Saint-Honore and Rue de Rivoli, walking through all the boutiques along the shopping boulevards. Unfortunately I am so out of practice from not shopping much in the past few years that I was overwhelmed. It was fun to browse the unique porcelain and enamel vases and pitchers at Astier de Villate, and the myriad ballet flats at Repetto.

On Tuesday, we started the morning with pastries at Poilâne. It was raining lightly and headed off to explore Le Marais. We explored the vast department store BHV; stopped for wonderful Pasteis de Nata (a sort of mini egg custard pastry) at Comme a Lisbonne; and found a blank book at Papier Plus. Martin kept the Google map, now crumpled and worn, and we crossed off nearly every shop and bakery on our wanderings through the streets.

After a falafel lunch, we squeezed in a quick stop at the Musee Les Arts Decoratif where we saw a wonderful exhibit on the history of Babar, as well as a very interesting exhibit about Louis Vuitton and Marc Jacobs. Seeing so many original Babar illustrations and paintings reminded me of how much I loved the cartoon as child. And learning about the history and innovation of Louis Vuitton and his steamer trunks gave me a surprising appreciation for the brand. I still don’t think I will be buying in LV handbags anytime soon.

All in all, the weekend was a whirlwind of sightseeing, delicious pastries, and fun adventures. By late afternoon we were very glad to be back on the train and resting our tired feet while we sped through the countryside back home to Zurich.