A taste of French indulgence

For chocolate lovers, visiting Paris without a stop at Angelina (226 Rue de Rivoli) may well be a crime. You may have to wait for a table to become available in this busy tea salon, with little French old ladies and groups of tourists enjoying occupying the stately tables which fill every available space. The price list may not suit the budget traveller, but Angelina is the ultimate for a lavish desert. All the deserts looked divine, and I chose a particularly good Tarte Citron (some Melbourne readers may be aware of my Lemon Tart Quest. This is the furthest afield I have ventured, and well worth it!). But the creme de la creme here is the hot chocolate. Chocolat l'Affricain is like molten chocolate- delicious! Served in a jug, with a side dish of chantilly cream, the diner serves the chocolate to their liking. Thanks to Sarah (in Paris) for the tip! And if you feel the need to walk off the calories, you can stroll through the nearby Rivoli Gardens, or, as I did, visit the bookstore next door, which proudly boasts a tradition of stocking English books. I chose a few French books (translated in Anglaise, of course), to keep me entertained on my upcoming trip around France.


Of course, the French have made lavishness an art form. Yesterday I visited Versailles. Now anyone who has studied French History would know this, but I was a little surprised; Chateau Versailles is ENORMOUS! Almost every room is gloriously decorated, sporting painted ceilings and priceless paintings and furniture. As an aside, has anyone else noticed the way, as soon as something has a touch of gold or gilt, tourists feel the need to snap a picture? Amuses me a lot. Anyway, the chateau was impressive. I was particularly interested in Domaine de Marie-Antoinette, a section of the estate given to her by Louis XVI, which she fashioned into a pastoral hideaway from the ritual of court life. She apparently loved to spend time close to nature, such as on the small farm run for her amusement. But my favourite part of Versailles was the gardens. It was a beautiful day, and it was so nice to be able to sit on sections of the grass (a true luxury in Paris). Must admit I fell asleep for a while! Also saw an abundance of wildlife: catfish scrambling for crumbs; a woodpecker; and a French frog!


The visit to Angelina today was actually a side-trip on my excursion to the true symbol of French grandeur; Royal Palais de Musee Louvre. This place is stupidly big, so much so that it really frustrated me. According to Lonely Planet it would take nine months just to glance at all the exhibits. But once I found a sense of direction, I was able to enjoy the spectacular artworks within. I particularly enjoyed the sculpture galleries, and was glad that I finally braved the Da Vinci Code trailblazers and ventured into the Italian painting galleries. I am not joking about the Da Vinci Code, by the way- the Louvre actually offers a Da Vinci Code Audio-tour. I declined. A word of advice- your ticket is an all day pass, so take advantage of this, and take breaks outside the Musee for lunch or coffee. Don't eat inside the centre- it is overpriced and average fare. The all day pass is an especially good option if you visit on one of the days the centre is open late.


One thing that constantly amazes me about Paris is the quality of the buskers. They just don't do anything by halves here. Many buskers are professional musicians eking a living off generous tourists. The first time a I heard a piano accordion strike up while I was on the Metro was a true Amelie moment; it felt like a traditional French soundtrack had been added to my ordinary day. I've also thoroughly enjoyed: the string orchestral arrangement playing at one Metro; the Latin bad playing at another; the jazz trio improvising atop a wall near the steps of the Pompidou centre (below); and the electric harp player at Sacre Cour.

And so my time in Paris is drawing to a close. Tomorrow's plans involve visiting the Museum of Middle Ages (which I am really looking forward to, nerd, nerd), ad a picnic at a chateau, followed by a crepe dinner. Then I strike out on my own while Lisa finishes up at work. I'm visiting Bordeaux, then Lyon and Strasbourg. Paris has been surprisingly good; my cynicism has been erased. I think my low expectations meant I could only be pleasantly surprised, and I have been. Paris is really a beautiful city, and it's so exciting when a waiter smiles at you, or when your hesitant attempts at French are understood. As Lisa insists, the difficulties of Paris make those ordinary moments extraordinary. Paris has that effect, somehow.