Paris Journal 2015 – Barbara Joy Cooley Home: barbarajoycooley.com
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A lesser known walk along the banks of the Seine is one of our favorites. This is the left bank, from the Pont de Grenelle, where the Statue of Liberty overlooks the Seine, to the Parc André Citroën. There are no special pedestrian amenities there; instead, it is known as the Port de Javel. The RER C (commuter) train separates the port from the Quai André Citroën. The train is hidden behind a stone wall on the port side, and it is beneath the street level on the quay side. Along the stone wall is a row of very mature plane trees providing plenty of shade for flaneurs like us. Much of the walking surface is rough – mostly oddly shaped cobblestones – so sturdy shoes are a must. There is one restaurant located along the Port de Javel; it is called La Plage (the beach) because it is located right on the water’s edge. I think we ate there once, but I don’t remember the meal. I just remember that almost nobody was there, and the view of the Seine was nice. After La Plage, the facilities along the Port de Javel are utilitarian – including a depot for barges carrying sand and gravel. Big chunks of leftover limestone had been laid out along the depot’s edge – clearly meant to be ad hoc benches for weary pedestrians. Because the cobblestones are coarse, there are few bicycles along the Port de Javel – a factor that contributes enormously to the peacefulness of this place for flaneurs. We paused to take some photos of the magnificent sculptures on the Pont de Mirabeau, midway through the Port de Javel. Across from the northernmost corner of the Parc André Citroën, a small passageway is carved beneath the RER train tracks. It has been there for decades, and is obviously meant for pedestrians like us, but it is not maintained. Mother nature is taking over with an abundant supply of wildflowers, also known as weeds or native plants, depending on your point of view. The passageway is a rather nice, raw introduction and connection to the more civilized park We passed through the gates. I love that entrance to the park. It is semi-formal, lined with stately trees and granite tomb-like blocks that remind Tom of the Ostia Antica just outside of Rome. Off to the left is the series of gardens, each named for the color that dominates its beds, and straight ahead is the vast, open expanse of the park, where the great tethered balloon waits to take tourists and kids up for a view. We chose to walk through the shady gardens, until we reached a diagonal path that aimed us right toward the southeastern corner of the park. There the Buvette du Parc waits for hot and thirsty visitors. On our way there, we marveled at the numbers of families with kids enjoying the sunshine, lawns, and enormous fountain where kids are allowed to frolic, splash, and squeal. We paused for a breezy afternoon “tea” at the Buvette because we desperately needed refreshment. While enjoying “tea,” we admired a well-designed modern apartment building facing the park at number 25 rue de la Montagne de la Fage. It was built in 1997 – the year before we started summering in Paris. I looked it up. The average per square meter price for an apartment there is 8,575 euros. So a 100 square meter apartment would be 857,500 euros, or about a million US dollars. Location, location, location . . . . We sauntered home through the Esplanade Max Guedg and the rue Saint Charles. The utility work introduced lots of obstacles on the rue Saint Charles. So after we explored the Lidl discount store, we switched over to the avenue de la Felix Faure via the rue de la Convention. When we emerged in front of the church of St. John the Baptist of Grenelle, we were surprised to see a wedding party just exiting the sanctuary. The decorated car was waiting to whisk the bride and groom away. What a beautiful day for a wedding! We stopped in the Eric Kayser bakery to buy a baguette monge – the best traditional baguette in Paris, we think. I love to use it to make toast the next morning. Tom couldn’t wait. He dug into the baguette for a bite as we walked the remaining two blocks home. Dinner in the evening was at Le Pario, on the avenue Emile Zola. Thanks to chef Eduardo Jacinto, the food is terrific there. We were given samplings of delicious soup as a mis en bouche, followed by our shared starter course of a few thin slices of foie gras. Then came our main courses: a luscious lobster, caviar, and potato arrangement for me, and chunks of veal chops with a side dish of little round potatoes for Tom.
We shared an unusual and excellent banana éclair for dessert.
At $111, this was one of our most expensive dinners of the summer, but it was elegant, creative, and superb. Plus, the restaurant features impeccable service and truly functional air conditioning. By the time we left, the downstairs dining room was full, and people were being seated upstairs. The staff thanked us and wished us a good evening. The weather was so perfect that we simply had to sit out on the balcony for a while, taking in the smooth evening air and listening to jazz piano music. |
Sunday, August 23, 2015
The Statue
of Liberty at the Pont de Grenelle, as seen from
the Port de Javel.
The Pont
de Mirabeau.
One of the
gardens in the Parc André Citroën. You
can see the giant tethered balloon just beyond the garden.
Wedding
party leaving the church of Saint John the Baptist of Grenelle.
The “Art
of Joy” bookstore at the corner of rue Saint Charles and the rue Sebastien
Mercier.
Looking
through the entrance to the Grenelle cemetery, from
the rue Saint Charles. |
