When you only have three days in Paris, there are just a few things that have to be accomplished, and no matter how many times you have done the Eiffel Tower, I think it is a must for every trip. I am sure that many would say it is cliche, but I just think it is magical. Did you know that the Eiffel Tower was supposed to be a temporary installation? It was built in 1889 and slated for demolition in 1909, but was such a great radio tower it was granted clemency. The Eiffel Tower is the most visited site in the world. During World War II, the French cut the cables on the Tower so if Hitler wanted to go up he would have to climb the stairs.
There are 20,000 light bulbs on the Eiffel Tower, and presently it glitters on the hour. There is about 50 tons of paint on the tower, equal to the weight of about 10 elephants.
We stopped on the second floor for coffee, and proceeded to the top for a peek into Eiffel’s private office and breathtaking views of the city.
Kristen on the 2nd “Floor”
Trocadero Gardens
A walk across the Seine to one of my favorite spots. I have always loved this little portion of the the Trocadero Gardens hidden away to the side of the great fountains. The faux bois steps and railings are just so beautiful
Restaurant David Toutain March 5th 2015 Lunch Menu
Our highlight today was lunch. A 5 course meal at David Toutin, 29 rue Surcouf. You have the choice between 3 courses, 5 courses or 7. You are not given any other choices, but you are allowed to mention dislikes or allergies, after that the food simply arrives. We enjoyed the entire thing first, with a glass of champagne, and then with a lovely bottle of Vouvray.
A vegetable stick with a cream dipping sauce
Parsley Puree wrapped and served with herbs from the French mountains
Spiced egg with a small cornbread crouton
King Crab finessed into several different textures
Asparagus Spear served with Parmesan Cream
Black Sesame and Apple Puree with Smoked Eel
Cod with Carrot, Chervil and a touch of Ginger
Pork Back, Smoked Pork and Turnip
Cauliflower with White Chocolate Ice Cream
Orange Flower Cake with Hidden Chocolate Truffles
Lemon and Marjoram Tart with small marshmallows
Coffee
For those that are interested the charge to my credit card was 131.00 Euros, and yes there are more than 5 course there, it was a very amazing meal. Oh, and YES, YES, YES, I would do it all over again.
We spent the rest of the afternoon walking it off.
La Madeleine
We began with a visit to the church dedicated to Mary Magdalene, the La Madeleine at the Place de la Madeleine. Started in 1764, but not finished until 1845 it is based on Barthelemy Vignons design for Napoleon’s Temple of Glory.
Charles Marochetti’s Mary Magdalene Ascending to Heaven. This statue is behind the high alter and shows Mary Magdalene being lifted up by angels which evokes the tradition concerning ecstasy which she entered in her daily prayer while in seclusion .
The half-dome above the altar is frescoed by Jules-Claude Ziegler, entitled The History of Christianity, showing the key figures in the Christian religion with — a sign of its Second Empire date — Napoleon occupying centre stage.
After a nice period of reflection we headed out for shopping.
We had a great time wafting in the joy of Macarons at La Duree, savoring the joys of Fauchons and wandering the aisles of Hediard.
As exhaustion was truly setting in, a final stroll through Passage Jouffroy, built in 1845 by a private company headed by Count Felix de Jouffroy-Gonsans (1791-1863), who gave his name to the passage, and M. Verdeau, who gave his name to the passage that was built as a further extension, the passage Verdeau. The passage was built by architects François Destailleur and Romain de Bourges.
The Passage Jouffroy is indicative of an important stage in the technological evolution of the 19th century and the mastery of iron. It is the first Parisian passage built entirely of metal and glass. Only the decorative elements are wooden. It is also the first passage heated through the floor.
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Passage Jouffroy
We enjoyed a few glasses of wine with an old friend and expat from San Francisco, skipped dinner and headed home.