Paris and the end of half term!

I left you on my last blog post just before a really large French meal with Isabelle's friends from the South. We ended up having a traditionally Northern meal...with lots of wine and beer! We had a traditional ch'ti cheese tart called 'Maroilles' which was incredible, I found this good site to explain what I mean if you're interested: http://www.northernfrance-tourism.com/Regional-gastronomy/Recipes/The-Maroilles-Flamiche-tart-ch-ti-recipe-par-excellence

This glass was a really funky beer glass! I don't really enjoy beer - or so I thought. I've tried Northern French beer and it's not half bad! I'm also getting more and more used to having an 'aperitif' before food..but after a few glasses of wine your head feels this more than your stomach! How France has changed me! I had a really nice time at the meal, including a lovely letter a stranger had given Isabelle's friend. When searching for museums in Paris, a kind lady felt too shy to speak to them yet instead wrote an amazingly kind letter in French. I thought it was like something you'd find out of a book!

Friday I went to Biache to visit Caroline's family, who were kindly letting me stay the night before we all went to Paris. This lovely meal also included more wine! What is happening?! I can't complain though, I had the most fantastic time.  I really enjoyed spending my evening playing board games with the kids, as well as the brand new mario kart on the wii...oh how I wish I was still a child.

Me and Nathan on Mario

 After a good sleep in a quilt that was made of duck feathers - it was from Poland and the warmest thing I've ever slept in! - We all got up to go to Paris.


It wasn't too much of an early start as we left the house at around 8, yet managed to get to Paris at 10 o'clock! It was Alain's decision then to park on the Champs Elysees which was convient and even had a few sites to see
too!
The first real shock was that the Champs was pretty much empty. There was a few people wondering around but nothing like the normal Parisien chaos I've seen before. I asked the family and because it's the Saturday of half term, a lot of Parisiens apparently travel and do other things! I wasn't complaining, it was fantastic to be able to walk around the shops and streets that morning not having to worry too much about your bag! The shops all have white signs on this road - it's actually a historical thing, even the McDonald's has a white M. What's also really cool, is most of the really expensive, Valentino Chanel Louis Vuitton shops have security all on their doors, so as you nose into them, you have these stern looking French guys looking back at you like don't you even think about it!




We then decided to walk to the Eiffel tower from here. It's a little far, so I think next time I go I will maybe just pay to use the metro (lazy). It also depends on the weather!

Arriving at the eiffel tower was amazing as we arrived across the river from it and got some really nice photos together.  The kids really decided they wanted to go up it, something that I've never been overly fussed about as I'm often told it takes time and isn't always worth it when you only have one day....however thank god for Nathan who really wanted to go!

It did take two hours of queuing before we took the lift up the eiffel tower. Personally, in life I think it's an extremely good thing to go and do, despite the queue. We arrived at 11am, yet I underestimated how long it would all take. After having been up the Arc de Triomph I naively thought it wouldn't take that long...it's as big as it looks OK... 

Arriving at the second floor we got to wait for the next lift to the top with stunning views. This is the Palais de Challot in the Cité de l'Architechture. It's really magnificent. As I say, it's a long wait but it was worth it even at the second floor.

The top floor had its own champagne bar, witwoo and was completely worth all the time we spent waiting to get there. We took loads of photos and had the most incredible view across Paris. It's something I'm really lucky to have done, especially with a French family by my side.

It was 2pm by this point, as you can see the day goes so quickly! We decided to eat on the first floor of the eiffel tower - a really awesome experience with huge windows and Croque Monsieurs galore. The prices matched the size of the tower I think...

It was still really yummy though!

Finishing the tower with walking on the glass floor was also really cool, couldn't help thinking of what poor Matt's face would have been like though!!!!

Without being extremely dull, I can't tell you too much on here about where my next steps were...I have some birthday and christmas surprises for people at home! But onto the final stop of the day that was COCKTAILS! We managed to find a nice little pub that did happy hour around 4 o'clock so we sat in Paris drinking and laughing.

We had another last stop at the Elysees, the palace/hugeeeee mansion of a place where François Hollande lives. Sadly we didn't get to see him, but we did have a sneak peak inside the gates!

My day finished again on the Champs, after seeing a tiny bit of la place de la concord! We managed to get home just before 8:30pm and had a lovely McDonalds for tea!! Cannot beat chicken nugs! The rest of my weekend lasted in Biache, with lots of "quality family time" and more cake of course!

I start back to work Thursday and have been since spending time with my family in Douai, going out and catching up with each other. Isabelle made an incredible meal and tart which has made my life!!!!

So what's happening next? I'm going back to work for two days then it's the weekend! This weekend I should be hopefully seeing Marie and then resting before the hectic week ahead. I've got my last training day for the assistantship Thursday, and then I'll be stopping at Nia's before going to Paris...AGAIN :D! We booked the Ouibus something I'd definitely recommend at the moment just based on the price! We'll see how it goes!

As for now, it's time to get everything ready for la rentrée, including my brain. It was a really good October half term, and despite missing my family, it's been the right choice to stay. I feel really lucky to have visited to huge cities and to spend some quality time with French people. I guess now its back to the train journeys and early mornings.....

JR

xxx

PS. It's 1 month until December...is it OK to start Christmas songs?

So excited to go home, but good grief I'll miss the decent bread and wine :)!!!!

PPS. I've now not been at home for 2 full months, crazy or what?