Seniors in Paris
by Elizabeth Perera
Visiting
Paris has always been a supreme treat for me. I've visited this
city several times, but never for longer than three days, squeezed
between coming from somewhere or going somewhere else.
Those Parisian days were packed with hectic sightseeing, visiting
museums and restaurants, shopping, of course, and sometimes
going to the opera or shows. Having now achieved the noble status
of senior citizen, I decided that the time had come for a longer
and more relaxed look at Paris.
With this idea in mind, my husband and I decided to spend one
full week in this city, taking our time and concentrating on
the sites which especially appealed to us, without trying to
see everything.
Our
visit took place the last week of May this year; it is probably
the busiest period for school trips and we found the city crowded.
The weather was changeable; most of time it was warm but we
experienced quite a lot of rain.
Two days of our stay were really hot and the green trees and
bushes looked so fresh. It is worth noting that the majority
of outdoor cafés provide infrared heating lamps.
We
are both retired physicians, reasonably fit - we walk and swim
- but without ambitions to be superb athletes. We have also
noticed that recently we are getting tired more easily than
when we were working 10 or 12 hours per day.
Our travel plans therefore had to be designed to be satisfying
yet not exhausting. The primary concern was accommodation. We
definitely needed a comfortable bed and, in the case of a high
room, an elevator.
Location was also important. With advancing age priorities change:
you appreciate a short distance to the Metro station or food
store, but do not need a discothèque nor "boite de nuit". Being
a senior means you would prefer a quiet environment to deafening
noises coming from the music hall.
After
careful research we selected a property in the 'Les Citadines'
group - www.citadines.com.
There's a choice of rooms: we found our 'studio' was perfectly
adequate for our needs, but there are also one or two bedroomed
apartments available. We paid €202 per night (approx. C$310).
We had a large room with easily-unfolding bed which was very
comfortable, a well-equipped kitchenette and good bathroom with
a shower. There are several Citadines properties in Paris most
of them centrally located.
Our favourite (unfortunately not available for our dates) is
on Quai des Grands Augustins, where most windows overlook La
Seine with Notre Dame in view and close to Boulevard St. Michel.
The
property we stayed in was Citadine on Rue Richelieu, close to
the Louvre and La Comedie Francaise and not far from the Tuileries
Gardens and Faubourg St. Honoré, famous for prestigious shopping.
We had a fabulous view over the roofs of Paris and the only
problem were pigeons which liked our balcony and, of course,
left their 'souvenirs' there.
The other locations of Citadines known to us are on the Place
Vendôme and another in the heart of Montmartre. This last one
looked very nice and modern, but it requires climbing steep
streets which may not be to the liking of some.
All
locations of Citadines have close access to Metro stations.
There are no restaurants in the properties, but it is possible
to purchase a continental breakfast and coffee (including espresso)
and tea are available free all day. There is also free internet
access.
I realize that the cost of this studio is quite expensive, but
that is probably due to the property's excellent location and
availability of cooking facilities. The similar accommodation
in the Citadines at Montmartre costs €142 per night and at Citadines
St. Germain des Prés, which is on Quai des Grands Augustins,
the price is €210 or, for a guaranteed view over the Seine,
€275.
I feel that accommodation like Les Citadines is a good choice
for people who want to spend more than just a couple of days
in Paris, as the kitchenette means one does not have to eat
out all the time.
Having
settled in our room we set out to purchase yogurt, cheese, baguette,
fruit and, of course, a bottle of wine, most of which we deposited
in our small fridge. The presence of an electric kettle and
two hot plates permitted us to prepare uncomplicated small meals.
In this way we saved a substantial amount of euros. For dinner
we usually went to small, recommended restaurants which are
open late and are now smoke free. The cost of eating out is
rather high: we found the average dinner for two with one glass
of wine each brought a bill of around €80-90.
For
transportation in the city we almost exclusively used the Metro,
buying a booklet of 10 tickets for €11.50. Taxis are readily
available and we would not recommend driving in Paris as the
traffic is heavy and the street lay-out complex.
We
walked a lot, especially in the evenings when streets are less
crowded and many buildings and sites, and also the famous bateaux
mouche or barges sailing on Seine, are beautifully illuminated,
all adding an ethereal look to this wonderful city. Frequently
we sat in outside cafés enjoying a drink and watching life going
by.
There were elegant-looking people going to theatres or restaurants,
also many students carrying their bags with computers, laughing,
talking very fast and sometimes singing.
We
did not experience any unpleasantness and we felt safe seeing
a lot of municipal police patrolling streets, always ready to
help when requested and keeping an eye on potential troublemakers.
We designed our daily programmes according to the weather.
On rainy days we visited museums. We saw the Musée d'Orsay where
we limited our visit to the floor presenting the works of Impressionists.
There's also a fascinating and very modern museum dedicated
to Salvadore Dali works situated in the heart of Montmartre
which presents the works of this great surrealist in the most
complimentary light.
The Invalides, with the magnificent red porphyry sarcophagus
of Emperor Napoleon I, and Picasso Museum in Marais were wonderful
but very crowded.
On
one sunny day we explored Montmartre, where steep streets call
for comfortable shoes. We enjoyed that outing thoroughly. And
we spent one morning in Neuilly, the posh, residential part
of Paris.
The trip by train to Versailles (a 30-minute ride) was one of
the highlights of our stay. Freshly renovated with beautiful
gardens it is a pleasure for the eyes, but try not to visit
on a hot day. No visit to Paris can be called complete without
at least a small amount of shopping.
We
decided to sacrifice half a day for that purpose. While my husband
provided himself with the International Herald Tribune and sat
comfortably reading, I browsed racks and shelves in Au Printemps
and Galleries Lafayette stores.
The choice of goods was great and service very efficient but
the prices did not encourage many purchases.
The most tiring aspect was the presence of masses of tourists
almost everywhere; on the Champs Elysée we were pushing our
way through groups of tourists, children on school trips and
finally locals. In front of the Louvre the length of lines for
buying tickets discouraged us from visiting.*
Most
restaurants required reservations for dinner. In the Luxembourg
Gardens it was difficult to find a vacant bench. And our visit
to spectacular Notre Dame Cathedral required spiritual tolerance
in the face of multiple digital camera users! But such is the
powerful draw of Paris, combined with modern tourist movements!
But in spite of all those crowds, we found the toilets facilities
to be more than adequate, available in every establishment,
and spotless.
We
did not require medical help in Paris, but we were told it is
easily available and very efficient. Yes, we spent a lovely
week in Paris and feel relaxed and ready for our next visit.
The city should certainly be less crowded in winter and definitely
there are more indoor activities to choose from such as concerts,
theatres, special exhibitions and famous visiting performers.
As Cole Porter says, "When it sizzles or it drizzles, Paris
is always lovable." Elizabeth Perera lives in Toronto.
*
Travellers with Paris in their plans can enter 'Tickets for
the Louvre' in their internet search engines for a variety of
sites where tickets can be purchased in advance and priority
access guaranteed. - Ed.
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