How 'bout a walk in the park?
My last morning in Paris...
I know..I know. Soon I'll be talking about my last second in Paris... Anyway I ran over to the Place des Vosges in the Marais for a relaxed walk around the parc and because I had spent my second day in Paris there with Jette and M.
For a bit of history, the Place des Vosges goes back to 1604 when King Henri IV built a Royal pavilion at the southern end of the square.
It's now one of Paris' oldest squares. It's got free WI FI too if you happened to bring your laptop battery to Paris, which I did not :(
Dogs are not allowed inside the park FYI.
The fountain is at the center of square - all is perfectly symetrical.
The fountain provides plenty of negative ions...or is it positive ions that are good for you? Whatever, it's a lovely peaceful place to come and avoid thinking about the unfinished packing back at the apartment...
The cafe Ma Bourgogne is the perfect place for lunch.
Naturally they serve the perfect Paris ice cream...
The arcades along the four sides of the park are full of art galleries etc. - fun to wander through. The Vicotor Hugo musee at #6 is free and interesting..bla bla bla
I loved this poster hanging at Ma Bourgogne. The colors are so Parisien but I couldn't find the gallery and decided it was time to run.
Here's a nibble after your hard work promenading - the BEST caramel macaron in Paris in my opinion and only a 6 minute walk away from the Place des Vosges.
You can find this macaron at Pain de Sucre on 14, rue Rambuteau 75003.
Why is it the best you ask?
Well it's filled with a ton of REAL melt-in-your-mouth caramel instead of that creamy ganache stuff. And the outer shell/coque is delicate and thin - croustillant as the French say.
So you have the contrasting crunch of thin bisquit combined with unctous yummy caramel.
I didn't just paint this baby, but I should have gone back and gotten a whole box of them.
Something to do next trip...
The morning looks lovely, but that macaron looks divine! Great close-up shot, too! Did you eat any macarons on the plane home?
ReplyDeleteDear Cassoulet Cafe
ReplyDeleteI had not one nono-what? of space to pop a macaron in my bags.
quelle tragedie!!!
A la prochaine..(next time)
I well know the horror of trying to pack to go home and fit all the goodies somewhere. (Example: Maille mustard in a shoe for padding, wine bottles wrapped in extra diapers-unused-and jammed between pants and shirts)...One time a guy on my flight home got nailed by two boxes of "Poulain 1848" when I opened my overhead compartment to retrieve my springloaded sack of groceries. They weren't kidding when they said shifting could occur during the flight.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, I'm sure you ate enough that you'll need a break from them for awhile....non?
I was intrigued by the exhibition poster and looked up the artist - Gerard Charruau. There are some very interesting looking cityscapes here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.arielsibony.com/artistes.php?id=8&categorie=8
Like the one on the poster, they seem to ba made up of many sheets of paper glued onto canvas. Wonder how big they are?
Thanks for this, and for everything -- I've been loving ever minute of your Paris adventure.
One of my favorite places in Paris. Thank you for the opportunity to visit again, albeit virtually!
ReplyDelete"Poulain 1848"
ReplyDelete!!!
I was soooo tempted Cassoulet cafe to try out Poulain's upscale hot chocolate and didn't :(
A la prochaine as they say...at least I now know it's worth buying if you dragged it home!
La fountain bien sur...
ReplyDeleteQuelle jolie
Et les pierre qui dit
Pleine de souvenirs - ca!
Merci encore
M.
Don't forget your stone from Place Des Vosges.
ReplyDeleteStones hold energy -
Ask it to hold the energy most precious to that which you are as a being.
Then take it out and use it to hold the corner of the paper on which you create your art back in NY.
In this way you've taken the "thought" out of your mind and made it rock-solid focus one could say...
What a lovely peaceful park. But why are the kids are playing on the dirt. You would think that would be a grassy area too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame you couldnt find THE GALLERY as it looked interesting in the poster and that Macaron... OMG..That looks to die for..stuffed to the gills with all that gooey carmel. It looks like it has more goo inside then the other Macrons you have shown us. Yumm..
You are just home and already speaking of the NEXT TIME. lol
what a great walk! and loved the reward at the end of it too.
ReplyDeleteFunny. The stroll around The Voges is so much like an off season stroll near the Cabildo...had to look twice. Thanks to Nancy I looked at Charruau's other work. Delicate color. The rice paper over the work, layers remove yet enhance...as will the ocean and time back here when you look once again at your Paris,France...of course, would want nothing between me and that caramel macaron. Must have tea, nice post to wake up to this am...welcome back. All best, Jan
ReplyDeletePB,
ReplyDeleteIf you like dark chocolate (and I know you do)and chocolat chaud, then yes the Poulain 1848 is where it's at, without breaking the bank. Delicieux!
Incidentally, when we lived there I bought the most fabulous stuff...I think it was called Poulain Coupeaux...it was a box of large, thin, sort of shavings, to make hot chocolate. It was to die for! Guess what? It's like it never even existed. Cannot find it there, nor online, asking everyone French I know...it's like I dreamed it...But I kept the empty box as proof for a few years.
Carol, home sweet home!
ReplyDeleteCassoulet Cafe, Poulain launched Copeaux Gourmands in 2000,
according to its site
http://www.grandarome.com/traces/historique.html
but there is no hint that it is still available (no picture, no recipe).
Ha ha! I love that close-up-and-personal macaron action.
ReplyDeletekris,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the link! Finally, something to confirm I am NOT crazy! So, I bought it in 2001, which the timeline would confirm, and I bought it at a Champion grocery store.
Looks like it must not be something that was a very big hit there. Darn.
KRISS 2001 - Acquisition par le groupe CADBURY-SCHWEPPES de la société HOLLYWOOD.
ReplyDelete:(
These shots are all beautiful, Carol. So glad you shared your last moments of this most recent trip with us! I enjoyed coming "home" for the night to this!
ReplyDeleteOh that macaron does look yummy! :^)
ReplyDeleteI walked that walk over thirty years ago as a young exchange student ... it looks the same and brings back lovely memories.
ReplyDeleteOh yummy!!! I could just feel myself "there"!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you for wringing out the very last ounce of Paris! As for the macaron: You posess a truly cruel streak. I adore caramel. Possibly as much as chocolate.
ReplyDeletePS Check out my latest find on Flicker! (ChismeCait's remark is particularly amusing). Posted yesterday. Bon Appetit! (Julia is #2 on my list of idols.)
I adore caramel, too.
ReplyDeleteHave you tasted Fran's Chocolates ( Seattle).
She makes a chocolate enrobed caramel and piles gros sel atop!
Micheal Recruitti makes a salted caramel, chocolate coated.
My favorite dessert of late in Double rainbow vanilla ice cream with warm caramel sauce and a sprinkle of gros sel.
What a beautiful walk, the pictures are incroyable(incredible)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful walk, the pictures are incroyable(incredible)
ReplyDeleteAh yes, that's the place where the Charlotte Russe was launched - see the little fence around the grass that was the culprit.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my favorite squares in Paris. In the summer I often take a sandwich there and sit under the trees on those benches and just enjoy the beauty.
ReplyDeletehave poulain 1848 hot chocate mix, but cannot find recipe.........tips????
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIam the painter whom you missed the exibition in the gallery Ariel Sibony.I give you the adress of my Web site for more detail of my work.
Bravo for your blog.
Gérard Charruau
Web site: charruau.com