Weekend in Honfleur, musee Eugene Boudin

The Normandy Invasion continues. Last Saturday PBer Carolyn from Seattle joined me on the 8:09 am train from Gare St. Lazare to Trouville (2 hours). Then a 30 minute scenic bus ride. Et voila Honfleur.

Last week it was parasols. This week its boats. No wonder. Honfleur is noted for its beautiful boat basin lined with old houses, the vieux basin.

Its the birthplace of French Impressionism along the Seine. Turner, Corot, Jongking and especially Eugene Boudin who befriended Monet and took him 'en plein air' painting for the first time, draging him out of the studio into the luminous Norman light.

We stayed at chain hotel Ibis Styles Centre(119€). The walls had silhouettes of artists painting. Even the table was palette-shaped. My kind of place.

There are oodles of pretty shops selling everything caramel au beurre salé: candies, cookies, sauce. Plus Calvados, Cidre, Norman cheeses like Neufchatel and Camembert, the local apple juice is divine and, endless butter cookies. Basically you can eat yourself silly very easily in Honfleur.

Eating lunch and dinner out is remarkable cheap. An ample 3-course meal starts around 14€ with plenty of fresh seafood. I was happy as a clam. 

Reservations are not necessary and many are simple no-fuss mom-and-pop run establishments. Jill Colonna just wrote about visiting the higher end restaurants plus other sites in 10 Reasons to Visit Honfleur, Normandy appeared on Mad about Macarons exactly while I was there.

In no time at all you can escape to old, quiet cobble-stoned streets lined with split-timbered houses. *FYI take sturdy shoes for those cobblestones. 

I highly recommend visiting the Eugene Boudin museum, including a broad collection of local artists of Boudin's time as well as his sketches and paintings. Instant immersion into 19th century Honfleur. Nice scenic views over the town as well.

This week I fell overboard for ❤️ Honfleur. Have you been? 

Thanks for reading Parisbreakfast. If you enjoyed this please share with a friend. Get monthly Paris letters, maps and watercolors in your mailbox at ETSY.

xxx💋Carolg et Bear 🐻 back in Paris

Les Parasols de Deauville

Last Easter weekend I was invited to DEAUVILLE.

Ididn't plan on falling in love ❤️ with the famous parasols on the beach. That's why they call it 'le coup de foudre'. Struck by lightening, instant love ❤️ 

I love their shapes, tied up like dancer's skirt.

April Paris Cathedral Map

When finally I came in Monday night I could still hear the sirens of the pompier. But all the church bells were ringing too. An hommage to Notre Dame.

I was working on a map of Paris cookwareshops and it wasn't Going very well...

Then Deb in Australia emailed me a little drawing of Notre Dame from another map. Why not do a map of all the beautiful Gothic churches near Notre Dame? Et voila!

Tuesday I went to 4 Gothic churches near Notre Dame. End of day my hair smelled like incense.

Saint Etienne-du-Mont in the 5th arr. was formerly the resting place of Saint Genevieve, patron saint of Paris, till her bones were destroyed during the French Revolution and tossed into the Seine.

I doodled during the service.

EGLISE SAINT-GERMAIN-Des-PRES has been newly, gloriously renovated. A Must-See. I went to see the three gorgeous DELACROIX murals at SAINT-SULPICE. Look at this little still life in the foreground.

I needed a border of course. Every map needs a border. But French manuscripts were not going to work obviously. Obviously it had to be stained glass! That came to me out walking. Yes!👍🏻

A wonderful free guide I picked up by chance in the Paris Tourist office to the 120 churches in Paris!

FYIThere are more Notre Dame watercolors in my shop. Thank you for reading Parisbreakfast. If you enjoyed this forward to a friend. Receive monthly Paris letters or maps in your mailbox + French souvenirs at ETSY.

xxx💋Carolg et Bear 🐻 in Paris

Pray for Notre Dame

My touchstone is burning

 Everyday I pass Notre Dame 2, 3 times. 

The crowds are immense and quiet. This forlorn pup expresses our loss.

Notre Dame early morning when the Seine is like glass

C'est un incontournable

If you come to Paris, you come to Notre Dame. 

Such skies like I've never seen before

Better times ❤️🙏🏻

Salon international du livre rare et de l'objet d'art au Grand Palais

On thursday I was lucky enough to get an invite to preview the annual  SALON DU LIVRES RARES ET L'OBJETS D'ART at Grand Palais. Naturally I was thinking I'll just run in for 20-30 minutes and then off to the pool.

Ha! Two hours later I could have stayed and stayed. A veritable treasure chest of old books, art and and artifacts to linger over. This stripped tent from military dealer, BERTRAND MALVAUX contained Napoleonic medals, helmets, armor, toy soldiers. Was that the dealer's grass green shoes? Qui sait. 

160 exhibitors, 44 countries represented, 50 art experts to consult. 

What more could you want? A giant book store.

An area just for prints and small drawings amd watercolors. As if you are browsing a tiny shop.

Special invited guest, library, LA BIBLIOTHEQUE FORNEY brought treasures from their collections

There are small shops of jewelry, fabrics, watches as well...

Famous French 20s printer, DRAEGER had a big stand of old posters, fashion drawings

I was lured in easily and would have bought up everything in sight if I could have.

Still the fun of going to these big, glorious art shows is browsing up close things you would normally view only behind glass cases

Today is the last day of Salon international du livre rare & de l'objet d'art au Grand Palais. Run, don't walk to catch it. Thank you for reading Parisbreakfast. If you enjoyed this forward to a friend. Receive monthly Paris letters or maps in your mailbox + French souvenirs at ETSY.

xxx💋Carolg et Bear 🐻 in Paris