The second day of our extended weekend in Paris is here, and we need to catch up on what we missed yesterday, along with visiting some locations from Emily in Paris. We'll end the day with a visit to the Orsay Museum.
Paris - Orsay Museum
Today, there's no need to rush out of bed since our schedule isn't too packed, and we need to catch up on sleep after last night's shorter rest. During breakfast, we purchase tickets online for the Orsay Museum, booking our visit for 2:30 PM. Just for fun, we tried to get tickets for the Louvre, but it's sold out for the next week. On our way to the metro, we take advantage of an unexpected opportunity—the Carrefour is open on a Sunday—so we pick up snacks for the day. We then hop on the metro and head to Châtelet station, located near Notre-Dame Cathedral. The cathedral is still under reconstruction, and it doesn't seem likely it will be ready by the originally planned reopening before the Olympics.
Paris - Palace of Justice
Paris - Palace of Justice
Paris - Notre-Dame Cathedral
From the cathedral, we head to the Latin Quarter. It was named after the residents from Latin America who originally settled here. Today, it’s mainly a student district, home to France's most famous university, the Sorbonne. Because of this, dining out in this area is slightly more affordable than in other parts of Paris. The most prominent landmark in the Latin Quarter is the Panthéon, where the remains of France's most notable artists, thinkers, and scientists are interred.
Paris - Latin Quarter
Paris - Latin Quarter
Paris - Outdoor Mass on Palm Sunday
Paris - Pantheon
A short distance from the Panthéon are two distinctive landmarks: the Italian restaurant Terra Nera, also known as Les Deux Comperes, and the bakery Boulangerie Moderne. Both are located next to each other on Rue des Fossés Saint-Jacques (numbers 16 and 18). Fans might already recognize them; for those who haven’t seen it, these are Gabriel’s restaurant and the favorite bakery from "Emily in Paris". I was familiar with the restaurant, but I had forgotten about the bakery and had to quickly refresh my memory on Netflix that evening. Of course, in the film, the bakery looks romantic, as does all of Paris, but in reality, it's a bit different. Judge for yourself from the photos.
Paris - Restaurant Terra Nera, alias Les Deux Comperes
Paris - Boulangerie Moderne Bakery
We have another tip for the Latin Quarter. My mom found a recommendation online for the creperie La Crêperie. It’s located across from the Panthéon, not far away. As I mentioned, this restaurant specializes in crepes, offering a wide variety of options, from sweet to savory in numerous variations. It’s up to you which variation you choose. Additionally, you’ll get the bonus of a view of the Panthéon while you eat.
Paris - Pantheon
Another location on our list is the Luxembourg Gardens. It’s a place of relaxation where Parisians come to unwind or exercise. Today is a Sunday afternoon, and there are many runners circling the outer edge of the park. There are also free restrooms available in case anyone needs them.
Paris - Chapel Sainte-Ursule de la Sorbonne
Paris - Luxembourg Gardens
With two hours left before our Orsay Museum tour begins, I suggest filling this time window with a visit to Place de la Bastille. However, we get sidetracked by souvenirs at Notre-Dame, and quick calculations indicate that we would need to rush if we were to go there. I propose an alternative: a visit to the park next to the Louvre, which we didn’t manage to visit yesterday.
Paris - Notre-Dame Cathedral
Paris - Louvre
Paris - Louvre
Paris - Orsay Museum
It’s 2:20 PM, and we’re joining the line in front of the Orsay Museum. As the appearance suggests, the building originally served as a train station designed to bring trains into the heart of Paris through tunnels. After forty years of operation, the station was closed, and in 1986, the building was converted into an art museum specializing primarily in French Impressionism. You’ll find collections by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet here. Film fans of Mr. Bean might also spot the painting “Whistler’s Mother” in the museum.
Paris - Orsay Museum
Paris - Orsay Museum, this was a slightly different exhibit
Paris - Whistler's Mother
We spend about two hours exploring the museum. With all the planned activities completed, we head to the metro, which is just as crowded as it was yesterday. Carrefour is closed today, so we grab dinner at Burger King. In the evening, we finish off our wine and sample more cheeses.
The following day
We wake up around seven in the morning. We need to have breakfast, pack up, check out, and be in front of Carrefour by half past eight. Before our flight, we need to buy some edible souvenirs, especially cheeses, which can start to smell after a while, so it’s best to purchase them as late as possible. After shopping, we head straight to the tram that will take us directly to the airport, which is much busier compared to our arrival. We skip any delays and proceed straight to security. By now, I can already smell the cheese-filled backpack, and this scent will accompany me all the way home. We leave Paris on time and land in Prague as scheduled. We catch a trolleybus, transfer to the metro, and then we go our separate ways: my brother and mom take the train to Ostrava, while I catch the bus to Mladá Boleslav.
Based on the news reports, I didn’t have high expectations for Paris this year, but I was pleasantly surprised. Either I’ve gotten used to a lot, or they’ve cleaned things up a bit before the Olympics. Moreover, it’s not a disaster in terms of prices, not counting restaurants, and I can warmly recommend it for an extended weekend.
Useful links:
Transavia
Hotel ibis Orly Chevilly Tram 7 ***
Hotel ibis Orly Chevilly Tram 7 **
Transport company in Paris
Orsay Museum
