CDG: Cluck sighted in Paris!!

All ye who are Paris bound, be on the lookout!
Cluck was sighted near the Eiffel Tower!

CDG - Sacre Coeur

I had been investigating places to stay in Paris for an R & R trip at the end of the month. One of the apartments I was considering staying at was on Montmartre, near Sacre Coeur. Well, I've seen the Sacre Coeur Basilica from the bus many times, and finally decided to take a sightseeing trip to check it out up close.

I was surprised to find out that the Sacre Coeur Basilica is relatively new by European church standards, having been finally completed after the 'Great War' in 1919. I won't bore you with the history, which can be found on Wikipedia and at the Sacre Coeur website. It's always nice to read up on the sight before you get there, so you're already familiar with some of the site's history and significance.

From the Mercur Tour Eiffel hotel, it was really easy to get to. There are a couple of Metro options, but the simplest and probably the fastest is from the Bir-Hakeim station on the Green line (#6). Take it to Etoile, and exchange for the Blue line (#2) heading for Nation. Get off at Anvers and head north on Rue de Steinkerque

When you finally arrive, you can take the stairs up to the terrace, or you can also take a cog-railway up. If you're there on a nice day, expect to encounter substantial crowds, but the site did not have an overcrowded feel. You can enter the Basilica and tour the apses and different prayer stations. Photography is prohibited. If you wish to have a seat and a moment of prayer, you are free to do that also.

After my tour, I walked to the west of the Basilica around an even older church called Saint Pierre de Montmartre (St. Peter). I was not aware of this church until afterwards, and I certainly would have visited it had I known. But my next objective was Place du Tertre, (translated: 'Plaza on the knoll'). This is a touristy destination but still enjoyable where you'll find multitudes of artists selling their wares and drafting portraits of tourists on the fly. Their talent is varied and quite good!

So, Go on and stop by Sacre Coeur for an enjoyable stroll on Montmartre. You'll have a great time!

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Looking north on Rue du Mont Cenis, you can see the Stade de France down below and way off in the distance.




The garden stairs viewed from above.


Cluck wanted in on the action...


The view from the terrace...

CDG: Versailles

Chateau Versailles!

I finally got around to posting my trip to Versailles, which actually happened last year. But better late than never! I took quite a few pictures, too numerous to post here. But I'm providing a sample of some of the best and from different vantage points around the castle.

Getting to Chateau Versailles couldn't be easier. From the Mercure Tour Eiffel, go to the nearest RER station entrance on the other side of the soccer fields. Go to the cashier and ask for one round trip ticket to Versailles Rive Gauche. I forget how much it cost, but it wasn't much (€10 or so, as I recall). Since this is such a popular destination, you'll see signs at the Versailles station guiding you where to go. A Google Map peek is worth a thousand cross-checks. None the less, out of the station, it's right on Rue Royale, and left on Avenue de Paris, and voila!


View Larger Map

Get in line for tickets, grab your little audio device thingie (for the castle only, not the park grounds) and you're off to the races. If you can buy your tickets ahead of time, you'll save time. The line on our day was long, but it moved relatively quickly because of the number of registers working inside.

Depending on how much you want to listen to the various audio bits, you're castle tour could take anywhere from 2 to 3 hours. It would be helpful to understand a bit about the history of the castle and the French Aristocracy before you go, so you don't get lost in whose sister was dating what guy...

Once you're done with the castle tour, you're off to view the park grounds. I was there on a magnificent day with just a few rolling clouds and a cool breeze. Be sure to reference your park map. What is fascinating to me is how the different sections of the garden each have their own ambience.

On a day with good visibility, the Park grounds can be seen extending off in the distance like a movie set matte painting. The far edge of the lake is about 2 miles away, to give you a proper sense of perspective. There are boats to rent, as well as extra tours of the hunting lodges, if you desire (both cost extra...)


Beautiful views from both directions!


Amid the grand scale, there are stunning examples of attention detail on a smaller scale:


Enjoy your trip to Versailles!! It's just one example in the Paris region of of the aristocratic oppulence of the era.

CDG: Paris Novotel Hotel

I don't get a lot of Paris layovers anymore, so I was pleased to head there last week. UAL now stays at the Hotel Novotel Tour Eiffel, and it was my first time there.

The hotel is located right on the Seine river on the southeast end of the Pont de Grenelle bridge. This is the one with the small version of the Statue of Liberty on the island outcropping.


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Surrounding Area
The area around the hotel is not in great shape. Across Rue Linois to the south, there are a few buildings that have been abandoned and are in disrepair. The blight is certainly not the best that Paris has to offer. The nearest Metro station (pdf map) is the Charles Michels stop on the yellow #10 line. Enter on the south corner of Rue Linois and Rue Saint-Charles. The #10 has convenient no transfer service to Latin quarter - get off at Cluny/La Sorbonne on the train heading towards Gare d'Austerlitz. The Eiffel Tower is about a 15 minute walk from the Hotel. The Monoprix grocery store is just one block from the hotel down Rue Linois. If bowling suits you, there's an alley in the hotel tunnel entrance street (Rue Gaston de Caillavet).

Rooms
The rooms are sparse but adequate. Typical euro-style. The bed was two very narrow single beds put side to side. It seemed narrower than a regular full size, as I could barely turn over without falling out. That aside, it was well appointed with clean linens and was otherwise quite comfy. There is a pay fridge and safe. Here's something funny, the toilet has two flushing modes appropriately activated by a small button or a large button. Nice clean 'rainwater' type of shower.

The Crew Room
The crew lounge is where you go to first get your room keys. It's well appointed and dedicated to crew use. There is a fridge/microwave/kitchenette on one side with a bank of 5 computers on the other. Be sure to label your items in the fridge. It was quite a hoppin' place at around 7pm. Lot's of folks brought a bottle of wine, and a bagette or two with cheeses stuff. It does not have music, so if you have speakers for your iPod, this is a great place to crank 'em up.

Fitness Center
The fitness center is worth the trek. The machines are well maintained and there is enough variety to get all your muscle groups worked. The 15m pool is just barely long enough to get in a swim workout, as long as you don't push off too hard on the sides and coast halfway across on each lap. It a little confusing the first time to get there. On the lobby level, you'll go towards the river. There is a connecting corridor to the left of the escalators. You'll go up about 3 flights of stairs, but hey, you're working out anyway! The signs sometimes just say Pool (Piscine in French), but the gym is of course co-located.



Well, that's it. Please let me know if you've visited any restaurants in the area, and if they have any good deals for crew members. Thanks! Tim