It's an Indiana Invasion

Two weeks ago, on Tuesday afternoon, March 30th, my journey on the Rouen to Paris train couldn’t have gone faster. Friends and family were coming to Paris!

I started that Tuesday evening dropping off my bag at my “host grandma’s,” as I was going to stay with her for that first evening. I interviewed her for a project I’m working on for a class here. And guess what – she said my French had improved since we last spoke in February. Progress!

Soon, however, I headed up to the area of La Republique to meet up with two closes friends from home and fellow Kelleys, Margot Eckerle and Julie Bowman. Over kir royals (a very common French cocktail), we all caught each other up on our European adventures - which I often refer to as misadventures because something always seems to go astray - and thenI gave them a good overview of Paris: places to see, Metro stops that will get you there, etc.

The next morning, we were able to meet up at a very posh, Parisian café called…McDonald’s! It was good though, because in Europe (perhaps elsewhere?) we have McCafe, which is a patisserie and café within McDonald’s. True Frenchies would cring at me hailing it, but it fits the budget and is quite tasty! They were off to explore EuroDisney for the day but we got our requisite photo together in front of part of the Eiffel Tower before they all departed. Then, I headed back to McDonald’s to mooch of their free internet – I LOVE McDos in Paris! – but at this point I couldn’t contain my excitement. I was meeting my parents in less than two hours! Seriously though, trouble sleeping the night before.

So after a bit of work, I headed to Gare Du Nord, one of several Parisian train/metro/RER stations. I only had to wait ½ an hour for my parents’ arrival, but it seemed to take forever! Seeing them on the voie (platform) was quite exciting, and after a series of hugs and bisous we headed to our hotel. After propping up our feet and settling in, we headed for a very Parisian meal, a kebab shop! Not exactly fine cuisine but we were looking for someplace tasty, near, and quick. Then official tourist activities commenced!



We literally began at the center of France, because la Cathedral de Notre Dame on the Ile de la Cite is the point from which everything in France is measured when listing the distance to Paris. A beautiful, giant, and old (started construction in 1160) gothic cathedral, it’s truly impressive. My favorite aspects are the giant rose windows and the flying buttresses. Dad really enjoyed the architecture too, plus the gargoyles!

Not far from Notre Dame, Saint Chappelle was our next stop. Built not long after Notre Dame, it held many of the Church’s relics. When Renee, my sister, and I visited two years ago, it was our favorite place in Paris. I like to describe it as standing inside of a giant jewelry box: There is more stained glass on its walls than stone! Mom and Dad enjoyed it too, so we spent some time just taking in the colors. And Dad was able to spot a famous scene in one of the windows under construction. He truly has an artist’s eye!

Next stop was Shakespeare & Co, the oldest English used book store in Paris. I had never been there, so I was excited to check it out! For those of you who know me, the library scene in Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorites of all times, so anything that is similar intrigues me! Mom very kindly got me a copy of the biography of the Shakespeare & Co’s founder (a young American woman!) We then grabbed a quick, delicious meal in the area. But I think it was “quick” solely because we were the only ones there! Eating dinner at 5:30 pm is not French! What is? Seeing the owner’s cat running all around the dining room.



The day ended with a blitz of the Louvre. Getting tickets took a bit of time, but we were still able to see Da Vinci’s Madonna of the Rocks and the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo’s slaves, Venus de Milo, and La Victoire (Samothrace) with time to spare. After that, we were wiped!

Thursday morning, we headed to a local boulangerie for pastries and croissants and then grabbed from fresh fruit from a stand nearby. My parents knew we were headed for Montmartre/Sacre Coeur, but my mom was overjoyed when she realized I had specifically chosen this day and time so that she would get to hear Hugo, Montmartre resident harp player, who plays Thursday mornings. So we took in the city on the steps of Sacre Coeur, enjoying our French picnic/breakfast, seeing the city come to life, and listening to classics like “Imagine,” “La Vie en Rose,” and Canon in D on the harp. Mom was overjoyed, as was I!



After exploring the artist’s square and having a delicious lunch of crepes, we headed back down to the downtown area. I told them we were headed for the Arc de Triumph, but were they surprised when we turned the corner and the Eiffel Tower stretched out wonderfully in front of us! So after a photo session (mom and I had a fun "basking in the sun of the Eiffel" photo shoot) and break at the Tower, we finally did head to the Arc de Triumph.



Before heading down the Champs Elysees, we did check out the Arc and the crazy traffic roundabout wrapping around it. Mom and Dad weren’t too happy to hear that Renee and I had darted across it two years ago. Whoops! Who knew there was an underground walkway?

But we successfully headed down the entire Champs, to la Place de la Concorde, and finished our stroll at Le Jardin de Tuileries. After that, we were all in the mood for some time to relax back at the hotel. So after resting our feet for an hour or two (shamelessly, I was trying to keep up w/ e-mails and such, of course), it was off to my favorite museum in Paris, La Musee d’Orsay, home to Paris’ 19th and 20th century art. And luckily, just like at St Chapelle, I had managed to smooth talk my way in free by convincing the ticket agent I was an EU citizen and French resident. Merci mil fois a ma carte 12-25 et RBS ID!

I had visited D’Orsay once before, but this time it was especially meaningful. They have a fantastic Degas and Monet collection, but my highlight was seeing 5 (of >25) of Monet’s series of the Rouen Cathedral. My excitement in that exhibit room made me free like a real Rouennaise.



The day ended with the same view of the Eiffel Tower, this time at night. I had tried to time it so we would see the light show (essentially, it sparkles!), but the Metro wasn’t running in our favor. So instead we got dessert at a café across from the Tower and witnessed the show an hour later. So I guess the metro delay was just a blessing in disguise.

Friday was fun because we took a Seine River ride! I had never done one, but it was a great way to see the city – islands, bridges, monuments, and more. It was a bit cold and windy on the water, but I still made mom and dad sit outside for the best view. Hope they didn’t mind too much! Then, we grabbed a bite to eat at what I would describe as a French Panera Bread. But as we were eating, a great procession of people, following men carrying a cross, blocked the street in front of the café. Why? It was Good Friday; the sight had a sobering, calming effect on everyone.

Then, we had the brilliant idea to pack up and head to Rouen earlier than planned: Too bad the tickets I bought could only be used on our specific train. So we had the luck to sit in Quick (essentially a French McDonald’s) for a couple of hours awaiting our departure. No too bad of a situation, except having to lug quite a bit of luggage around: Paris is definitely not handicap accessible. The day wrapped up quite nicely as we arrived in Rouen, settled into Mom and Dad’s nice hotel located right next to the Cathedral, and met up with my friend Natalie and her parents for Chez Pepe! Chez Pepe is actually Italian fare, but it’s SO GOOD I just had to take them there. Dinner was quite pleasant: It was nice to hear about Natalie’s family French experiences too.

On Saturday, Mom, Dad, and I started the day with a stroll around Rouen. They found it just as charming as I do: The pedestrian streets and Norman architecture make it a charming city. We checked out the smallest alley in Rouen (I have about 1.5 feet above and to the sides of me when I walk through it), the Palais de Justice (with its WWII bombing still showing), and the Vieux Marche area. Delicious omelettes at La Café de Rouen filled us with energy for the day. And that energy was spent checking out my favorite antique stamp/postcard shop, picking out Hugo Boss sunglasses for Dad, and shopping at Printemps. Mom got a Longchamp, so they both returned to the US with style :-)

That afternoon, we took a bus up to my neighborhood of Mont Saint Aignan, where we checked out my local cathedral and all the gorgeous architecture of the homes in the area. I gave my parents a tour of my house here, and they got to meet my “mere francaise!” Then they both helped me with some paperwork I was working on. The job of a parent never ends.

After walking back downtown, we rested up for the highlight of the day – dinner at La Couronne. As the oldest auberge in France, receipts date back to 1345, it is an absolute stellar place to eat and overlooks the Vieux Marche. Patrons include the Queen of England, Salvador Dali, Audrey Hepburn, and many, many more. The menu, Normandie cheese tray (!), and DESSERT were all amazing. But sharing that time, over a lovely bottle of Riesling, with my parents was the most cherished part. An absolutely charming, wonderful eveningQ (Our waiter made it special too. He was a great guy who did a great job of English/French with us – My favorite moment was when he asked who he should give the check to. My response? “Pas moi…mes parents!)



The next morning, I met Mom and Dad early. But we were soon off for the Cathedral, where we celebrated Easter Mass. I really enjoyed it; in fact, I hope to attend mass here more often. Attending mass in one of France’s largest, most majestic cathedrals was breathtaking. And I understood more of the French than I had anticipated, perhaps because the speakers must speak so slowly and deliberately into the microphone?

After mass I finished up my tour of Rouen, showing them L’Eglise Jeanne d’Arc, and checking out the Gros Horloge. Despite its massive number of stairs, I love the 360 degree view of Rouen the museum provides at the top at the end of the tour. Of course, our time in Rouen wouldn't be complete without a stop at Chez Wam - my favorite kebaberie. But soon thereafter, we were back to the hotel so that we could return for our last night together – this time back in Paris.



Before heading to dinner, I made sure that Mom and Dad knew how to catch the RER to Charles De Gaulle- Roissy airport. Then, our last night in France was celebrated with Kir Royals (a Calvados for Dad) and dinner not far from our hotel back in the Gare du Nord area. That evening was a great, relaxing end to the last 5 days. I’m going to miss them!

The next morning, we packed up rather quickly. After goodbyes – I took the metro and them the RER – I was off to catch a bus to the Beauvais airport. I knew my upcoming spring break with friends would be fun, but I didn’t want my time with my family to end! Luckily, Renee comes in May so it won’t be June until I see more of the Anderson clan :-)