Day 4 (8Apr—Friday)
We overslept this morning—didn’t awake until 10—but decided to continue with plans to go to Senlis anyway, as it was a beautiful day. Had a frustrating time at Gare du Nord—which I haven’t had at other stations for prior day trips. Unfortunately I didn’t plan ahead well and should have pulled up schedules on the net beforehand. Also I need to get a better understanding of the station layout vs. Grand Lignes, Banlieu etc. There were very few operating auto. ticket machines (most were labeled exchange) with long lines. Very few live ticket sellers with long lines. I bought combined tickets to Chantilly-Senlis, but the seller didn’t have a schedule and couldn’t tell us which track and sent us to another office in a vague direction. We finally got a timetable and directions to go down a level for the tracks, but couldn’t get in with our standard rail tickets. Had to use a metro ticket to get into the area. Believe part of the problem was it was Good Friday and the station was lightly staffed due to many being on vacation. Anyway we were on the train to Chantilly by 12:30. We had a ½ hr in Chantilly to catch the bus, so we went across the street from the stations to a rather shabby looking “mom and pop” convenience store, but we knew what we were looking for and not disappointed—sandwiches! Husband and wife team—she took the fresh baquettes and made them while we waited. We bought 2 (tuna, egg, lettuce, tomato and poulet, both with liberal mustard-flavored mayo), a bottled water, and 2 sodas (Fanta Limon and Oringina), all for only 10.5E! Sat at a bench and ate our gourment lunch. The bus trip to Senlis was great in itself—calendar quality scenery all the way—old stone villages, well tended, landscaped stone estate type homes, narrow streets. We got off at the Gare Routiere bus stop, the last one of several in Senlis. The old picturesque station had a large engraving that says it was build to replace the station incindierie (sp?) by the Germans on 2 Sept 1914. Across from the station is a park with an Art Deco style memorial honoring the soldiers of Senlis who lost their lives halting the advance of the Germans here on 2 Sept 1914. We walked over to the tourist office near the cathedral and picked up a map with the various walks. Saw the ruins of the chateau. Town is very picturesque—ancient narrow streets (not sure if they are cobblestones or not—don’t start!!) Old stone houses. Great place to walk and wander. We were in the cathedral just before 3 pm and they were planning a Good Friday service—just about 30 older lady types for the most part in the huge cathedral for the service, so it seems it is not a religious town. Then we came upon a very active shopping area—many shops, a fine looking butcher shop, seafood shop, candy stores and 3 world class patisseries in a 3 block area, very heavily patronized—seemed folks were stocking up Easter candy etc for the holiday. We had decided we had been eating too much and were going to cut back. However, the first patis. we came to had 3” macaroons for about 2.7E and before we knew it, we had one—exquisite. Then another pastry called Le Gland (acorn)—like a mishappen éclair or elongated cream puff—it was very good too!! There were quite a few nice looking restaurants in Senlis, but it was still early so we decided to take the bus back to Chantilly. Got off the bus at a stop before the Gare and walked through the town. Saw wonderful looking vegetable macedoine (one of my favorites) among the other wonderful take out items at the Boucherie but did not indulge. Not particular restaurant caught our fancy so we took the train back to Paris arriving around 8 pm. Took the metro to Cite and went to Lu Cave du Palais on Pl. Dauphine which is a wonderful romantic place. A nice evening so we ate outside (Terasse). For starters had salade Verte, escargot, and asperagus with a mustard type vinagrette—all perfert. Wife and I each had the Supreme Vollaille aux Morilles with roast potatoes—unbelievable. Dau. had entrecote with pepper sauce (rich gravy-like) and frites—also wonderful. Dessert—tarte aux pommes and marquise—exquisite thin chocolate cake with crème anglais. Total was 110E. Main courses 18E. No English menu here which was fine. Our hostess/waitress was very business-like, spoke very little English, but friendly also—a real class act. She especially warmed up when I was sitting there eating my chicken with a dazed look and she asked if it was good and I was just able to barely say “perfect”. It was an upscale, yet relaxed place. Patron’s dress varied from a few couples with sport coats/pearls who could have come off a 1950’s movie set, to those with no ties, casual. While we were eating, a young couple roared up on a motor cycle and came in (wearing leather, carrying helmets etc). (No they weren’t Americans or Canadians, they were French). I’ve never had a better meal anywhere. Truly a memorable evening and venue in every way. Finished the evening by walking all the way back to r. Guisarde.
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I%26#39;m enjoying your ongoing report, Somerset. One small request: Could you please break up your accounts into paragraphs? Long stretches of unbroken text are hard for these old eyes to read. Thanks!
BTW, we were in Paris around the same time (March 31 through April 9) and enjoyed a lunch at Bar du Caveau, the informal wine bar attached to Le Caveau du Palais. Place Dauphine is my favorite corner of Paris, and this is a delightful spot in it. My sister and I had tartines Auvergne on Poilane bread, and my mom had the Assiette du Caveau, a plate of slices of perfectly pink roast beef rolled around salad -- an unusual presentation and served in a generous portion. The food was delicious and the overall experience memorable for being comfortable and relaxing.
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Will do--forgot the paragraphs! Hope the accounts are not too long. Am writing them at a minimum to remember later myself what we did an ate. We saw the Bar du Caveau when we went by there on Thurs 5Apr--restaurant was closed but we saw folks eating at the Bar (maybe it was you) and it looked interesting. (I see have my dates on the account wrong. Should have been Friday 6 April
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somerset - your description of your trip to Chantilly/Senlis goes right into my to-do list for 2008 (can%26#39;t make room for anything more this year).
And you resto in Place Dauphine (that menu sounded SOOOO good) goes directly into my summer-2007 list ! Absolutely necessary to try that place !
Thank you ! Agree about the paragrahs - would make it a little easier to read.
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