So we’ve been contemplating how to enjoy the finale of my 65th birthday year. We decided to visit some European Christmas markets. After much discussion, we arrived at our decision. We have decided to visit Paris in December.
Our choices were between taking a river boat cruise in Germany, a train trip in Switzerland or going to France. We factored in things like weather, transportation, cost and comfort, and at the end of the day, we chose Paris. I swear, the decision was not rigged!
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Our first option was a river cruise in Germany. There are many itinerary choices from different companies. Most of them hit the bigger market towns such as Frankfurt, Nuremberg and Würzburg. The itineraries are all similar, with stops at the towns and an opportunity to visit the markets for a few hours.
While they all sounded interesting, there were two issues with the cruises: the first being that it is basically too late to book one for this year and the second is that I would prefer to do a river boat cruise in the summer with the sun shining and nature blooming. Wintertime on the boat just doesn’t do it for me.
I just know there’s mulled wine inside.
Our second option was to take a train trip in Switzerland. There are Christmas markets in many of the towns, and since there are Swiss, French and Italian regions in the country, there would be a variety of markets to see. We’ve been to Switzerland before and know how things work (ie. rail passes, train types), which would make things easier.
Swiss Glacier
My issue with Switzerland is that it is too big for just a ten day trip. Our last trip there was for six weeks to be able to enjoy the various towns. A shorter trip would have us using too much time traveling and not enough enjoying the markets.
Which leads us to our third option and ultimate choice: Paris. There are actually seven different markets within the city; plus, we could enjoy the displays at the large department stores like the Galleries Lafayette, Printemps and Samartaine. There are others that could be easily reached for a day trip. Places like Strasbourg, Colmar and Reims are just a couple hours away via TGV.
Macarons anyone?
aTravel logistics would be much easier: only one hotel and everything would be walkable or we could use the metro. Additionally, we could catch a holiday concert at one of the nearby churches. Cost-wise, Paris would be much less expensive and we’re certainly familiar with getting around there.
So now we have some additional planning to address. Not being a travel procrastinator, we’ve already booked our flights and hotel.
If you could see my desk, you’d see piles of Portuguese plans on one corner, piles of Paris plans on the other corner and baseball schedules on the file cabinet. It’s a bit of a mess, but one I can easily tolerate.
We’ve been having fun discovering places to see and things to do throughout Portugal. It’s been enjoyable watching videos and reading blogs to find out tips about places to visit along with those to avoid: the ones that prey on tourists. I’ve also had some good recommendations from people online, especially for restaurants!
I’ve had many people suggest places where we can hike along mountain trails, along rivers and between towns. While I’m thankful for the suggestions, I try to gently let them know that we’re older and sometimes it’s a hike just to get to the mailbox.
Anyway, as our research and planning is on-going, I’ll just mention a few things that we have plans for already:
Porto:
Porto is the home of Portugal’s famous Port Wine Makers and we’ll be taking at least one tour and tasting. We have narrowed our choices down to Taylor, Graham’s, Sandeman or Fonseca, but they are pretty close to each other and sometimes the best choice is no choice. (wink)
We have an all day excursion to the Duoro River Valley. We will be taking the train from Porto to the town of Pinhão. We have some time to grab a little lunch and walk around before taking a Rabelo boat ride further on the Duoro River. Afterwards, we’ll take the train back to Porto.
Rabelo boat on the Duoro River
Two nearby towns that we’d like to see are Braga and Guimaraes. We managed to find a small group tour to go to both in one day. Both towns are supposed to have some beautiful sights and a day tour seems like a good way to see them.
There are two cool markets that we are planning to visit. One on each side of the river and both come highly recommended. They sell fresh fruit and vegetables, seafood, pastries, wine and just about anything you need, plus lunch!
The remainder of our time will likely be spent wandering around visiting museums, churches and the waterfront.
Coimbra
Coimbra is where I will try to look at least a little bit smart. The main attraction here is the 800 year old university with an incredible library, a beautiful old chapel and a fantastic botanical garden. We snagged a guide for a walk around the university.
We will also be on the hunt for a location to grab some wine and listen to the students singing their version of Fado music. This should be more upbeat than the Fado we’ll hear in Lisbon. The university students are said to “use it as a mating call to attract mates”. We shall see!
Tomar:
We already talked about the Templar connection, so I’ll bypass those. The remainder of our time will be spent just wandering through the town and taking it all in.
Templar Castle in Tomar
Nazare:
Nazare is our midpoint “stop and smell the roses” town. It is a beach town right on the Atlantic Ocean. While there are some places we will visit here, we really just want to relax and watch the sunset here.
Sintra:
Sintra is a place that most people use as a day trip site from Lisbon. We’ll be staying there for a few days to really get to enjoy all of the beautiful sites. We’ll visit the enchanting Pena Palace, the Quinta da Regaleira, the Moorish Castle and the Sintra Palace.
Pena Palace & Moorish Castle photos from Viator
Lisbon:
The capital city has so much to offer and we’re going to try our best to see what we can. Like most of the other towns we’ll be visiting, Lisbon is known for its steep hilly streets. We’re going to try and strategically conquer it by using public transportation as much as possible.
Yellow Tram in Lisbon
We’ll be starting off with a Tuk Tuk Tour of town. That should at least give us an idea of where places are located.
Photo from Viator
We do know that two beautiful locations that we will definitely visit just so happen to be within close proximity to our hotel: the Castello de Sao Jorge and the Lisbon Cathedral. Like walking distance close.
While available throughout Portugal, we have been told to make it our mission to try the famous ‘Pasteis de Nata’ from various bakeries around town. They are little egg custard tarts with a pastry shell crust. We will do our best and report back on our favorites.
If we haven’t done so already, we also plan on visiting the Azulejo Tile Museum. We’ll see plenty during our travels, so if we’ve already been dazzled by blue and white tiles, we can swap out for another location.
There is a lot of history related to the earthquake of 1755 that destroyed much of the city. We’ll see some of the locations while moving around the city. However, there is a more recent attraction called “Quake” that we just might have to visit. More on that coming up later.
We haven’t decided on the location yet, but we do plan on stopping into a wine bar and listening to some Fado performers. It’s very popular in Portugal and is a melancholy form of music, almost soulful or mournful. Probably won’t meet any ‘Swifties’ there!
From here to there:
Getting around in Portugal seems like it should be fairly easy. They have a good rail and bus system. The cities have good public transportation, be it by tram, train, bus or subway. Plus, taxis and Uber are available.
Additionally, we’ll be using our friends at Daytrip for the longer intercity rides. We’ve used them in Italy and France and have been very pleased with the service. Besides going from city to city, you can arrange for them to stop along the way to visit places.
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We have some really interesting places that we’ll be eating at, but we’ll save those for when we get there. I will say that it will be quite a mix of places with the common link being good food to try at them all. Everything from Iberian ham to octopus will be in play, and of course, desserts!
I’ve had a few questions and comments about our itinerary. Specifically, what’s up with our fascination with the Knights Templar. Who are the Knights Templar? Are they a Portuguese boy band? No!
This cross, mainly red, represented the knights’ connection to the Church as well as their mission.
I’ve been fascinated by the Knights Templar since I was back in my 20’s. That’s a long time ago in case you’re wondering. I had read about them in connection with my first job as a bookkeeper. They developed the first real banking system and were instrumental in the beginning of accounting systems.
I know, boring. But, that’s not the real allure of the Knights Templar. Read on…
The Knights Templar – shorthand for the Order of the Poor Knights of the Temple of Jerusalem – were founded by French Knight Hugues de Payens around 1119 to protect Christian pilgrims on the roads of Palestine following the First Crusade. The group was named for its original headquarters on the Temple Mount. Members were often called “warrior monks,” since they fought on the front line of the Crusades and swore oaths of chastity, poverty and obedience.
Temple Mount – Jerusalem
So with the blessing of the Pope, they provided protection for the pilgrims. This is where the nerdy accountant stories come from. They would take a pilgrim’s gold or silver and give them a promissory note. When the person arrived in the Holy City, they could turn that note in to the Templars and receive their valuables back – minus a fee for the protection of their valuables. They basically created the first banking and accounting systems to keep track of the transactions.
However, it is said that while they were in the holy city, they also were digging below what was once the Temple of Solomon seeking religious relics. Many people believe that they found some very valuable treasures which they promised to protect.
As the years went by, the Knights Templar became wealthy and would lend money to many people, including the King of France – Phillip IV or Philip the Fair. Since he was heavily in debt to the Templars, he schemed to avoid paying them back by claiming they were guilty of heresy and blasphemy to his friend Pope Clement V with the intention of claiming their lands and money. While the Pope’s inquisition into the matter eventually found them innocent, an angry Philip would not abide by the ruling.
King Phillip had all members of the order rounded up and arrested on Friday, October 13, 1307. He accused them of heresy and many other trumped up charges. He expected to take their treasure, but alas, the Templars had outsmarted him and secreted the treasures out of France.
What treasures, you ask? Many people believe that among the treasures were the Ark of the Covenant, the Golden Menorah, the Spear of Destiny, ancient scrolls, gold and silver.
The imprisoned Knights were tortured and gave false confessions to avoid the tortures. Meanwhile, Jacques de Molay, the Grandmaster of the Templars, held steadfast and refused to give in to King Philip. He was imprisoned and tortured for seven years before eventually being burned at the stake by the vengeful King.
Interestingly, in his dying words, it’s said that Jacques de Molay cursed both men. He proclaimed that both the King and the Pope would be dead within a year for their actions. And they were. Phillip died of a stroke and Pope Clement died from an illness within a year.
Jacques de Molay being led to the stake to burn in 1314
In the meantime, the treasures that the Templars had found or accumulated had been whisked out of France before they could be confiscated. Many believe that they were moved to Portugal, London, Scotland and perhaps to the new world of North America. But they’ve never been found or at least it’s never been publicly revealed.
Despite the crackdown, the Knights Templar did not disappear. Many of the remaining knights went into hiding and took up with the Freemasons or other guilds. Some others moved on to Portugal, where they continued on as members of the Order of Christ.
The base of the Knights Templar was located in Tomar, Portugal. The Templar Castle and the Convent of Christ were built beginning in 1160 and remain as part of the Templar legacy, along with the Almourol Castle.
So what ever happened to the “treasures” of the Knights Templar? Good question. Nobody knows for sure; however there is much speculation. People believe that some of the money may have been used to fund the exploration of North America or to fund the American Revolution. Others say it is still hidden away. There are still others who don’t believe that there is or ever was a treasure.
It’s a story full of intrigue that has been romanticized through the ages. Some people say that the Knights Templar are waiting to rise again with secrets and knowledge that they have tightly guarded through the ages. Others think that the resurgence is nothing more than a bunch of guys playing dress up so they can meet their friends for beer. You have to decide what you think for yourself.
We find the Knights Templar story to be intriguing, with much evidence that suggests they are historically significant. We can’t wait to see and learn more about them. We’ve found a guide who is very knowledgeable about religious history and especially religious history and symbolics during the middle ages, so we are excited for our time in Tomar.
We’ve been to France, London and Scotland to visit some significant Templar related sights. Portugal – especially Tomar – will be the crown jewel.
So here we are in March and the itinerary is pretty much set. We’ve spent many hours reading, watching videos and taking notes and we’re ready. And as you can probably tell by the greeting, we’ve started our Portuguese lessons.
We’ll be flying non-stop from Toronto to Lisbon on Air Canada. It was the best deal all around, with direct flights, business class seats, decent prices and good travel times. The flight is an overnight one and takes just about 6 hours. I’m very happy to have that taken care of. I don’t know why, but I always stress out over picking the flights.
We decided to visit six specific locations and then take day trips to a few other locations. The planning map looks as follows:
Portugal Planning Map created using Apple Maps
So our flight will land in Lisbon, Portugal and we will immediately be transported to the city of Porto. We’ll have eight days in Porto to explore the city and some of the surrounding towns. Since public transportation is easy to use, we’ll be able to visit the Duoro wine region, the towns of Aviero, Braga, Guimaraes and Pinhāo, besides exploring Porto. Porto is a large city, but we’ll mainly be in the old town area.
In Porto, we’ll be staying at the Torel 1884 Suites & Apartments. We’ve rented a studio apartment, which should make coming and going easier for us.
After Porto, we’ll make our way south to the town of Coimbra. It’s mostly known as a college town, with one of the highlights being the University library. The university was founded in 1290, making it one of Europe’s oldest. Coimbra was formerly the capital of Portugal from the mid 1100’s to the mid 1200’s. There is plenty of history to learn about, plus a beautiful river that flows through the center of the city.
In Coimbra, we’ve booked a room at the Hotel Mondego. It’s located between the rail station and the university making it convenient for our sightseeing plans.
From Coimbra, we move south again to our first Templar enclave – the town of Tomar. Once a Templar stronghold, it is now a haven for travelers looking to learn about their incredible works. The two ‘must- see’ locations are the Convento do Cristo and the Castelo do Tomar. Just a short distance from town is the beautiful Almourol Castle and you’ll hear about them and see pictures when we are there.
In Tomar, we’re staying at the Hotel Republica. It’s near restaurants and shops, plus an easy location to get transportation to the castle and cathedral.
That dose of history requires some mind clearing and we’ll do that by heading west to the beach town of Nazare. For all our surfer friends (you know who you are), Nazare is known for its big waves. By big waves, I’m talking about 60 to 80 foot waves breaking off the shoreline. Luckily, since we’ll be close to the ocean at the Hotel Mar Bravo, those waves don’t arrive until November. Have no fear…I’ll be barely getting my feet wet; we’re there for the views. Speaking of views – as Nazare is on the western coast of Portugal – a highlight will be watching the sunset across the Atlantic Ocean.
With our senses cleared by the ocean air, we next travel south to the town of Sintra. We’ll be taking up occupancy at the Sintra Marmoris Camelia. It’s near the train station and near to restaurants, so it looks like a good choice.
Sintra is another location with strong ties to the Templar Knights and we’re looking forward to seeing them. Sintra has opulent palaces, beautiful castles, a monastery and the gardens of the Quinta da Regaleira. It’s a place where if someone tells you to take a hike, it’s a suggestion not an insult.
After Sintra, we head back to Lisbon. It’s the capital of Portugal and has so much to offer. We’ll be located in the Alfama section of the city, staying at the Memmo Alfamo Hotel.
History, architecture, art, shopping and food are all on the list for our time there. If we run out of things to do, we have a few potential day trips in our hip pocket.
By the time we finish up in Lisbon, we’ll be ready to head on home. We catch our flight back to Toronto and then drive home with lots of photos and an appreciation for another historical venue.
I’ve tried to blend in some of the best of Portugal. There will be cities, towns, castles, wineries, museums, convents, monasteries, beaches, boats, trains, cars, seafood and wine. Hopefully, a little bit of everything to get an appreciation for Portugal and the Portuguese people.
We’ll share a few more details as we get closer to departure time.
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I’ve been asked a couple of questions, so I thought I’d just add them here at the end:
Why not fly out of Buffalo and save the hassle of getting to Toronto?
Compared to flying from Buffalo, there is quite a bit of money to be saved on the flights. Yes, yes, we’re spoiled, but since we like to fly business class for the long-haul flights it’s a savings of more than $1000 each roundtrip. Additionally, the flight is direct from Toronto to Lisbon meaning less worries about luggage being delayed or lost. And with the lay-flat seats, we get to sleep a bit, so we are a bit more rested on the first day there.
The ride from our home in Buffalo to Toronto Pearson Airport is a bit over two and a half hours in normal traffic. There are a few long term parking lots around the airport to park the car. That said, we can take a shuttle up to the airport. I’ll check the price as we get closer to leaving. If reasonable, it may be an alternative to driving.
With all the time you spend researching and booking your trips, wouldn’t it be easier to just book a tour?
Easier? Maybe. Better? No. First of all, I’d still spend lots of time researching tour companies to find one that would include the things that we want to see and do. That means also researching the locations to decide where we want to visit and what we want to see.
From my perspective, the entire trip is inclusive. From watching videos on You Tube, reading through travel blogs and websites, selecting hotels, restaurants, booking them and then actually traveling – that’s the whole trip.
We like to work on our own schedule too. If we see something we find interesting, I don’t want to have to “move along” to the next stop. We can re-arrange the schedule as we see fit. Also, on those days when the old body doesn’t feel like moving so much, we don’t.
We ooh’ed and ah’ed as the fireworks lit up the skies. We heard the music, saw the crowds of people and watched the balls drop. Another new year has arrived and that means a new year of travels. We’re looking forward to a few adventures in the upcoming months ahead.
Celebration in France – Bertrand Guay / AFP Via Getty Images
There will definitely be a baseball game or two. Besides enjoying the games, it gives us a chance to visit some US cities that we enjoy. Since I haven’t looked at getting tickets yet, this year’s destinations are still up in the air.
Our big getaway this year will be to Portugal. From everything that we’ve seen and heard, it has so much to offer. Historical architecture, beautiful scenery – everything from mountains to rivers to ocean coastlines, delicious foods and friendly people are good reasons to visit for us. Additionally, there is a great deal of history to explore.
As someone who is fascinated with the story of the Templar Knights, Portugal provides an opportunity to see some historical strongholds within their mysterious history. Sintra and Tomar were high on the list when putting together the itinerary.
Templar Castle in Tomar - Photo from web
The hotels are booked and the airfare has been purchased. Now comes the fun part of the planning – things to do, locations to visit and places to eat. I’m sure the time will go fast, so we’ll also hit Duolingo to learn a little Portuguese.
Later in the year, European Christmas Markets are calling out to us. We’ll be answering the calls – maybe. We’ll just have to figure out how, where and when. We have some ideas, but the details need to be firmed up.
We’re always excited and happy to be traveling, so another good year is anticipated.
We hope you all have a great 2024 filled with interesting travels too!
I thought I would share a recent experience related to renewing our US Passports.
Since we are planning to travel to Europe in 2024 and our passports expire in July 2024, we thought we should start the process to renew our passports. I anticipate that I will start looking at airfares in January, and given some of the stories we’ve heard or read about regarding long wait times, we thought it best not to delay.
We completed the paperwork online, had our photos taken and mailed everything to the processing center on November 3rd. BTW, if you’re a AAA member, they had the best price for taking the photos.
Since we sent everything by certified mail, we saw that they received the documents on November 6th…so far, so good. Given the updated 7-10 week window, we were hoping to receive our new passports by February 1st.
So much for our figuring: we received our mail today (December 1st) and lo and behold – we received our new passports! It took just a couple days beyond three weeks.
Since I can be a little curmudgeonly at times, I have to say we were extremely pleased with the service and quick turnaround.
ETIAS is an electronic travel authorization, also known as a visa waiver, and it is essential for short visa-free stays. In case you were unaware, the US has had a similar process in place called ESTA since 2008. It is basically an anti-terrorist program that tries to look at people before they travel.
It will likely cost about $10 and will be good for three years.
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It’s looking like we may be squeezing in two trips in 2024, especially now that we have our new passports. 😀 More details later.
When people ask where is my favorite place to travel to, my answer is always the same – Paris. I love everything about the city and even though we’ve been there numerous times, we can always find something new to do or see.
On this trip, there was a great deal of construction all around the city as Paris prepares for the 2024 Olympics. Some new venues were being built, while some old buildings were getting a facelift. It seemed like some upgrades to the Metro lines were taking place, as well as some new train cars. Of course, all the construction led to some traffic delays. Was it a nuisance? Yes! Did it ruin the holiday? No!
We spread our wings a bit venturing to the 12th and 16th arrondissements. Both areas had much to offer, with differing views of the city. The 12th was home to the Bastille, the Grand Palais Immersif and the Arsenal, plus we discovered the Viaduct des Arts. It was a busy area with residents and tourists co-mingling.
In the 16th, we went to the Marmottan Monet Museum, rubbed elbows with the rich at La Rotonde and enjoyed walking through the parks watching the nannies rounding up the children. This area was relatively quiet, except for car traffic and young children playing.
Just a quick bite of lunch
Harking back to the Metro, we used it much more extensively this trip. There were a few characters that we ran into, but nothing more than an annoyance. Using the ‘Navigo Easy’ passes we bought made it easy to just hop on and go. It was the same with the buses: a simple tap and we were on. I’d highly recommend that you consider purchasing the card and a carnet of tickets. Oh, and the card is reloadable using the App or a machine in the metro station.
We had some wonderful meals in Paris. At the top of my list is Frenchie – I would return every time I go to Paris. The food is delicious, inventive and always offers a surprise combination that you wouldn’t think to try. Additionally, the staff is so attentive, professional and friendly. It gets 5 stars in my reviews.
Honorable mention goes to Willi’s Wine Bar. Our meals were excellent, as were the desserts. The wine list is awesome, so the overall meal was a delight.
However, we didn’t stay in Paris the entire trip. Traveling on to Èpernay, you shift your focus to Champagne. There are some interesting experiences and places to visit, but two days is more than enough, unless you are a champagne aficionado. The nearby town of Hautvillers was a treat, as was our tasting at Domaine Julien Chopin.
Running into the rain was a disappointment for me, as I was really excited to visit Provins. The little that we did see was enough to whet my appetite if we ever return to the area.
The drive to Chablis was peculiar. Long winding roads with nothing but farmland; then small, seemingly abandoned villages, then more farmland. As we were driving along, I kept waiting to see vineyards, but instead we saw dead sunflowers and windmills. We’d finally see a sign with a town that I knew, but we would be pointed in the opposite direction. Then suddenly: vineyards, a hill and the town.
Chablis was a delight. It started off with our hotel. It was in a great location, was extremely comfortable and close to everything we were planning to do. The wines there were tremendous. We had excellent meals and our tasting events were splendid. The only downside was the rain on the first full day that scuttled our plans to drive to nearby towns.
If you are staying in Chablis, there are at least ten wineries that are easily within a ten minute walk from wherever you are. No car means no worries about driving. That’s a huge benefit, as French DUI rules are strict.
Onward to Beaune, the drive from Chablis was an easy one, especially without any rain. The roads only got busier when we approached the town itself. We were using the WAZE app and it guided us right to our hotel without a problem.
I could write all day about Beaune. I really love it there. I’ll spare you the fanboying and just point out the highlights.
Our hotel was located in the center of the old town. It was a comfortable place that was run by very friendly and nice people. The rooms weren’t huge, but they were comfortable. There was a sitting room and a lounge so you didn’t have to just sit in your room if you wanted to relax. Since the weather was still nice, they also had the outdoor tables for a snack or beverages.
As Beaune is the Wine Capital of the Bourgogne, there were plenty of places to buy it, drink it, and visit. There were also many really nice restaurants with great food to pair with the wine.
Since we had the car, we were able to explore the area a little bit. Exploration here is chateaux, vineyards and small towns, with the focus on wine. If it is your passion, it’s heaven. I’m only sad that the harvest was mostly over before we arrived. It’s a special time and an event in the region.
Pickers celebrating the end of the harvest
We did sneak off to Dijon for a day. Dijon is a much bigger city and is the capital of the Bourgogne. It’s where the Dukes took up residence, so it’s where the fancy stuff was built. Palaces, museums, churches and residences take just one look to know where the money flowed.
A little drive into the Montrachet area was fun. Our stop in Puligny-Montrachet for the tasting lunch and meeting Olivier Leflaive was pretty cool. Also, driving through the vineyards to get a feel for the size of the climats was interesting.
The trip back to Paris was a breeze. The French rail system is a good one when they aren’t on strike and the combination of regional and high speed trains can get you anywhere within a few hours. Get the SNCF-Connect App for your phone. You can check schedules, buy tickets and monitor your train with it.
Modern and efficient
We headed back to Paris to enjoy several days before traveling back home. A big thumbs up to Air Canada – we had great flights both to and from Paris. Their on-board meals were very good and our seats were comfortable.
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Here are a few items I’ve picked up along the way:
Sundays and Mondays are the days that many places are closed. This would include restaurants, museums and some shops. Be sure to check what days the venue you want to visit is closed.
In the small towns, be sure to check out market days. They are fun to browse, plus you can find some great souvenirs and tasty treats
A smile and a “bonjour” always seem to be appreciated
And a last one: learn a few words in French, even if they aren’t in your regular vocabulary – like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Talking LOUDER does not translate your English into French. So many people just don’t get it. French people are lovely when you use the niceties.
Well, that went fast! It’s amazing how quickly the time went by. After months of planning, our holiday was complete and we headed home. We managed to fit in a lot, while still trying to keep it relaxed and easy.
We had a 9:15 am taxi coming to take us to Charles de Gaulle airport. Morning traffic was starting to build up, but our driver forged ahead. It took about fifty minutes to get to the airport. We had no problem checking in our baggage – in fact the line only had one person ahead of us.
Security was a little more backed up. Despite having priority security, they sent us over with the general populace. It went quickly, though I did get pulled over for a secondary scan. Personally, I think she just thought I was cute and wanted a couple minutes more. 😉
One last stop and that was passport control. We would have flashed through, but they were having a slight problem with the reader.
We exited and headed to our gate. Unfortunately, the Business lounge was before security and we weren’t going through that again. We found a comfortable group of seats and waited for our flight. Jan and Dave took a little walk and came back with some 1664 Beer. That would make up a little for the lack of a lounge.
We were flying home on Air Canada and it was delayed for a half hour as the flight crew hadn’t arrived. Dang, morning traffic!
The actual flight was great. The fold down seats in business class are a God-send. You can get comfortable, get excellent food and personalized service. Besides that, with the US dollar exchange rate to the Canadian dollar, you can save some money. So, that was the fun part. For those wondering, we had very tender beef cheeks as our meal on the flight home.
We then had to drive from Toronto to Buffalo. We were cruising right along, making it to the Ford plant in Oakville…and then the traffic came to a standstill. It took us over an hour to get from the Ford plant to Hamilton and we couldn’t figure out why. It opened up a bit in Hamilton, but we were noticing Ontario Motorcycle Police everywhere. We kept going and then picked up in the rear-view mirror a HUGE number of police escorting someone.
I tried to out-race them as we were nearing our exit to the Lewiston-Queenston bridge to the US. Then a motorcycle officer caught up to me and waved me over. So close and yet so far. When the parade passed us by, there was no chance to cross the lanes and get to the exit.
We ended up having to drive to the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls. We didn’t have anything to declare (except our frustration with the traffic), so once our passports were checked, we were welcomed home and sent on our way.
We thought that both couples would get home before dark. Instead, it was three hours and forty-five minutes just to get to our house. Yikes!
Hugs, kisses, handshakes and waves goodbye ended our time together. Knowing they would still have to drive home, we kept a vigilant eye out for a safe text. We did get a text saying everything was good and they were home too.
It felt good to be home. A few texts later and we were relaxing. The driving was a little stressful, but a warm shower helped with that.
Now all that’s left is to wait for the wine to be delivered.
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Ok, so I will confess. There were a lot of great meals and wines over the three weeks. I stepped on the scale and I hadn’t gained a pound…talk about excitement ! I never thought that would be the case.
We subsequently found out that it was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who caused our traffic woes.
With two days left to try and squeeze in a few more visitations, Tuesday became a little busy – but in a good way.
Jan and Dave headed off on a tour of Giverny and Monet’s house and gardens. It’s a beautiful place to visit and you can really feel Monet’s motivation as you walk around.
In the meantime, Sue and I visited the Hotel des Invalides and the Army Museum. If you know Sue’s passion for all things Wellington, I swear she just wanted to visit to taunt Napoleon Bonaparte one last time. Unfortunately, they were having a Memorial Service in the main courtyard, so we had to hurry up our visit a bit.
ArmorGunsThe Big Boom
Sadly, the section with the Napoleon and Musketeer paraphernalia was closed for renovations. We saw a lot of interesting things, but not exactly what we came to see. As we always say…next time!
We made our way back to the hotel and just decided to relax for a while. Sue and I were going to Restaurant Frenchie tonight and Jan and Dave ended up going to a restaurant close to the hotel called Au 35.
Frenchie is still one of the hardest table reservations to get. I ended up online at 2:30 am just before we left for France and was very excited to get a reservation. They have two seatings per night: one at 6:30 pm and one at 9:30 pm and only seat about 30 people at each.
Quiet unassuming side street
We had been there once before back in 2018. Since I’m not a believer in coincidence, we were pleasantly surprised when we were seated at the same table. The hostess said they keep it just for us.
Dinner was a five course Chef’s Tasting Menu and we went with a wine pairing with each instead of getting a bottle. The Sommelier was excited to tell us about the wines and how he tried to get the best match.
Tonight’s menu
Our waitress showed up with amuse bouches in hand and we were off.
Amuse BouchesThe tomato courseLobsterDuck
Yes, it was delicious. I was enjoying myself so much that I forgot to take a picture of dessert, but it was also good! As was the tuna and pre-dessert that I don’t have a picture of. It’s almost like I was distracted by something – probably the Sommelier!
Our wines were: a glass of Champagne, then a white Puligny-Montrache, next an Austrian Reisling, followed by a red Aloxe-Corton and finally a glass of Eau De Vie. They were all very good, but I could have done without the Eau De Vie (think: a French grappa or ‘moonshine’).
We met a wonderful younger couple who were sitting next to us. We were chatting in between courses and they were asking about the wines we were drinking. Hope they had a great time the rest of their stay. Sante ! – Christian and Leesa.
The meal truly was a highlight. The food, the wines and the staff made it an unforgettable meal.
We took the Metro back to Saint Germain des Pres and then strolled back to the hotel. It was a beautiful evening.
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For our last day, we had plenty of art planned. We started by all going to the Musee Marmottan Monet in the 16th arrondissement. We had 10:45 am tickets and the route there was a longer one. We had to take two different trains, then walk about ten minutes to get there. We arrived just minutes before our entry time.
The museum was Mr. Marmottan’s Parisian townhome. The Monet paintings were given to the museum to display to the public, but they aren’t allowed to sell them. There are three floors to the museum: two of the floors feature paintings from other impressionist artists. They had some beautiful pieces there – quite lovely indeed.
After all that art, I needed some nourishment. We stopped at La Rotonde for a light lunch and a beverage.
Sue and I then headed to the Dior Gallery. She was going; I was just chilling while she was there. The Dior Gallery is a tribute to Christian Dior, who really brought classic, elegant fashion to the forefront after the deprivation, darkness and hardship of World War 2. His designs from 1947 to 1957 were highlighted, as well as subsequent designers for the House of Dior following his untimely death in 1957. Sue said it was incredible to see all the dresses and accessories. They had many original dresses, plus an area where they showcased the fashions in a rainbow of colors, but in miniature form. Mr. Dior’s original office was recreated, with his original sketches and fabric swatch boards for each dress of a collection. (Yes, Sue is adding some details to this paragraph and encourages anyone interested to watch the latest version of ‘Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris’).
The timeless elegance of Dior.
And for our final dinner, we went to Le Procope, a restaurant that has been around since the 1600’s. Luckily, the waitstaff wasn’t held over from those days!
We had delicious dinner of Coq Au Vin for the ladies, while the men both chose the Beef cheek Bourguignon. We had Rhone Wines from St. Joseph that went perfect with everything. It was a wonderful finale to an awesome trip.
We had a busy start to the morning as we had to get ready to catch our train back to Paris. In the meantime, Jan and Dave were going through the same routine in Avignon.
We’d been in touch and they were enjoying their time there. We’d be meeting back up with them in Paris later in the day to compare notes on our days apart.
Back in Beaune, I dropped Sue and the luggage off at the train station and then drove the car back to the Hertz office. Since the weather wasn’t bad, the half hour walk back to the train station wouldn’t be a big deal. It would leave us a little time before departing to relax.
Well… surprise, surprise. The woman at the Hertz office felt bad for me for the gas station confusion. She said we could have used any diesel fuel, not just the specific one the sign indicated. Between that and bringing the car back early, she gave me a little discount. More importantly, she offered to drive me back to the train station. It was extremely nice of her.
So now we could relax a bit before our train arrived. We actually could have taken an earlier train, but opted to just keep to the itinerary.
Gare de BeauneAll quiet until the train arrives
We had to take two trains to get to Paris. The first went from Beaune to Lyon, then we switched to the TGV for the faster train back to Paris. We arrived at the Gare de Lyon around 3:00 pm after a comfortable ride. Then, after maneuvering through the massive and busy Gare de Lyon, we took a taxi to our hotel. All in all, it wasn’t too bad of a travel day although it did take up most of the day time wise.
For these last three days, we stayed at the Hotel Des Deux Continents, which just so happens to be two doors down from our first hotel. It was very convenient and we were familiar with the area, so it was a good choice.
The hotel is a series of three buildings that are interconnected. The rooms weren’t huge, but they were clean and comfortable. The staff was also delightful – very friendly and helpful.
Nice windows to left in the light and some fresh airComfortable bedBreakfast room and lobby up front
By now we were hungry. Instead of waiting for normal dinner time, which was still two and a half hours away, we walked around looking for a Brasserie that served all day. We ended up at Brasserie Lipp on Boulevard Sainte Germain des Pres.
It is another of the well established places that serve traditional French dishes. The food was delicious and the prices were reasonable – even for a decent bottle of wine. I started with an order of smoked salmon that I thought we would share, but Sue bailed out on me. We then both ordered the duck confit with roasted potatoes. They had a reasonably priced 2020 Marsannay that paired nicely that I couldn’t resist. For dessert, we both had a mille-feuille (called a napolean in the U.S.) that was very tasty. Overall, it wasn’t a bad meal for scrounging something up.
When we returned to the hotel, we met up with Jan And Dave for happy hour drinks. It was good to see them again, but we were getting tired and wanted to get a good night’s rest. They were heading to Giverny in the morning and we were going to the Army Museum at the Hotel des Invalides.
The last time we were in Burgundy, we didn’t leave time to visit Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaunes, which was disappointing. This time we vowed to visit and we were happy that we did.
Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune makes good wines, is a beautiful chateau and also is home to an eclectic museum of vehicles of all types. From motorcycles to warplanes to race cars to vintage cars: you name it, they have it. It’s just one of those quirky places that you need to see.
We had a perfect day to walk around the chateau grounds. It was in the mid 70’s, sunny and there was just a bit of a breeze. It literally took just ten minutes to get there and they even had a free parking lot.
There was a €12 fee that gave you all day access to the grounds and chateau. Once you pay, you’re free to wander.
Abarthe Race CarsMotorcycles from the 1910’s to the 1920’sMotorcycles with side carsGreat hall of motorcyclesTelecom satellite Fire fighting equipmentHorse drawn carriageHorse drawn hearseLooks like the Air Force is readyVintage fighter jetVietnam era fighterRockets next?
On the way back to Beaune, we scoped out the car rental return and looked for a gas station. We found both, but since our car took diesel, we needed to find a different gas station. We found one a short ways away, but it was fully automated and wouldn’t take the credit card. So…we decided to just pay a bit extra and let them refill it at Hertz.
For the remainder of the afternoon, we decided to relax and do some people watching. Our final dinner in Beaune was at Le Grand Bleu. It’s mainly a seafood restaurant, but they do have other choices. It’s tucked into a little corner of the town and just a five minute walk from the hotel.
We started out a little rocky, as they didn’t have our reservation. After a little discussion, the owner said he could squeeze us in. He seemed rather stressed and we realized that he was doing everything but the cooking and everyone seemed to arrive at the same time.
It took a little while for him to get back to us for beverages, but when we ordered a wine that was a favorite of his, he took a liking to us and it appeared that he fast-tracked our order. Others who arrived before us hadn’t placed their orders yet and we were enjoying our wine and appetizers.
We ended up having a wonderful meal and a very nice evening. The owner was very friendly and took great care of us. A nice stroll back to the hotel would be a perfect end to our time in Beaune.
We woke up a bit earlier so we could eat breakfast and then go explore the various stalls, as today was Market Day. Lots of vendors and lots of people -most seemingly enjoying all the interactions and sales.
There was music being played in the bandstand in the Place Carnot, which was just a few steps from our hotel. While I was getting dressed, I thought I heard accordion music. Upon further review, the rest of the band joined in with him. They were playing Gypsy Jazz and we hurried getting ready so we could enjoy them for a while.
Cliquez vous to feel French.
Much like the market in Chablis, there was a blend of vendors and artisans. There was also a brocante or thrift area with all sorts of items for sale.
Scenes from the market
Unfortunately, we had to move along. We had a reservation for an 11:30 tour and tasting, plus lunch at Domaine Comte Senard in Aloxe-Corton. The drive from Beaune only takes fifteen minutes, but finding a parking spot will take about the same amount of time.
Aloxe-Corton is a very small village. They told us that only one hundred people live there. The main livelihood there is wine. We saw two hotels and six wineries, a church and the road out of town.
When we arrived at the Domaine, we were greeted by our host, Baptiste and taken on a short tour of the grounds. The property is beautiful and has some nice views over the surrounding vineyards. The vineyards date back to 1857 when Jules Senard planted six hectares. Today, they have nine hectares and the wine-making duties have passed through the family down to Lorraine Senard, great grand-daughter of Jules.
Around Domaine Comte Senard
They had a secret cellar that was found by one of the gardeners. It was behind a door that had stone piled in front of it for years. The cellar was over 800 years old and was dug by the monks. It was interesting and creepy at the same time.
Ancient cave and soil the vines grow through – limestone and clay
Next we headed inside for our lunch and tasting. The lunch included a tasting of six of the domaine’s grand cru wines – two whites and four reds. The meal started with some gougères (warm cheese puffs), then a pork terrine with salad greens. The main plate was bœuf bourguignon with potatoes dauphinois (cheesy potatoes) and then dessert was a warm gingerbread tart with a cassis filling.
Lunch was delicious, as were most of the wines, and they paired well with the food. Our favorite wine was the white, that we had two different vintages of. Since we were more enamored with the white wines, Baptiste let us try another wine that wasn’t Chardonnay.
Baptiste sneaking Sue “just a wee bit more”
It was a Pinot Beurot (Pinot Gris) that we enjoyed very much. So if you’ve been counting along, this turned into our fifth mixed case of wine that will meet us at home.
Domaine Comte Senard was certainly worth visiting. It’s a family run domaine that makes very nice wines. They were very friendly and were wonderful hosts.
Before heading back to Beaune, we made sure to drive up to get a look at Corton Hill. It’s intriguing to think that this particular spot is where every producer tries to buy land. Some of you probably have backyards that are larger than some of the climats being tended here. But they make some great wines from those small climats.
🎶 We found our thrill on Corton Hill 🎶View from Corton Hill
Back in Beaune, we just relaxed for the remainder of the afternoon. A little snooze helped to refresh us too.
Dinner time rolled around and we had a reservation at Le Carmin. I was looking forward to eating there, as I had read about it online and most of the reviews were great. We even had to dress up a little bit as it’s billed as a more refined restaurant (and surprisingly, they accepted our reservation).
It’s been fun trying to speak as much French as we can. Once we try, we’ve noticed that most of the folks are very encouraging. Tonight was no different, our host and servers were extremely nice and just helped us over a few rough spots.
As for the meal, it was another dandy one. It was a five course tasting menu, plus an amuse-bouche and after dinner petit-fours. Our wine for the meal was a bottle of 2019 Méo-Camuzet Chambolle-Musigny.
The meal itself consisted of Duck Foix-grois, lobster fricassée, roast bœuf fillet, a cheese plate and dessert – Sue had a soufflé and I had a fig tart. Everything was delicious and the restaurant exceeded our expectations.
Le Carmin Meal Highlights
The finale of the evening was the grueling two minute walk back to the hotel.
As a refresher…On Monday we drove up to Gevrey-Chambertin and then headed backed to Beaune, passing through Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée, Vougeot, Nuits St. George and Aloxe-Corton.
While Jan and Dave headed off to Avignon for a few days, Sue and I decided to explore some of the other white wine regions over the weekend. So with that in mind, we drove south to Chassagne-Montrachet to start things off.
We stopped by the Chateau de Chassagne-Montrachet for a photo op, then kept going along the route and through the vineyards until we reached Puligny-Montrachet. It’s a cute little town with a small amount of restaurants and a few other shops that we passed by. While driving through the vineyards, we passed through Batard-Montrachet. I was surprised that there weren’t armed guards in those vineyards.
Our first real stop was in Puligny-Montrachet for a lunch tasting at Bistro d’Olivier. What a wonderful way to enjoy the afternoon !
L’hôtel Olivier Laflaive
One highlight was having an older gentleman come to our table and introduce himself. It was Olivier Leflaive. He was very friendly and asked where we came from, even knowing that there really is not a distribution network there, but did say that NYC and Boston should have plenty that we could get. Such a delight to meet and talk with him.
The second highlight was tasting seven Domaine Olivier Leflaive wines while enjoying a scrumptious lunch.
The menu with the meal
Upon finishing, we treated ourselves to a glass of Grand Cru Corton-Charlemagne. We savored every drop and pouted when it was gone. To ease our pain, we put some numbers on an order form that will ensure that we will enjoy more wines when we get home.
Moving on, we next stopped in Meursault. We drove through the picturesque town and then stopped at the Chateau de Meursault for another photo op. Overall, it was a lovely ride on a beautiful day.
Vineyards leading to Meursault
Just a few more pictures from the vineyards as we drove through.
The Southern Route des Grand Crus
Arriving back in Beaune, we needed to rest up a bit before dinner. Tonight we were trying La Tavola Calda for something a little different. It’s an Italian restaurant specializing in pizzas.
It was a rather quiet night in Beaune. We walked over to the restaurant and had our pick of tables. All the tourists must have moved on, as there seemed to be tables open at many of the restaurants.
No matter. We each ordered a pizza, got a pichet of wine and truly enjoyed our evening. The owner stopped over and we chatted a bit. We managed to remember a few Italian words and phrases and ended up being offered a glass of his homemade Limoncello. A perfect way to end the evening.
We walked back to the hotel and washed up for bed. We were tired from driving…or maybe the wine had something to do with it. No, it HAD to be the driving!
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So we have a final recap on the caramels…
They were all tres bon! It is very likely that we will be stopping back when we return to Paris.
We had to make the call to hang out in town again. My back just couldn’t take the cobblestones and climbing stone stairs today. It was very disappointing as I was looking forward to visiting the castles and singing songs while we drove along.
Jan and Dave thought about going back to Dijon, but ended up visiting some other places in town instead. They even took a ride on the tourist train and visited the Hôtel Dieu.
Sue and I took a little walk around town, only walking where the sidewalk or streets were flat.
View along the ramparts.
That might sound funny, but we did find an awesome little patisserie along the way. We picked up sandwiches, pastries, little bear-shaped spice cookies and gougères and had our own little picnic.
Mmmm… Chocolate eclairs!
We even had a bottle of wine from our hotel stash. They were nice enough to let us put it in the refrigerator to chill for a bit….so it wasn’t a total washout of a day.
As this will be our last day together for a few days, we booked a table at Caves Madeleine for a semi-farewell dinner.
The restaurant is very small and we were seated at a communal table. It wasn’t exactly what I was planning, but it actually worked out fine. We had a really nice dinner and two bottles of delicious wine.
As an added bonus, the people next to us were very nice and when there was a break in the action, we got to share a little chat with them. They were from Korea and just arrived that morning after a twenty hour flight. The poor guy looked dead tired; the woman was just excited to be there. The ice-breaker: a Scorpion’s song playing in the kitchen that the woman and I both liked.
At times it was a little bit loud, but once people started eating it quieted down. Our servers were a delight and although very busy, were friendly and attentive. They were pleasantly surprised when I asked if we could include them in our pictures.
Oh, our meals. Sue and Jan had a chicken quenelle, while David and I had the roasted pollock fish. A bowl of mashed potatoes for us to share was brought over and then the forks did their job – yum!
We took a pleasant walk back to the hotel, said our good-byes, exchanged hugs and parted.
Jan and Dave were headed to Avignon in the morning, while Sue and I are staying in Beaune. We’ll meet back up in Paris after the weekend.
For our next adventure, we grabbed a train to visit Dijon. Ok, so technically we just bought tickets for the train, but I swear, I could have been the engineer – I ate my share of Good-n-Plenty growing up.
After purchasing our tickets, we caught the next available train for the thirty minute ride up to Dijon. While Beaune is considered the wine capital of Burgundy, Dijon is considered the capital. It is a fairly large city, with an old town that we centered our walk through.
I wanted to follow the Owl!
Dijon adopted the Owl (Chouette) as a symbol for the city and uses it as a guide for tourists The Owl’s Trail (le parcours de la chouette) uses the owl to mark the trail of roughly twenty-two sites around the old town..
We made a brief stop at the Tourist office to get a guidebook and then off we went – to lunch. We stopped at a Brasserie that was recommended by the guy at the info office. And then we were off.
Jan and Dave went to the Palace of the Dukes and the museum of Beaux Arts, while Sue and I went back to follow the Owl.
Before we went back to our starting point, we stopped into St Michael’s Church and the Musée Rude.
So finally, we made the Cathedral of Notre-Dame our first stop. It dates back to the thirteenth century and while maybe not as ornate as the cathedral in Paris, it still brings in parishioners and tourists.
The original Owl is carved on the corner of the Église Notre-Dame. Local tradition says if you rub the owl with your left hand and make a wish, your wish will come true. Not wanting to be selfish, I made a wish that included all our friends and loved ones. I hope it comes true! PS…I avoided that pesky dragon too!
Old town Dijon was really interesting with its mix of extravagance and simplicity. The Duke’s Palace is quite a contrast to the old wooden houses of the everyday individual. The following pictures will give you a glance at what we enjoyed.
By the time we finished walking around, we were warm (the weather was beautiful), we were tired and one of us was hurting. We met back up with Jan and Dave and decided to head back to Beaune.
We made our way back to the train station and only had to wait a few minutes for the next train. Thirty minutes later, we were back at the Gare de Beaune and made the short walk back to the hotel to crash for the evening.
It was a very nice day, but a tiring one. We showered and just rested for the evening. How tired? ‘We skipped dinner’ tired!
Slightly Whirled - A Traveler's Tales 