L'avenue des Champs-Élysées

L'avenue des Champs-Élysées

Today the weather seemed a little bit cooler so we decided that a pleasant walk along L'avenue des Champs-Élysées was in order. We noticed that it was especially quiet this morning and the French talking heads on the television attributed this to the success of  Nuit Blanche and the warm weather which contributed to the all-nighter.  We caught the Number 80 bus down to the Rond Point and walked up to the Arc de Triomphe with a short stop for coffee on the way.

On L'avenue des Champs-Élysées

Despite this being perhaps the most elegant avenue in Paris, there are still beggars and street people to be found. We have never been able to figure it out although we are sure that some are Romany who may not be entitled to French benefits.

 

Walking along such elegant boulevards always makes me think of the term "flâneur," a stroller. Charles Baudelaire developed a derived meaning of flâneur—that of "a person who walks the city in order to experience it." I think Baudelaire would agree that we are flâneurs.

Near the Arc de Triomphe we went into the "Drugstore" which bears no resemblance whatsoever to any drugstore we may have visited. It sells books, food, magazines and has several restaurants, including the two Michelin star Atelier Etoile de Joël Robuchon. Very posh and very pricey. We walked on.

Of course, one must stroll in and out of shops and for some inexplicable reason we seem to stroll in and out of children's clothing shops and while there to look at clothes for little girls approaching two years of age. Ah well, that is a grandparenting privilege. One of the nicest children's shops is Petit Bateau and we seemed to be drawn to it. Funny that!!

For the fashionistas who may be reading this, the shoes this year are pretty much the same as last year although heels are blockier and the colour for the new season is "coral." And a very lovely colour it is too.

Back to the apartment to drop off a few items and then to lunch. We went back up the Butte to one of our favourite restaurants,1900 La Cremaillere where Bruce enjoyed Moules Mariniere served with a side of frites. For those unacquainted with this popular dish it is mussels steamed in white wine with onions and a few other goodies and a serve of French fries on the side. Bruce insists that you can eat as much of the Moules as you want since the work involved in removing them from the shell and getting them to the mouth actually takes more calories than are in the mussels. No comment on the frites!

1900 La Cremaillere

A quiet afternoon, laundry and a glass of wine at one of the local cafes rounded out the day. Along one of the streets we noticed an interesting shop which made wedding dresses in very old fashioned styles.  But what we thought was interesting was the "tape measure" by the front door.

Wedding Dresses and Tape Measure

Later we will have some pear,baguette and Roquefort before calling it a day.