we'll always have Paris

So we hadn't been to Paris since June 2022 and it seemed like it had been ages. For a number of years we were there every other year or more frequently - especially as we used it for a stop over on the way to other French locations.  Lyon! <3, Burgundy barging a couple of times, Normandy, Alsace, Lorraine, and the Dordogne, and various other trips in our partitioning of France into smaller and smaller bites to make it last longer and to delve deeper into the locations we visited. 

Anyway, Paris is no longer a tourist destination to me. I like to settle in to a neighborhood and hang out - maybe do a museum or a church but no more than one THING a day. The whole point to me is to BE there. 

So when brother Larry was planning a trip to visit but to meet up elsewhere we discussed his travel options from Miami - and one of the easiest for him was Paris. We are only a 2.5 hour plane ride and for him it could be non stop. Plan made - I found an apartment to rent for the three of us and enough space that Lee & Angela could join us as well. 

I wanted to be in the 6th - where I had spent time over the years but we did not stay there in 2022, as it was spur of the moment and hotel prices were astronomical for June! So we moved over a few numbers and to the right bank - near the Promenade Plantee and had fun exploring a new neighborhood and its restaurants. If you follow the blog you will know that we got "stuck" in Europe as we contracted asymptomatic COVID and couldn't test clear to fly back to the US - we of course snapped into action and went to Amsterdam for our extended "vacation" LOL.

Back to the last week.  We arrived Sunday afternoon to Orly airport and took the Metro into the city - changing at Chatelet and then took the line 4 to St. Sulpice and walked to our place.  We had codes to enter our Paris apartment and then we settled in and awaited Larry's arrival. 

All the lit windows on the "first floor" are ours - in a classic Paris walkup 

Larry arrived and we spent time together and then headed off for our first dinner.  Our first dinner with Larry in Paris was Le Petit Chaise (1680 founded) an old favorite. We've been here numerous times since the first time in the late 90s. The restaurant has gotten even better. It used to be a home cooking style place run by an older couple. The menu has gone more upscale and it is no longer a "menu"  style restaurant with choices of one from appetizers, entrees, and dessert - it's now a la carte. Everything was excellent but the desserts were completely worthy of repeating.

A fabulous start to our eating tour of the 6th! More to follow: