It has been winter for 6 going on 7 months here in Paris. Today it should get up to a balmy 55 degrees Fahrenheit… and rainy. So what to do when you have a guest in town?
Your first answer may be, “Go to a museum.” You can find oodles of blogs and websites that give you a laundry list of museums to visit. But remember, my mom said, “No Louvre!” She is not a “look, see, take a picture” kind of gal, she is a “walk there and see, maybe take a picture” kind of gal. Not to mention that my mom’s arthritis is acting up so we have to do things a little more slowly since there is a LOT of walking and a LOT of stairs in Paris.
We are going to “go and see,” but with a twist.
Equipment you’ll need:
-1 Navigo carte (1 week or Carte Semaine); costs 19.50 euros and has unlimited journeys.
-1 umbrella
-1 pair of good, waterproof walking shoes. (I have a waterproof pair of leather boots from The North Face and a pair of leather walking shoes from El Naturalista. Both are wonderful. The boots offer more protection from cold and splashing, but for everyday use the walking pair is great. I add the Superfeet insole for added comfort and protection.)
-1 smile
My plan is to take my mom up to the Sacré Coeur church today, but on the metro.
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- Sacre Coeur
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- Stairs to up the Sacre Coeur
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- The Funicular
There is also a funicular so you can you a metro pass or the Navigo card to get up to the top of the hill and not do the enormous amount of stairs. I love Montmartre and that area should be nice to wander around. Plus if walking gets to be too much, there is a pedestrian train for carting around you and your tired feet. Also, there is a wonderful piano bar up there. Perhaps I can even convince my mom to stop and do the quintessential Parisian thing – sit at a café and people watch.
K A C Johnson Books 