The Paris Diaries Winter Day 5

This little red car is one of the reasons why I love staying on île st louis. Just wait until you see the back. It brought a huge smile to my face and I was very tempted to ask for a ride. Instead, I did the American huge grin, but I did get a grin back 😉

I didn’t talk much about the flooding but it did affect my trip. Ile st louis is surrounded by water and since it was a news highlight from around the world, the island wasn’t so quiet. The weather was dark, rainy, foggy and cold. I can’t say I expected much more in January but snow would have been nice. 

This was the view from outside my apartment. Typically, you can see the eiffel tower but you can barely see her with the fog. 

I had the day to myself which was very important to keep. I had marked it off on my agenda for no plans, which I later made a minor adjustment. I made a walk to the Marais and visited my old hood. If you haven’t been, Le Progrès is one of my favorite spots for people watching and steak frites. 

I wanted to spend most of my time on the Left Bank this day. I booked a hotel for the evening on Rue Jacob at Hôtel des Deux Continents. I checked into the hotel and walked around the neighborhood before meeting up with Corey Frye for our Left Bank walk. I don’t know why but time moved so quickly this day. I had a quick coffee at the hotel before heading out.

My room was on the top floor and it was small, but the balcony and view made up for it.

You can read all about my walk with Corey Frye here and see the photographs I took during the walk. We enjoyed a café chat afterwards on rue de buci. 

By the time the café chat was over, it was dark in Paris. I headed back to the hotel to freshen up and get ready for dinner. I have a favorite spot that isn’t too far from here but I wanted to do something different. 

During the walk, Corey mentioned Hemingway used to eat dinner at Le Pré au Clercs on Rue Jacob. I had dinner there a few years back and I loved the cozy atmosphere and they had jazz playing inside. 

For other restaurants in the area, there is Le Relais Entrecôte for the best steak frîtes. Be prepared to line up as they take no reservations. It is worth it. 

I was tempted to stop out for dessert or another glass of wine after dinner but I was feeling tired. I walked St Germain de Prés and ended up with a crêpe. Not a bad way to end the night. 

The point of me taking the day for me wasn’t to jam pack it with activities but to slow life down a bit and soak in Paris.