Samer had been drooling over a praline bun at a bakery called Pralus. It is near Airbnb, so today was our day to finally get it for breakfast. It’s a large brioche bun covered with these very (too) sweet sugar bits. We picked one up and split it in the nearby harden dedicated to Anne Frank. The praline bun is not my cup of tea, but one can tell that it is expertly made. I found it all a bit too sweet. On the other hand, the park is very quiet, almost protected from the din of the city, with a few nice sculptures. It’s worth a pop-in if you are near (enter via the alley on 29 Rue Beaubourg).
We decided to visit Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. It’s a 150-year-old 60-acre park, and it is a very nice way to enjoy some green in the city. The park’s centerpiece is a lake spanned by a suspension bridge. We could not visit the island on the lake, which has a Temple to Sybille. The park has a few Cedars of Lebanon and many walking trails, making it a lovely place to enjoy nature while still in the city.
I read Paris and Her Cathedrals by R. Howard Bloch on this trip. It is a book about six cathedrals in or near Paris. It is an architectural study but also a history of France when they are being built. Notre Dame was still inaccessible, and Sainte-Chapelle was scheduled for the next day. Today, we were going to see Saint-Denis, and I could put some of this newfound knowledge to work.
Saint-Denis is in the northern part of the city, and it is massive. It is still an active church and served as the royal necropolis housing the remains of over 40 French kings and queens. On that day, when we walked into the cathedral, it was away in rainbow colors. The son was very bright and shining through the stained glass windows, giving a kaleidoscopic effect to the main room. The Rayonnant rose window on the north side is breathtaking.
The church’s basement has an old crypt, with parts dating to the 9th century. It has been rebuilt over the years, but it is very impressive to be in something this old that is not a ruin. King Clovis I, who died in 511, is entombed here. Saint-Denis was a prime target of revolutionary vandalism due to its connections to the French monarchy. In 1793 the revolutionary government ordered the violation of the sepulchers. To this day, many of the statues have graffiti on them. Did the knowledge of the book help me? I don’t know, but I am glad I read it. I think Saint-Denis is a must-see while in Paris.
For lunch, we stopped by a newer bakery called French Bastards – Saint-Denis. I heard about the bakery on the Les Frenchies YouTube channel and wanted to check it out. It was a good bakery serving pastries and sandwiches. Many bakeries in Paris are trying to be bakeries from a different era, but not this one. It was good and completely unpretentious. It is worth a quick and casual lunch if you are near it.
That afternoon, Samer took a nap, and I walked around our neighborhood alone. My husband is the greatest travel partner I could ever have, but we had been traveling together for almost two weeks, and I needed some Josh time. I popped in the earbuds and went shopping. Samer’s birthday would happen soon after we returned to the States, so I planned to surprise him with French sweets. Being alone and struggling through some basic traveler angst was very liberating. This is something I should tell myself before the start of every trip. Take a minute and try to do something on your own.
After enjoying the neighborhood, I returned to the apartment to get us ready for the evening. We stopped for drinks in the Musée Carnavalet garden. Our guide told us this was a great museum to visit and the best place to learn the history of Paris. I did not see the exhibits but had a drink in its gardens. It was this night that I learned something very important about myself. I do not love French cuisine. Of course, it is very good, but only so much butter and tarragon a man can have. I needed some flavors that would make a difference. I found a restaurant called Table Métis – Bistronomie Africaine that I truly loved. I thought it was delicious and the perfect counter to what I had been eating for days. I had a chicken mafé dish from Senegal, which was everything I wanted. Chef Sylvain Ajavon cooks delicious West African dishes with the precision you expect when dining in Paris. I think this guy is going to be famous someday.
Next: France – Day 7
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