Returning to France Day 10

Song -  L'Indifference by Cafe Accordion Orchestra



Last day in Paris with my girlfriends Jackie & Sydney.  Mr. B will arrive from Biarritz later this afternoon. He has been visiting some old neighborhood friends there for the last few days. My friends will be flying back home early tomorrow.

Sydney has decided that she wants to see Sacre Coeur before leaving while Jackie and I keep packing. We have so much stuff crammed into our room safe that it gets jammed and we can't open it. The manager tries to help but then she has to call a technician.

And he has to disassemble our entire closet to break open the safe!

It's a lovely, warm, sunny day so I grab my camera and head over to the Luxembourg Gardens.

 It is just bursting with flowers and people!

Kids are playing while a grandma watches over them.

 It's so nice that the boats are coming out for the day!

 It isn't long before there is a line at the boat cart.

 They are so excited with getting their boat across the pond and if a breeze catches the sails they really move!

I get a text from Jackie and she wants to meet Syd and I at Les Deux Magots and she is holding a table for us. Time for lunch!

Parisian's are all outside enjoying the sunshine.  It had been raining a lot prior to our arrival so everyone was ready to be outside for a bit.

Nothing like quality and simplicity.......butter from Normandy, Italian San Daniele ham and bread from around the corner - Polaine!

Returning to our hotel I bump into Mr. B in the lobby.  He is just checking in and starving!  So we sit outside in the courtyard and he has a bite to eat. Then we head over to the Luxembourg Gardens to watch the petanque players and take a stroll.

Each player has their own technique for throwing the ball.....some roll it like a bowling ball and some shoot it high so it drops down on the opponents metal ball and sends it away from the cochonnet.

An older Frenchman starts talking to Mr. B about petanque and life.  Mr. B has been practicing his French for just such an occasion.  His goal was to get to know the people instead of just being able to order food or hotel rooms. It is so nice when people are patient with you and ernestly try to help you with your language skills.

I scoot off to snap some photos around the park.

 Bee hives.....

....and tulips!

Later that night all four of us head back to Dumonet for dinner because it was just so yummy!

Jackie and Sydney have the duck confit..............

Mr. B orders the lamb chops and spring veggies...........and I have steak with Hollandaise sauce but I forgot to photograph my plate.  It was delicious!

And look what's for dessert!!!! A pointy one and a flat one!

And I had the Strawberry Pistache tartlette.............mmmm.........again!

This time we closed down the house!

But don't worry as our evening was just beginning.  Jackie had asked the manager to place her jewelry, passports and cash into the main hotel safe as our room safe was broken.  The man on night duty told us that the safe had been locked for the night and he had no access to it until 8 the next morning! Jackie & Syd were catching a 6 am flight in the morning!!! After a few phone calls and an hour later, the manager returned to open up the safe for us!

We had wine served by our friend Deni in the lounge to celebrate!

"The red ones are very rare and not quite in season yet." 

-- Deni

(when Mr. B ordered a Gin & Tonic earlier today with a slice of  "citron rouge"  - you know are with  a good person when without missing a beat he covers for your language faux pas!)