Can it be that it’s over now? My ten-year-old grandson and I are back from the trip to Paris we have been planning for five years! But we did bring back lots of wonderful memories and photographs so we will never forget our time there. I want to share with you my favorite little street in Paris…Rue Cler. It’s a little pedestrian street, only a few blocks long, not far from the Eiffel Tower. It is a wonderful area to use as your headquarters if you ever get a chance to go!
It is a French teacher’s dream! If only I could have taken my class here when we did the chapter on the shops in France because it has everything…so very Parisian! Of course, it has the obligatory sidewalk cafés…several of them!
We had the traditional French breakfast of bread, butter and jam at the café every morning and watched the people pass by. My grandson especially enjoyed seeing the parents walking their little children to school, since it was still in session there. As for me, I think I could have a café crème and a croissant every day for the rest of my life and never be tired of it…
…but my grandson wanted something else, so he tried the only other breakfast choice on the menu…l’oeuf à la coque…a soft boiled egg…and was not a fan! lol It was pretty, though!
After breakfast, we would wander around on Rue Cler for a few moments before heading off for sightseeing. There are several fresh fruit and vegetable stands…
…with wonderful displays of beautiful fruit…
…and sometimes unusual vegetables, such as this white asparagus.
My grandson loved checking out the seafood market with the day’s offerings staring back at us…
…as well as an assortment of oddities such as this pile of octopuses…uhmmm…octopi?
You will find several flower shops as well, some offering more plants…
…and others more fresh cut flowers. Gotta love those sunflowers!
We had dinner one evening at this crêperie housed in a former boucherie chevaline…horse meat butcher shop. Although the idea is repulsive to most Americans, you have to admit that the hand-painted sign is a work of art! I am happy that the new owner decided to leave it as is.
There is also a traditional butcher shop, offering rotisserie chicken…yummy! Why is theirs so much better than ours?
Only in France, where there are over 400 recognized varieties of cheese, could you have a whole shop dedicated to fromage…cheese!
I had to stop by and at least visit my favorite every day…roquefort! I can eat it straight! Yum!
Of course, a little French street must have a wine shop! I love how they have displayed it in the baskets out front.
There was also a candy shop featuring chocolates made on the premises. I love their sign!
The display window was filled with chocolate cell phones and golf clubs for la Fête des Pères…Father’s Day…on the same day as ours!
This is my favorite sign on Rue Cler…and one of my favorite shops as well! It’s a boulangerie…a bakery specializing in bread.
But they also sold pastries! Needless to say, we hit this one several times!
The oldest building in Rue Cler houses a deli. Not only is there an offering of wonderful food to go…
…but a peek at Paris in the early 1800s with its two garret windows on the roof!
Ahhhh! Now you know I lingered in front of this window each day! This shop specializes in table linens from Provence!
There was even a table runner version of my favorite yellow and blue table square that I bought in Fontaine de Vaucluse several years ago!
Let’s end our walk down Rue Cler where we began…at a sidewalk café! I think I am ready for another café crème before we start our day of visiting Paris and I always enjoy the traditional Parisian pastime of people watching. Won’t you join us?
If you are planning a trip, a good source for information about the Rue Cler area is Rick Steves' guide book Paris 2011. I used it so much that by the end of our stay, my grandson was joking…Does Rick Steves recommend that we sit on this bench? lol
Missed any Paris posts?
Back from Paris…or My Grandson’s Favorites! Listing the must-see spots for a ten year old boy!
My Favorite Street in Paris…Rue Cler Great little street to use as your headquarters
In case you want to follow along, here is my plan for visiting Paris in seven days! I am linking each of the seven days as I complete the posts.
Day One…All about Eiffel! Eiffel Tower/ Champ de Mars park and play area
Day Two…Sightseeing by Subway! Arc de Triomphe/ Montmarte/ Sacré-Coeur
Day Three…Monsieur Monet, I Presume (and a lot of Louis)! Giverny/ Versailles minibus tour
Day Four…The Cradle of Paris! La Sainte Chapelle/ la Conciergerie/ Notre Dame/ Latin Quarter/ the book stalls/ ice cream on Ile St. Louis/ the bâteau mouche on the Seine
Day Five…Art Museum Madness…Plus Play in the Park! Louvre/ Tuileries Garden/ l’Orangerie/ Musée d’Orsay
Day Six…A Phantom, a Fountain and Some History! Opéra Garnier/ Pompidou Center/ Carnavalet Museum
Day Seven…A Tomb, a Tank and a Tower! Napoleon’s Tomb and the Musée de l’Armée at les Invalides/ Eiffel Tower at night
Thanks so much for stopping by! See you next time! A la prochaine!
Oh Wow Debbie. You must have had such a wonderful time with your grandson in your favorite city.I am sure he will never forget this trip and of course he will go back one day. And I agree coffee and croissants for breakfast is super.And I love those croissants with chocolate in them.Had to laugh about your grandsons soft boiled egg hihi. You know Paris is so much like our country with the fruitstalls and flowershops on the street. And the terrace café's. We have so many here in every city you can imagine. I loved all your photo's. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHave a good day.
Hi Debbie, What a wonderful post! And your photographs are beautiful. We stayed in an Apartment just around the corner from Rue Lepic, another wonderful shopping street. I will be searching out your favorite street in Paris this September...the shop with the tablecloths did it.
ReplyDeleteAh, Debbie, c'est formidable! Hier soir j'ai regardé mes photos et malheureusement, je n'en ai pas pris beaucoup (à rue Cler)....mais j'en ai une avec M.Steves et un autre homme qui j'ai vue en deux occasions (1996 et 1997). Alors à lundi....nous pouvons immaginer que nous cherchons au grand marché aux puces à Clingacourt (sp?) Linda
ReplyDeleteHow I miss Paris!! I haven't been in years, but it is one of my very favorite places. Lovely photos of what looks like an incredible trip.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful tour Debbie, it makes me think that if I only get to Paris for an afternoon (someday) I could experience Paris in a nutshell on Rue Cler:)
ReplyDeleteSigh...I never met a cheese I didn't like!! Wonderful pics - thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh Debbie, I am just drooling over everything. What a beautiful street full of eye candy. I can not wait to go to Paris and you are being a perfect guide, I can not wait to see more pictures, I love touring with you,Kathysue
ReplyDeleteI feel like I got to go with you! Thanks for the wonderful photos and commentary! I am so happy for you and your grandson. What a wonderful dream come true trip!
ReplyDeleteDebbie, next you'll have to plan a trip to France as a guide so we can all go along.What wonderful pictures and I know your grandson will remember this trip as one of the highlights of his young life!
ReplyDeletexoxoxo, Bonnie
Debbie this is my dream trip and now I'm going via your photographs! Gorgeous. Doubt if I ever make it to Paris but I can dream! Looking forward to more photos and descriptions! hugs, Linda
ReplyDeletethanks for the tour. This is probably as close to the real thing as I will ever get. I love the pictures of the food, so beautiful and so much passion. We see a little of that in the streets of new York City. I am going to hold onto you're images in my mind and hope some day I can be there for real!!! Thanks for sharing. Richard from My Old historic House
ReplyDeleteOh wow! I bet they are more healthy than Americans! We have very little fresh fruit and veggie stands around here. Looks like you all had a blast!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the stroll along Rue Cler...the marketplace and the fromage shop would have been my favorite spots...as to the chickens, they aren't filled with antibiotics and things you can't pronounce! The white asparagus...bet tastes even better than it looks...yummy! I am so happy you are taking us on these tours, Debbie.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like so much fun, Debbie!! I felt like I could just step into one of your pictures. It's everything I imagine Paris to be! I'm so glad you had fun with your grandson and look forward to more pictures!
ReplyDeleteXO,
Jane
Thanks for taking me along for a tour! I truly enjoy the baked goods!
ReplyDeleteBrenda
Debbie, you know I smiled as I scrolled down to read through this post. In fact, I took a couple of strolls down Rue Cler with you today and forwarded this on to my friend who often travels with me to Paris and the little apartment on Rue Cler. Sigh!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these images. My favorite street too! ~ sarah
Pictures 21 & 22 are my favorite. I love to see the windows above stores decorated with flowers. So gorgeous. What a great time you must have had. Good memories I'm sure. Hugs, Deb=^..^=x4
ReplyDeleteOh Debbie, such great pictures and what a wonderful time you two had. I would have loved to be there too. Sounds like such fun. I am sure he is talking non stop about this trip. Hugs, marty
ReplyDeleteDebbie, I am so glad you and your grandson had a wonderful trip and it sounds like the two of you enjoyed the French food! The shop of French linens...oh my. Thanks for the wonderful photos and the tour.
ReplyDeletexo,
Sherry
Hi Debbie, I so loved all the pictures of Paris. I have wanted to go there for years, and years. Alas, I am now 64 yrs. old and the prospect of me ever getting to France is nil. However, I truly enjoyed all the wonderful photos and especially the restaurants, and the Provence linens..sigh.....
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tour you give, Debbie! So many great shops. One right after the other. Fantastic.
ReplyDeleteOh, I want those french pastries!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd what beautiful market and cafe' photos too. What a wonderful Grandma you are! Have a great weekend, Mary :O)
Debbie, That was a tour to rival Rick Steves! You should have your own tv program. Great photos and the pastries and white asparagas... yum. We used to get white asparagas (Spargel) in Germany. Delicious. How wonderful to see all the French table linens too. What a tour...thanks again,
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Babs
It looks like this trip was well worth the 5 year wait. I would want to eat my way down Rue Cler. :o)
ReplyDeleteDebbie, your photos are wonderful! You really captured the atmosphere of the street with your camera. And oh, I am drooling over those pastries! Of course, I'm also drooling over the table linens! What a wonderful trip for you and your grandson. This will be something he will be talking about for the rest of his life! laurie
ReplyDeleteOh Debbie, the whole post is simple delish to look at! I know your had a wonderful trip.
ReplyDeleteIf you have time, please drop by. My current post is on St Malo.
I just stumbled across your blog - love all the posts on Paris!! I got to go in March and we stayed in the Rue Cler area and loved it. I can't wait to go back - I'm with you, a cafe creme and a croissant for breakfast every day would be heaven.
ReplyDelete