UNPOLISHED PARIS   2007

Mary and Hallie are now offering their Unpolished Paris tour to groups by appointment. The tour includes such features as a French bread-making demonstration in an authentic boulangerie, a visit to a real Parisian home, trips to wine bars and wine museums, cooking classes in Parisian restaurants plus much, much more.  Consider booking a tour for yourself and friends.  Following is the 2004 schedule for a detailed view of what we offer:

 

Wednesday: Our tour begins in a charming Paris apartment in the seventh arrondissement. With a glass of champagne, we’ll toast our good fortune before dining nearby at Bistrot de Breteuil.

 

Thursday: Start the day with the best croissants in Paris and other delights, served at Ladurée, a nineteenth century extravaganza of a tea salon.  From there, we’ll visit magnificent culinary purveyors, such as Fauchon, Hédiard, and the Nicolas Wine Store.  While surrounded by an array of choices, we’ll snatch up delectables for tonight’s appetizer buffet in a real Parisian home.   Close by are the Grands Magasins—department stores—just waiting to satisfy any shopping whim.   Later that afternoon, we’ll meet on our own rue Cler to purchase more for the evening.  Over aperitifs and our wonderful choices, we’ll experience the chaleureux accueil (warm hospitality) the French have in such abundance.

 

Friday: Hop Bus 69 to the happening Marais and Place des Vosges, an enchanting square that once was the home of Victor Hugo.  The area is a warren of small shops, boutiques, restaurants, and the emporium of tea, Mariage Frères.  We’ll stroll ("flaner" in French) together, then scatter to hunt for treasures.  Regrouping, we'll continue our quest at Dehilleren, a renowned cookware and copper store and make a stop at A. Simon for porcelain bakeware.

 

Saturday: Meet at the Lallement bakery to watch bread-making in action.  From there, we'll explore the Marché du Saxe.  Filling our shopping basket with the market's best offerings, plus cheeses from such local shops as Cantin, supplier to the French presidents, we'll picnic at the Champs de Mars, a grassy area by the Eiffel tower.   The rest of the afternoon and evening are free to sample Paris on your own.

 

Sunday:  Just up the road and past the Eiffel tower is today’s market tour.  We’ll explore the vibrant arrangements of fruits and vegetables, peruse the best of the season, and perhaps succumb to a scarf or purse purchase too.   Back in the ’hood, we’ll linger over champagne brunch then break for a Sunday sieste.   Finally, the chefs at Le Bec Rouge will demonstrate flammenkueche and offer a degustation of their fine Alsation fare.

 

Monday: After yesterday's packed schedule, we've scheduled some free time to explore the charms and possibilities of this fabulous city.  We'll point out great locations for lunch-—perhaps at Sancerre, a wonderful wine bar nearby.   This afternoon we'll attend cooking class and dinner at the charming Maupertu restaurant.

 

Tuesday: A full day of exploration—we're visiting La Musée du Vin and including a wine tasting and cheese pairing.  Then, using the Seine as our transportation mode, we'll board the Bateau Bus to visit Nôtre Dame and the Ile Saint Louis.  In case we get hungry, we'll treat ourselves to the best ice cream in Paris at Berthillon.  En route home, we'll stop by the Samaritaine rooftop for a special thrill.  Gather for our final dinner together at Affriolé, a small jewel of a restaurant that typifies what Paris is all about.

 

Wednesday: We'll finish in fine tasting form with a selection of breads from Poujauran and  other favorite neighborhood bakeries, slathered with a selection of butters and accompanied by jams from our home in Provence before saying “à bientôt”—or I’ll see you soon.

 

Unlike traditional tours, we're leaving the plane reservations up to you.  That way you're free to tie UNPOLISHED PARIS to other portions of your travel.  We strongly suggest arriving at least a day early to recuperate from jet lag.  Because much of our tour takes place in the Eiffel tower area, we recommend making hotel reservations close by.  We can suggest several convenient hotels in various price ranges.

 

Price: $1695.00 including tastings, demonstrations, walking tours and all meals noted.   

 

Contact Mary Evans at (612) 822-6114, e-mail info@thewritecook.com or Hallie Harron at (928) 717-0055, e-mail premcru@yahoo.com for more information.